Alt Attribute & SEO Optimization

SEO Optimization images has become increasingly more important in SEO (Seo optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is a critical step that is often overlooked. This is often a lost chance of better rankings.

In Google's webmaster guidelines, they advise using alternative text for that images on your web site:

Images:. Use the alt attribute to provide descriptive text. In addition, we recommend utilizing a human-readable caption and descriptive text round the image.

Why would they ask us to achieve that? The answer is easy, really; search engines have the same problem as blind users. They cannot begin to see the images.

Many webmasters and inexperienced or unethical SEOs abuse using this attribute, trying to stuff it with keywords, looking to achieve a particular keyword density, which isn't as relevant for rankings now since it once was.

On the contrary, high keyword density can, on some search engines, trigger spam filters, which might result in a penalty for the site's ranking. Even without this type of penalty, your site's rankings won't benefit from this plan.
This process also puts persons who use screen readers in a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that really read aloud the items in what's shown on the screen. In browsing the web, the alt attributes of images are read aloud too.

Imagine listening to a paragraph of text which is followed by repetitions of many keywords. The page would be far from accessible, and, to put it mildly, would be found quite annoying.
What exactly is an Alt attribute?

An ALT attribute shouldn't be used like a description or perhaps a label for an image, though many people use it in that fashion. Although it might seem natural to assume that alternate text is really a label or perhaps a description, it is not!

What used within an image's alt attribute should be its text equivalent and convey the same information or serve the same purpose that the image would.

The thing is to supply the same functional information that a visual user would see. The alt attribute text should function as a "stand in" when the look is unavailable. Ask yourself this: Should you replace the look with the text, would most users receive the same basic information, and wouldn't it generate the same response?
A few examples:

 

Some SEO Optimization Tips

If your search button is a magnifier or binoculars its alt text should be 'search' or 'find' not 'magnifying glass' or 'binoculars'.

If an image is meant to convey the literal contents of the look, then a description is appropriate.

If it is designed to convey data, then that information is what's appropriate.

If it's meant to convey the use of a function, then the function itself is what ought to be used.

Some Alt Attribute Guidelines:

Always add alt attributes to images. Alt is mandatory for accessibility as well as for valid XHTML.

For images that play merely a decorative role within the page, make use of an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or a CSS background image so that reading browsers do not bother users by uttering such things as "spacer image".

Keep in mind that it is the function from the image we are trying to convey. For example; any button images shouldn't include the word "button" in the alt text. They ought to emphasize the action performed through the button.

Alt text should be based on context. The same image in a different context may require drastically different alt text.

Try to flow alt text with the remainder of the text because that is the way it is going to be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone hearing your page should hardly be aware that a graphic image can there be.
Please keep in mind that using an alt attribute for every image is needed to meet the minimum WAI requirements, which are used since the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and also the remainder of Europe. Also, they are required to meet "Section 508" accessibility requirements in america.

It is useful to categorize non-text content into three levels:

Eye-Candy
Mood-Setting
Content and Function

I. Eye-Candy

Eye-Candy are things that serve no purpose apart from to create a site visually appealing/attractive and (oftentimes) satisfy the marketing departments. There is no content value (though there may be value to a sighted user).

Never alt-ify eye-candy unless there is something there which will enhance the usability from the site for someone utilizing a non-visual user agent. Make use of a null alt attribute or background images in CSS for eye-candy.

II. Mood-Setting

This is actually the middle layer of graphics which may actually set the atmosphere or set the stage as it were. These graphics aren't direct content and could not be considered essential, but they are important in that they help frame what is going on.

Try to alt-ify the second group as makes sense and is relevant. There might be instances when doing so might be annoying or detrimental with other users. Then try to avoid it.

For example; Alt text that's identical to adjacent text is unnecessary, and an irritant to screen reader users. I suggest alt="" or background CSS images in such instances. But sometimes, it's vital that you understand this content inside for all users.

Usually it depends on context. Exactly the same image in a different context may require drastically different alt text. Obviously, content ought to always be fully available. How you use this case is a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

This is when the image is the actual content. Always alt-ify content and functional images. Title and long description attributes may also be so as.
The main reason many authors can't figure out why their alt text isn't working is that they don't know why the pictures are there. You have to determined precisely what function an image serves. Think about what it is about the image that's important to the page's intended audience.

Every graphic includes a reason for standing on that page: because it either improves the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is advisable to what the page is attempting to explain. Knowing what the image is perfect for makes alt text easier to write. And exercise writing them definitely helps.
A method to check the usefulness of alternative text is to imagine reading the page on the phone to someone. An amount you say when encountering a specific image to create the page understandable towards the listener?

