Tablet PCs – Can They Live Up To The Hype?

The hype behind tablet computers can barely be escaped, with at least one of the major mobile network operators or electronic manufacturers releasing tablet related announcements every week. Meanwhile, sales of tablet PCS are booming with over 950,000 sold in the UK alone in the last quarter of 2011.

The International Data Corporation predicts this trend is set to continue with up to 124.8 million shipments of tablets forecast for the whole of 2014. Whilst a large proportion of these will almost certainly be used in a corporate environment, there is huge scope for their use by the general public for leisure, ecommerce and retail banking.

Are these trendy new gadgets really worth their salt though? Can they ever replace the need for laptops and desktops?

Whilst the last sentiment is certainly a little strong, there has been an explosion of available tablet PCs in the UK over the past few years. Whilst Apple’s iPad still dominates the market share, Blackberry’s PlayBook 2.0 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 are fighting the Android tablet corner.

In terms of price, for 16GB, Apple’s latest iPad retails at £399. This is identical to the Galaxy 10.1 although the budget Playbook 2.0 is around £200 cheaper.

Of course internal memory should certainly not be the deciding factor. The iPad has features such as Retina display, the Apple A5X chip with quad-core processing, a 5 megapixel camera, HD 1080p video recording and voice recording. Whilst its 4G capabilities will be largely useless in the UK until next year, the iPad dominates the majority of its cheaper rivals. Even the Galaxy Tabs only have dual-core processing.

In terms of retailing, ecommerce web developers have been optimising their company’s sites for mobile devices for some time now. Tablet specific functionality allows users to rotate, zoom and select all with the stroke of a finger; something that was previously impossible on laptops and desktops.

On the other side of the coin, the lack of hardware associated with tablet PCs is something that fundamentally undermines their appeal for some people. Word processing, for example, can be extremely tricky on a tablet PC without the use of an external Bluetooth keyboard. This, obviously, adds cost and reduces portability.

Moreover, the storage in even a budget laptop is some ten times larger than that of a tablet PC. The performance of a tablet PC for gaming and graphical design also falls far behind that of a laptop or desktop.

In conclusion, whilst tablet PCs are certainly improving it seems unlikely that they will ever be able to completely remove the need for laptops or indeed desktop PCs. As business leaders and ecommerce website developers have realised, however, tablets certainly aren’t just gimmicks and the growth in their popularity seems set to continue for at least the next few years.

Looking For Caravan Pitches Scotland? Here’s The Ultimate Freedom Holiday & You Can Bring Your 4-Legged Friend Too

If you’re looking for caravan pitches Scotland – the perfect location to bring your caravan or motorhome – Loch Ness is it!

With an abundance of beautiful scenery and ‘chocolate box’ villages nestled against the lochside, Loch Ness is a dream location for anyone who loves exploring the great outdoors. There’s mile after mile of great walking opportunities, plus guaranteed fun for all generations. What’s more, your 4-legged friend will be made most welcome here too.

There’s a genuine community feel within this unique scottish caravan park and holiday resort, based right next to legendary Loch Ness itself and there’s everything you need to make your holiday a memorable one.

Of course, a big part of the fun of caravanning is touring round to all the great sites and monuments and you will really be able to embrace your passion for outdoor living. If you’re into hiking or climbing, there is a whole range of unspoilt mountain paths just waiting to be explored. And with picture postcard views in every direction, you won’t want to miss a thing.

As all avid fans of caravanning know, it’s the only way to see the world properly. There’s nothing quite like being in your own surroundings with all the familiar comforts of your ‘home on wheels’. One of the main treats being that you get to sleep in your own bed. And if you don’t feel like cooking, then you can always eat out or grab a takeaway.

It’s a fact: people who love their caravans don’t want to consider any other kind of holiday. That’s why this great holiday park at Loch Ness has been developed with you in mind. The owners have enjoyed many caravan adventures themselves down the years. They know what sort of facilities caravan owners look for in a holiday park and they have done their very best to provide them. You will find all the facilities you need on hand and are sure to be impressed by the uncompromising attention to detail.

