Technology

What is Microsoft Sharepoint & its Alternative

Published

9 months ago

August 15, 2023

What is Microsoft Sharepoint & its alternative

What is SharePoint from Microsoft and how to work with it?

A company works more productively when document flow, business process management, and employee interaction are conveniently organized in it. This takes on special meaning for large corporations with dozens of departments, hundreds of employees and gigabytes of data. In the digital era, the issues of organizing intra-corporate space are solved simply: special software has been invented for this. The challenge is to choose the right product and learn how to use it with the greatest impact.

Table of Contents

The article will focus on one of the popular solutions – Microsoft SharePoint.

What is Microsoft SharePoint

The full name – Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies – indicates that Microsoft has released not one product, but a whole collection of programs. All of them are designed to solve a single set of tasks: to create a comfortable environment in which employees of the enterprise could interact productively with each other, store, organize and find information, and manage work processes.

The main software products as part of Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies:

Microsoft SharePoint Foundation (formerly known as Windows SharePoint Services, abbreviated as WSS) is a client-side program that provides initial enterprise collaboration capabilities. It can store, process and find files, contacts and other information, track workflow, schedule tasks.

SharePoint Foundation allows you to create a web forum for business communication. This version is basic, and it may be enough to meet the needs of small companies. For large corporations, more advanced editions with extended functionality have been developed – SharePoint Server Standard and SharePoint Server Enterprise;

Microsoft SharePoint Server (formerly MOSS, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server) is a set of server applications for embedding SharePoint Foundation features in MS Office. This is a paid software available in 2010 and 2013 versions. SharePoint Server has many features not found in SharePoint Foundation.

Among other components of the MS SharePoint package, two programs are especially popular with corporate software developers: Microsoft Sharepoint Designer and Microsoft Sharepoint Workspace.

Microsoft Sharepoint Designer (SPD) is an HTML editor with which you can create and edit websites in MS SharePoint. Since the designer works in visual mode, the user does not have to be fluent in HTML and write codes on his own. It is enough to understand the simple SPD interface to use the built-in editing tools.

Microsoft SharePoint Workspace is an application that provides real-time access to SharePoint content. With its help, the user can perform operations with documents and other work data from literally anywhere in the world. Libraries, lists, tasks, discussions on SharePoint sites are automatically synchronized with the SharePoint Workspace on the device. Moreover, this does not even require a connection to the server. All updates will be cached and synchronized later, when connected.

Thus, MS SharePoint is a platform for creating a company’s intranet site with wide functionality. Its task is to make the work of the enterprise more productive by conveniently setting up and automating all internal processes. And usually in everyday life, the word SharePoint means just such a corporate portal.

SharePoint Enterprise Portal Features and Functionality

It should be noted right away that the SharePoint portal is not a ready-made “boxed” solution suitable for every company. It needs to be adapted to the user’s goals: build a structure, create separate nodes, pages. On the one hand, this is a plus, because the result will be exactly what a particular organization needs. But at the same time, the process of implementing a SharePoint corporate portal can take several months, which is not always acceptable, especially for small companies.

Portal Structure

As we have already noticed, SharePoint does not have a typical structure: it is developed individually in accordance with the needs of a particular company. Most often, this is a central portal that serves as a place to access sub-level Web sites – department sites, user sites, and data stores. There are special elements in the SharePoint structure that allow you to form and arrange the contents of the portal exactly as you need in this case.

Sites. In SharePoint, users can create different types of websites themselves:

team sites that contain work information for employees of different departments: data libraries, lists, forums;

wikis, the content of which is formed and modified by users themselves;

blogs, where users can publish their entries with the ability to comment;

application templates for solving popular business tasks, such as advertising campaign control;

workspaces are special sites that allow users of the same group to work together on a common document, as well as schedule meetings, monitor their progress and results.

The portal area is a page that lists the stair structure of the intranet. The portal can include several such areas – both single-level and different levels. For example, it is possible to create a similar page for each department of the company. Employees of divisions, having received permission from the administrator, can create child areas within their portal area.