Aside from the alt attribute you've got a couple more tools available for images.
First, in degree of descriptiveness title is in between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and can add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered by the user agent. Remember they're invisible and never shown as a "tooltip" when focus is received through the keyboard. (So much for device independence). So make use of the title attribute only for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points towards the Link to a complete description of the image. If the information contained in a picture is essential to the meaning of the page (i.e. some important content will be lost when the image was removed), a longer description compared to "alt" attribute can reasonably display ought to be used. It can offer rich, expressive documentation of the visual image.

It ought to be used when alt and title are insufficient to embody the visual qualities of the image. As Clark [1] states, "A longdesc is a long description of an image...The aim is by using any period of description essential to impart the details of the graphic.

It would not be remiss to hope that the long description conjures a picture - the look - in the mind's eye, an analogy that holds true even for that totally blind."

Although the alt attribute is mandatory for web accessibility and for valid (X)HTML, not all images need alternative text, long descriptions, or titles.

In many cases, you're best just choosing your gut instinct -- if it's not necessary to incorporate it, and when you don't have a strong urge to do it, don't add that longdesc.

However, if it's necessary for the whole page to operate, then you have to add the alt text (or title or longdesc).

What's necessary and what's not depends a great deal on the function of the image and its context about the page.

The same image may need alt text (or title or longdesc) in one spot, although not in another. If the image provides simply no content or functional information alt="" or background CSS images may be appropriate to make use of. However, if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt will be required and maybe even a long description will be so as. Oftentimes this kind of thing is a judgement call.

Image Seo optimization Tips

Listed here are key stages in optimizing images:

Choose a logical file name that reinforces the keywords. You should use hyphens in the file name to isolate the keyword, but avoid to exceeding two hyphens. Stay away from underscores as a word separator, such as "brilliant-diamonds.jpg";

Label the file extension. For instance, when the image internet search engine sees a ".jpg" (JPEG) file extension, it's going to assume that the file is really a photo, and when it sees a ".gif" (GIF) file extension, it's going to assume that it is a graphic;

Make sure that the written text at the image that's relevant to that image.
Again, do not lose an excellent chance to help your site together with your images in search engines. Begin using these steps to position better on all of the engines and drive increased traffic to your site TODAY.

Search Engine Optimization

Marin Software, a startup that creates search engine management software for advertisers and agencies, has raised $16 million in Series E funding led by Crosslink Capital with DAG Ventures, with Focus Ventures, Benchmark Capital, and Triangle Peak Partners participating in the round. This brings Marin’s total funding to $51 million.

The company also announced that Eric Chin, partner at Crosslink Capital, will join the Board of Directors as an observer and that former Shutterfly VP of Finance John Kaelle has joined the executive team as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

Marin Software offers a browser application to help advertisers and agencies managing paid search advertising campaigns across Google, Bing, Yahoo, and other search sites. In the past year, the company expanded its product offering beyond paid search and now offers applications for managing Facebook ads, as well as Marin Retargeting, a complete workflow, analysis, and optimization solution for advertisers and agencies. In addition, Marin also launched Marin Professional, which offers a simple version of the company’s platform for search marketers who spend less than $100,000 per month.

The company plans to invest the Series E funding to support the growth of its customer base which includes advertisers and agencies industries such as retail, education, financial services, insurance, travel, lead generation, automotive, B2B, and local. Marin currently serves 800 clients worldwide and manages 600 million keywords and more than $2 billion in annualized paid search spend for its customers.

And could the addition of a new CFO could mean that Marin may be eyeing an IPO in the future? John Kaelle joined the company from Shutterfly, where he was Vice President of Finance and Investor Relations. While at Shutterfly, Kaelle managed company growth from 150 to over 600 employees, revenue growth from $54 million to over $300 million, and an IPO in 2006.

Manufacturers of retails goods need to leverage their Facebook presences to manage product recalls more cost effectively.

Some companies like Johnson & Johnson are starting so see the damage product recalls are costing in the modern age of fast information sharing — the company estimates over $900 million in lost sales and related expenditures last year. The brand is just one example are one of many companies that have undergone recalls in the last year and are still working to regain customers’ trust.

Cautionary tale

Kraft experienced a big debacle last year of moldy kids’ juices — and the problem is still continuing — so the creation of a Facebook tab to help manage the issues started out as very proactive. Alas, the tab moved to the very back of the page within days.

Moms were upset and consumers visiting the Facebook page for moldy juice information (many times referred there by a friend) thought the the tab appeared was missing rather than moved. Kraft learned the hard way that moms and other concerned parties wound up going elsewhere for information. They Googled the issue and stumbled across any pages mentioning it — including the brand-damaging image shown to the right.

Then other moms who were upset looked for information on Facebook and found groups like “I wont buy CAPRI sun till it comes in a clear juice package!!” Such groups had only a couple hundred members and no centralized, authoritative source of information, but instead had lots of unverified information further fueling hatred of the company. Perhaps Kraft should have created a page just for recalls or even just the juice recall, and that would have preserved the brand’s integrity on the site.

