Tips while you choose a payment protection insurance company to reclaim

PPI or payment protection insurance, is planned to assist your loans and keep up payments on your credit cards or loans in case of accident, redundancy, illness or death and this has been mis-sold to millions of people. The good part about this is that you can now recover compensation, if you have been mis-sold. Statistics show that more than 85% of people who have applied for payment protection insurance have been successful. Here are a few tips on how to select Payment protection insurance company to reclaim.

ü  Check the customer feedback and reviews of the company that you wish to reclaim. This will help you to know what the customers are actually saying about the company, for instances how they have handled situations, the claims, and customer concerns. Whether they are polite and spending time with the customers to answer their queries and explain the situations and other such things. Check with the customers who have negative impression, regarding such issues you have discussed with the company directly or through phone.

ü  Many of the companies may not require a sum upfront, but some of them may charge fees which include VAT, of the granted claim. This is known as No Win No Fee. You need to be cautious if they are asking for payment up front.

ü  Make sure the company that you have chosen for claiming payment protection insurance is registered and authorised to file your claim. The companies are required to have an authorisation number which permits them to lawfully handle loan claims.

ü  If you have visited PPI claims company or called them through phone then you must ask you some question to know whether you are eligible for such claims or not. Even if they do not ask queries and still assures settlement without knowing whether you qualify or not, then you need to careful at such instances.

ü  Be careful if you are going to use PPI claims companies if you are in debts. Frequently banks will use the money to reduce the debts or clear debts. If this happens then you will not see the cash, but then again company wants is to cut. So at such instances you need to spend from your pockets. This is very worst issue which generally happens.

ü  Be careful if the companies are charging for future PPI savings as it will cost you much. This will be disgraceful and you may cancel the PPI claims.

ü Some of the administrative details that you need to know such as,

·         Are they following any time frame for dealing with your situation

·         How are they going to informing you about your claims

·         What is their hour of action?

·         What is the process for contacting and how they contact for data

·        Do you have of the customer reference number

Author Bio: The guest post was contributed by Lucy, financial guest blogger from Manchester, UK. Find out more about her blogs @financeport

An introduction and a first look at Windows 8

Windows 8 has now arrived, the latest to the Windows family. The software was released 30^th of October and has already sold 49 million licences. What was interesting leading up to the release on Windows 8 was that work began on the project even before the release of Windows 7, its predecessor. Windows 8 and Windows 7 differ hugely and the new software has been specially designed for quality use in tablets and Smart phones and to overpower rivals such as Android and iOS.

The first thing you realise about windows 8 is the sharpness and how quick it runs. The Modern UI-style apps such as Mail, Calendar and People which have previously been disappointing, run very smoothly and are slick. Windows 8 certainly holds a quicker start-up time. Despite this improvement, there are still more to make and this was know by Windows, they quickly released a large update on them on the 10^th of October as well as several other updates. The company has also just released a major 170MB Windows 8 update to improve performance, battery efficiency and power management.

The first changes that meet your eyes is the new lock screen, the lock screen offers a clock and also all your notifications for variousapplications. Windows 8 also can run apps at the site of the screen while another task or programme is still running and maximised at the same time. The new user interface is based on Microsoft's Metro design language, and features a new tile-based Start screen similar to that of Windows Phone, which has replaced the previous Start menu entirely. The Start screen displays a customizable array of tiles linking to different apps and desktop programs, some of which can display constantly updated information and content through "live tiles". A vertical toolbar known as the charms bar can be accessed by swiping from the right edge of a touch screen, or pointing the cursor at hotspots in the right corners of a screen. The charms bar provides access to system and app-related functions, such as search, sharing, device management, settings, and a Start button. 

On November 27, 2012, Microsoft announced that it has sold 40 million licenses of Windows 8 in the first month, surpassing the pace of Windows 7.

Author Bio:

Katy works and writes for Synthesis IT, a company specialising in IT solutions such as network installation support and business computer hardware.

How to start time management

Now I’d like to describe you the situation that, I guess, is typical not only for me but for most people, at least around me. We have some plans in mind, we make to-do-lists, we are eager to complete them within the agreed or appointed time, we need to do them, we know what to do and how to do – but suddenly we are distracted by some other (very often) minor points, lose track of the situation or our previously agreed plan and, as a result, we have only few points completed, if any at all. The whole plan is broken, the list is forgotten. And this can be applicable for all people, no matter whether they are businessmen, entrepreneurs or simple housewives. The day seems to lack hours, the week seems to lack days, etc.

