Google Cloud Print

The way we are using computers is changing with the advent of the tablet, and finding ways of using a tablet for previously PC-based tasks will ensure that the PC will soon become a thing of the past.
Right now, we are having a torrid time with the two PC's I have at home, but now we are replete with Android phones, I have being looking at ways to get more use out of the Android devices. Luckily I also have a laptop to fall back on, and the laptop is fulfilling all the PC tasks at the moment as the PC's are really on their last legs.
So, the latest task I have been soring out is printing from the Android device... and happily discovered Google Cloud Print. However you will need a working PC unless you have a wi-fi or cloud-enabled printer to use this service.
How it works:
You register your printer using your Google account on your PC/laptop (Google Chrome settings/ Advanced Settings), then download the cloud print app to your device - run it and select the printer and you should be ready to go... The setup prints out a test page for you and from then on when you select 'print' from a document, picture or website on your phone or tablet, you will be able to print on your home printer (you will need the PC to be logged into your Google Account in order for this to work).
One more arrow through the heart of the PC, one step closer to domination by touch-screen devices!
I am now considering upgrading just one of my two home PC's - replacing the second PC with a tablet - and keeping the laptop for emergencies.

Find My Friends - Android App

As well as providing a phone for my wife this Christmas, we have decided it is probably time for our daughter to have her own phone too - so she will be getting my old Sony Experia with a contract (paid by me...). One of the reasons for getting her a phone is that we can take advantage of this type of Android App so we can work out where she is, and she can work out where we are.
I have been using this app for a while now and found it invaluable for locating family members whilst they are out and about - I have also used it to alert other users that I am nearby - really handy if you planned to meet up with someone.
However the main purpose for me remains to be able to keep track of a child with a mobile device - after Christmas I will get a better idea of how that is going to work, but on the showing so far, this free app is going to be extremely useful...

Second Chinese Android Phone..

The phone that I ordered for my wife for Christmas has arrived fairly promptly - I ordered it using the 'standard' free postage, and it arrived in about 10 days or so which I was happy about as the estimated delivery is 15-30 days... It's dual SIM again, which is particularly useful as it means we can put in the old 'pay as you go' SIM alongside the new contract SIM whilst waiting for the number to migrate from one to the other.

The deal is that I am providing the phone and the contract as a Christmas present so my wife no longer has any phone expenses to pay AND she gets a smart phone into the bargain. However, she really wanted to keep her old number, so we obtained the PAC code for the old PAYG Orange phone number and have given the details to Virgin Mobile, they need about 72 hours or so to do the changeover - so at the moment both SIMs are active (on two separate numbers)which can be a little bit confusing....

The new phone is a DOOGEE DG300 (also called 'Voyager'), and I have to say I actually prefer it to my new phone - it's slightly smaller at 5" - which in my opinion is a bit more manageable - it is just dual core rather than quad core, but still as fast as you need it to be as far as I can tell - Android 4,2 runs nice and smoothly and it is a really neat package all told. I chose this model because of the large battery (2500mAh) and the central button. I like the idea of a solid button for returning the phone to the home-screen - but on mine the two 'soft' buttons ('back' and 'menu') sometimes seem a little unresponsive - on this model however, they seem to work every time - It came with a flip cover which comes joined to a removeable backplate for the phone, so you remove the 'orginal' back cover and clip on the flip cover which I think is a really neat touch... The only issue I have (and it's not a big problem) is that there is no spare battery, but there is a charger and USB cable etc.. as you would expect. No SD card as standard, but I have some spare 8GB cards which I think will be perfectly sufficient. The bottom line then? a phone which seems to (almost)perfectly emulate a Samsung Galaxy S4 for just £66 - you can't really knock that can you? The specs are admittedly lower (camera not quote as good at 5MP - still good enough... onboard memory not as large...) but really still an incredible bargain if you don't want to pay five times as much for the branded version!

restaurant pagers

Here's an idea to make your guests/clients feel that they are being cared for even whilst waiting. The range of restaurant pagers available can be used in a variety of different businesses. In fact any business that through necessity, will have clients waiting to be 'served' can benefit from a system like this. In essence the pager lets you know when your table is ready, but there are other benefits. For one, it gives your client the reassurance that they are not going to be forgotten - in my experience people don't mind a reasonable wait as long as they can feel that they are not being ignored. There is however another benefit to this system in that it can also be used to interact with your client and promote your business whilst they are waiting. Adverts can be played on the system in the form of 'info-mercials'. For instance, whilst diners are waiting to be seated, they could be learning about the function facilities of the restaurant - the meal offers available, the charity event that you are sponsoring... Wherever you may have clients waiting on your premises, this system should be considered as a great tool to make them feel valued.

'Friendly Fire' game on Android

OK, so this is the addictive Android game I mentioned last time I 'talked' about my new Android phone... Naturally it's a free game (otherwise why would I be playing it?) although they do try to get you to pay to upgrade, obviously that didn't work on me, but I suspect others have been cajoled into paying out to get quicker results from the game...

It's a military base-building game with a twist - the twist is that it adapts the actual location of your home as the location for your base - it uses google maps for it's basic layout and then overlays the playing 'board' where the action takes place - so you end up defending your own street which is a very neat twist... Difficult to explain it further without trying it for yourself..
The gameplay is familiar, you build up your defences, and some attacking forces then attack other bases - you can choose to attack people in your own locality, your own country or attack others all over the world. I started this game with a few friends at work and you can attack each others' bases when they are in the same locality which again is another nice twist. I was told it would be addictive, and it lives up to it's billing...
You will be attacked from time to time, but a successful attack means you are immune from further attacks for 12 hours (or until you decide to attack someone else), and although your base is instantly rebuilt, you may lose 'resources' and 'rank' as a result.
As you progress through the levels, you build better defences and better weapons - it's a simple enough concept and much-used, but this has some nice touches which makes it a real addictive pleasure.

Cheap Chinese Android Phone

Well, so far so good - I've had my new phone a couple of weeks now and worked out that it is the same dimensions as the Samsung Note 2. I know this because I found a case in Tesco's that matched the phone's dimensions perfectly...
I'm not sure how much a Samsung Note 2 costs, but am pretty sure it is upwards of  £300, my phone was just £96 from McBub, and may not be exactly that same spec as a Note 2, but is pretty tasty all the same. It has 4GB on-board of which 1.7GB is free for storage, and 1GB ROM - it can take a 32GB SD card (don't buy a cheap one!) and most extraordinary of all...has a quad-core processor.

