Learn About Technology

Crowdsourcing is a way to obtain something that uses the cumulative work of any group of people. Instead of hiring or asking an organization to do a job that requires the efforts of many people, whoever needs the work done goes directly to individuals who perform the tasks.

Crowdsourcing usually uses a website to outsource work to an online community of people. The community can be open to the public or restricted to a group of invited members, depending on the organization doing the crowdsourcing, who is called the croudsourcer.

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A conversion on the Internet takes place when a visitor to a web page completes an action on that page. Many web pages are intended to have a visitor take some action such as filling out a form downloading a file or placing an order for an item. These activities are actions that can when completed, are considered to be a conversion by the website because the result can be tracked.

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Instagram is an online social networking service that allows users to take photos and videos, then apply filters and other effects, and share them on other popular social networking sites. It's a free service and a fun way to share photos.

Photo and video sharing via the internet have become a part of mainstream popular culture. Instagram is one of the most popular applications used to create sharable photos and video shorts of 15 seconds or less.

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An app store is a resource on the Internet that allows software applications, also known as apps, to be downloaded and installed on a computer, smartphone, tablet, or another device. While Apple, Microsoft, Google, and other companies include many applications with their different operating systems, the availability of apps developed by other people and companies, called “app developers,” provides the owner of a computer or device the ability to add optional apps which make the device more useful.

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Cross-platform software is any software application that works on multiple operating systems or devices, often referred to as platforms. A platform means an operating system such as Windows, Mac OS, Android, or iOS. When a software application works on more than one platform, the user can utilize it in a broader choice of devices and computers.

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Spam is an unwanted, undesired, or irrelevant message received from any source and sent to many recipients. Email spam is what most people think of when they think of spam, but there are other types. Spam can be in the form of a comment on a blog, a post in a discussion group, and text spam. Think of spam as the electronic equivalent of telephone solicitations or junk mail.

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Binge-watching is the practice of viewing multiple episodes of a television series or a series of movies consecutively, either in one sitting or a short period.

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URL is the abbreviation for Uniform Resource Locator. URLs are the addresses that specify the location of web pages, audio files, images, videos, and other files on the World Wide Web. You use URL's every day when you enter the name of a website or web page in your Internet browser, or when you click on a link.

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ISP stands for Internet Service Provider. In short, an Internet Service Provider is a company in the business of connecting people to the Internet. You, as the computer user, pay a fee to the ISP and in return, they connect your computer (or computers) to the Internet. Phone companies, cable companies, cellular providers, and other telecommunications companies are usually businesses that provide Internet connections. They may offer additional services, but we're talking about them being your ISP right now.

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If you were someone who was trying to engage with friends and family online, then you want to be on social media.  Facebook (facebook.com) is a social media site where users network online.  The site gives you a connection to other online users who you choose to interact with.  Engagements on Facebook include updates about people's lives or day to day activities.  It can also be used for entertainment purposes, keeping in touch with others, as well as engaging with family and friends.

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A keyword is a word or group of words used to search the Internet when using web search sites such as Google, Yahoo!, or Bing!. Regardless if the search term uses a single word, a group of words, or a complete sentence, the entire search phrase is called a keyword.

The careful selection of keywords, in combination with using phrases called “operators,” can greatly improve your search results. Many search engines support ways to specify, limit, or select search options using “Boolean” operators. Don't be afraid of the term Boolean, since Boolean operators include simple words such as AND, OR, and NOT that help give a search site more specific instructions to conduct a search.

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Authentication is how someone (often a website) verifies you are who you say you are, also known as your “identity.” The basic idea goes back thousands of years – any time a sentry said, “Halt! Who goes there?” he was taking the first step of authentication. Websites use authentication when you “log in” using your username and password, which is how a website essentially asks the same question “halt, who goes there?” Enter the correct information and you are “authenticated” and can access the website.

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A WiFi range extender is a device used to extend the range of an existing WiFi network. WiFi is, of course, the name used for wireless internet connections in most offices and homes. One limitation of WiFi is that its radio signal has a limited range because of WiFi devices' power limitations. You may notice that your WiFi signal doesn't cover your whole house or office or that there are areas where the signal isn't as strong, and your mobile device doesn't have as many signal bars lit up.

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Otherwise known as Quick Response codes, a QR code is a graphic image that contains information in the form of black and white squares. QR codes are images shaped like a square with a black and white digital pattern. When scanned, your camera reads the code and uses the information to perform a task, such as open a webpage. QR codes are commonly used in printed material, apps, or webpages to scan the QR code with a smartphone and open a web page or other application.

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5G is the next generation (5th generation) of wireless technology for mobile devices like smartphones. 4G LTE (for 4th generation Long Term Evolution) is currently the fastest technology and used in almost all smartphones and cellular networks in the United States and most countries around the world. It might replace the need for WiFi in many locations since 5G can be as fast as WiFi speeds.

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A multi-core processor is a single processor chip that has more than one processor on a single chip contained in a single package. A processor sometimes referred to as a "core," is a circuit that performs instructions or calculations. Since a multicore processor has more than one processing unit, it can perform calculations and run programs at faster speeds than a single processor chip. Multicore processors are commonly used in many of the current computers, smartphones, and tablet devices and make our devices run faster than they would with a single-core processor chip.

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An algorithm is, in the most basic sense, a procedure for performing a specific task. Computers use algorithms as step-by-step sets of instructions for achieving a goal. However, algorithms are not only used by computers.

