Author: PimpMyiPod

The Problem
It is probable that in your home, more than one person owns an iPod / MP3 player of some description. It is also probable, that one person seems to have been delegated the task of updating everyone’s iPod and managing iTunes.
If you are reading this article…it is probable that you are at least fairly computer literate, and therefore probable that you are that lucky, lucky person in your household.
Sure, being the sole manager of your household’s music has its advantages – you have complete control of your music, you can update your own iPod whenever you want, and I suppose with some clever deviations from the truth you could loosely call yourself a DJ, a sure way to pick up girls in your local club.
However, once your mates start asking why the hell you have the latest McFly album (which you innocently downloaded for your girlfriend / sister / roommate) on your iPod…a better solution is needed.

The Proposal
If you have even a basic wireless network in your home then there is a simple solution. By using what is known as a ‘Network Attached Storage” (NAS), you can attach a hard drive to your home network, on which you can store all of your music.
When you used any of the computers in your house, they would detect the NAS as another hard drive on your computer, meaning that from any PC in the house you could:

Play music
Download music from the iTunes store or other (totally legal, of course) places
Create a new playlist for your iPod
Synchronise your iPod
Sound appealing? If so read on!

The Possibilities…
There are many ways to add a NAS device to your home network - the main one I will discuss here is the simplest – you buy a NAS device, problem solved. These are relatively new, especially to the home market. If you take a look at http://www.scan.co.uk/ you will see a number of them ranging from £86 to £650. None of them there are particularly bad, but personally I use the Western Digital’s MyBook series and have had no problems with them. The instructions you need to follow however will be almost identical regardless of which product you buy in the end. For more info on choosing a NAS please look at the “Choosing a NAS” section at the end of this article.

The Solution
Once you have purchased a NAS (I like that acronym…) you simply plug the Ethernet (usually yellow or blue) cable into your router or modem. If you have a PC connected to the router via Ethernet, as opposed to wirelessly, don’t worry - you don’t need to plug the NAS into the computer directly.
It is beyond the scope of this article to cover plugging the NAS to a plug – if you need help, give your household Microwave company a call…they seem to specialise in telling people how to plug things in (for legal reasons you may have to lie and say its your Microwave by the way….you could try running the term “Network Attached Storage” by them but…)
Anyway – when you power up your PC, the NAS should be pretty much plug and play – the NAS will show up as another hard drive (viewable from My Computer) or possibly a network location, depending on how it was designed.
Either way, now all you have to do is move your music to the new hard drive. First, go to iTunes, click the Advanced tab and then click “Consolidate Library” - this will simply make sure all your files are in one place (My Music for Windows by default), so if you have downloaded files to random places over the years, it will move them to My Music.
Now close iTunes and simply move or copy your music folder into it from your local drive. Once this is done, you may want to delete your local copy to save space, and so you can be sure iTunes is no longer using the ‘old’ library.
Now to add the new library to your home computers simply go to File (in iTunes of course) -> Add folder to library -> select the folder you just copied everything to.
You can now install iTunes on all PCs in your house, and link them to the NAS!

Extra: Choosing a NAS
NAS devices can be a simple “hard drive in a box with an Ethernet port bunged on the back” affair – in which case the only real factor in making a decision is getting a balance between cost and space.
I would recommend you be generous with the storage capacity – a 320gb model is little more expensive than a 160gb in most cases, and it will obviously allow for future expansion of your (totally legal) music library. In addition, you can also use it to store documents, backups etc in the future.
These basic models will typically cost between £80 and £120. If you stretch the budget a little further, you can get the excellent “Asus WL-700gE NAS Appliance” (http://www.trustedreviews.com). This is not only a NAS device, but also a router with firewall, and acts as a “media and print” server – so you can connect all your PCs wirelessly to one printer, and stream TV etc. It can even be used to download files without a computer running through the night! I have not used it myself, but it has excellent write ups.
As stated earlier in the review, if you are looking for a simple NAS box, I’d recommend the Western Digital MyBook series, but LaCie and other companies also produce good devices.
If you have an old hard drive lying about, you should be able to find an adapter to give it an Ethernet port, but by the time you have bought that and an enclosure for it, it would probably be more cost effective to just get a separate NAS device.
If you have any questions , feel free to contact me at james AT pimp-my-ipod DOT com – this is my first article here but I intend to post more and maintain my existing ones to keep them up-to-date.