I have now ordered a dual-core phone from McBub for my wife - costing just £66, and have ordered an extra SIM from my mobile provider that will give reasonable use for texts and mobile internet etc.. for £7 a month. Both phones come loaded with Android 4.2, mine has a 8MP camera, and my wife's will have a 5MP camera - you can get better spec cameras but to be honest if I wanted to take brilliant photo's, I would get a decent camera instead of a 'phone.
I have already started loading all sorts of Apps on the phone, so will be reviewing them over the next few weeks - watch this space for reviews of a really addictive game, and some boring but essential utilities for your Android phone..

samson c01u USB microphone

This microphone, and others like it have already revolutionised home recordings. What you get with the samson c01u is a quality recording microphone that can the 'patched' straight into your PC or laptop. This is the perfect tool for pod-casts or webinars, but will also be perfectly usable for recording vocal performance of all types.
I don't want to get carried away and start comparing it with classic condenser mic's that cost the earth - but nonetheless, it has been a ground-breaking mic proven over quite a few years now.

A possible gift idea for the youngster who is making youtube videos of their singing/guitar playing etc.. If they want to move up a level from relying on their laptop microphone, the C01u will take them up several notches. Or for the serious gamer or 'skype'r who likes to chat online, this will definitely be a welcome gift.

So busy...

My new Android 'phone has arrived from China, despite the wrong carriage charges being applied and then being charged import duties, despite all that, the phone is really pretty good. It came with a spare battery and a flip cover, and worked straight out of the box - the only thing it needed was a micro-SD card. I had a spare 8GB card from my old phone, so I used that until a new 32GB card arrived from eBay.
My initial mistake was buying a 32GB SD card for £5.99 - I know, it was NEVER going to work, but it was a UK seller, so I thought it might be OK - it was rubbish and started to lose apps after the first day. Every time I switched off or rebooted the phone, all the apps I had downloaded would disappear! So I bit the bullet and shelled out a cool £15 on a SanDisk Ultra 32GB card and that is running far more sweetly - no lost apps yet....
I will have to start reviewing Android Apps again now as I can get a much larger selection on the new phone, plus my massive SD card can hold masses of apps, so I don't have to keep uninstalling them like with my old phone.
Oh, and the phone is HUGE, it's a 5.3" screen which I think is equivalent to a Samsung Note 2, and apparently is a 'phablet' - somewhere between a phone and a tablet. Of course, it's tricky to take a photo as I tend to use the phone itself to take photo's...but I will try and get a photo uploaded soon...
I have delayed writing about the phone because work has been so busy lately - no sign of any let up so I think I am going to have an exhausting run up to Christmas, at least my much-awaited pay-rise materialised this year - fingers crossed for a Christmas bonus...

squier bullet - gift ideas

Let's say you are looking for the perfect gift for a budding guitarist, but not sure what would be a cool gift yet at an affordable price... Look no further than the squier bullet at m123...

Not only is the 'blackout' as cool as a stealth bomber when it comes to looks, Squier are definitely NOT one of those companies that knock out cheap copy Fenders - Squier is a brand name used by Fender for guitars it makes outside of the USA using the original Fender blue-prints, and often using the original Fender pick-ups.

So the Squier Bullet has looks, an impressive pedigree, a close association with the legendary Fender brand and is affordable - to be honest, even if your budding guitarist already has a vintage Telecaster, they are still going to love this guitar...

heated floor mats - gift idea

As Winter draws in, there is a real chill in the air at night times now. Here's an idea for a Christmas gift or Winter birthday gift:

There are a huge variety of heated floor mats available from simple mats to stand on while working at a counter, to foot rests to use in the office, or a foot-cosy to wear in bed. In my experience, this is going to be a gift that particularly appeals to the ladies....

Latest update

Big week this week... the company I work for moved premises which was really hard work and quite traumatic - It has taken about a week to get the bare bones of a working environment going - the 'phones and the computer network are still not exactly sorted, but most of what we need to carry on working is in place...
Also... I ordered my new quad core phone from McBub, but hit a few teething problems already... I found that their ordering system wasn't totally compatible with the Chrome browser, so when I clicked on 'other delivery options' I found that the total cost would not update when I tried to click back to the 'free delivery option' - so against my intentions, I ended up with the expedited delivery and an extra £11 on my bill. I immediately emailed McBub but got no reply - A day later I received acknowledgment of my order but no response to my message about the delivery costs. I then thought 'well OK, it's supposed to be a 3-5 day delivery so maybe the extra money will be worth it' - nope not really... Turns out there is a 'processing time' of 1-3 days on average. Well how can an average be 1-3 I wonder??? surely an average of 1-3 is 2!
So I checked the processing time and here is the timeline:

Ordered (ie. money removed from my PayPal account) 16th October
Order Acknowledged: 18th October
Order Despatched (According to DHL): 25th October

Already it has taken 7-9 days of 'processing time' as compared to the average '1-3 days' so much for the 3-5 days delivery, although I have a feeling that DHL will probably be able to make the delivery a lot quicker than McBub have taken to process my order.
Not only that, but I have been hit with an import tax bill - OK I hold my hands up to hoping to circumvent customs charges, but I think because the 'expedited' option was chosen for me rather than the free delivery, this probably attracted unwanted attention from customs. In itself, I am not too bothered about the tax, the phone is cheap enough for it not to be a concern, BUT when you consider that I was hoping to get a phone for £96, my bill is already at £120, and I haven't got the phone yet!
I have a feeling that once the 'phone arrives, all the hassle will melt into the background, but I won't be letting McBub get away with this completely, they will get an email from me, and if I get no response I will be leaving feedback for the phone which will highlight issues to future customers.
I intend to buy another 'phone from them as a gift too, so I should be able to use that as a lever to get good customer support, although I have a feeling that they may not value my custom very highly judging on the correspondence received so far...
Watch this space...

a Michael Kors watch - gift ideas

I must confess that I have a real love for both watches and pens, I don't know what it is but I love the feel and look of a nice watch, or a posh pen.
Now I bought myself a relatively inexpensive watch about 18 months ago, but it is already damaged from using it in the workplace.

So I am hoping that I may get a gift at Christmas which would be something like a Michael Kors watch (see the picture) that I can use for leisure 'time' whilst keeping my older watch to use at work.

louisville real estate

The city of Louisville is a historical area, owing it's name to Louis XVI of France and was founded in 1778 and is strategically located as a major shipping port due to it's central location in terms of the continental United States.