Document libraries are one of the key building blocks of a SharePoint portal. The library is a repository of information and hosted on a web site. Its contents are, for example, text files, spreadsheets, graphics and videos. All members of the group that owns the site have access to the documents.

Lists are widely used in SharePoint, along with libraries, and are also placed on team sites. They contain all the data that does not belong to the category of documents: links, contacts, tasks, events, notifications, calendar, polls. The contents of the lists can be processed and edited.

Web Parts . These specific components of the SharePoint framework look like visual building blocks that normal users can use to manipulate web pages. In other words, you don’t need to have programming skills to post and edit content. Lists and libraries are essentially Web Parts too.
What tasks does the MS SharePoint corporate portal solve?

The goals of implementing SharePoint in a company are to optimize workflows, save employee time and material resources. Let’s see how this effect is achieved.

Here is just a sample list of results that can be achieved through the competent use of the SharePoint Enterprise Portal:

employees get the opportunity to work together. You can rapidly exchange the documents, piece of news, any kind of

Portal interface

All that we have listed above is achieved thanks to the wide functionality of SharePoint. The corporate portal interface allows you to:

create team sites, blogs, wikis, forums (and this does not require programming skills);

publish and edit content;

discuss work topics on forums and blogs;

get shared access to file storage;

work with files remotely;

manage data on team sites, provide access to them to other users;

find information quickly

jointly edit documents, including from different devices;

promptly notify employees of important events and tasks;

create user profiles with contact information;

set up business processes using forms (all operations are performed automatically);

generate reports using data from external sources;

integrate with other applications, such as the Microsoft Office package, instant messengers (the user can work simultaneously in several systems directly from the SharePoint interface, that is, there is no need to open many tabs and enter registration data each time);

Advantages and disadvantages of MS SharePoint

MS SharePoint is one of the most popular platforms in the corporate portal solutions market. This is explained not only by the attitude of consumers towards the Microsoft brand, but also by objective advantages. However, like any product, SharePoint along with advantages has weaknesses that leave room for competition from other manufacturers.

Undeniable advantages of MS SharePoint:

high quality inherent in Microsoft products;

effective solution of work issues;

extremely wide functionality;

unlimited possibilities for customization and expansion, adapting to the individual needs of the company;

easy integration with other Microsoft products.

Disadvantages

a large number of functions make this portal solution complex and “heavy”: in order to implement and configure SharePoint, you need to have extensive and deep knowledge, users will also have to work hard to master the program;

being a Microsoft product, SharePoint integrates perfectly with the software of this developer, but is poorly compatible with software from other vendors;

installation of SharePoint and the subsequent use of the program are expensive for the company: due to the high cost of a license, paid products (MS SharePoint Server and others), the complexity of implementation, this solution is quite expensive;

The implementation period of the MS SharePoint corporate portal can reach six months or more, which again is explained by its complexity.

For all of the above reasons, SharePoint is not suitable for companies in the small business segment. It will not be the best choice for organizations that use software from other manufacturers.

Among other things, a manager who implements such IT products should not forget about such aspects as corporate culture and the psychological climate in the organization. Loyalty and trust of employees to the company are important success factors, and they largely depend on how effectively the communication processes in the team are established.

SharePoint, being an excellent working tool, nevertheless does not have the means to motivate communication and in this sense is inferior to other solutions, such as, for example, corporate social networks.

Microsoft’s SharePoint-based Enterprise Portal is the choice of many large companies. Its popularity is due to the variety of functions and the large number of work tasks performed. But for all the benefits, using SharePoint has a number of limitations, including in terms of availability and cost. In addition, the corporate portal does not completely solve the problem of communication within the company.

Reviews

The Best Buy Apple Airpods 2023

Published

9 months ago

August 24, 2023

adminnagr

Best Buy Apple Airpods 2023 : Apple AirPods have been the main competitor to other brands in the wireless headphone market for several years, but the high price can be an obstacle in acquiring them. Today, together with an expert, we will consider the best analogues of AirPods

Table of Contents

AirPods are devices made by other manufacturers that offer wireless headphones with similar features and capabilities, but at a more affordable price. For those who are not yet familiar with this product, AirPods are Apple’s wireless earbuds that provide convenience and high quality sound in a compact form factor. The main advantages of Apple devices are the presence of a transparency mode (setting external sounds), noise reduction, high voice quality during a conversation, and smart features (for example, Siri voice assistant).