Three questions

Here are three important questions for product managers to think about amid recalls:

What does this mean for our search engine optimization?

What about the amplification risk?

What would the newest consumer find about the brand online?

In case the anecdote above hasn’t sold you on why a product recall is best managed on Facebook, below are three reasons.

Facebook is free

Besides a staff or the intelligence behind outbound communications, social media in general is free. Companies have brand pages that were no cost to setup. Tabs are free to setup. Interested consumers generally like products they use. Put together is a stage and microphone, what is your corporation saying? Read 44% of Fortune 50 Brands Show Facebook Icons.

Leverage your fans

If fans and consumers are going to spread seemingly harmful information to keep their friends safe, companies should be the initiator of the dialogue. There could be encouragement to share recall information or even incentives like discounts. Some companies even have Facebook commerce pages for shopping, support for recalls and exchanges could be easily integrated.

Communicate with customers

While silence tends to be seen as the best policy in a real-time updated world, silence immediately is seen as guilt and even worse so, the holding back of information from consumers. Quick updates, even if on Facebook pages is a way to engage and even remind fans as to why they are following you. Even if the news is the most positive to share, consumers would be reminded why they choose to connect themselves with you.

Consumers understand mistakes happen and are happy to get involved. Facebook offers many ways to share information with others and track how conversations travel — that provides one of the best ways to manage a recall.

Ellie Cachette is the Founder of ConsumerBell.

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Here is a roundup of important small business tips to start out your week on the right track. We’ve tried to collect some of the best resources to get you started but we’d love to hear from readers as well, so if you’ve got some tips or advice to add, please, as always, leave them in the comment section below. Enjoy!

Legal

Legal tips for your small business. From Jeffrey Fabian of Fabian LLC, serving small business and legal professionals, here are a collection of legal issues every small business must look out for. Consulting on legal matters with an attorney can be another important step, but remember that legal issues of all kinds come with the territory in small business, so be prepared. 365 Days of Startups

Ideas for maintaining your professional image. As a small business owner or entrepreneur, your online reputation is becoming more important every day. So what does a Google search say about you? If you don’t know yet, you should find out. Reputation has always been an important commodity in the business world. The Internet has made it more important than ever. Beware! Startup Professionals Musings

Customer Service

Tips for creating a more appealing product or service. You may think you’re giving your customers choices, but, in reality, you’re only handing them indecision. And perhaps an invitation to do nothing? Here’s an alternative. Give them a step-by-step on how to use your product. Tell them what to do and how to do it. And don’t worry if it doesn’t fit every customer’s needs. They’ll create the fit that’s right for them. Chris Brogan

Marketing

How to set yourself apart from competitors. Saying you’re better than your competitors just isn’t good enough (even if it’s true.) The question is what you can offer customers that is different from any one else in the market. Create a service no one else provides in exactly the same way, and you’ll have a marketing strategy that can work in the long run. Duct Tape Marketing

How to use “help marketing” to strengthen your business and brand. You can call this PR instead of marketing if you like, but no matter what you call it, it may be the best thing for your brand and business, if you do it right. Helping others including your customers is really what your business should be about anyway. So don’t be afraid to show your willingness to extend a helping hand. TechLunatic

Startup

How to seek help from business accelerators. Efforts to get new businesses up and running have increased in recent years and business accelerators in various forms are spreading across the country, according to this piece on the trend. Often these organizations offer “more help than funding” but can still be an important resource depending upon the nature of your startup. Bloomberg Businessweek

Taxes

How to prepare for tax compliance expenses in your small business. Ballooning tax regulations are a huge source of expense for small businesses, especially here in the U.S. It’s important for small business owners to consider the expenses related to tax compliance, since this is likely to be an ongoing burden for small business owners into the foreseeable future. WSJ

Last minute tips for last minute tax filers. If you’re doing your small business tax filings on your own, here are some last minute tips you may want to consider ranging from how to file an extension to how long to keep your tax records and more. If you want some last minute advice as the tax deadline closes in, why not take a few minutes and watch the video? BostoneHerald.com

Self-development

A new persription for stress and overwork: relax! Small business owners and entrepreneurs, like everyone else, experience burnout at times and can easily become overwhelmed with work. After all, when the final responsibility for everything falls upon you, there’s no one else to turn to. But experts now suggest that taking those breaks when necessary can be absolutely essential. Here’s more. The Globe And Mail

Tech

Tips for keeping your business technology up and running. Keeping your business technology alive and kicking is not just a luxury in today’s small business world. It is an absolute and vital necessity! So tips on keeping the critical tools you use to operate your business and serve your customers should always be a priority. Here are some tips you won’t want to forget. Jackrabbit.com Blog

From Small Business TrendsSmall Business News: Best Small Biz Tips Today

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NFL owners, union resume mediation in Minneapolis

The NFL and its locked-out players have completed their first day of mediation under a court order and will meet again Friday as they try to resolve their labor dispute.