It's shipping business still thrives today ensuring that it remains a thriving business area. In fact louisville real estate is of high quality and the crime rates are very low, maybe the perfect place for relocation?

Tablet or 'Phone

I have been considering getting an Android tablet to replace the laptop(s) in the house as it would be ideal for the type of things that we use the laptop for - ie. emails and browsing the web. A laptop is really over-engineered for the sort of tasks they are generally used for in the home environment, a tablet is nice to use, cheap and a very effective tool.
Now I had been looking at various options for quite a while and was set on maybe buying something previously enjoyed from eBay - however, with these type of devices, you can get products direct from China that are not much more than second-hand prices, yet they are brand new and with the latest spec.
Further thinking persuaded my that actually I could get a replacement for my 2-year old smartphone that was as powerful as a tablet, yet not much more money. I was directed to the McBub website where they have a massive array of tablet and phone technology for rock-bottom prices.
I mused about whether to get a low-cost dual core model, but ended up maximising my budget by going for a top-of-the-shop quad core model instead. So far I can report that the value for money aspect of McBub seems almost too good to be true - whether the goods live up to expectations, or whether the customer service is any good at all remains to be seen...

Looks like we are going to have a change in phones for everyone in the house this Christmas, possibly with our young daughter inheriting my 'old' smart-phone, and maybe a second purchase (a little more modest than my quad-core model) for a Christmas present for my wife. I should be able to get two spare contract SIMs to add to my contract for £5 a month each, and we should all be able to keep in touch for free on the same network (well it won't be free for me, but I guess £10 a month for two extra phone contracts is not too bad).

Trailers

The company I work is preparing to move premises, and the main question we are facing is how to get everything from here to there - ie. the new offices. We are fortunate in that we have a variety of small and large vans at our disposal as well as a trailer.

Were we a bigger company, we would certainly be looking at hiring in a professional outfit to carry out our move, and maybe hire in some really heavy duty trailers.

Hummingbird

Hummingbird is the latest change to the search algorithm from Google search, but it's not a change to the ongoing algorithm like the Penguin Update and others, this is a NEW algorithm in it's entirety - starting from scratch.
You will read much speculation about how the new algorithm works, and if you are overly-concerned about this, really you have to ask yourself why. Ultimately Google search wants to be the best it can be at delivering accurate 'answers' to search queries. If your website serves it's niche well, and is full of relevant information, then whatever Google algorithm is used, it should rank your site in it's proper position. If however you are trying to somehow 'fool' or 'game' the algorithm, you are part of the web that Google is determined to weed out, and you may well find that you are edged out of search results.
I have no insight as to how the new algorithm prioritizes sites, but then I am no different to anyone else in the respect, these things are kept under wraps for a very good reason, they are Google's main asset of immense value to the company - they are not about to share the goods. However I do know that Google will want to prioritize 'good' websites that provide good information in a structured way, therefore if webmasters provide good content in a well-structured way, then they stand a chance of getting a good ranking.
Carry on doing what you are doing, provide good content and keep it up to date, add good content as regularly as you can - steer clear of anything that promises fast result in terms of Search Engine Result Position, and you won't go too far wrong.

pillows and cushions

I have a slight confession to make, we bought a baby support pillow when our little one was born, and nine years later, we still use it every day as a support pillow on our sofa. I was reminded of it when I saw the pillows and cushions from foambymail.
The pillow we had is basically a nursing pillow, but we love it so much it has become a permanent part of our life. It's great for giving that extra bit of support when you want to relax watching TV with your feet up.

Working for Hunny..

Well, I set this blog up as an experiment to see if it was possible to make online earnings from a blog. My intention was always to use the income to buy things that I could otherwise not afford, hence the 'Hunny' part of the name is supposed to represent 'treats' of whatever kind. I am now all set to buy a new Android phone as a 'reward' for all my hard (!) work. I just had a job in from another online income source that will pay me around £100, just enough for me to get that new phone I have been looking at.

I think I can also justify offsetting the costs of the phone against income for tax purposes as I do use that phone line for the business. I don't put the phone charges through the business although I probably could do that too.

I also hope to find loads of new Android Apps that I can blog about too!

Disposable coveralls

The major project of decorating the hall stairs and landing is finally coming to a close. Although to be fair, the stairs will remain untouched for a while until I can summon up the energy to scour the remaining paint from the ancient timber. The major task has been to cover every inch of wall and woodwork with fresh paint, and the results are a huge improvement. In the background of course, there has been a steady use of paint brushes, disposable coveralls and rags - the hidden costs of decorating, but the costs have been well worth it. I must try and find some pictures of the hallway and stairway for a 'before and after' comparison - We moved in 18 years ago, and I took some photo's on the day we arrived, In all that time, this is the first time we have decorated the hallway, even though we stripped all the paper off years ago!

Android - making my mind up

I have now pretty much made up my mind on what I am going to get, but haven't actually taken the plunge yet.. I have been wavering between wanting to buy a tablet PC for using around the house, or getting a new Android phone, and I have settled on getting a 'phone. My current phone is a bit slow and often gets a bit confused. It's only Android 2.1 I and single core, but I have seen a quad-core with Android 4.2 and I reckon that's the phone for me. It currently costs a little under a hundred pounds ($130??) from the McBub website - I am waiting on a cassette conversion job that will bring in around that amount, so I am using that as my trigger, If I get the job, I will use the money to buy the phone.
Can't wait to see how much better it will be than my old 'phone and hopefully I will be in a better position to try out more apps - my current phone cannot hold many apps, and despite the fact that I have a decent sized SD card in there, it cannot move apps to the card, so adding apps always means removing old ones...

Immigration lawyers

With the increasing migration of labor evident throughout the world today, it is no surprise to find immigration lawyers in los angeles, new york and all other major cities in the US as well as in Europe. Immigration law is being examined frequently by the public and the media, and those that are planning to move around the globe need to ensure they do it in a manner that complies with local laws and regulations.

Dog bite lawyer

If you ever need to find a san diego dog bite lawyer, you may be surprised to find that there are personal injury lawyers who specialize in such areas. Pretty much all personal injury claims can be taken to court, and dog bite injuries are really no different. Naturally, it is the owner of the animal who is culpable and will end up in court... not the offending dog!

Looking for a tablet...