However, despite the popularity of AirPods, analogues are appearing on the market that can provide even better sound quality and more features than the original product. In this article, we’ll take a look at the best AirPods alternatives that offer better value for money sound quality, as well as additional features such as noise cancellation, gesture control, and longer battery life.

Best Buy Apple Airpods

Title	Features	Prices	Buy Now
Apple AirPods Pro	Apple Aipod	$249
Apple AirPods Pro (1st Generation)	With MagSafe Charging Case	$249
Apple AirPods (2nd Generation) Wireless Earbuds with Lightning Charging Case	24 Hours of Battery Life, Effortless Setup	$99
Apple AirPods (3nd Generation) Wireless Earbuds with Lightning Charging Case	Spatial Audio, Sweat and Water Resistant, Up to 30 Hours of Battery Life.	$149

Apple AirPods Pro Review

The Apple AirPods Pro are fancy wireless earbuds that have lots of cool features for great sound and easy use. Here’s a quick review of what’s good about them:

Positive Aspects:

Noise Cancellation: These earbuds can make things around you quiet, which is awesome when you’re listening to music in noisy places.

Hear Around You: You can also let in sounds from outside, so you know what’s happening around you without taking the earbuds out.

Comfy Fit: They have different ear tips to make sure they fit comfortably in your ears, and they block out extra noise.

Nice Sound: The sound is good, with strong bass and clear sounds. They’re not perfect for super music fans, but they sound pretty good.

Sweat and Water Resistant: You can use them when you’re sweating or if there’s a bit of water around without breaking them.

Smart Chip: They work really well with iPhones and iPads, and you can even talk to Siri hands-free.

Easy to Connect: You can easily connect them to your Apple devices without much trouble.

Negative Aspects:

Battery Life: They don’t play music for a super long time before needing a charge. You get around 4.5 to 5 hours with noise cancellation or the hearing-around-you mode on.

Expensive: They cost more than other wireless earbuds, which might not be great if you’re trying to save money.

Not Super Tough: Some people say they might not last a long time and could break, especially the case or the earbuds.

Final Thoughts:

The AirPods Pro are a good choice if you love Apple stuff and want earbuds that work really well with your devices. They’re especially good if you want to block out noise. But they’re a bit pricey, so if you don’t need the noise stuff, you might want to look at other options. The sound is nice, they’re easy to use, but remember they might not be super tough.

Apple AirPods Pro (1st Generation)

The 1st Generation of Apple AirPods Pro, wireless earbuds, comes with a range of features designed for better sound and convenience. Here’s a concise review covering their main aspects:

Advantages:

Active Noise Cancellation: The AirPods Pro (1st Gen) feature active noise cancellation, reducing background noise for a focused listening experience, particularly useful in noisy environments.

Transparency Mode: This mode allows external sounds to come through, balancing music and environmental awareness, beneficial when you need to stay alert to your surroundings.

Comfortable Fit: With different ear tip sizes, these AirPods offer a comfortable fit tailored to your ears, enhancing comfort and noise isolation for improved sound quality.

Audio Quality: The earbuds deliver well-balanced audio, including strong bass and clear high notes. While not audiophile-level, they provide enjoyable sound.

Water and Sweat Resistance: These AirPods are designed to withstand light water exposure and sweat, making them suitable for workouts and outdoor activities.

H1 Chip Integration: The built-in H1 chip optimizes compatibility with Apple devices, ensuring seamless pairing, lower latency, and hands-free Siri activation.

Easy Pairing: Connecting the AirPods to your Apple devices is straightforward, especially if you’re logged in with your iCloud account.

Drawbacks:

Battery Life: The earbuds offer a decent but not exceptionally long battery life. You can expect around 4.5 to 5 hours of playback with noise cancellation or transparency mode engaged.

Price: The AirPods Pro (1st Gen) are relatively more expensive compared to alternative wireless earbuds, potentially discouraging budget-conscious consumers.

