Digital Dream City

Soft, or monitor-based, proofing was a logical step towards a truly all-digital workflow that helped in cutting down considerably the turnaround times in the printing industry. As deadline pressures tighten, print designers and printers needed better faster way to collaborate and approve the files for approval. BargainPrinting.com has been using PDF technology for soft proofing that allow print buyers to review content and layout, enabling the art department to have the files approved and printed faster. Although PDF proofing is not meant for color proofing , it does serves its purpose well. Soft proofing is perfect for sharing, fast distribution within a team, and simultaneous viewing. It is especially functional for those customers that have several locations throughout the country and collaboration between them is also needed. What is soft proofing good for?

• Check that the file used is the correct one: Dealing with multiple files it is human that errors might occur and the wrong file might be uploaded. Or when dealing with a third party designer you might want to make sure that the file used for printing is the one approved.

• Check the layout / pages layout for multi-page items: Make sure that the two sides of a brochure or postcard are aligned correctly and the pages of a catalog are set up in the correct order especially when page numbers are not used throughout.

• Check for bleeds and margins: The proof will include folding lines and crop marks to assure that your text and other elements of your design do not get cut off.

• Check fonts: If you are using a non-standard font, you might want to confirm that the correct one was used.

• Check spelling and content: You get the chance to do a final spelling check and confirm that the correct content appears.

Soft proofing is a great way to proof files in today’s fast-paced industry. Proofing can be done fast, and will save considerable time.

Soft, or monitor-based, proofing was a logical step towards a truly all-digital workflow that helped in cutting down considerably the turnaround times in the printing industry. As deadline pressures tighten, print designers and printers needed better faster way to collaborate and approve the files for approval. BargainPrinting.com has been using PDF technology for soft proofing that allow print buyers to review content and layout, enabling the art department to have the files approved and printed faster. Although PDF proofing is not meant for color proofing , it does serves its purpose well. Soft proofing is perfect for sharing, fast distribution within a team, and simultaneous viewing. It is especially functional for those customers that have several locations throughout the country and collaboration between them is also needed. What is soft proofing good for?

• Check that the file used is the correct one: Dealing with multiple files it is human that errors might occur and the wrong file might be uploaded. Or when dealing with a third party designer you might want to make sure that the file used for printing is the one approved.

• Check the layout / pages layout for multi-page items: Make sure that the two sides of a brochure or postcard are aligned correctly and the pages of a catalog are set up in the correct order especially when page numbers are not used throughout.

• Check for bleeds and margins: The proof will include folding lines and crop marks to assure that your text and other elements of your design do not get cut off.

• Check fonts: If you are using a non-standard font, you might want to confirm that the correct one was used.

• Check spelling and content: You get the chance to do a final spelling check and confirm that the correct content appears.

Soft proofing is a great way to proof files in today’s fast-paced industry. Proofing can be done fast, and will save considerable time.