No, not medicine, but an Android tablet is now top of my shopping list - I keep seeing bargains on eBay but not making much headway with actually winning any auctions.
I have come up with a preferred spec:

• Android 4.0 software
• 1GB RAM
• Bluetooth & Wifi
• Preferably a 10.1" screen

I may not achieve everything on the wishlist for the approx £50 I would be willing to part with, but you never know with eBay...
Our laptop was getting a bit over-used and recently died, I have a replacement, but it occurred to me that a simple device like a tablet would be better for the main tasks required of the laptop, which are surfing the net and email. The days of the laptop I think are seriously numbered, which prompts me to think again about the piles of laptop spares that I have hidden away with the idea of restoring them to former glory. I believe the best plan now would be to simply sell off the spares rather than go to the effort of trying to get them working, as the value of a working laptop is probably dropping by the week.
In other news, I have finally got round to completing my tax return....Hoorah!

antifatigue mat

I confess, I had never heard of an antifatigue mat before I found some on the web recently. We are due to move our work premises very soon, and we are trying to think of all the things we might need in the new offices and workshop.
It seems to me that these mats might be equally useful in office areas and workshop areas alike. There are some really great looking mats for the shop-floor with safety markings, as well as some subtle 'wellness' mats for places like the kitchen and communal work areas such as around the scanner/printer or the shredding machine.

Making Time

I have been busy decorating this weekend - and it's odd, but I've noticed this before... the busier and more frantic things are in work, the more I feel inclined to do more work when I get home! It should be the other way around, ie. when I am flat-out at work, I should feel less inclination to do decorating.
It's as if I am in work-mode and it just continues when I come home, although to be fair, sometimes I do just flop into the sofa and not budge an inch until it's time to go to bed.
Although the decorating is coming along slowly, I am quite pleased with progress because I am being quite meticulous about making sure everything is done right - it's what I think they mean when they refer to a 'good quality finish' on the DIY and renovation programs I love to watch on TV. I have been finishing the edges of each painted wall with a fine paint brush to make sure there is virtually no overlap - as I said to my neighbour yesterday... it's taken me 17 years to decorate the hall-way and I don't ever expect to do it again!. In other words, the work has to be good enough to last an awful long time.
I expect the finish will still be some months off as I fit the decorating around life in general, but hope to be able to post some photo's when it is finished.. I may have some comparison photo's showing how it looked when we bought the house, so that should make an interesting 'before and after' comparison.

carpet cleaners

Having a clean home or office is one of those essential requirements that can't be questioned - but how we go about this is by no means a straightforward task. Whilst larger offices will no doubt have their own cleaning staff, often subcontracting to a professional outfit like carpet cleaners holly springs nc can mean efficient cleaning without having to worry about staffing issues. Similarly, smaller businesses who have to manage their own cleaning (often left to younger or lower-ranking staff) could benefit from having in a team of cleaners once a week or twice a month to give the whole place the 'once over'.
It's not only businesses to that like to create a good impression, and with a busy family, it may well be a real blessing to be able to hand over domestic cleaning chores to an outside contractor too.

hard drive eraser software

I have bought many a hard-drive from eBay for my own computers and those of friends/family that I have repaired. Buying hard-drives in this manner is all very well and can save you a lot of money, however, previously used hard-drives need to be treated with caution. There are a couple of essential steps that should always be carried out if you are planning to re-use a drive from someone else's computer:

At the very least use a decent anti-virus and anti-malware software to scan for unwanted files, but ideally, get yourself some decent hard drive eraser software and wipe the drive clean of anything that was previously there. Now I don't really want to get into details, but suffice to say that if the previous owner of the hard-drive downloaded anything that they shouldn't have, simply reformatting the drive DOES NOT erase all trace of the previous files - it simply assigns the space as 'available' - A thorough search of the data remaining on the drive AFTER formatting will uncover most of the previous owners files. Hard drive eraser software will overwrite the previous data, and therefore actually delete it from the hard-drive.

medical bankruptcy statistics

The UK is fortunate to have the medical 'safety net' of the National Health Service still meeting most people's medical needs without resorting to insurance or private healthcare. In the US, it is a whole different ball game, and one look at the medical bankruptcy statistics will tell you how devastating the financial effects of paying for medical procedures can be.
Many people are having to resort to declaring themselves bankrupt in order to avoid huge medical liabilities that would otherwise see them in absolute poverty.

Summer Update

It seems an update is long overdue, but due to pressure of my daily work, there has been little progress in the sphere of my online 'work'. I actually have seen a small upturn in interest for turning cassettes into CD's after a few months with little or no interest at all. Passive earnings have been erratic - but recent activity must have triggered a payment from one of my affiliates that I have had for years without having seen any reward. $35 appeared in my PayPal account without any warning, which is always nice... I think it has taken about 3 years to amass enough to trigger a payment.
I have finally been awarded a log-awaited pay increase at work and am planning to buy my company car which will save me around £1000 a year in tax - things are looking up!
I would love to be able to plan some online strategy and it is always at the back of my mind, however I have to concentrate on work and family before considering online domination... I have lots of half-formed plans and very little time to do anything about them. I haven't even done my tax return yet which is very lax for me.
I hope by the time I come to do my next update I will able to report that the tax return has been completed - I have recently been hankering after a tablet computer to use around the house, so am thinking of offsetting some of my online profits by getting a cheap Android tablet - especially since I have enjoyed my Android phone so much - I have half an eye on eBay although I am not sure it's a great idea to buy a tablet from eBay, as recent experiences have been sketchy to say the least.

batons

Self defense is a fact of life that we all have to consider, and requirements may vary according to where you live, and what the local laws allow. Equipment ranges from firearms and batons to hand-held alarm systems and can encompass a massive range of options.
Of course, not all self-defense is dependent on weaponry, and self-defense skills such as martial arts can also be a deterrent to attack.

Home Business Tips For Moms

I found a great website entitled: Home Business Tips For Moms, and although I am a Dad rather than a Mom, I found the content to be extremely useful...

The blogger in question (Amber) is geared towards affiliates and 'passive' income, which is well worth looking at when you are trying to make an income from a blog or from a website.

Amber's money-spinner is 'network marketing' with low start-up costs, and you can read more about how she makes money on-line on her blog.
Of course her tips and recommendations are good for everyone regardless of whether they are a Mom or not...

Summer Cold!