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Whether you're a consumer or marketer, you need to be aware of inbound and outbound marketing on the Internet to recognize how it affects you. Inbound marketing is like the catnip that attracts the cat's attention, its designed to draw your attention when you're using the Internet. Outbound marketing occurs when a website or organization has obtained your contact information, like your email address, and sends you promotional information. You see both types of marketing every day. Let's look at how these two marketing approaches work by learning why we have so much available on the Internet for free.

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Bluetooth is a wireless communication standard that connects electronic devices to each other. If you're wondering what those things are that resemble large hearing aids in so many people's ears, those are Bluetooth receivers. The receiver communicates with a cell phone using Bluetooth. In fact, any electronic device with Bluetooth can communicate with another Bluetooth device. Think of it as a wireless cable connection between two pieces of equipment.

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For computers to communicate with each other they need to connect to each other. When computers connect to other computers it's called a network. 

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A backup is a file or set of files that are created for the purpose of restoring data back to its original location and with its original information. Backups can be made for files, settings, applications, computers, smartphones, and other devices. If you have a backup of a file, computer, or smartphone, you have the ability to restore quickly and start using that file, computer, or smartphone if it's lost, damaged, or stolen.

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USB, which stands for universal serial bus, is a component that allows devices to be connected to computers. A desktop or laptop computer, mp3 player and most smartphones feature the female port of a USB. A male USB connector is needed to connect these devices for usage or charging.

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Companies make products and offer services, and their goal is to make a profit for their investors. Governments and industry organizations create standards. These don't always go well together.

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Peripherals are any device that attaches to your computer with a cable or wireless connection. You're probably familiar with a printer, which is one of the most common peripherals. But many devices can be attached to a computer, whether it's a desktop, laptop, or smartphone.

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While some software programs are applications, other types of software programs are called operating systems. An operating system is a software program that manages other software programs when they want to use the hardware. It's like a traffic cop at a busy intersection with a broken signal.

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Software is like a recipe for cooking. The recipe is a set of instructions for the cook and includes steps for the cook to follow. Software is the recipe (or recipes) that computers need to work on. Without software, computers aren't really very smart.

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A device is a computer that simply isn't a personal computer. It includes a CPU, memory, and a way for a person to use the device. A device can do many, if not all, of the things a personal computer can do because it is a computer by any other name. It's called a device because it just doesn't have the traditional case, monitor, keyboard, and mouse we often associate with a personal computer. In a way, devices are to computers what breeds are to dogs.

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A File Extension is a short group of letters, occurring after the period in a file name, which indicates the format, function, and identity of a given file of information. Learning a little about file extensions can help you with organizing and finding files, and knowing what's in a file when you see the extension. 

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Copyright protects “original works of authorship” under the laws of the United States. The term means “right to copy” and the term has come to mean the rights granted to an author for an original creation. The law is based on the principle that the author of a work may reap the fruits of his or her intellectual creativity for a limited period.

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A stock photo is a photo purchased from a photo library for use in graphic design, publication, website, or other publication or reproduction. The photo library is usually an online service that maintains a searchable inventory of photos on a variety of topics and subjects. Stock photos save time and cost compared to a custom photo, so they are widely used by web designers, graphic artists, and even individual consumers.

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Crowdsourcing is a way to obtain something that uses the cumulative work of any group of people. Instead of hiring or asking an organization to do a job that requires the efforts of many people, whoever needs the work done goes directly to individuals who perform the tasks.

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Whether you own a Windows PC, a Mac, or mobile devices, your files are probably continuing to accumulate and may be at a point where it's getting difficult to find what you want, In this article, I'll help you understand how to organize files on your computer, make them easier to find, and understand how folders and data work.

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A notification is a message, email, icon, or another symbol that appears when an application wants you to pay attention. Notifications are a way to let you know that something new has happened so you don't miss anything that might be worth your attention and appears whether you are using an application or not. An application can use notifications to let you know things that are happening when you're not using it, so you don't miss important information or activity that's taking place in the app.

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A mouse-over (also known as a mouse hover) is an action that happens when the user stops or "hovers" the on-screen mouse pointer above a specific element on a computer screen. Holding, or "hovering" the mouse in one location then reveals additional information on the screen. This information usually appears in a small text box and is made available through the website or application being used.

A domain name is a common term used when talking about the Internet. It refers to a space on the Web that's reserved for a website. Just like you have a home, a website also needs a home, and it's referred to as a domain. To visit a webpage, you must provide a Web address that is unique to it.

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Lately, some websites requiring passwords have added a new feature to assess your password strength. As you create your password, a field of text may appear on the screen telling you if your password is weak, adequate, or strong. Using a password locker can help. A password locker is a software program or website that stores and remembers your passwords for you. You only need to remember one password to unlock the password locker, and you will have access to all your passwords for websites that you use.

A username is an identity created by the user of an account or online service to distinguish him(her)self from other users. It can be the user’s real name or a fictitious name that he creates. Additional terms for username include sign-on name, a screen name (screen name), and user nickname. Learn more about them and how they're used in this podcast.

The HyperText Markup Language is the basis of all webpages. Your web browser reads HTML files to display them on your screen. Learn what it is, how it's used, and who controls it, along with where you can learn more about HTML. 

A CPU, or Central Processing Unit, is the brain and does all the calculations that perform the work of a computer. Sometimes just referred to as a microprocessor, or a processor, a CPU/Processor, is a vital component found within laptops, desktop computers, cellphones, smartphones, game consoles, and almost any electronic device.