I agree that there are people somewhere who never lose a minute, who are well-organized and concentrated and nothing can make them leave the agreed plan of actions. Let’s help those who are less fortunate. Some people complain that they have started many projects and completed none, which leads to stress, irritation and disappointment. That’s the result of poor time management. Let’s speak about time management and how to <a href="http://www.comindware.com/topics/">manage your time efficiently</a>.

What is time management in general? As I see it (and most people agree with me), time management is setting priorities on what has to be done. There are many things in my life that I am happy to do 24\7 but, unfortunately, sometimes they do not contribute to my goal or even are unnecessary. That’s why, setting priorities is a ‘must-do’. Nowadays there are many various iPhone and Android ‘Get Things Done’ applications. They will help you not to forget about things, avoid procrastination, and organize your day with maximum efficiency.

Every person, especially a housewife, has lots of tasks to perform and things to do before the holiday – shopping, cooking, inviting, celebrating, etc. I guess it’s an excellent opportunity to try time management. 

Start with listing all the activities that have to be done within this period and insert them into your calendar. Don’t forget about various appointments and parties. If something is needed to be done before it, include it in the list. But don’t put it aside till the last minute - things may go wrong and time will be lost. If you can do something in advance, do it – do not procrastinate. I’m sure that at first you will have to re-write the list more than once. That’s great! By the way, don’t forget about some extra time between tasks in case of unexpected things or appointments. Look carefully at the list and mark (prioritize) the tasks that must be done in any case.

And finally, the most important thing – try to stick to this plan and allow deviations only within a short period of time (a day or two). Stay concentrated and go straight to your goal – the beginning of a new life with correct time management!

Author Byline

Hi, my name’s Jannet Sparts and I’m working as an editor of Online Issues. I have worked as a project manager in several companies. So I have tried different PM tools, collaboration programs, including <a href="http://www.comindware.com/tracker/">workflow software</a> and <a href="http://www.comindware.com/solutions/human-resources/">human resource software</a> solutions. For the moment PM software is my primary field of interest.

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The current best 15 apps for the iPhone

15. Temple Run

The only two games on this list come in on 15^th and 14^th spot. Temple run manages to get onto the list after a huge addiction to the game which began early 2012 and is only now starting to fade. The aim of the game is to clear obstacle courses in a Mayan like theme while running from what appear to be monkey like ghost characters. The further you run without being caught or failing on an obstacle the greater your score. Coins can also be collected meaning speed and other attributes can be upgraded and new characters can be accessible.

Temple run was highly commonly used and print screens of high scores from footballers and celebrities covered Twitter at stages which prompt iPhone owners to test their score. The award winning best seller company Harbor Master released the game onto the app store for a free download and since then it has become extremely popular. Temple Run was also voted one of TouchArcade’s best games of the month last year.

14. Angry Birds

Possibly the most popular and most owned game of 2012 is Angry Birds. This annoyingly addictive game has recently celebrated its two year birthday and has become extremely successful since its birth. Angry Birds is a game where you use catapults to fire round shaped birds at pigs that have erected fortresses for protection. The aim of the game is to break the barriers and fortresses and hit the pigs. Since this game achieved great download figures, Angry Birds has went on to sell merchandise such as toys and clothing. The app has become so popular that there are rumours of an Angry Birds film in 2016!

13. Groupon

Groupon is the app to get for cheap and last minute deals from holidays to meals for over 500 cities all over the world. The app gives the user discounts from 50-90% off. Groupon was originally just a website however, now the app is becoming more popular than ever, the deals and discounts can be accessed and bought straight from the iPhone for the very same day. The offers on deals range a great deal from horse riding classes to pizza making courses, there will always be something for you. The app shot up in popularity throughout 2012 and still regularly features on the app store in the top charts section.

12. Google Earth/Google Maps

Two different apps with both similar and different features. Google Maps and Google Earth have helped many find their way over the internet for a few years now. Now that they both have free downloadable apps, destinations can be found easily wherever you are. Google maps can give you estimated walking, driving and public transport times and also of course directions and quick routes. Google earth gives you a brilliantly close look at anywhere you want across the globe. Google earth is also now accessible through an iPhone.

11.Ebay

Ebay has been known as one of the most successful and well know site over the whole internet and can now be accessed through the app store. The app gives you all the features that the site does and means that if you are in a frantic last-minute bidding war, wherever you have to be does not stop you from participating and items can be bought and sold wherever you are. This app is truly perfect for those on the move. The Ebay app can also give you notifications on items you are currently ‘watching’ and includes various other features.