Right in the midst of the most glorious weather we have ever had in the UK, I had to go and get a cold - thankfully not too severe, but enough to make me feel pretty tired and out of sorts.
This week I was on a course at work, and instead of driving, I decided to walk in the hot weather. So from Monday to Thursday I walked about 3 miles every morning, did a full day of course work and then walked 3 miles back. By Thursday the cold was kicking in - not the best day to have an assessment, but I passed anyway. Felt out of sorts on Friday back at work, and the cold has now come 'out' properly with streaming nose and sneezing.
I am hoping I feel a bit more 'up for it' next week as I have a week to prepare everything at work prior to my summer vacation, plus I need to complete an assignment to go with the coursework.
The weather has cooled off slightly now with a lovely cool breeze for the BBQ we had last night, cool enough to sleep at night thankfully. A cooler start to the day, but the paddling pool in the back garden is back in use this afternoon!

Drawer slides

I have some time off work soon and hope to be able to resume work on the house. Decorating the hallway is taking an age because the coving has taken two coats of undercoat and will require a third before I can apply the topcoat. I don't have much time to get my overalls dirty at home at the weekends and am just too tired or busy in the week. The plan to fit drawer slides in the relatively recently decorated office (spare room) will have to wait, and there are plenty of jobs that now need doing in the garden too!

Changes

There have been a lot of changes introduce by Google recently and specifically in the last few weeks. At this point I haven't really got to grips with exactly what changes have taken place, but there will be an impact, it seems, on paid posts and articles.
From what I have seen so far, there seems to be an implication that Google will 'require' paid posts to somehow be easily distinguishable as 'adverts' rather than unsolicited opinion. On the other hand, programs promoting paid posts have always preferred posts to NOT be specifically identified as paid adverts.

Now, it's worth noting that Google are not the Police, and have no rights to tell anybody how they should behave on the internet, however, they are allowed (currently) to discriminate against your website in terms of how it appears in their own search results - and it just so happens that Google is quite a big player in this field!!
I am not sure how this impacts on other search engines as most of them tend to follow Google anyway, but I will be interested to explore some new search engines, and I will be looking closely at the impact of the changes and reporting my findings on this blog.

Update

I feel like I have been neglecting my blogging somewhat recently, but I can announce that I have started a new cider review blog recently as I quite enjoy my ciders, and I am enjoying writing about the different taste experiences. I am hoping that others may find the reviews interesting and useful.
I am not sure where I am going with the new blog, but I have stopped adding posts to a couple of older blogs lately, so the new one will be taking up some of that 'slack'.
I am employing some new tactics on this blog, and wondered if I should have done it as a Wordpress format, but blogspot is so easy to get up and running, I opted for yet another one...

Drawer slides

Making good use of the loft-space at home is going to be my Summer project this year. For a while I have recognised the need to have the roof re-done. One half was done probably about 20 years ago, but the other side (the front) is ancient, anything up to about 90 years old (when the house was built). I have various shelves up there with random items of varying degrees of usefulness that I just can't seem to get rid of. My idea is to (when we can afford it) get the roof completely done and have a big window fitted, and at the same time make it more like a room than a dumping ground. I have picked up old wooden drawers that are stored up there from a place I once worked - they are solid hard-wood, and with the addition of some hettich drawer slides and some sort of cabinet to house them, they would be a neat solution to some of the storage problems in the loft.

Google does not own the internet

I'll say that again a little louder:

"Google Does Not Own The Internet"

However, they do own and maintain the most popular search engine, and sometimes they appear to think that they own all of cyber-space - indexing pages as if they are space explorers planting their national flags on alien planets.
This is not a problem most of the time, but every so often they re-write their own rules and deem websites to be unworthy of their lofty standards. I have no doubt that this very blog will be once again plunged into the depths of zero Page Rank, but I keep going for the very reason I stated at the start of this article ie. Google do NOT own the internet, and if I want to go against their rules (their 'rules' are not any sort of law) I will go against them to my hearts content, even using their very own blogging platform to do so.

Don't get me wrong, I am not ranting against the mighty Google simply because they are big business like one may protest about MacDonalds simply because they are a successful business and therefore an easy target. My gripe with Google has always been that they sell advertising in their search results - fair enough, I have used both Google Adwords and Google Adsense to good effect. The problem is that whilst on the one hand they sell advertising, on the other they try to stamp out all other types of advertising and try to prevent people who use other (non-Google) types of advertising from appearing in their results. I believe this is a form of restrictive practice and I am sure that one day someone will be able to persuade a court that Google does not own the internet, and the consequences will be far-reaching.

Again, don't get me wrong, I admire what Google has done, they are a lesson to any business - they were in the right place at the right time and profited hugely, and any self-respecting free-market supporter has to see their achievements as being massively significant in the last few decades. Like any other concern they started small and their current scale of hugeness will probably work against them in the long run. I believe that Google is feeding on it's own hype and at some point, a smart Alec legal genius will have them bang to rights in a court of law. Litigation is common in the internet world and cases have already been answered without so far, any significant effect. I don't know what it will take to bring the giant down, but it is almost inevitable that it will happen. My task is to keep on blogging and keep on earning through whatever means are available and to see if I can be a minnow that outlasts the giant. I do not own the internet, and that's one thing that both I and Google have in common.

Android Apps - World Clock

I got this when I was following international football games and wanted to know when games that were being played in local time would be played in my time zone. Primarily so I would be able to watch them on Peer-to-Peer websites.

The other use I have for this is to be able to check on the accuracy of the time on my android device. It is set to get the time from the network that it is connected to, but many a time I have noticed that the time is inaccurate  I'm not sure where this app gets it's timings from, but I have noticed that it can be slightly different to my android settings, so I presume that this app is actually reporting the accurate time.

You can load up several different time zones into this app so that you can keep track of a lot of different countries or cities at any one time. Not a world-beater in terms of clever all-singing all-dancing apps, but nice and simple, and most importantly, does what it says on the tin.

Wigs for Sale

Wigs have been part of our culture for centuries and have had varying uses and roles over that time. There have been formal wigs for men such like those used in the legal profession, and Wigs for Women, largely dictated by fashion. A few hundred years ago, they were worn prolifically in polite society by both men and women, and the last time that wigs were really popular as a fashionable item, was probably in the 1960's; it was quite normal at this time for women to have at least one, if not a selection of wigs. As has already been intimated, wigs are not only for fashion purposes. Over the ages there have been Wigs for Sale for ceremonial purposes and of course to hide baldness. Lately it is less common to see men wearing wigs simply to hide baldness as head-shaving is a more common way of coping with early hair-loss. However hair-loss Wigs for Women are still a viable market because women don't really have the option of shaving their heads. Wigs through the ages have been made from a variety of materials including wool, synthetic fibers and animal hair, but the very best are usually made from human hair. The modern market is mostly aimed at women and includes hair extensions and hair pieces as well as full wigs. Hair extensions are particularly popular right now, and many young women would be likely to have a range of extensions and hair pieces to enhance their natural hair for those special occasions. Additionally, wigs are used extensively for cancer sufferers to help them conceal the effects of hair-loss caused by radio-therapy treatment. All of this goes to show that the humble wig is here to stay, and it has remained in our culture for centuries with every intention of staying. The best wigs are available on a website I found the other day, you can check it out here.