All of us in ecommerce have a heavy vested interest in maximising income whilst minimising the time spent maximising! Where some are losing out ‘big time’ is from the downside of technology where there is always someone trying to beat the system for their own ends, maybe devious, theft complacent or just plain evil.
Digital product security is of paramount importance. Good old ‘commonsense’ is invaluable but IP Tracking is a major advance in monitoring ecommerce product theft and licence abuse. Really, in these times of increasing ID fraud and a large receptive market for pirated product, there is little choice but to equip ourselves with ’state of the art’ security, rather like credit card companies who are always looking to stay one step ahead of the criminal. Digital product security is now as necessary to employ on your digital downloads, as it is to fit an effective burglar alarm on your home.
You may ask what this is to do with you? Now, was it not you who either developed a cracking piece of software or fantastic ebook that took you weeks or months of ‘your life’ to complete? Did you not sometimes shut yourself off from family and friends, many of whom already doubting or protesting your devotion to financial success. Possibly you are a highly motivated affiliate who has chosen to promote, or joint venture with another person. Either way, you are both now at great financial risk from digital product theft.
“70% of people admit they would not pay for a digital product if they could get their hands on a pirated copy for free!”
OK, so now you sell, either directly or you outsource the sales system, through a global distributor who handles all online billing and marketing. The orders start to arrive and you begin to relax a little, then the order flow becomes sporadic and you wonder what’s happening. Strangely, you notice increased refunds’, sales slowing way down, yet product registrations are up? What you may well have done is leave the window open for the burglar to get in.
You are probably now a victim statistic of either download theft or serial refunder action. Your ‘download or Thank You page’ has probably been hacked into or your product copied and ’shared’ illegally within the ever-receptive online community!
There are two types of shareware products available, one being the respected product, specifically designed for free issue and ‘try before you buy’ sector. These have a well-earned place in ’shared asset’ world. The other type is ’share-warez’and that is what your product could now be, stripped of it’s copy protection and available to one and all.
“86% of computers users “own” digital products they did not pay for! (These are not free or trial versions)”
Can you afford this situation to continue? Are you willing to be monetarily ransacked every time you set up a customer download page, or initiate a PPC campaign that costs a packet, only to deliver miniscule ROI? No! you need to monitor everything about your product sales, especially licence abuse after download.
It doesn’t matter if you are one person with a single ebook, or a team of highly motivated software marketers with multiple products on the go, you cannot go forward until you have protected your sale, your backend or whatever.
Mike Filsaime is one of our top online marketers and a tough nut to crack if selling him on new ideas. Mike was concerned that he was apparently registering some 15% more product than he was positively selling. Mike had multiple keyword products in Google’s ‘top ten listings’ and after discussing innovative IP tracking of registered licence holders, was moved to investigate the matter further, Highly sceptical at first, Mike has seen his sales rise by 15% since installation of IP licence tracking, coincidence? he doesn’t think so.
How does IP Tracking work? Very simply is the answer, if you have the technology. On purchasing a downloadable product, the customer is required to complete a brief ‘registration’ form, in return for which they get a licensed alphanumeric code. In the event the customer decides that the product is not fit for purpose, or within the terms of guarantee, requests a refund, the seller is then able to curtail further use of the product.
It will also be feasible to track down the culprit, in the event of ’serial refund theft’ and request that they do the honourable thing and pay for it, or else, proof is on the table for further action.
So, the problem is outlined…,now you have to ask yourself a question:-
(a) Do I take a chance that I won’t get ripped off by the serial refunders or hackers? or,
(b) Do I invest currently well under a $1.00/day to protect ALL my digital downloads (All, not just 1 or 2), for ever?
As Mike Filsaime puts it so beautifully, installing ’state of the art’ digital product security is a ‘no brainer’.

The activity of selling and buying online different products or services has developed a lot in the past years due to the fact that most of the internet users are attracted by the easy way in which they have access to a large offer of products and services online. www.spartacusp2p.com was especially created in order to better complete the people’s need for buying and selling music and other kinds of digital content.

Creating am merchant account and downloading for free spartAcus p2p program on your computer represent the first and the most important steps that an internet users needs to do if he wants to sell music or digital content through this site. Don’t forget to read with attention the terms and condition of the site before creating your account because there are several conditions you have to respect for being able to sell digital content.

If you have created some songs which you think can become successful singles or if you are just the owner of different types of digital data which you want to sell, www.spartacusp2p.com is the perfect answer for your business. No matter if you are interested to sell music, photos, videos, games or eBooks you have created, this site is the place where you can meet thousands of potential buyers.

The most important thing you have to do after you have created a merchant account and after you have installed the spartAcus p2p on your computer in order to have total access to the database, is to present the music and the digital content you want to sell to the other users making your offer available to all those who are interested. If you really want to sell digital content through this site, try to offer to the potential clients all the information they need and those details which can make them becoming interested about the music or the lyrics you sell.

Selling music or digital content is one of the easiest ways in which you can earn money on the internet. Besides talent for writing songs, taking photos or creating special videos, you also need a place where you can present your merchandise and in this situation www.spartacusp2p.com is the best solution. The attractive design, the easy way in which you can have access to all the products and services offered by this site and the fact that this site is available in three international usage languages – English, French and Spanish – represent only three reasons for which you should choose it every time you want to sell digital content to other users.