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&quot;World&#39;s biggest&quot; Pac-Man hits the web <b>News</b> - PC - Page 1 <b>...</b>

Read our PC news of.

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Apple releases iOS 4.3.2 for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the Apple releases iOS 4.3.2 for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch. Find more Apple news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

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Given the current cost of components, a prepaid contract-free iPhone with less internal storage would likely earn Apple only about 16 percent gross margin if it were priced at $300, a new analysis has estimated.



Analyst Charlie Wolf with Needham & Company took a closer look at the prospect of a hypothetical "iPhone lite," to see if it would be in Apple's best interest to build such a product. A cheaper iPhone has been viewed as a strategy that would work to Apple's advantage in emerging markets like China.



In February, both Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple is working on a smaller and cheaper iPhone that it could sell contract-free. Soon after, The New York Times chimed in, and claimed that while Apple is not working on a smaller iPhone, it has explored opportunities in developing a cheaper handset.



Wolf largely agrees with the Times, and doesn't see a smaller iPhone with a new form factor as something that would be in Apple's best interest, even though it would be the easiest way to cut costs and created a cheaper handset.



"In our view, the iPhone would not be an iPhone if the display were, say, cut in half," he said. "Such a move would (dramatically) reduce the value of the iPod module for video viewing as well as the size of web sites accessed through the Safari browser. A smaller screen would also degrade the experience in using some applications, not to mention the possibility that some applications would probably have to be rewritten to accommodate a smaller screen."



iSuppli estimated that the 16GB iPhone 4, when it launched last June, carried a bill of materials of $188. The iPhone has an average selling price of $625 with a carrier subsidy, while gross margin is usually around 50 percent, suggesting that additional costs like assembly, software, testing, licenses and warrantees add up to $100 or more.



Ruling out the possibility of a smaller iPhone, Wolf said Apple could reduce internal storage from 16GB to about 4GB, but that would only reduce the bill of materials by $30 to about $157. By his estimation, such a handset would still have a total cost of $270.



"Apple would at best break even if it priced an iPhone Light at $250; and it would earn a modest 16% gross margin if it priced it at $300, which we regard as the high end of the range for a prepaid phone," Wolf wrote.



Gross margins of just 16 percent would be a number uncharacteristically low for Apple. For example, in its last quarterly results for the 2010 holiday buying season, Apple reported margins of 38.5 percent, or more than twice Wolf's estimate for a low-cost, no-contract iPhone.



"We suspect that the iPhone's designers and engineers have thought about this a lot more than we have so that the cost savings would be somewhat greater than we've estimated," Wolf said. "If, for example, the expenses incurred beyond the cost of components could be materially reduced, Apple might be able to earn a gross margin of 20% pricing the phone at $250 and 33% gross margin pricing it at $300."



The possibility of a cheaper iPhone with fewer features was hinted at by Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook earlier this year. Cook, in an interview with Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconaghi, said Apple doesn't want its products to be "just for the rich."



Cook reportedly said that Apple is planning "clever things" to compete in the prepaid handset market. He also stated that Apple is "not ceding any market." He also referenced China, where Apple has found great success of late, and noted that it is a "classic prepaid market."

We’ve been hearing all kinds of Chatter that the next version of Final Cut Pro will debut in Vegas at NAB next week.  Thing is, we hear this every year and Apple hasn’t really done a NAB properly in awhile.  That’s OK, we’ll take that we can get.

Rumors are flying that Apple will be using the Vegas Supermeet to announce the next version of Final Cut Pro. Supposedly, Apple will be taking over the entire event for their announcement, cancelling all other sponsors, including AJA, Avid, Canon, BlackMagic, Autodesk and others, who were set to give presentations.

Philip Bloom just confirmed with me that Canon has canceled his appearance at the Supermeet. Canon was told last night that Apple has demanded ALL “lecturn” or stage time exclusively. Some sponsors who were not using presenters may continue to sponsor the Vegas event, but none of them will be presenting on the stage. I can’t imagine any news that would warrant this kind of “take-over” other than to announce and demonstrate the next full version of Final Cut Pro and possibly an entirely newly designed FCS4.

(UPDATE: Avid confirmed that Supermeet (Michael Horton) told them last night that their sponsorship had been cancelled. According to Avid, “Apple doesn’t want anyone to have stage time but them.”)

Who’s up for Vegas?

We heard the first concrete details about Apple’s all new Final Cut Pro coming during Spring this year, and recently some new information has come to light. Final Cut Studio expert Larry Jordan was one of the people at Apple’s meeting, demonstrating the upcoming upgrade to the professional film-making software.