1300 posts

I just noticed that I am now up to 1300 posts on this blog. I have other blogs, but this is the one that gets most regularly updated. I guess over that time, I have learned a bit about communicating through the written word.
As a blogger, there are several different criteria that need to be met. Some sponsored posts only require a couple of sentences, so the skill required there is to try and make a point in a short post, and try somehow to fit that into the general character of your blog. Where posts requirements are more demanding (and remuneration is hopefully higher), it is often necessary to write several hundred words or maybe three paragraphs. The challenge with the longer post is to try and keep it relevant and interesting without straying off the point. If you are planning to host sponsored posts on your blog, you will also need to create a lot of non-sponsored posts, so that your blog is not just one long advert.
Regular posting is a must - if not every day, then at least several times a week, even if there is no sponsored 'work' to do. Over the years, it is difficult to fit everything to one theme unless you choose a really open theme like 'innovation' so that you can blog about any new products or ideas, or 'news' so that there is a steady stream of content that you can latch onto. My themes vary, I tend to pick up on mini-topics to write about, and I tend to blog on several different themes including personal stuff which has two advantages - it's personal so you are an 'authority' on it - and there is usually something to write about.
I am not as 'theme-oriented' as I should be - which is why I have started other blogs that have more of a niche - but to be fair, I always regard Munny4Hunny as my 'home' blog. My latest mini-topic has been Android Apps - this type of theme can be good because there are thousand of Apps you can write about, and it is a topic that may appeal to a number of casual visitors. I am also hoping that by use of keywords and tags, that I may even be able to attract search engine traffic.
Traffic generation is the 'Holy Grail' of bloggers, and the best advice I can give is that you immerse yourself in your blog - interact with other bloggers through comments and track-backs - write good useful content, and the traffic will come...

Intellichlor

The trading name: intellichlor has been devised to indicate an intelligent chlorine generating device for pools. Chlorine generators can create Chlorine from Sodium Chloride (common table salt). The Pentair Intellichlor system is intelligent because it has diagnostic and data recording capabilities. There are systems suitable for both 'in-ground' and 'over-ground' pools. The automatic nature of the system means that the user can load the unit up with low-cost Sodium Chloride and leave it to manage the pool water. An automated system negates the need for measuring out the correct doses of Chlorine solution.

Magnetic name badges

Creating the right impression is an important part of image-building in a modern business. This can be done by taking a 'full-on' approach with a company uniform, or more subtly with something like clip-on or magnetic name badges, or a combination of both.

Name badges serve several purposes, not only do they indicate that here is an individual that works for the company, but it gives firstly the individuals' name which is good for customer recognition, and secondly it will often give a job title which will help to indicate the employees' particular area of expertise, level of experience or seniority.

Custom umbrellas

At work, we have been scratching our heads for some really good gifts - we were supposed to have something ready for Christmas, but somehow the agenda slipped... I found these really cool custom umbrellas from www.goimprints.com this week and will be recommending these for 'special clients' next year. Usually our branded gifts are quite small and relatively cheap, but we do often get something in a bit better for the clients that we want to impress the most.

Android Apps - Clean Master

I just downloaded this today, so have not had very much experience with it. I ran it once and it cleaned a small amount (about 65MB) off the 'phone. It also downloaded very quickly, and at 4.5MB has certainly proved a worthwhile download. I find the in-phone application management difficult because you have to dig it out of the settings menu - I have a feeling that this will be easier to use when it comes to clearing the cache for apps that I have used, and for uninstalling apps that I no longer need.

I can't vouch for this as yet, but it occurred to me how invaluable 'Ccleaner' is for my PC, so I figured that I should look for something similar for my 'phone - the 'Clean Master' app (like all the others I use) is free, and has a very high satisfaction rating from users, so I expect that this is one app that I will definitely be keeping and using routinely.

Gibson Les Paul

I am no guitarist, I have 'dabbled' with both guitar and bass and can squeeze a noise out of them, but honestly don't see myself as being competent on the instrument at all. However I have a great interest in musicians and their instruments and am firmly of the belief that the Gibson Les Paul is surely the king of guitars.
Yes there are other classics, rock instruments that are the standard classics that every professional will have used, but the Les Paul for me is the one that turns my head. I admit that one reason is that it looks great, but I also love it for the tone. When I see a guitarist with a Les Paul I expect so much more..
Some guitars 'shout', the output is frequently over-driven and distorted to get the right sound, the Les Paul 'sings' with a pure clear voice. When you hear George Benson play, you are entranced by the way he uses the Les Paul almost as another singer, he even performs 'duets' with his own guitar.
When George Harrison wrote 'my guitar gently weeps', surely he was thinking about a Les Paul?? You might have guessed... but I just LOVE this guitar, I'll probably never have one, but if I ever went looking for a guitar, I would want a Les Paul even though to be brutally honest, I don't think I could do it justice...

WP 'brute force attacks'

If you have a Wordpress site, then try to login to the admin page and see if you get this error:

'Wordpress administrator area access disabled temporarily due to widespread brute force attacks'.

If so, first off, this is a result of a hack attempt - your site remains intact for now, but this will stop you updating or (probably more to the point,) deleting unwanted comments and track-backs. This is definitely NOT a Wordpress Admin warning, it is a hack, but don't worry loads of us have been hacked..... I did a quick search and found a fix very quickly right here:

http://wordpress.stackexchange.com/questions/95540/wordpress-administrator-area-access-disabled-temporarily-due-to-widespread-brute

Note that you will need FTP access or file management to edit your HTACCESS file and that you need to copy all of the following:

 ~ "^wp-login.php"> 
Order deny,allow 
Deny from all 

Allow from x.x.x.x 

..into the text of the file, the file may look like this (after the edit):

# BEGIN WordPress

Order deny,allow
Deny from all

Allow from 99.999.99.999

RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]

# END WordPress

Just change the 99.999.99.999 to your IP address, and if you don't know it , click the folowing link to find out:

http://whatismyipaddress.com/

I know little about WP, but this fix worked for me.. I am also guesing that you could 'allow' further IP addresses by adding them line by line. 'Allow from 88.888.88.888' etc...

