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Apple Online Store goes down in preparation for Apple Watch Series 2 & iPhone 7 preorders
Comparison: Here’s how the iPhone 7 compares to the rest of the iPhone lineup
Apple officially unveiled the oft-rumored iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus earlier this week. Preorders are set to kick off early tomorrow and naturally, potential customers are in the midst of research both devices to figure out which one works best them. As it usually does, Apple is also keeping the last generation iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus around at a more affordable price point, while the iPhone SE is also still available.
Gone are the days of there being one iPhone model to choose from, so a little research is required before pulling the trigger. Read on as we compare every iPhone model you can buy right now…
Filed under: Apple
Macy’s partners with Apple to begin selling the Apple Watch this holiday season
Following Apple’s announcement of the Apple Watch Series 2, department store Macy’s announced today that it will soon begin to sell Apple’s wearable in its retail stores. According to a report from Fortune, Macy’s will open an Apple Store within its flagship location at Herald Square in New York City, while the Apple Watch will also come to all of the chain’s “top buildings” for the holiday season.
Filed under: Apple
Apple shares full iPhone 7 & Apple Watch Series 2 keynote video on YouTube
A day after the event, Apple today has uploaded its entire ‘See you on the 7th’ iPhone 7 event to YouTube. Yesterday, the company shared a handful of videos from the event on YouTube, as well as new videos focused on living a healthy lifestyle.
Filed under: Apple
Poll: iPhone 7 & 7 Plus preorders start tomorrow, which model are you getting?
The excitement is starting to brew up as we get closer and closer to iPhone 7 and 7 Plus preorders. Starting tomorrow at 12:01 AM PST, customers will be able to pre-order the iPhone, with retail availability starting on September 16th. Now is as good as time as any to get yourself ready and thinking about your configuration choices and backup plans, just in case what you want isn’t available. Coming in a new Jet Black finish (but only in the 128GB and 256GB capacities), single and dual-camera options, all running together on-top of the new A10 chip, the iPhone 7 is surely ready to give customers something to think about. Will the lack of the headphone jack steer you away from upgrading this year?
Filed under: Apple
New Belkin adapter enables Lightning audio while charging iPhone 7 without headphone jack
So you want the new iPhone 7 but it doesn’t have a headphone jack. No problem, it comes with Lightning EarPods in the box plus a Lightning to headphone jack adapter for your old headphones. But what if you like Lightning Audio but need to charge your iPhone 7 while using the headphones in the box or other Lightning headphones? Belkin has a solution for you, but it cost $40 and it’s not pretty.
Filed under: Apple
GeekBench benchmarks confirm iPhone 7 Plus ships with 3GB of RAM
After much speculation that the iPhone 7 Plus would include an extra GB of RAM, bringing its total to 3GB, a new GeekBench benchmark for the iPhone 7 Plus (iPhone9,4) confirms the amount. more…
Filed under: Apple
Opinion: As Apple Watch Series 2 enhances fitness tracking, Series 1 speed and price could take it mainstream
The Apple Watch Series 2 announcement isn’t earth shattering. Swim proof, built-in GPS, brighter display, faster chip, and same design. Most first-gen Apple Watch users will be satisfied with the speed gains that the watchOS 3 software update offers and won’t consider upgrading, and first time Apple Watch buyers will have a better experience with the new hardware and software from day one.
I’m hardly disappointed personally. I asked for a better sports watch and that’s what Apple delivered. The Series 2 message is so clearly targeted toward health and activity that it’s easy to miss features like Siri and Apple Pay!
It’s especially interesting to me that Apple actually introduced two new Apple Watch models: Series 1 and Series 2. The first-gen Apple Watch is dead. That’s absolutely the right thing to do even if it’s a new move for Apple and implies we were all beta testers for the original.
Filed under: Apple
Sprint matches T-Mobile’s free 32GB iPhone 7 w/ trade-in deal, offers 256GB for $100 off
Following T-Mobile’s announcement earlier today, Sprint just revealed its iPhone 7 launch promos including a similar free 32GB iPhone 7 with trade-in.
Filed under: Apple
Comment: There isn’t much of a difference (yet) between the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus
The iPhone 7 was pretty much everything we expected it to be. It has no headphone jack, it has a much-improved camera, and it features a solid state home button.