Jordan can’t say much about the upgrade, due to an NDA with Apple, but he did say it is a “jaw-dropper.” Besides the “jaw-dropper” part, the thing we are taking most from his blog post is the fact that Apple allowed him to write it up. It appears that Apple already considers the software public knowledge. Afterall, Apple CEO Steve Jobs did tell a 9to5mac reader to buckle up for it.

Thanks to Charlie Sanchez

Related articles

• Next Final Cut Pro is a “jawdropper,” Apple considers it public knowledge, and will it drop at NAB? (9to5mac.com)
• Apple says last Xserve orders shipping in April, here’s what’s next for XSAN (9to5mac.com)
• Nasdaq to cut Apple’s weighting in rebalancing (9to5mac.com)
• Feeling the heat, HP and Dell execs lash out at Apple, pray iPad will fail (9to5mac.com)
• Certain MacBook Pro models ‘unavailable’ for reservation at many Apple Stores (9to5mac.com)
• Apple asks Toyota to remove the Scion theme from Cydia (9to5mac.com)
• New Final Cut Pro hits Spring ’11 and it’s the “biggest overhaul yet” (9to5mac.com)
• iOS 5 pushed to the fall: major revamp, cloud-based, WWDC preview? (9to5mac.com)

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Editor’s note: This discussion about the superphone platform is one of the five themes we will be focusing on at the VentureBeat Mobile Summit, on April 25-26. We’ve carefully invited the top executives in mobile to discuss the biggest challenges of the day, which, if solved, can lead to much faster growth in the industry. And at our enterprise session, we’ll have top executives around the table from a number of companies, including Verizon, AT&T, Cisco, Salesforce, Box.net, and more. (If you think you should be part of the discussion, you can apply for a ticket.)

Don’t expect to find the core applications that run the pistons of a business as native apps in Apple’s App Store. With a few exceptions, the future is touch-enabled web applications that will bring a more complete version of a vendor’s feature set to any tablet.

I’ll say it more explicitly:  Native apps are for phones, gadgets and games.  Touch-enabled web apps are for tablets and broad business applications.

The iPhone’s size has almost necessitated an alternative user experience for business apps, but the iPad’s screen real estate does not suffer that limitation.

The iPad has been in the market for over one year.  Conspicuously absent from SmartSheet’s Top iPad Apps for Business lists — produced over the last 8 months by 10 industry watchers — are any cross-business operating apps tackling customer relationship management (CRM), accounting, project management and the like.

Smart software companies are building tablet access into their core products by touch-enabling their existing web applications.  For some vendors with form-based solutions, the effort may be fairly simple, for others with rich desktop-class UIs, it is more complex.

Some serious business apps have native tablet versions, but they are either narrow business functions or small carve-outs of their overall solution. Here are some examples:

Some examples of companies with broader business operations applications that are benefiting from the touch-enabled web app approach are:

The key reasons to go native on the iPhone / iPad have been:  performance, access to device features (geo-location, camera, etc….), offline support, and most importantly, an entry in the App Store Directory (this will be the only remaining benefit to building native business apps in 12- 18 months).

But the following dynamics in the tablet ecosystem are predicting the demise of that native apps advantage:

Competition Among Tablets Will Dramatically Improve Performance

Intense competition in the tablet market will drive hardware, browser and connectivity performance closer and closer to parity with PCs.  Note the step up in hardware power from the iPad to the recently released Motorola Xoom and iPad 2.  Vendors do not build native apps for PCs and Laptops any more, and the reasons for that will be just as valid for tablets.

HTML5 Will Erase Native App’s Device Advantage

HTML5 will give browser apps powers that today are only accessible by native apps such as instant on, access to camera, location, and off-line.  And, unless it’s a game, most apps require connectivity to be useful anyway.  (Here’s a good write-up on this.)

Web Apps Will Outpace and Outreach the Natives (adding features vs platforms)

As more tablets come to market on more operating systems, ISVs will become weighted down building redundant apps for each OS.  This will inherently come at the expense of adding more features to a single web app.  Inherent in any application development toolkit are its limitations, and Apple’s is no different.  Richer experiences are possible with today’s browser development tools.

Businesses Will Favor App Stores that Include “Bookmark a Link” Apps

Apple forbids “pointers” or “very thin wrappers” to touch-enabled web business apps.  This benefits Apple, but not business users.  There are a host of good business apps that work on the iPad browser, but they’re not present in the App Store.  This is slowing the growth of the iPad as a business tool.  The marketplace that lists compatible business apps will have a broad audience – one that expects them.

The debate will continue on both the mobile and tablet fronts and it depends on a multitude of factors, but ultimately businesses will choose which approach delivers a more compelling user experience for their specific application.  ZDNet reports on three of the key business scenarios prevalent with the iPad, which includes 1) sales people out in the field, 2) executives on an overnight trip, and 3) warehouse managers, retail floor staff, medical staff, and anybody else that needs real access to apps while on their feet.