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Do you have a successful home business? Do you feel that it is about time to move onto a new venture in life? If this sounds like you, you may want to look into selling your home business.

When you started out this was probably the furthest thing from your mind, but sometimes things happen. And now you find yourself in the position of wanting to sell your home business. Even though this sounds like an easy enough task, there are actually a lot of details that you will have to consider. After all, you put your heart and soul into making your home business the best. You want to make sure that you get what you deserve, right?

The first thing that you will need to do when selling your home business is come up with an idea of how much money you would like to get for it. Setting a price early on will allow you to negotiate more easily down the line. By skipping this step you may end up losing out on money that is yours when you make the sale.

Actually setting a price to sell your home business for is not the easiest thing to do. You need to take into consideration the amount of money that you currently earn, as well as how much growth potential there is. Some people will tell you that you should sell your home business for your monthly income x 12. This may make sense in some situations, but you may be selling yourself short if you do this. You need to make sure that you are compensated for the money that you would make down the line as well.

After you know how much money you want to sell your home business for, the next step is to find a buyer. This can often times be the most difficult task. You can place ads both in print and online in order to get the word out. If you are having no luck on your own, there are brokers that can help you out with the sales process. They are more or less responsible for bringing buyers and sellers together. This may be your best option if you do not want to do a lot of the work on your own. Finding a broker that can help you sell your home business can be done by searching online. In no time you will have plenty of brokers to choose from.

If you are at the point when you want to sell your home business you are lucky. Not a lot of people make it this far. In order to get a fair price for your home business, make sure that you ask what you want and stick to your guns.

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Business coaching is a practice of developing and honing business skills, to achieve substantial results in the organizational structure of a business. It helps you to improve and achieve the desired success. It enables a business owner to create a unique business plan that would reflect his identity. A business coach emphasizes on the importance of interpersonal communication skills in accomplishing an assignment or a project. He helps to deal with the practical problems and identify realistic solutions to them.

The basic responsibilities of a business coach are as follows:

A business coach enables you to develop the basic qualities required by a self-employed person and helps you to focus on your goals, make concrete plans and work towards executing them in an effective manner. The basic responsibilities of a business coach are as follows:

a) A business coach works towards strengthening the morale of the student, so that he can take charge of the responsibilities assigned. It will make the student accountable of his actions, as well as the likely consequences. In a way, it helps him to keep an open mind and analyze every situation critically, with respect to the available information.

b) It is very important to help a student identify the right direction and move forward, to achieve the desired results. However, it requires a considerable amount of planning and development of strategies. A business coach reviews the plans and strategies and makes suggestions, to ensure development consistency.

c) A business coach helps the student to realize the significance of openness in communication. It forms the basis of a successful business, as it minimizes confusion and clears doubts. It often leads to self-correction and an understanding that is required to focus on performance base issues and behavior.

d) A business coach enables students to inculcate leadership qualities and teaches them to be leader in their chosen fields. He leads the team by being a part of it.

e) An experienced business coach believes in sharing views and not dictating them. In case of a conflict, he tries to find a middle path. This path often helps the person to make a profitable decision.

f) He challenges the student, to widen his horizon and search for options even when there seems no possibility. This boosts his level of confidence.

g) The coaches teach you to relate to people in an effective manner. This in turn, builds and strengthens partnerships based on mutual appreciation and respect. Eventually, it helps the executives to understand, analyze and find solutions to their problems, with the timely assistance of the business coach.

h) Business coaches help people understand their strengths and weaknesses in a better way, so that they become aware of their hidden potential and work on their weaknesses.

i) A business coach acts as a guiding factor in motivating the students. Motivation forms the key to success, for an individual as well as the organization. A business coach helps executives understand the value of motivation, by recognizing employees, privately and publicly. This offers positive reinforcement to the employees, thereby motivating the executives to work harder.

A business coach brings about an understanding of business principles among the employees and helps them develop, unleash and maximize the potential within.

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So what is business background check really all about? The following report includes some fascinating information about business background check–info you can use, not just the old stuff they used to tell you.