It also comes in two new colors, a matte Black color and a glossy Jet Black color, along with a 32 GB base SKU. So which iPhone am I considering? The decision isn’t as straightforward as I initially thought it might be. more…
Filed under: Apple
8 Necessities of a High-Converting Blog Design You Should Be Looking For
So, apparently, there’s a show on Disney Channel called Dog With a Blog.
Yes, you read right.
When I discovered this, two thoughts quickly entered my mind — one, “what the heck ever happened to good old shows like The Mickey Mouse Club?,” and two, “literally everyone has a blog now, don’t they?”
With so many people (and apparently pets) blogging today, general consumers are far more familiar with most blog conversion practices and, unfortunately for marketers, how to avoid them.
Despite this newfound hurdle, there are still several simple, data-backed features and tactics to help you attract more leads with a high-converting blog design.
Think your blog is missing something? To paraphrase another Disney classic, just look for these blog necessities; these simple blog necessities.
1) A Dedicated Blog Subscription Page
This is an old “hack” that many brands seem to forget these days — having a landing page dedicated specifically to subscribing to your blog.
Part of the reason many subscriber lists don’t grow is because people don’t understand why they should be subscribed in the first place.
Why should they volunteer to hear from you? Why should they grant you access to their personal inbox? What value does your blog offer?
A dedicated blog subscription landing page allows you make your case in more detail than most pop-ups or sidebar forms allow.
On your dedicated landing page, you can incorporate social proof, share examples, and fully sell the value of your blog to your audience, in turn, making it more inclined to convert.
Doing this also creates a page that you can directly link to from your blog and one that can be optimized and indexed by search engines to get your brand found. After all, the more new people finding your blog, the more opportunities to gain new subscribers.
Below is a great example from Social Media Examiner. Notice how they incorporate a lead magnet; this is something we’ll talk about in #7.
2) Crisp, Beautiful Visuals
If the rise of photo filters has taught me anything as a marketer, it’s that we live in a superficial world.
It’s not enough to tell people what they need to know anymore, you need to show them — and the view better be good.
Studies show that on average, the #1 search result on Google has 9 images and if those images are high-quality, they are likely to get 121% more shares. Knowing this, make an effort enhance your written content with relevant graphics, photos, or charts.
A high-converting blog design is fully-optimized to showcase high-quality images like these and offer the best viewing experience possible.
Contently has done a commendable job with this; making striking, colorful imagery the focal point of its article right-off-the-bat.
3) A Fast Load Time
Now, where there are beautiful images, unfortunately, there are also often speed and loading issues.
According to a study by Akamai, about half of web users expect a site to load in two seconds or less. That means if your blog design is image-heavy or not optimized to handle high-resolution files, you may be losing a large number of potential leads while these visuals load.
To avoid this, compress image files and optimize your blog design to load quickly while you still have your audience’s attention.
Not sure how quick it needs to be? Use Google Analytics to find your average user’s on-screen time. If the time is low (and your bounce rate is high), you may be losing people to a slow site speed. Find your blog’s exact site speed here then talk to your developer about ways to improve this number if need be.
Even a few seconds too many could lead to an uptick in your bounce rate and a huge drop in your number of conversions.
4) Mobile Responsive Design
If your business is anything like ours, your blog is one of the most popular pages amongst mobile users. Make sure that its browsing and reading experiences are the best possible by optimizing the page through responsive design.
Responsive design is arguably the most efficient approach to mobile optimization, as it automatically adjusts fonts, images, and layouts to the specifications of the device at hand, without the need for a separate, dedicated design.
Offering a positive, consistent user experience both on desktop and mobile, makes it easier for people to convert on your blog when and where the mood strikes them.
5) Cross-Browser Optimization
Similar to mobile optimization, you want to make sure that your blog design is uniform and beautiful across different web browsers.
Cross-browser testing and optimization help ensure a consistent, high-quality experience to all of your users. The last thing you want is to lose a loyal reader because they’ve switched to a Mac and your blog design was only optimized for Android.