Durability: Some users have reported concerns about long-term durability, including issues with the earbuds’ charging case and their overall resilience.

Final Thoughts:

The first-generation AirPods Pro are a solid choice, especially if you’re a dedicated Apple user seeking compatibility and an immersive audio experience. However, their higher cost and potential durability issues might lead you to explore other options, especially if noise cancellation isn’t a top priority. For those valuing sound quality and user-friendliness, the AirPods Pro are worth considering, while taking into account possible durability challenges.

Apple AirPods (2nd Generation)

The Apple AirPods (2nd Generation) are wireless earbuds with several features to enhance your listening experience and convenience. Here’s a quick review highlighting their main features:

Advantages:

Wireless Convenience: These AirPods are cord-free and connect to your devices through Bluetooth, allowing you to move freely without tangled wires.

Easy Pairing: Setting up these AirPods is a breeze. They quickly connect to your Apple device when you open the charging case nearby.

Good Sound Quality: The audio quality is decent, with clear vocals and satisfactory bass. While not designed for audiophiles, they provide a pleasant listening experience.

Long Battery Life: You get about 5 hours of continuous listening time, and the charging case extends this to over 24 hours before needing a recharge.

Voice Control: You can use voice commands like “Hey Siri” to manage your music, calls, and more, all without touching your device.

Comfortable and Light: These AirPods are lightweight and fit comfortably in most ears, making them suitable for extended wear.

Device Compatibility: They work well with various Apple devices, and switching between devices signed in with the same iCloud account is effortless.

Disadvantages:

No Noise Cancellation: Unlike the AirPods Pro, these earbuds don’t have active noise cancellation, so they might not block out background noise as effectively.

Limited Water Resistance: The AirPods (2nd Gen) aren’t fully waterproof, so you should be careful when using them in wet or sweaty conditions.

Similar Design: They closely resemble the first-generation AirPods, which could disappoint those expecting a more noticeable design update.

Final Thoughts:

For Apple fans who want easy-to-use wireless earbuds, the AirPods (2nd Gen) are a reliable choice. They offer good sound quality, long battery life, and straightforward setup. While they lack some advanced features of the AirPods Pro, their affordability and dependable performance make them a practical option for everyday use. If you’re seeking straightforward wireless earbuds with an Apple touch, give the AirPods (2nd Gen) a look.

Reviews

How to Choose an Iron / Best Iron to Buy 2023

Published

9 months ago

August 24, 2023

adminnagr

How to Choose an Iron / Best Iron to Buy 2023

Today we will discuss the most important aspects for How to choose an iron, let’s take a look

Table of Contents

Hold in your hands

An iron is a household appliance that you have to keep in your hand all the time it is working. Therefore, it is important that you feel comfortable, easy and pleasant to “communicate” with him. Even if you choose it on the Internet, do not be lazy, go to a hardware store, hold it and see how comfortable you are.

Weigh

Some housewives like it when the iron is heavy enough. Apparently, this has gone back to the time when the large weight of the device helped to smooth fabrics faster and better. Now weight is not an important characteristic, and many manufacturers do not even indicate it in the main technical data. But still, look at the weight, because the iron is always in your hands, if it is very hard or unusually light, then ironing will be uncomfortable.

Irons with ceramic or aluminum soles weigh a little, some even less than one kilogram. High-quality irons with stainless steel soles weigh about one and a half kilograms, less often about two. Keep in mind that when you fill the tank with water, the iron will become slightly heavier.

Check out the power of steam

Steam is as important a part of ironing as a hot sole. Therefore, the more steam the iron produces, the easier and faster men’s shirts, voluminous duvet covers, and light dresses with flounces will be ironed.

We look at the power of steam supply. The higher it is, the better!

Steam output or continuous steam output is how much steam per minute comes out of the holes on the soleplate of the iron. In this case, you do not need to additionally press any buttons. Just move the iron over the fabric, and the steam comes out and smoothes out the wrinkles.