You’ve got work to do and have to hire a business to do it. Whether it is a contractor to work on home improvement projects or you plan to build a swimming pool, you want to make sure you pick the right business to do the job for you. That is why a business background check will help you in your decision. You can find out if the company you are dealing with is a fly-by-night type of operation or a company with integrity.

If you have got the time and patience, you can conduct your own business background check. The internet holds all sorts of information, just waiting to be discovered. However, you have to know where to look. The most common place to start is your local Better Business Bureau, especially if it is a locally owned business. The Better Business Bureau can help you verify the company’s address and company officers. As part of your business background check, they can also tell you if there have been complaints against the company and if the issues were resolved or not.

Another step in your business background check is typing a simple search in an internet search engine. You can find any mention of the company you want to do business with, from their accomplishments to financial information. If you have the company’s Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), you can find out much more in your quest for a business background check. For instance, that number could be run through the Secretary of State website and you can find out about the company’s officers, financial information and incorporation information. You can find out if the company had done business under another name too.

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

The Federal Employer Identification Number can also be run through Dun and Bradstreet’s database to find out even more financial information. Armed with your newfound knowledge, you can make a big dent into your business background check. Now, you can find out a bunch of information on your own as well as pay nominal fees for access into certain databases. Or, you can hire an investigator or an online corporation who specializes in the business background check. So how do you know if THAT online business is trustworthy? Look for the online Better Business Bureau emblem on their website.

What information do you really need to ensure that the company is one you want to do business with? In the business background check, you can find out if the company pays their taxes on time. Have they ever been sued for some type of business malpractice? What is their work ethic? How do they treat their employees? Do they have proper licensing to conduct business? With a business background check, you can determine all that information and more.

Just remember, you have only yourself to blame if the business you conduct with this company without going through all the business background check procedures bombs out and you lose money. It pays in the long run to spend forth the time and effort now in a business background check.

There’s no doubt that the topic of business background check can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about business background check, you may find what you’re looking for in the next article.

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Business credit cards are among the more popular kind of credit cards available. Being on the receiving end of credit is always a privilege and pleasure. Business credit cards are tailored to enhance this pleasure in ways that meet your business needs. Small business credit cards offer various intangible benefits to small businesses in addition to the regular perks.

The Perks of a Business Credit Card

1) Frequent Flier Programs - For business users who travel around the world, additional air miles are one of the exciting perks offered by business credit cards. When a business traveler travels by air and pays through the credit card, they earn bonus miles. These miles can be redeemed in terms of additional air tickets. Another benefit is the regulation and monitoring of business travel by employees by payment through credit cards.
2) Rebates - Some credit cards give rebates on business spending. It can be looked at as a huge saving to the company.
3) Reward Programs - Points are given on each dollar spent through your small business credit card. These points can then be exchanged for a range of exciting merchandise.

The Intangible Benefits of a Small Business Credit Card

One of the benefits of a small business credit card is bringing about a sense of organization. Apart from the separation of business expense from personal expense, the small business credit card also brings great convenience. You can use it to transact via the internet or even the phone.

Tracking business expenditures becomes easy with a small business credit card, giving you organized financial statements at the end of the year.

Individual employee spending can be monitored and regulated through the use of small business credit cards. An important but often overlooked benefit of small business credit cards is the building of business credit. Over time your credit card give you better credit, this is useful as emergency cash when your business grows.

Think Smart for Your Long Term Needs

1) Applying for a card at your bank makes it easier for your application to be accepted. Your existing relationship and their knowledge of your credit history simplify the process.
2) Remember, having too many credit cards not only makes managing them a chore, but also affects your credit rating negatively.
3) Use your small business credit cards effectively, for instance by paying online. Not only does your card offer you faster methods of payment, but also in many instances is a cash saver.
4) Using cash advance should be only for emergency purposes, since they incur interest. Make your payments in time, as not doing so incurs costs that eat into the benefits of owning your business credit card.

Small business credit cards are the new currency of a fast paced, time efficient world. The privilege of owning a business card is balanced with its responsibility. Choose the one that is right for you. Take your business needs into account, and also weigh each credit card against the perks they offer relevant to you. Use good financial sense and do not overextend credit.

Business credit cards are valuable tools that were invented in response to current business needs. Remember to choose wisely, and use wisely.

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