6) Prominent Social Share Links
Word-of-mouth is a powerful marketing tool and it’s only getting stronger with the aid of social media and inbound marketing. One of the easiest ways to harness it to increase your conversion rates is by including prominent share links in your blog design, like we do at IMPACT (both on the main page and within articles):
As sad as it may be, Upworthy found that readers who only consume about 25% of an article are, more likely to share than those who actually complete a piece, so use this to your advantage. Place easy-to-identify and click social share buttons on each of your articles and your blog homepage.
Making it as easy as possible for people to share your content with their audience makes it that much more likely they will do so; and again, the more new eyes on your blog, the more chances of gaining new leads.
7) A Subscription Lead Magnet
As great as your blog may be on its own, sometimes people need a little extra push to commit with an email subscription. That’s where your lead magnet comes into play.
A lead magnet is a premium offer of irresistible value. It’s a piece of content that visitors can’t help but want to exchange their email address for, and in this context, it is an incentive to subscribe to your blog.
Adding a high-quality piece of content that people can only get by subscribing (i.e. a video or guide like IMPACT does above) is like adding a free gift to an in-store purchase. It “sweetens the deal.” It delivers a more immediate value (instant gratification, if you will) to the act of subscribing and creates a sense of exclusivity.
Highlighting this added value in your blog design can help entice new subscribers and boost conversions.
8) An Exit-Intent Popup
For those of you not familiar with them, exit-intent popups are framed messages that only display when you’re about to close the window or attempt to navigate away from the site.
As consumers, we all hate them, but as marketers, frankly, they work.
WP Beginner, for example, increased its subscriber numbers by about 600% by implementing an exit-intent popup on its blog and results like that are quite common.
Though a bit in-your-face (even Google is cracking down on them on mobile), exit-intent popups give users one last chance to convert before leaving your site.
Instead of simply bouncing away, these additions give you an opportunity to make your final case and possibly win back a lead that was ready to give up on you. So, test it out!
Consider integrating an exit-intent popup into your blog design that highlights its value or even promotes your subscription lead magnet.
Neil Patel took a bold approach with his here:
So, How Does Your Blog Stack Up?
Download our full 10-point blog design optimization checklist here to see what else your blog may be missing.
If you’d like some help implementing or even fine-tuning one or more of these tactics, talk to IMPACT. Our all-new blog optimization services will help you incorporate the 8 necessities mentioned above and many more, to start generating more leads from your business blog!
Apple’s answer to charging iPhone 7 while listening to wired headphones: the Lightning Dock
Apple deprecated what it called “ancient” technology yesterday, with the iPhone 7 lacking a 3.5mm headphone jack. The company is encouraging Bluetooth wireless headphones for audio playback (heralding its new AirPods) or using wired headphones via Lightning. However, with just one port, people who want to listen to music and charge their iPhone 7 at the same time are left with a conundrum.
Apple’s answer to this problem appears to be the $39-49 Lightning Dock which adds a 3.5mm headphone jack when docked.
Filed under: Apple
Apple issues iOS 10 GM for public beta testers ahead of September 13 release
Following yesterday’s release of iOS 10 GM for developers, Apple has released iOS 10 GM to public beta testers as well. iOS 10 is scheduled to be released to anyone not testing the beta version next week on Tuesday, September 13.
Filed under: Apple
Google Photos 2.0 bakes in Live Photo editing features from Motion Stills app
Back in June, Google released a Motion Stills app that removes shakes from iOS Live Photos and turns them into easily shareable GIFs and movies. That functionality is now built into Google Photos 2.0 with more sharing options and a number of other tweaks.