Anyway, I though I would post this in case there are others looking for a fix.

Burlap table runner

 
The very epitome of modern chic on top of tradition, you can see a great range of burlap table runner here - a must for both modern and traditional wedding receptions and celebrations.
Although being in themselves, relatively simple items, table runners and table cloths are available in many different guises to suit traditional and contemporary styles. It is their simplicity that makes the burlap runner a modern classic, varying in style of finish from rustic to chic. Burlap is traditionally made from the jute plant or sisal, and in the UK is usually called 'hessian'.

Android Apps - Easy Voice Recorder

Here's a simple little app that you can use to record conversations or make notes for yourself in a 'dictaphone' style. I downloaded Easy Voice Recorder when I wanted to make some audible notes to serve as a reminder. I was on the road at the time and didn't have a notebook handy..


I find the 'native' note-making facility on my Sony Ericsson Android to be less than intuitive and frankly a bit useless - the text notes you can make are limited in the amount of characters that you can use and are not displayed or retrieved in a logical way at all.

Consequently, I downloaded this little app that will make audio recordings for me to save and play back later. I can select the format and data rate to suit my requirements, but further options are available if you opt for the 'pro' version. However, like all my other apps, I am very happy with the free version - I find it does everything I want, and it didn't cost me a penny...

Outdoor fountains

If you're looking for a bit of elegance for your outdoor spaces this Spring, you could consider outdoor fountains in either classic or contemporary styles. Fountains come in a huge variety of styles, sizes and materials to suit any garden. The choice is so wide that once you start looking, you may find it difficult to decide which one you like the best.

Our garden is small and kind of traditional with a modern twist, so I would probably go for something similar in a water feature (although the illustration I have chosen for this post is large and classical). There is a great selection of small contemporary features that I could choose, and I think it would add nice detail and interest to our garden. The great thing is that it needn't cost the earth, although obviously the very large fountains are aimed at income brackets rather higher than my own!

Financial Year report 2012-2013

It's the end of the financial year, and I have finally caught up with my paperwork. True to expectations, this has been a disappointing year in terms of 'turnover'. Last year I turned over about £1500, this year was more like £1000. Last year I had outgoings of just £224, this year was almost £400. Actually, spending the money on stuff that I need for online work such as hardware and software is good use of earnings because I don't have to pay income tax on it. So it's not all bad especially as I have been able to use some of those earnings to refurbish my new office with work-related items.

March was one of my best months of the year with a total of £120, £100 of which was 'passive' income including a substantial affiliate payment and payment for contextual adverts over several sites.
So it's a 'profit' of just over £600 this year, but I have already bagged quite a few earning opportunities for April, so the new financial year should start with a bang.
I haven't done any cassette conversions for a few months, but am expecting one this week, added to that I have done some paid blogging work which should be profitable. There seems to be plenty of paid blogging opportunities around at the moment, so there is a chance to start pushing the new financial year in the right direction.

Platinum coins

In financially uncertain times platinum coins and other precious metals can be a great alternative to putting money in a bank. Interest rates are at an all-time low, so normal bank accounts are offering very poor returns for your hard-earned cash.

In fact giving a precious metal coin or ingot as a gift instead of money can be a great way to provide an investment as a gift for a youngster, Anyone receiving such a gift will be able to appreciate it as both a delightful thing to behold, and also a shrewd investment for the future.

Android Apps - Lexathon

So far I have posted about some of the really useful free Android apps that I have downloaded, this post is about a game that I am fast becoming addicted to.. To be fair, it doesn't take much for me to get addicted to a game, but this one really challenges my brain.

Lexathon is a bit of a combination of the popular 'Nonagram' that you find in the back pages of newspapers and 'Boggle' the word game - You are given 9 letters, and you must  find as many words as possible that have at least four letters and contain the central letter of the puzzle. There is always at least one 9 letter word to find too. In this version of the game, each time you find a word, the duration of the game is extended.

Some nice features here are that you can see how many words are possible, and when your time runs out, the game shows you all the words that you could have included. On the downside, a lot of the words appear to be somewhat 'Americanized', but once you know that, you just have to play accordingly.... The range of possible words varies from just a handful to over a hundred, and my personal target is to get at least 50% every time I play (I probably achieve that goal about 90% of the time), and I have actually found all of the words at least once...

Marty Hanaka

Business World Personnel Focus:
marty hanaka - Experienced CEO in the retail industry and has held senior positions with companies such as Sears, Staples, The Sports Authority Inc., Golfsmith International Holdings and Trans World Entertainment Corp. Mr Hanaka is 63 and has 40 years experience with major retail groups in the US, many of these companies with a global presence both online and on the High Street.
Marty Hanaka has also given of his time to be Chairman of Southeast Region and Member of Board of Governors Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Inc. and is a graduate of Cornell University

Air compressor

We have found it fairly difficult to locate a supplier able to offer decent air compressor deals at work recently. It seems every time we decide on a supplier, stocks become unavailable and we end up with far longer lead times than is acceptable for our clients.
The solution has been to select a supplier with a wide range of compressors from different manufacturers, so that if our preferred model isn't available, we can readily get hold of an equivalent replacement in good time.

Android Apps - Lookout Mobile Security

Here's another of my favourite Android free apps, Lookout Security.
Everyone should understand that security is the first thing you need to install on a computer, not so many are clued up enough to ensure that their 'phone is equally secure.
With today's mobiles being little short of mobile computers, it stands to reason that the same level of security needs to be applied to a 'phone.

I love Lookout security, it scans all the other apps and downloads to ensure that there are no security issues, but that's not all it does... There are two more really neat features that come included even in the free version of Lookout:

1. Register your Android device on their website and they can tell you where your device is currently located - not only that, but you can trigger an audible alarm that you can use to locate your phone. You can also use it to amuse yourself and annoy your family friends and possibly your pets..

2. You can also back up your 'phone to the Lookout 'cloud' to ensure you can keep all your contacts and data intact should you lose the device itself.

Even if you don't follow my advice and get the Lookout app, make sure you do get adequate protection for your mobile devices to keep your private data safe.