This indicator affects the cost: the more steam, the more expensive the iron. On the most equipped models, continuous steam output can reach 75 g/min. Average indicators – 35-50 g / min. But even at 40 g/min, you will have to press the steam boost button frequently to iron the fabric faster.

Check the steam boost

Every steam iron has a steam boost function. Press the button, and steam falls on the fold of the fabric in a powerful cloud, and the hot sole smoothes it out effortlessly.

The stronger the steam boost, the easier it is to remove creases.

Average indicators: 160g–200g. If the value is below 150g, then it can hardly be called a steam boost, just increased steam supply. It, of course, will help to smooth the fabric, but the strongest creases will have to be ironed several times.

Estimate the frequency of use of vertical steam

This function allows you to iron clothes hanging on hangers. But in fact, only expensive irons with a steam boost of about 200 g / min can cope with this task. If this type of ironing is important to you, then it is better to buy a vertical steamer.

Check the volume of the water tank

If the iron has a large steam supply and a small water tank, then ironing will turn into a torment, because you have to add water every ten minutes. Manufacturers also understand this, so they increase the volume of the tank as much as they can. Largest tank: 350-400 ml.

Average volume: 250–300 ml.

You can take a model with a smaller tank volume if it has a small supply of steam or you prefer to iron without it at all.

Find out if there is descaling

If you want your iron to last longer, choose a model with a descaling function. Such a system is found in most devices. The main thing is to use it. Many simply forget to pull out and rinse the container or a special rod in which limescale accumulates.

If there is no such function, then only distilled water can be used.

In addition, it is necessary to carry out self-cleaning of the iron so that when ironing, pieces of scale do not get on expensive clothes. Expensive models have a separate button for this. You need to heat the iron with a full tank of water, place it over the sink and press the clean button. Water with scale pieces will pour out of the holes.

If there is no button and self-cleaning function, then you need to set the maximum heating and turn on the steam boost several times over the sink so that all scale particles come out with water and steam.

Only some of the most expensive models have an indication of the need to clean, with most irons you need to follow this yourself.

See if there is an anti-drop function and how it works

The anti-drip function allows you to iron at low temperatures, at which water does not turn into steam, without the appearance of water droplets on clothes. Drops can stain silk and leave marks, which is why it is so important that the iron does not “cry”.

The main problem is that the “anti-drop” is declared for almost all models, and only works for some. And it’s almost impossible to check this before buying, you can get truthful information only by studying the feedback from the owners or looking at independent tests. Therefore, after buying, check on a simple cloth how the iron behaves when ironing at low temperatures, and if it “drops tears”, then do not be lazy and drain all the water from the tank before ironing delicate fabrics.

Check if there is an auto-off

If you suffer from forgetfulness or increased anxiety, then pay attention to devices with an auto-off function. They usually turn off on their own if they lie still for more than 30 seconds or stand still for more than 8 minutes. This feature is available for both expensive and cheap models.

There is one more opportunity to control the operation of the device: some models can be controlled from a smartphone through the application. So the problem with the iron not turned off remains in the past.

Look at the cord

Two points need to be checked: the length of the cord and the method of fastening.

The maximum length of power cords for irons is 3 meters.

Often there are models with cords 2.5 m long. An iron with a shorter cord is worth buying only if your ironing board is equipped with a power connection.

The way the cord is attached to the case is very important. The cord must rotate freely 360 °, only in this case it will not fray during operation.

Check out the warranty period

Many models have a 2-year warranty. Some have one. Agree, two is more than one. Therefore, choose equipment with a longer warranty period. But keep in mind that some breakdowns, such as those associated with the fact that you did not perform descaling, may not be covered under warranty.

Best Iron to Buy

Reviews

Best headset for working from home with microphone / remote work

Published

9 months ago

August 23, 2023

adminnagr

Best headset for working from home with microphone remote work

Best headset for working from home with microphone : Now, more than ever, remote work and distance learning have become relevant. But in order to stream, meetings, webinars, conferences, play games, chat online with friends, you need a high-quality headset.

Table of Contents

The best headphones with a microphone for work in 2023 – we tell you what they should be

Before choosing headphones with a microphone for your phone or computer, you need to find out what they are.