Filed under: Apple
9to5Toys Lunch Break: 13″ MacBook Air $790, 27″ Retina 5K iMac $1,500, 2TB Canvio Portable Drive $68, more
Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:
The 13-inch MacBook Air is Apple’s most popular laptop, pick it up today for $790 shipped (Reg. $999)
Apple’s 11-inch MacBook Air is a great laptop for everyday tasks, now just $690 (Reg. $899)
Save nearly $600 on Apple’s powerhouse 15-inch 512GB Retina MacBook Pro: $1,900 shipped (Reg. $2,499)
Apple’s 27-inch Retina 5K iMac rarely goes on sale, save nearly $300 on the entry-level model: $1,500 (Reg. $1,799)
Always have storage on-hand w/ a 2TB Toshiba Canvio USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive for $68 shipped
Caseology iPhone 7/Plus cases in multiple styles & colors starting at just $4 shipped (Reg. up to $17)
tvOS 10 is slated to change the game, grab a 4th Gen. Apple TV for up to 20% off: 32GB $129 or 64GB $159
Apple Music gains discounted $99/year membership through new gift cards, effectively $8.25/month
Score a full-year subscription to Apple Music for $99 with email delivery from PayPal (Reg. $120) – Or get an additional $5 off for a limited time
The stellar Blek puzzler goes free for the very first time on iOS (Reg. $3)
You can grab the Hitman Essentials iOS bundle (GO & Sniper) for just $1 right now ($8 value)
The stellar Blek puzzler goes free for the very first time on iOS (Reg. $3)
App Store Free App of the Week: Noodles! puzzler goes free for the first time (Reg. $2)
The best LED Desk Lamps with Apple-friendly designs, USB charging stations and more.
MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:
VIZIO’s popular 60-inch 4K 240Hz Smart Ultra HDTV is on sale for $829 shipped (Orig. $1,499)
T-Mobile offers free iPhone 7 w/ trade-ins, deal starts tomorrow alongside pre-orders
- Toshiba 49-inch LED Google Cast 4K Ultra HDTV $400, Pioneer Bookshelf Speakers $175, more
- AUKEY 20000mAh Power Bank w/ QC 3.0 & Lightning Input $33 (Reg. $40), more
- Ditch the modem rental, grab Motorola’s DOCSIS 3.0 (cert. refurb) for $27 shipped (Orig. $100)
- Get your hands on the Fitbit Alta Fitness Tracker in four colors for $100 shipped (Reg. $128)
- Games/Apps: Madden NFL 17 $40, Xbox One S Halo Bundle $300, freebies, more
- Amazon is bringing Alexa to mobile with the new Fire HD 8 tablet
- Download $1 MP3 Albums from Coldplay, Wiz Khalifa, Matchbox Twenty and more (Reg. $9)
MORE DEALS STILL LIVE:
Get a Bluetooth speaker that’ll earn its keep, Amazon’s Alexa-enabled Tap is down to $100 shipped (Reg. $130)
Marshall’s Stanmore Bluetooth Speaker (refurb) blends classic styling w/ top-end sound: $160 shipped (Orig. $400)
Get some free money w/ up to 20% off gift cards: Lowe’s, Domino’s, Apple Music, Nintendo, many more
Filed under: Apple
Opinion: Apple delivered solid updates with iPhone 7 and Apple Watch 2, but only AirPods seemed ‘magical’
Even with the deluge of leaks that defines modern Apple reporting, Apple usually shows things at their event that I don’t anticipate or expect. This time, that didn’t really happen. Apple’s 2016 September event was straightforward because Apple’s announcements were straightforward and almost obvious.
The new iPhone 7 and Apple Watch 2 are good updates, adding features people wanted and improving things that already exist, don’t get me wrong. They are iterative, though. It is disappointing that both of Apple’s flagship hardware announcements look almost identical to their predecessors.
The updates Apple gave us this year are solid but nothing extraordinary. Nothing that compels me to preorder. I normally leave an Apple event unsatisfied with what I have, wanting the new thing and I really don’t feel that this time..
Filed under: Apple
How to Be Successful in The PM Industry: Quora
Remember that kid in elementary school who had all the answers? It was pretty annoying when he hogged all the teacher’s attention. But, now you are a PM in-charge of the projects and dreams are yours for the making or breaking. Having half of that kid’s knowledge at your fingertips would be pretty wonderful right? Founded in 2009 by former Facebook employees Charlie Cheever and Adam D’Angelo, Quora is your chance to forgive that kid for all the times you tripped him at recess.
What is Quora?
In 2001, Wikipedia introduced the concept of a decentralized encyclopedia. Curated by users, this revolutionized the gathering of information. Quora expands on this idea with a simple question and answer format. Users of the site register using real names. Once registered, you can ask or answer any question. Other users reward the accuracy of information by voting. The know-it-all kid, the wise old mentor and the thoughts of industry leaders in one package.