So if exploring the stunning Highlands of Scotland is something that appeals to you, take a closer look at this amazing Loch Ness location. No matter how active or how chilled you like to your holidays to be, this place will have everything you’re looking for – and more. And don’t forget, if you have a doggy companion, he or she will be made most welcome too. This really is the ultimate family holiday – with something for all generations to treasure.

Make a Great First Impression – HP Ink Cartridges Will Add Professionalism To All Your Marketing Materials

When it comes to business expenses, buying-in print is becoming more costly. Sure there will always be those firms who will cut you a deal in order to get your business ‘on board’, but you could find you are sacrificing quality over quantity. And sometimes you will (belatedly) find you have taken advantage of ‘introductory offer’ prices, which could change considerably when you next come to place an order.

If creating your company’s marketing materials in-house isn’t something you’ve given much thought to up until now . . . here’s your chance to change all that.

Creating your own mailshots, business cards, brochures, presentations, press releases, business reports and marketing plans, using the very latest print technology from HP ink cartridges, is sure to deliver a great first impression.

Okay, so you’re not a trained designer. Accepted. But you know what looks good. And what looks distinctly average. And there are dozens of professional quality templates online to assist you with the layout of your documents – just add your company’s logo. Besides, when it comes to stationery design, less really does equal more in terms of being eye-catching. White space is where it’s at – clutter’s an absolute no-no.

If you’re a start-up business and don’t yet have a company logo, you could always outsource the design work to a creative agency, or through online job sites like Elance. A word of caution though, please do steer clear of those $25 dollar logo design websites – the maxim ‘you get what you pay for’ was never truer!

HP ink cartridges from one of the world’s leading technology brands will enable all your printed materials to make an impact wherever you choose to share them. Plus, the beauty of creating your materials in-house, is that it offers the ultimate in flexibility. Should you decide to split-test a direct mail campaign for example, your alternative ‘copy’ can be run off in seconds.

Even for those of us doing business through social media and Internet marketing, there still comes a time when you will want to combine these ‘digital’ activities with real-world marketing. There’s no escaping that, as yet!

HP ink cartridges will give all your printed business documents, PR announcements, and marketing materials a real edge – guaranteed to get your business noticed – and talked about.

Don’t leave anything to chance. Make sure you present your business looking its dynamic best. With a little help from HP ink cartridges, your business documents will arrive dressed to impress.

Telehandler Rental Options

Telehandler rental is a great way to be able to use a telehandler as and when projects occur that may require the use of one. This article highlights the different types available and their features.

There are a variety of different telehandlers that you can rent depending on the type of project that you have in mind. If you are struggling to find the right one for you then try contacting the customer services team who will be happy to help. Listed below are some of the machines available for telehandler rental.

If the job you have requires a lot of high, heavy lifting, then a rotational telehandler offers a great deal of versatility and stability. This machine has a continuous 360° rotation along with adjustable stabilisers making it great for operating in small spaces.

The 17 metre range is a large rigid based telehandler and has a multiple stage boom mechanism. Once the stabilisers have been extended fully it is possible to raise to a height of just over 16 metres with a 2500 kg load capacity. This machine has excellent manoeuvrability and is perfect for projects requiring a high lift and reach such as large construction jobs.

The 14 metre telehandler is fantastic for more heavy duty projects as it has a lifting capacity of up to 4000 kg and a lifting height of 13.8 metres. Safety features include hydraulic stabilisers so that larger, heavier items can be moved safely. There is also a low boom line and a self-levelling chassis.

The 13 metre range is perfect for those building houses as it is capable of lifting 3500kg loads to a height of 13metre. There are a number of accessories to help customise the telehandler to meet all of your specific project needs.

The 12 metre telehandler is a great option for those in housing construction when there may be more than 3 levels. For additional safety there are hydraulic stabilisers allowing weights of up to 3500 kg to be raised heights of 12 metres.

The 10 metre range is also capable of offering great lift and reach and has hydraulic self-levelling stabilisers for additional safety. The 9 metre telehandler is compact and versatile and can lift weights of 3000 kg with a lift capacity and reach of between 9-9.5 metres. Similarly, the 7 metre telehandlers are able to lift up to 3000 kg making it incredibly useful for smaller projects where space is limited as it is easy to manoeuvre.

A large number of these smaller machines have a total height of just 2metres or less once the boom has been retracted and are relatively lightweight with small turning circles.