The next time that you’re in a grocery store, waiting room, or any venue that has a digital signage network, take the time to study the content. While you’re doing that, look at the people walking – or sitting – nearby. Are they paying attention to the screens? Do they have the look of somebody who is interested enough to respond? Chances are, the answer is no. And if the marketing collateral that is being displayed doesn’t get a person’s attention, it is not doing its job.
In most of the signage content I’ve observed, the sales message is completely buried. This is true whether it’s a 3-minute segment at my local grocery store or a 20-minute segment at my dentist’s office. The problem is the level of complexity within the message. In today’s article, I’m going to make the case for simplicity in your signage content. The factors that influence your viewers – for example, color and motion – should be consistent with a simple message.
Less Is More
Here’s what we know about most people who view a sales messages: they’re impatient, often lack focus, and don’t like to think about what they’re watching. That might sound harsh, but understanding your viewers’ perspective will help you craft content for your signage network that compels action. The segments that you – or your creative agency – design must not overwhelm people with too much information. While they’re watching, they’re not thinking. Providing too much information makes them less willing to continue watching.
Throughout any segment, there’s also an ever-present possibility that your viewer won’t understand what he or she is watching. If the marketing collateral that you’re displaying is not completely intuitive, it will raise a question mark in their mind. Each question mark represents a moment of disconnect. If your viewer disconnects too many times, you will lose their attention.
This is the reason why your signage collateral must deliver its message in a tight package. Less is more. That doesn’t mean that every piece that you create for your network should be short. Rather, it means that every piece should be designed to cater to an impatient, unfocused, and unthinking viewership.
Getting Attention Quickly… And Keeping It
The best way to capture the attention of passersby is to begin each of your signage segments with a fast jolt of intriguing content. By “intriguing,” I’m not necessarily referring to full-motion video or other eye-catching collateral. It could be as simple as displaying the three most powerful benefits of a product in an easy-to-read font. The reason for the initial jolt is because those first few seconds are when a person is deciding whether to continue watching or to keep walking.
Once you have their attention, your segment must continue to hold it. This is a fine line. As I noted above, less is more. However, if you don’t continue to tantalize your viewers throughout the segment, you’ll lose their interest. On the other hand, if you give them to much, too soon, you’ll confuse them. And once they’re confused (even slightly), their ability to comprehend what they’re seeing begins to decline. That’s why you need to walk a fine line between providing too little and too much information throughout an entire segment.
Creating Simple Content
Think of each screen within your signage network as a billboard. And think of every piece of digital signage content as a request for your viewer’s attention. As they’re speeding by, you have mere seconds with which to capture them. If your content does its job, they’ll not only notice it, but they’ll pull over to the side of the road and continue consuming it. And while they do, you’ll be communicating the benefits of your product in a way that compels them to take action.

For years, researchers have known that certain colors can evoke specific emotional responses. What’s more, various hues have cultural connotations that can elicit different reactions or inferences based upon heritage and ethnicity. The question is whether these elements can be used in the content that you develop for your digital signage network to arouse a response.
In this article, we’ll approach the topic of color usage in digital content by exploring customer preferences and the effects of specific tones. I’ll explain the emotions that are commonly induced by red, blue, and other hues as well as the differences in cultural perceptions. Finally, I’ll describe their true impact on generating a response.
Customer Preferences
Color is deeply ingrained within most people. Here in the U.S., it’s a larger part of our culture than most people realize. For example, blue is often cited as the most popular while red evokes the most intense emotions (we’ll talk about emotional responses below). The American flag, arguably one of the most widely-recognized and emotion-inciting emblems, is comprised of red, white, and blue; each is powerful on its own accord.
Customers have color preferences. They can influence moods, purchase decisions, and behaviors. But, the extent to which this influence can be leveraged through digital signage content is still unknown. Most customers have limited exposure to digital signs. That’s why effective content that motivates action must be delivered in short spurts. Signage exists in an environment where much of its effect occurs within the first minute. That’s usually not enough time to accurately measure the emotional impact of different tones.
Reds, Blues, And Other Hues
Even though the impact is undetermined, it’s still worth noting how various hues affect people. Research has shown that red can increase a person’s heart rate and stimulates faster, shorter breathing patterns. As I mentioned above, red evokes the most intense emotions. By contrast, blue has a calming effect on most people. It suggests dependability and resiliency.
Green, like blue, also has a calming effect; darker shades imply a conservative nature. Yellow is often misunderstood and as a result, misused in signage content. While it suggests optimism, it also increases frustration levels. While network operators might think yellow will attract the eyes, the effect on response can actually be damaging.
Noting Cultural Differences
Today, any business or high-traffic public area will attract members from several ethnic groups. While the cultural diversity in customer bases implies new marketing opportunities, it also makes it more difficult to use color in signage content. Cultures perceive colors differently. For example, red implies excitement for those in the west, while it has traditionally represented purity in India. Further, red indicates good fortune in China while signifying a time of mourning in South Africa.
Evoking An Emotional Response
All digital signage content should be developed to evoke an emotional response. That is the core of effective copywriting. While color can be used to enhance specific aspects of the content, it cannot be relied upon to persuade viewers to take a desired action. For example, consider a shoe store that is using digital signs in order to increase sales for a given pair of shoes. The content should be written carefully to persuade store visitors to make a buying decision. Various colors can be used to support that message based upon what we know about their psychological effect, but their impact is largely unknown.
This is the reason why digital signage content – and all marketing collateral – should focus on the core principles of copywriting. Those include attracting attention, building interest and desire, and designing a clear call to action.