A tablet untethers the user categories above from a desk if it can handle typically more comprehensive operational business applications that can cover a diversity of business needs. For example,  this video shows the owner of a 109-year-old lumber operation bringing automation to the mill floor via the iPad. For this company and the millions just like it, the need for rich tablet-ready business apps is real, but native apps aren’t there yet. Thankfully, there is an app for that. But you’ll have to look beyond the App Store.

Brent Frei is the founder of Smartsheet, an online project management and collaboration tool. He submitted this story to VentureBeat as part of a series leading up to our Mobile Summit later this month.

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Wi-Fi Photo Transfer is a free app that makes it insanely simple to download photos from your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad.

We've been using iPhoto, jailbreak tweaks, and Image Capture to download photos to our computer. None of these methods are as quick, as painless, or as wireless as Wi-Fi Photo Transfer. 

There isn't a single setting to alter once you download the app. It works by making the photos folder on your device (DCIM, if you're an iOS explorer) visible from your web browser so you can download photos straight to your computer. Your computer and device must be on the same Wi-Fi network for this to work.

You can view all your photos in a convenient thumbnail view to select multiple items, or you can download them one by one (in various sizes, too). 

This free app is a can't-miss. In fact, we used it to download the screen-grabs for this very post you're reading now.

Price: free from the App Store (universal app)

NOTE: if you're downloading screen captures you've taken on your iDevice, this app mislabels them as JPG so you get an error trying to open them in Photoshop. Once you download the screen captures, change the JPG extension to PNG in the file name and you'll be all set. This note is only for iDevice screen captures, achieved by holding down the Home button and Sleep button simultaneously for a second.

(Via App Storm)

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Fox <b>News</b> Throughout History: Pics, Videos, Links, <b>News</b>

Fox News Throughout History: History is written by the pundits winners. As long as humans have existed, they've tried to spin historical events to shed themselves in the best light. And their enemies in the worst.

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Taptu allows iPad owners to “DJ your <b>news</b>” | VentureBeat

Anthony is a senior editor at VentureBeat, as well as its reporter on media, advertising, and social networks. Before joining ...

Roofing Contractors Vancouver - 5 Questions to Consider

Roofing Vancouver - Faq's

1. Repair or Replace?

There's no opinion like an expert opinion. Most contractors provides you with a totally free estimate. Get a summary of a few trusted contractors and phone them well ahead of time of when you want to get your roof fixed to help you compare costs and opinions.

2. Beauty versus Practicality?

Discuss this with your spouse or partner. (The kids could care less...at least the children.) The fact is, nobody wants an ugly roof just like nobody wants to be viewed with bed hair. If you've got a good quality roof and you simply have to do the repair, it's worthwhile to pay for the price of the original shingle instead of doing patchwork. A roof replacement doesn't happen very often (hopefully!) and so make a decision that best suits you and your family well or it'll stand out just like a sore thumb everyday you decide to go home.

3. Should I replace the rooftop in order to sell the home for more?

Think about this very carefully prior to making a choice. With respect to the roofing material you choose, a new roof can last anywhere from twenty, fifty, to one-hundred years! This means you need to check the year of the roof that's currently too deep first. Are you at year 18 of the 20-year warranted roof or year 30 of the 50-year warranted roof? Obviously, the quality is what makes the roof last longer, but when you're not likely to stay in your current home for the rest of your lifetime, the higher expense may not be worth your investment. Although a brand new roof can improve the value of your value, the rise may not be enough to cover your investment and that's definitely going to hurt your wallet.

4. Is it advisable that i can repair the roof myself?

Sure it's. But before you need to do, consult an expert first. You can perform it yourself, however, you shouldn't be a complete ‘lone ranger.' With respect to the extent of the repair, you may or may not change your mind. In either case, it helps to obtain a professional eye on the problem first and perhaps even a free quote so you can do the math later and find out if it's truly worth your time and effort, sweat, and money to become mister or miss fix-it.

5. Just when was a great time to find the roof replaced?

Weather can cause delays from days to weeks. Most people plan ahead to have their roof replaced in the summer when they have a friend will be home during the day for any solid two weeks. Once you have this period in your mind, make a call to a trusted contractor months ahead of time to get a quote. Some companies get reserved fast and odds are, they're the most reputable. Preparing in advance from the summer also provides you with time for you to ask around many compare costs...especially if you want to possess the roof done by a specified date.

 

The Top Roofing Company In Vancouver!

It is possible to leak inside your home's roof? Perhaps you have lost shingles or tiles in a storm? Have overhanging branches caused damage? Is your roof more than 20 years old and showing its age? Are your gutters overwhelmed and draining poorly?

When the answer to any of these questions is "Yes" it's time to call the top roofing contractor Vancouver - Crown Roofing & Drainage.

For more than a century Crown Roofing has been the roofer of preference among our Vancouver neighbors. We offer complete roofing services, from emergency repairs and roof restoration, to complete roof replacement. All while using finest quality materials, installed with precision and also the highest degree of customer support.

