Etiquette rules have changed now that we are constantly connected. We currently compete with smartphones, tablets, and any manner of other Internet-enabled device in direct social situations. Ideally, when we have the opportunity for face-to-face socializing we should turn off our devices. The more dependant people become on their devices, the less likely this is to happen! Many people commit connectivity faux pas without even realizing it. The following are some common examples and tips to avoid making them.

Phones at the Dinner Table – You would not talk over someone midsentence in a conversation. The same manners apply for texting or answering your phone at the dinner table. It interrupts the flow of conversation and can make your company feel like you aren’t listening to them.

Tips to Avoid this:

• Excuse yourself from the table if you need to take
  
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Networking is simply having a professional conversation. Even though we live in an age where the majority of our social interactions can be automated, the number one way professionals connect is through old school networking. If you’re involved in business at any level, it’s important to have effective networking skills. Here are some tips to help improve your networking skills, and remember these skills can be applied to any conversation, no matter the level of professionalism.

You’re There to Give, not Get

    It’s easy to ramble on to whomever it is you are speaking with and deny them the opportunity to speak. Make sure and give your conversation partner an ample amount of opportunities to speak their mind and contribute to the conversation. Remember, you’re there to give constructive comments, not get a stage upon which to perform a mono

When large companies adjust their service plan it usually comes as a surprise to the consumer. They may change pricing, put new limitations, or get rid of certain services altogether. While these transitions go smoothly for many companies others make changes so abruptly and drastically that it can cause quite a stir.

A perfect example of the latter is the recent Netflix debacle. Netflix, seemingly overnight, raised their prices and changed their service offering significantly. Because of this, more than a half million people dropped the service completely, a number significantly greater than they had predicted. Last Sunday, Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, sent out emails to each customer and posted an apology on their blog for the way the company handled the announcement of the recent reorganization. For many people his ack

Last week we talked about negative habits to avoid at work, such as wasting time on the Internet. Though the Internet is one of the most useful advances in technology in the past 30 years, it’s also one of the largest sources of distraction. However, workplace distraction was a problem even before the Internet. Here are three of the most common ways workers can get distracted from their work without using the Web.

The Water Cooler

    Creating a vibrant work culture is crucial for most businesses for many reasons. Workers who get along well with each other often perform at higher standards. However, there should always be a balance between work and socializing when at the office. It’s easy to fall into the habit of spending extended breaks conversing with a coworker about your personal life. To help combat this, try planning a weekly night out with your frien

Entertainment industries have had to evolve in the past few years as we have gained more access to music, movies and television from online sources. Physical stores are disappearing as these businesses open online stores. Examples of these are Blockbuster, Borders, and, the iconic Virgin Megastore in Times Square. Online storefronts have become a great option for consumers as well as business as there are fewer overhead costs, which give consumers more options for less. Here are some examples of ways that access to entertainment has changed.

It wasn’t always easy to buy single songs from a new music album.  If the song you wanted wasn’t released as a single, you would have to buy the whole album. Thanks to sites like

Forming a habit can be a good or a bad thing, depending on the nature of the habit. For example, paying close attention to detail and making sure your workspace is clean and tidy are good habits to form in the office. We are all also aware of some bad habits workers can form. Research shows that any habit requires a minimum of 21 days to change. That sounds like a lot of work to put into breaking a bad habit. Wouldn’t it be easier to avoid forming the bad habit in the first place?  Here are a few bad working habits, as well as some tips on how to avoid them proactively.

Working Through Lunch

    It’s not uncommon for your day to get out of hand before noon. The fact is, sometimes working through lunch is unavoidable. However, developing this habit can actually be detrimental to your productivity. We need to take breaks and give ourselves time to cool dow

Technology is consistently changing our lives. It happens so rapidly and seamlessly that we hardly notice.   It wasn’t long ago that stores used a manual machine to make a carbon imprint of your credit card when you made a purchases. Those machines are nearly obsolete thanks to WiFi technology and tablets. A person can now purchase an attachment for their tablet that allows them to scan credit cards virtually anywhere.

Tablets have changed a lot more than our purchasing ease and mobility. Many people have fundamentally changed their businesses thanks to tablets. The following companies use tablets in such interesting and innovative ways it may surprise you.

At De Santos, a high-end Italian restaurant in New York City’s West Village, the members of the wait staff use iPads to take orders and swipe credit cards. The hope is that

Usually lawsuits are very serious news and not to be laughed at. The tech industry has had its fair share of these more serious suits. However, we sometimes hear about ones that we can’t help but be amused by. This list of unbelievable tech lawsuits from the past 10 years is sure to tickle your funny bone.

Pentium Hives? – In 2002, a Dutch woman filed a lawsuit against the government and Intel because she said that she got hives from her Pentium processor. Her 486-base processor did not give her the hives however and no judge was “itching” to take the case.

Lead into Danger by Google? - In 2009, a woman attempted to sue Google for the poor walking directions she was given. She followed the directions onto a narrow dark highway that had no sidewalk or shoulder and was consequently hit by a car. Google “dodged” the laws