The digital water flow meter consists of a turbo prop sensor which is attached to a handle that is expandable and has a digital readout display. The Global Water Flow Probe is a very accurate water flow instrument that measures the flow in open channels as well as in partially filled pipes.
The digital water flow meter has true velocity averaging and can measure flows in a very accurate manner and is used for measuring flows in rivers and streams as well as monitoring velocity in ditches as well as canals. The digital flow meter also has many features to it including easy flow monitoring, digital display in ft/second or meters per second, does not weigh much and is reliable as well as rugged and is used by water professionals all across the world.
Debris Shedding Turbo-Props and Telescoping Handle
This digital water flow meter also has debris shedding turbo-prop and a telescoping handle with staff gauge and can display instantaneously true average velocity and also has a rain-proof digital computer read out. It is most useful for measuring flows in streams, rivers, canals, storm waters, wastewaters and industrial process waters.
To operate this digital flow meter, its flow probe incorporates the unique turbo-prop propeller sensor which makes it possible for positive displacement techniques to sense velocity and is designed to shed debris and has ample protection inside the two inch diameter housing. One can place the probe housing directly on the bottom of the pipes or streambeds in order to measure low flows down to two inch depths and the flow motor propeller turns feely on the shaft without mechanical interconnections and so has almost no friction.
In addition, the flow probe handle is able to telescope from three feet to six feet in height or five feet to fifteen feet and is made of anodized aluminum for its low weight as well as durability and can be extended up to twenty-five feet in length with the help of PVC pipe and extension cables, which allow sewer flow measurements from the level of the street and measuring of stream flows from the bridge. Attached to the lower section of the digital water flow meter is a three feet Mylar coated staff gauge which is graduated in hundredths of a foot and centimeters and this helps in instant water depth measurements as well as accurate positioning of the propeller.

There are so many models of digital cameras available in today’s market, that it becomes a rather difficult task to pick the best buy among so many options. Perhaps a few steps should be taken into consideration when choosing the right camera. Will the camera be for daily use, or just for special occasions like birthdays, family reunions, etc. Will the price of the camera make much difference on the pocket?

Assuming that price is not an issue, one should choose a well known major brand camera and if possible, go for the latest model and with the highest number of mega pixels available. The higher the mega pixels, the better the picture will be specially if there is an intention of having photo enlargements quite often. A good quality optical zoom lens will also make a big difference. Choose a camera which comes with a battery that holds a good charge, this way you can enjoy lots of picture taking without having to be worried when the battery charge will come down.

The range of features available make a digital camera very cost effective and more than likely you will be able to find the right camera suited to satisfy your needs.

If you enjoy printing enlargements of your photographs, you may want to pay close attention to the printing size and what is required in mega pixels for you to have good quality results. For you to have an idea of the amount of mega pixels required for most commonly used size of prints, refer to the chart below:

For photos 2×6 inches – 2 mega pixels

For photos 5×7 inches – 3 mega pixels

For photos 8×10 inches -7 mega pixels

For photos 11×14 inches – 14 mega pixels

For photos 16×28 inches – 28 mega pixels

For photos 20×30 inches – 54 megapixels

The handling and design also matters and the lightweight ones are much nicer to carry around. Choose a camera that is user-friendly and make sure that you have a good local technical assistance in case you may run into problems with it.

There are several advantages of having a digital camera instead of the old traditional film camera. First of all, there are no films to be purchased ever. You make take dozens, perhaps hundreds of photos and instantly delete the ones you don’t like, or that did not came well into focus and just keep the best ones. You may load them into your computer album, record them and you may view your favorite photos from you camera or from your television set. Some digital cameras also come with a recording device that allows you to record special events and replay them immediately after recording

Digital cameras take pictures that are stored in digital media. It is possible to select, save or delete photos without any cost whatsoever. The photos are usually stored in media cards into the hundreds, meaning that you can take as many pictures as you like before you run out of space. Also in most digital cameras, the user can view the pictures on the LCD screen, which will allow him to pick the best ones.

No wonder that digital cameras became so popular and accessible item to almost everyone. It became a must to have one nowadays and even cell phone cameras are getting better everyday with noticeable improvements in quality of picture taken. The earlier models of cell phone cameras were somewhat limited as far as picture quality is concerned comparing to the ones we find on today’s market. The mega pixels are increasing constantly and so the quality of the cameras. If a person needs to carry both at the same time, maybe a cell phone with a digital camera built in will be an interesting option to consider

If you have not bought yet a digital camera, maybe this the right time to do so, considering the manufactures are offering so many new models with new features at bargain prices. It is wise to compare the several models among different manufacturers and also the prices from traditional and online stores. Make sure you do your research right, and most likely you will find the digital camera you are looking for.