North Face Jackets

Over the years my 'look' has moved from 'young fashionable' to 'Smart casual', taking in 'deliberately scruffy' along the way. Currently I find myself in the group of men approaching 50 that have to be careful what they wear so they don't appear too ridiculous.
My current look is probably somewhere between 'Utilitarian' and 'Expedition' with a wardrobe full of combat trousers and fleeces. In this Winter Wonderland that the UK is laughingly calling 'Spring', I believe that the most suitable outdoor wear will probably be north face jackets for men, coupled with gloves and a scarf.
I am holding onto an old jacket that I bought a couple of winters back, but when I am ready to declare that I have had my money's worth out of that particular item, I am pretty sure that North Face is going to be at the top of my shopping list.

Online Suppliers

Whatever industry you are involved in, the online supplier can offer so much more than a traditional warehouse or store. Online suppliers can carry larger stocks as they are based in one location rather than split over several premises, and they usually have a delivery service in place that can deliver with a few days if not next day.

Most online stores will specialize in a specific industry such as the Hospitality industry or Hotel Bar Supplies. This type of supplier will aim to be a genuine 'one-stop-shop' for a whole range of products related to the specific industry that they are servicing. In some cases you may find a regional supplier for Atlanta Hotel Supply although many suppliers will be happy to supply to the global market.

Although Hotel Supply Online may appear to be a fairly narrow market, when you look into the available product list, everything from bedding to electrical goods and paper towels is 'catered' for, and would actually be a good resource for a host of different types of businesses whether they are involved in hospitality or not. At one such site called 'Peachsuite', I counted 23 different products under the heading of coffee maker, I am sure there are specific coffee sites that don't even offer such a wide variety of coffee makers...

Android Apps - CamerAlert

I love my Android 'phone, and I especially love free Android apps... I'm not really an 'early adopter' because I don't have money to burn, but I am comfortable with new technology, and happy to wait for that technology to become affordable before I plunge in.
My current 'phone is a Sony Ericsson Xperia - it's not a very new model and is not upgradable to the latest version of Android, nonetheless I am really happy with the performance and features. I don't use vast amounts of apps, but I figured I could blog about some of the ones I use regularly as a way of returning the favour of free use of the apps.

CamerAlert

CamerAlert is the latest app that I have downloaded, I searched Android Market for 'speed camera', and this app came up at the top of the search results and had 5 out of 5 stars and great reviews. I duly downloaded and tried it out. I already have a Sat-Nav app that came ready-loaded on the 'phone, so I wondered how this would work in conjunction, thankfully it seamlessly works either as a standalone or in the background of the Sat-Nav software. If the Sat-Nav is on, the warnings come up on the Sat-Nav screen and there are audio alerts. The audio alerts can be a bit tedious, so when using as a stand-alone, I prefer to turn the volume right down.
As a stand-alone, there is a map on the screen that follows your route, and there are icons to identify the location of fixed and mobile cameras. If you register for the latest (paid) version., there is a feature for reporting new cameras that aren't identified by the database.

The stand-out feature for me, was that the software identified an 'average speed' monitored section of the motorway - when entering the zone, two speeds appeared on the screen, one being my current speed (which is normally there) and a second one indicating my average speed over the duration of the monitored section. This is a great feature as I have often wondered about how you are supposed to monitor your average speed.

You can get the latest database by paying £19.99, but for my purposes I don't think I would use it often enough to justify the expense. Even as just the free version, this app is very impressive, and if I was doing more driving, I think it would be £20 well spent to upgrade to the full version with the updated database.
Along with the other users who rated this app, it gets a firm 5 stars from me too.

Gift Boxes

This coming month is packed with birthdays for my family, and finding the perfect gift for each individual is not easy. The gift itself can say a lot about how you regard someone, but just as important is presentation or the packaging of the gift itself. There is a world of difference between dumping a gift on someone straight from the shop in a carrier bag (maybe with the price tag still on), and taking care to find the best way to 'present' the present ... Some gifts are best put into boxes before wrapping, while some gifts may be ideal for using specially designed gift boxes. Gifts such as toiletries or candy may be ideally suited to being wrapped in organza bags. I always keep a plentiful supply of small boxes around the house (usually in the loft) for presents, as having an awkward shaped gift in a box makes it a lot easier for wrapping with conventional gift wrap. The old adage 'it's the giving that counts' holds a lot of truth, especially as we become more discerning. True enough a small child really doesn't care too much about presentation, but as we get older we appreciate that someone has taken care in the presentation of the gift, even if the gift itself is not terribly exotic or expensive. We all understand the difference between getting a 'stock' gift such as socks for Christmas, and getting a thoughtful gift which may have cost the same as socks, but will have been bought with you in mind. Personally, I love it when someone gets me the 'right' wine as a gift - it shows that they have taken time to find out what I like. It's not like I have expensive tastes, I am happy with the bargain bottles, but I prefer red and I prefer it to be from South East Australia. So when I am presented with the 'right' gift, I am touched because I know that the giver has taken care to find out what I like. It doesn't take a lot to package a gift in a way that demonstrates thoughtfulness, and if you are looking for a great resource for gift packaging ideas, you can Check it out here. Let's face it, we all light up when we see an attractive gift - that first impression counts for something!

Easter

Happy Easter!
We have had a busy weekend with a wedding and a christening to attend. Today we went on an Easter Egg hunt in the glorious sunshine (although it was a bit cold), and are recovering ready to undertake a trip to see family and friends on Easter Monday.
I have lots of blog work to be getting on with, which should hopefully be reflected in my final earnings of the financial year, although it may end up in next years earnings. I still haven't looked at income and outgoings for online work for the last few months, but hope to be able to do that soon. I am not expecting much from this years earnings although I am experiencing something of a late flurry, so I may have clawed back some of the lost ground.
Of course with online work ANY income is welcome, and having very few 'costs' as such, there is really nothing to lose. I do have a few fixed costs for web-hosting and domain registration, but they are quickly covered. I am looking forward to seeing what my March earnings actually are, but at the moment there is a good amount that has yet to be paid out.

Printing

Most forward-thinking modern businesses will need to use a printing service such as zoo printing services for a host of different reasons. Not only are there physical printing services on offer, but crucially design services are also available. However creative your staff might be, any serious business would hire the services of a professional designer for printed matter including logos and brochures.
It may not be so crucial to have mundane paperwork such as headed notepaper and invoices professionally designed, but publicity material is all about creating the right impression.