YOUR Vancouver ROOF DESERVES Believe it or not!

The rooftop of the Vancouver home is the first type of defence against wind, rain, snow, ice and other weather conditions. Make sure it is up to the task. Among Vancouver Roofing companies, only Crown Roofing has the depth of experience and successful track record to make sure your roofing system will be properly designed and installed.

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS.

One reason Crown Roofing has been the most successful roofing contractor in Vancouver is our commitment to our neighbors. We treat your home as though it were our very own and that we were creating a roof to safeguard our own family. That's what neighbors do, and you can count on Crown Roofing being here to aid you and also back our work. After all, we've been repairing and replacing roofs in Vancouver since 1902!

GET A FREE INSPECTION AND EVALUATION OF YOUR Vancouver ROOF.

Visit the Roofers Vancouver for any FREE inspection and evaluation of the roof. Make sure you get the very best roof for your Vancouver home, at the best value. We build roofs to last!

 

Tacoma Roofing contractor: Help your house be Beautiful

Very few people understand the value of a good roof, your knowledgeable Tacoma Roofing contractor does. From first hand experience, they will be able to tell you the reason why you require a strong, secure, and leak-free roof in your home.

The local Tacoma Roofing contractor is well aware how important an economic investment your house is for you, especially as it is a long term one. Your house might have been damaged slowly through the years and also you have to take steps to minimize this damage. For a lot of people, keeping their house beautiful is also a few pride. There are those too who'd prefer to turn their property into a cost effective and efficient living place. Your homes roof is an integral part of your property and plays a role in each one of the aspects mentioned above. Because of this, you need to employ the services of qualified a Tacoma Roofer.

Kinds of Roofs installed with a Tacoma Roofing contractor

One of the more prevalent kinds of roofs are asphalt shingles, steel or metal sheeting, fiberglass, slate and terra cotta tiles.

Each kind of roof invites distinct problems, however they can all be easily looked after by a trusted Tacoma Roofing company. It's imperative that you nip roof problems within the bud before they become too expensive or dangerous. You are able to schedule an appointment using the Tacoma Roofing company to consider a look at your homes roof to determine if there are any issues or potential issues with it. If you will find, they might be able to tell you how to deal with them.

A Tacoma Roofing contractor Helps to Build Strong Homes

The exteriors associated with a house, primarily the rooftop and gutters, face the onslaught of bitter and varying weather conditions, every single day. Painting, repairing, and cleaning gutters might be necessary. In some instances you may have to replace them completely. Usually, whenever your gutters show signs and symptoms of trouble, your homes roof must also be inspected for problems. Whatever issues there may be, an experienced Tacoma Roofing company can examine them in detail and suggest the remedy.

If your gutters tend to clog all too often, or there are leaks along the walls of your home, it may imply that there's debris piled up on the top. Loose branches, piles of leaves, along with other light objects that are swept on your roof throughout a storm can all contribute towards damaging your homes roof, and these damages could be lasting. A knowledgeable Tacoma Roofing company will explain that birds, mice, along with other types of rodents often build nest within the debris that collects on the roof. While these nests may look rather innocent, they are great at collecting moisture, be responsible for loose shingles, mold, and indoor leaks in your house. Additionally, it may also cause vermin infestation. Following a storm, your Tacoma Roofing contractor will claim that you inspect your roof for any signs of debris or damage.

Reverse Damages with the Help of a Tacoma Roofer

However top quality the roof might be, it is going to wear out with time. You will find shingles which are referred to as "25 year" or "30 year" shingles, but those numbers are just associated with warranty produced by the manufacturers. They hardly ever require that long. Realistically speaking, "25 year" shingles will not last more than a few years. In an area that is vulnerable to storms, shingles or even the entire roof should be replaced every 10 years. With a Tacoma Roofing company, the price is going to be less than what you think.

If there you lose any shingles, or there's some harm to them, a Tacoma Roofing company will be able to assist you to. Damaged shingles can result in indoor leaks, as the substrate of the roof becomes exposed to the sun and rain. Shingles that are loose or broken can slip off and pose a potential hazard to individuals standing below. Missing shingles produce a gap that allows rain, wind, ice, and debris to develop underneath the adjoining shingles, which results in a "domino effect" that affects other shingles plus they become loose or broken. A comprehensive investigation will be made by the local Tacoma Roofing company, if you give them a call track of your suspicions of loose or missing shingles.

Your Tacoma Roofing company will be in a position to tell you what the smartest choice is for your homes roof. In case your roof is not inside a good shape, it is advised that you have it replaced completely. The Tacoma Roofer can take you through the various roofing possibilities for you which will suit your requirements and your budget.