Drag-and-Drop Picture Enhancement
Resize a bunch of digital pictures or convert them into a different format. Create a great-looking photo collage and imprint the date completely automatically. No learning curve involved, just drag and drop your selection onto an icon!
 
Processing your own film allowed for a high degree of freedom and creativity back in the film age. Digital photo processing opens a whole new world of opportunities for the creative mind. But do you have the time to process your digital pictures one by one? Do you have the desire to learn, and do you have the money to buy the required image processing tools? If you don’t want to spend days and weeks learning how to do this, and wish to get results right away and without breaking the bank, read on!
 
What do you do most often with your digital photos? If you’re like most of us, you probably resize them to fit into a Web browser and convert pictures from one format into another, making them load faster in a Web browser. PicJet Studio (http://www.picjetstudio.com/) offers you a new, exciting and free way to perform just that by simply selecting the photos and dragging and dropping them onto a PicJet icon!
 
Resize a bunch of digital pictures to fit any size completely automatically and without any hassle. There’s no learning curve involved, just drag and drop a single photo or a selection of multiple photos onto the Resize icon!
 
Are you concerned with load times when you upload a photo album on the Web? Not sure if a Web browser can show the images as produced by your digital camera? Remove any guessing and drop your digital pictures onto the Converter icon! PicJet Studio will carefully convert the images into a chosen compatible format, ensuring that they never exceed the file size you specify. No learning required, just drag and drop!
 
Feeling creative? Design a cool-looking collage of your favorite photographs! Learning curve? What learning curve? Just select your favorite pictures and drop them onto the Collage icon!
 
Do you remember having a film camera with that cool imprinting feature that stamped the date you took a picture onto each photograph? They don’t often include this in digital cameras anymore. But all is not lost in this department, as you can easily stamp dates onto digital pictures in a much simpler way than you would do it with film! PicJet Studio imprints the date you’ve taken the picture on a single photo or on a bunch of photographs quickly and easily. Learning curve? What learning curve! Just learn how to drag and drop the pictures onto the Stamp icon, and you’re all set! Unlike the film ages, you can now select your own font and color to make the date look exactly as you had hoped.
 
Four functions in one little program. Not yet convinced? PicJet Studio is completely free of charge! You don’t pay now, you don’t pay later. Download your own free copy now: http://www.picjetstudio.com/

It’s now over 500 years since German goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg invented the first printing press, enabling the mass-production of literature and other texts through the medium of print.

Indeed, such was the influence of Gutenberg’s design, that in 1997 it was voted the most important creation of the last 1000 years by Time-Life magazine, which is no mean feat, considering the wealth of other contraptions and devices that have contributed to the technological revolution.

As with any invention, however, although the same basic concept has remained the same over the years, the methods and technology used to achieve the outcomes have changed greatly. In an age where everything from telephones to televisions are becoming digitalised, the world of printing, too, is moving into the digital realm, and for good reason.

Firstly, there is the issue of time and money. With digital print, what once took days can now be achieved in hours, and there are no traditional printing plate charges to pay for, which is of particular benefit for short-runs in large format digital printing. With large format digital printing, it is common for organisations to do shorter print-runs than they would maybe do with, say, an A4-sized flyer.

Roller banners, for example, are commonly used by companies at information stalls at events or to greet visitors in reception areas. They are a very effective, eye-catching means of gaining exposure, as people can see instantly who the company is and what they stand for. Many organisations will need no more than a few of these banners and will benefit greatly from the reduced cost of large format digital printing.

Furthermore, digital printing in general provides the customer with far greater versatility over traditional printing methods. It’s not uncommon for companies’ needs to change over time; whilst a print-run of only a few might be fine at first, there may be a need for more at a later date. ‘On-demand’ digital printing also allows the customer to ‘test’ the market place and then adjust the company message at a later date, without costing the earth to do so.

Large format digital printing is also suitable for more ambitious marketing or branding projects. Mesh PVC banners, for example, are proven to be an effective means of advertising and can be used to adorn scaffoldings and building wraps, and can also be displayed in public buildings such as concert and exhibition halls.

So, although the basic premise of producing literature and other texts ‘en-masse’ has largely remained the same since Gutenberg’s revolutionary 15th century invention, the methods have changed significantly over the years. The digital revolution has led to improved versatility and speed and also reduced costs, making large format digital printing more feasible than ever before. It would seem that bigger is, indeed, better.