Telehandler rental means that you can hire whichever would be most suited to your job, allowing you greater flexibility than buying. You also have the option of contacting customer services if you have any problems or queries allowing you expert advice and guidance every time.

Eco-Friendly Advertising Solutions

Sometimes you need to use advertising banners for your business to draw in the crowds. But this doesn’t have to be at the expense of the environment. Many company owners today want to be as environmentally responsible as possible, but even if they don’t there are increasingly stringent regulations in place which are nudging everyone in this direction.

So how, if you’re creating an advertising banner, how can you ensure you’re making the greenest choices possible? The first and most important consideration is the material you are going to use. There are two fabrics available today that offer a particularly serviceable alternative to PVC: polypropylene and bamboo fibre.

The first of these, polypropylene, has the advantage of being 100 per cent recyclable and can be re-processed using either extrusion or injection moulding. These banners are easy to recycle as the eyelets to hold them in place can be made from the same material. This means the whole thing can go into the recycling chain all in one go without having to take various components apart. This material should be printed with international codes to show it is going to be re-processed correctly at the end of its lifetime.

The second material choice, bamboo fibre banner fabric, is proving increasingly popular. Rather than being simply recyclable, it is actually 99.6 per cent biodegradable as it comes from a renewable resource. Just ensure that the bamboo used by your banner manufacturer has been responsibly sourced and harvested.

Bamboo is a strong material, but bear in mind that its biodegradability means it will not have an unlimited outdoor usage. Another way to reduce the environmental impact of your activities is to re-use your products. Because of this if you want some banners that are going to be brought out again and again you may be better off choosing polypropylene. This comes down to storage as well: if you want your materials to last for several seasons they you need to ensure they are kept inside and rolled up when not in use to prevent unnecessary damage.

Also, think about the inks you are going to use. If possible, they should contain no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which will emit harmful substances into the air during their production and application. There are plenty of water-based, VOC-free inks available on the market with which can give the same high quality you would want for a professional advertising campaign as inks which contain VOCs.

Shop around online to find a banner supplier with a strong environmental policy and experience in producing eco-friendly banners and advertising materials. If they have been working with greener materials and inks for a long time they should know which offer the best quality. Also, if they have a strong environmental policy they will use a little energy as possible in their own production processes.

How Could Creatine Monohydrate Help You?

There are a large number of supplements that can help you in your quest for a stronger, leaner body. Discover how creatine monohydrate could help you.

Creatine is one of the most well-known and well used of all bodybuilding supplements as it is so effective at helping to improve muscle. Essentially it is a compound that is created within our liver, kidneys and pancreas as a way to reload our energy levels.

If taken in suitable and sensible levels it can be an effective sports supplement and there is much research to support these claims. It is however worth noting that as with many things, some people have reported to have not seen any great changes from taking this supplement.

What does it do?

The main uses of this supplement are all based around its ability to help replenish energy levels within our bodies via the formation of creatine phosphate.

Creatine may help to replenish a molecule known as ATP which when broken down will release energy to help our muscles contract. Research shows that the more creatine within the cells of our muscles, the more efficiently ATP is replenished; thereby increasing energy levels. Sources include meat and fish but our muscles are capable of storing more than we can obtain from food, so taking a creatine monohydrate supplement will mean the stores within our bodies are maximised. Overall this means greater energy levels to train harder and more effectively.

Research indicates that creatine could help to encourage muscles to grow by stimulating the synthesis of protein. As a result of this, if the muscles are then exercised in the correct way, muscle growth could be greatly enhanced.

It may also help to buffer the effects of lactic acid and therefore help to improve the way our bodies recover post workout and prevent muscles becoming fatigued so early during the workout itself.

In many cases it can help to increase a person’s body weight and in most cases this can be quite prominent. This generally occurs in the first month that the creatine supplement is first used and gains can be around the half stone mark. Research has indicated that those people who take this supplement will gain considerably more lean body mass then that gained by those who are not taking the supplement.


Creatine is available in a number of different forms but creatine monohydrate is the most popular form since it has little taste and will dissolve in water. There are many other forms including creatine phosphate, creatine pyruvate and creatine citrate but these are not thought to work quite as well.