How to Choose Headphones for Remote Working:

Wired . These headphones are more reliable than wireless headphones and are lighter in weight. They are connected to the sound source using a wire that is inserted into the appropriate connector.

Wireless . Buying wireless headphones with a microphone is beneficial if you want to feel the freedom of movement and at the same time are ready to constantly charge them, change batteries, etc. The base station of these headphones is connected to the gadget connector. Thanks to the built-in transmitter, the headphones and the station exchange signals.

According to the type of headset design are:

Folding . These headphones fold with a special mechanism and take up less space. They are convenient to take with you.

Clumsy . More bulky, they are better to choose if you are going to use them at home and do not plan to carry them with you all the time.

The differences lie in the type of attachment of the headphones themselves:

Headband . Between the cups passes the bow, which is located in the vertical direction. Due to this, the weight of the headphones is evenly distributed over the head.

Occipital arch . The bow connects two ear pads, but unlike the first option, it runs in the occipital area.
The microphone can be:

On the wire . The microphone is located on the wire, next to the volume control button.

On a fixed mount . The microphone is mounted on a plastic holder and is not very noticeable.

On a movable mount . It can be adjusted, zoomed in and out of the face.

Built-in . The microphone is not visible at all, but this is its only advantage. Using the built-in option, in addition to your voice, all extraneous sounds will also be heard.

With noise cancellation . These microphones are the best and most practical. If the headset has such a function as noise reduction, then all sounds except your voice will be suppressed to the maximum.
Also, the headphones differ in connectors:

Mini jack 3.5 mm . Represented by a small plug that can be inserted into a computer, TV, tablet, phone or home theater. Provided they have a sound module.

USB . Headphones with a microphone with a USB input have a built-in sound module. Therefore, they can be connected to devices that do not have their own audio output.

Best Headset for working from home with microphone

Title	Features	Prices	Buy Now
Rand McNally ClearDryve 180, 2-in-1 Bluetooth Headphone/Headset	Clear Calls with Noise Cancellation, Long Battery Life	$164
RØDE NTH-100M Professional Over-ear Headset for Content Creation	Headset for Media, Broadcast, Podcasting	$189
Jabra Evolve 75 UC Stereo Wireless Bluetooth Headset	Music Headphones Including Link 370	$237

Best Headphones for Remote Work

Title	Features	Prices	Buy Now
TECKNET Trucker Bluetooth Headset with Microphone Noise Canceling Wireless On Ear Headphones	Wireless Headset for Cell Phone Computer Office Home Call Center Skype	$59
EKSA Noise Cancelling Trucker Bluetooth Headset with Microphone Wireless	99ft Long Range, 30H of Talk Time, All-Day Comfort On Ear Headsets Mute Button	$78
LEVN Bluetooth 5.0 Headset, Wireless Headset with Microphone (AI Noise Cancelling)	35Hrs Wireless Headset for Work with USB Dongle & Charging Base	$79

Best Wired Headset for working from home

Title	Features	Prices	Buy Now
FEABASK USB Headset with Microphone for PC Laptop	for Home Office Online Class Skype Zoom Meetings Conference Calls	$23.99
Logitech H390 Wired Headset for PC/Laptop, Stereo Headphones with Noise Cancelling	USB-A, in-Line Controls, Works with Chromebook	$21.88
NUROUM Wired Headset, Dual-Ear (Stereo) Headphones with Noise Canceling	Headset with in-line Control, USB/Type-C	$59.99

Best Noise Cancelling Headphones for office environment under 100

Title	Features	Prices	Buy Now
JLab JBuds Work Wireless Headset with Microphone	Headphones with 60+ Playtime – Multipoint Bluetooth Headset for Laptop	$69.99
HROEENOI Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Bluetooth Over-Ear Headphones	Quick Charge for 40H Playtime, Ideal Home Office	$49.99
Picun Active Noise Cancelling Headphones with ENC	100 Hours Playing Time Wireless Bluetooth Headphones	$49.99

We have shared all the best headsets available in the market. If you want to read in depth how to choose a headset & which qualities it should have before buying. Read our article & share your thoughts in our comments.