Tacoma Roofing contractor: Enhancing your Home's Efficiency

Your roof shelters you against storms, sleet, and hail. By giving adequate ventilation, your homes roof protects your home from overheating, and by holding in the heat, it keeps your home warm. That's why you need to prepare your roof from indoors in addition to outdoors for any kind of weather emergency. A Qualified Tacoma Roofing company can provide assist in this case.

To begin with, inspect your homes roof thoroughly for any and all sorts of kind of damage, before the beginning of the year. The gutters ought to be clear, debris shouldn't be piled on or trapped under shingles, tthere shouldn't be homes of squirrels or birds in the eaves or attic, and the roof ought to be structurally sound. For that last part, you will need the assistance of the local Tacoma Roofer. It can be quite dangerous to climb onto the roof of your property. This is where the contractor from Tacoma Roofer comes in. He'll check out the strength and security of the roof and shingles, and do a general inspection from the entire roof structure, to make sure that it is in proper working order. They'll be in a position to point to problems that you need to keep an eye on and problems you may not have spotted.

You'll need all of the help you can get from the Tacoma Roofer. You are able to help your roof by installing a gutter guard or leaf cover to assist prevent debris from forming in your gutters. The extra weight of debris prevents the gutters from draining and may even tear them down. Look into the fasteners in your gutters and when they are loose, tighten them. Take steps to alter worn screws and brackets. If you have a chimney in your house, inspect the bricks and mortar signs of wear. A trusted mason can be recommended because of your Tacoma Roofing company, if you will find any repairs to be done.

Tacoma Roofing contractor: Someone You Can Count On
In the event that you know or suspect that there's a problem, your Tacoma Roofer should be contacted. They can use their knowledge and expertise to get your house in ace condition simply by working on the rooftop. Your homes roof deserves attention. So give them a call today, so that they can get down to working on your roof.

 

What is Distinction between Commercial Roofing Companies From Residential Roofing Companies

If you are hiring a roofing company to re roof your house or building then you may be wondering what are the differences are between residential roofing companies and commercial roofing companies. To begin with, the main one huge difference is usually that times a commercial roofing company may have signed a contract with and become obligated to some roofing union in able to work on union commercial jobs.

If this is the case then their labor costs will prohibit them from focusing on non union residential jobs. Beyond that, if a commercial roofing company has not signed a contract with a union they may be outfitted just for commercial jobs which of course means their workers and equipment may not be consistent with smaller residential jobs.

Residential roofing contractors in general often run smaller companies and hence, tend to be more capable of bid competitively on residential jobs, which are usually small compared to comercial jobs. Actually, quite often residential roofing contractors will run one man operations, where the contractor that you simply speak with could be the one that actually does the work on the building.

Also, liability insurance for commercial roofing is more epensive along with a larger bond is required for any commercial roofing work which will make it not cost effective for a commercial roofing contractor to do residential roofing jobs.

Still an additional factor is the fact that commercial jobs can operate on a tighter time period for any number of reasons, requiring a commercial contractor to employ a larger crew or crews which again makes smaller jobs not as profitable on their behalf.

 

Difference Between Commercial Roofing and Residential Roofing

Did you know that the roof of the house or building has a huge effect on the whole structure itself? Damage caused to roofs because of natural or another disasters causes a considerable loss of property everywhere. The type of materials accustomed to construct the rooftop which should be sturdy and long-lasting, the manner in which the roof has been installed and even its timely maintenance are very crucial. There are two types of roofs that are utilized on all the buildings that people see around us: commercial and residential. Although it might seem that commercial roofing is done just for businesses or offices and residential roofing is done for apartments and houses, the truth is the differences tend to be more complicated than that.

Residential roofing is usually completed just by one hired contractor but commercial roofing typically takes a whole team to accomplish the task. The reason being a commercial roof tends to be larger in terms of sq ft than a residential roof.
Commercial roofs are necessary carefully keeping the nature and reason for your building in mind. For example, when there is a cafe or restaurant within the building then external components like ventilation systems, smoke stacks and pipes is going to be required. Residential roofs usually do not have such components apart from a chimney or two at the most.
Commercial roofs tends to be flat in design to support further changes at a later period, whereas most residential roofs have peaks along with other architectural features like roof gardens.
Commercial roofing is a lot more expensive than residential roofing because of the special tools, materials and safety equipment that are needed onsite. Often the patching or maintenance work is done in segments unlike for any residential roof where the repair or replacement work could be completed in a short time. This really is another reason why the gear used for residential roofs is usually smaller and less expensive too.
Commercial roof installations take a longer time to complete in comparison to residential roof installations and are usually constructed in large sections. In this phase however, you should ensure that there are no leakages, cracks or any other visible wear and tear signs as it can certainly cause considerable harm to the entire building.
You should install the right roof for a building depending on its purpose. Make sure that you hire a construction company that utilizes first class materials and it has the best equipment for the job or neglect the may turn to be a huge loss later.