A Historical Conext That Leads to Quora
The principles of project management are transcendent. Accomplishing great things requires a sharp and disciplined mind to organize the tasks, manage the resources and make sure the team meets the goal. Until the WWII, it was easy to handle one-time projects using Henry Gantt’s charts and Frederick Winslow Taylor’s Principles of Scientific Management. Managers juggled projects and operations without much consideration. After WWII, with improvements to technology, projects became complex and massive. These new projects demanded the attention of a full-time professional. The technological advances that continue to march unabated today make PM one of the hottest job titles. PMs are some of the highest salaried professionals, but this comes with a high level of stress. Success and failure are in your hands and it’s important that you continue to keep your skills current and sharp. Let Quora help you with that.
The Right Software for Your Project
When the Project Management Institute (PMI) opened its doors in 1969, the Project Evaluation and Review Technique and Critical Path Method dominated the industry. Newly minted PMs and pros shared information easily using the PMI’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). But computers added algorithms to the PM’s toolbox and the high-speed internet brought immediate connectivity. Today hosted software solutions offer a platform adapted to every kind of team and every imaginable project. Quora cuts the time searching for the right tool in half. When you search project management software in Quora, you will get the answer to the best way to choose the right project management software. This curated list addresses real life applications across the industry. Quora provides everything you need, not too much or too little, to make an informed decision.
Pitches from The PM Companies
Quora is not only for PMs, you will learn about to the best project management software for small creative teams. The founder of Aha! explains his new product and includes screen shots. This is targeted advertising, pitching directly to your audience. With 65000 views, this one thread is more effective than ad banners and less expensive. Another benefit that Quora provides to the PM industry – companies can promote their product – or inform the reader about it.
How to Become a PM Expert
An industry is only as good as it’s experts. Beyond centralizing information about project management, the goal of PMI was to professionalize the job. With this in mind, they created the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. Today, PMP certification is respected worldwide. If you’ve been leading teams and want to pursue certification Quora has what you need to know about becoming certified. Find out about what the certification means from those who have walked the path. You can also pursue project management from an academic angle, further enhancing your skill with a master’s degree. Quora provides excellent guidance on research topics, thesis topics, and dissertations. Everyone knows the power of guidance from those who’ve walked the walk.
Don’t Become Obsolete
Attaining expertise isn’t a finite exercise. Thanks to computers, PM is a rapidly evolving industry. A PMP and Master’s demonstrate dedication, but it seems as if your knowledge becomes can become dated before the ink dries. Quora keeps your finger on the pulse of the industry. This thread, for IT PMs, is a running commentary on the changes to the industry. This blog from Wrike, contains a list of must read threads. Feeling frustrated and burned out? Try this discussion. The debate between “waterfall” planning and Agile shows up in a lot of these threads. Quora covers that too: no need to check out a library worth of books.
Conclusion
Success depends on flexibility and your willingness to learn. Quora is your road map. If you are a PM wanting to make sure your next project is your best performance, consult with Quora. If you are a PM solution designer eager to fill a gap, make your presence known on Quora. Just because it worked yesterday, doesn’t mean it’ll work today.
For a quick tutorial on how to use Quora, we have it for you. Check out this video below.
The post How to Be Successful in The PM Industry: Quora appeared first on Project-Management.com.
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T-Mobile offers free iPhone 7 to anyone who trades in an iPhone 6/s, deal starts tomorrow alongside pre-orders
It’s not even iPhone 7 pre-order day yet and T-Mobile has already dropped an amazing deal for the updated smartphone.
New and existing customers can get an iPhone 7 for free with the trade in of an iPhone 6/6s. T-Mobile will hand you up to $650 in monthly bill credits over a 2-year time span, which covers the cost of a 32GB iPhone 7. If you’re looking at a more expensive model like one with more storage or iPhone 7 Plus, you’ll be required to “pay a little more upfront.” The effective value of this offer is well above what you can expect from traditional trade in services.
T-Mobile’s free iPhone 7 promo is slated to go live at the same time pre-orders officially open on September 9 at 12:01am PT. You can pre-register now to receive a notification as soon as the offer goes live. Once you lock in your new iPhone, all you need to do is buy a case (especially for Jet Black!) and you’ll be ready for launch day. Amazon already has a ton of options available. But if you can’t find anything you like there, then be sure check out our roundup from yesterday for more options.
Filed under: Apple