10. Skype

Since Skype came along on our computers it has revolutionised communication and is used all over the world for speaking with family or even having work meetings. Skype amazingly gives the user the ability to video call anybody in the world with internet connection and a Skype account. Now Skype has came to the app store, the video calling phenomenon is accessible anywhere at any time and the best part to it is it is completely free when you have internet connection and doesn’t take up any of your minutes. Perfect for a phone contract with limited minutes however a lot of internet access.

9. Instagram

Instagram without a doubt it one of the most popular apps in the world at the moment and despite the recent controversial new terms and conditions stating that the company has ownership to any photo you upload, it is still on the top featured apps on the app store. Instagram is used to edit and enhance photos taken on your phone. Once a picture is taken you can edit or even place a border on the image before uploading to your online profile where other users can view, like or comment on it. Hash tagging, like twitter is used to find desired images using internet connection. The app is used by many celebrities and is often linked to social networking site Twitter.

8.Shazam

Shazam has been called one of the most handy inventions yet. If you hear a song on the radio and they don’t tell you or you miss the name of it, Simply hold your phone to the radio and Shazam will tell you what the song is, same goes for songs on television adverts. This popular feature has became very successful and is said to determine the song within one second of hearing it. This clever little device can be downloaded for free.

7. BBC Iplayer

The BBC iPlayer app has become heavily common on iPhones after being used as a website originally. The website and app allow the user to view programmes that have been missed on television and to catch up on series or even films. The iPhone allows the BBC iPlayer onto the app store which can be used very handily anywhere at any time

6. 4oD

4Od, Channel 4’s version of the iPlayer manages one spot above the BBC Iplayer as it offers a few extra features. 4oD is very similar to the BBC iPlayer and offers 30 day window to catch up on missed shows.

5.Spotify

Spotify is used online as well as an app and is often connected with Facebook accounts. Spotify allows the used to listen to any genre of music for a month free trial, a membership costs afterwards however is fully worth the payment. The Spotify app allows the user to listen to any song anywhere on their mobile which can come in handy for travelling or if you’ve forgotten your iPod.

4.Facebook

The most common and leading social networking site probably ever. Facebook has broken many records and has even had a film about it. The Facebook app despite being around for ages already is and probably will be for a long time amongst the highest downloaded apps in the app store because it will always be one of the first apps people download when they receive an iPhone or iPod touch. This social networking app comes with a few features that the site doesn’t actually offer including an indicator of how long since users have last been online.

3.ESPN Goals

If you are not a follower of football, this may not apply to you however, ESPN have released a brilliant app in which offers highlights and goals of all games as they’re being played. As soon as a goal has been scored by your favourite team, it is instantly watchable wherever you are on your iPhone and iPod. Because of the quickness of this app, it has become extremely popular.

2. Photosynth

There are many photo editing and enhancing apps out there and this particular one inspired many of them. Photosynth allows taking extra length photos with your iPod or iPhone. Simply by rotating 180 degrees for your phone to fit in wide shot photos. This app has been extremely popular sine the release and is a new technology in photography.

1. Find my Phone

Find my phone is another brilliant invention and one of the bets of its kind. When you lose your mobile phone it is often a long shot to hope you get it back, now this app will locate the exact whereabouts of your device to your computer and will even ring so you can find it at short distances. This app has been in the news on different occasions recently with various stories of how an iPhone has been stolen and not only has the phone been returned but the thief punished all from using this app. The app has been praised massively and makes my number one app.

Author Bio:

Jake writes for i-case.co.uk who sell a wide variety of phone cases and other accessories including iphone 5 skins.

15 cool things you can do with an IPhone

15 cool things you can do with an IPhone

The IPhone currently seen as the best phone in the world in terms of its capability i will be taking a look at what cool things you can do using its software combined with its clever usability to make the next generation of mobile phones.

The iPhone do just about anything but make a cup of tea, it can make calls, access the internet, send and receive emails and even tell you what the weather is like in Mongolia, but thanks to the app store it can do even more than that.

An so follows a list highlighting the apps that can transform your IPhone into a television, a plumb line, an atomic clock and loads more ! Showing you the fun and unknown features and uses of this, the most highly advanced and capable phone in apples line up and even in the world. 

1. Use it as a makeshift flashlight, the flashlight app available for free in the app store allows you to use your phones camera flash as a bright flashlight. If you have an older IPhone then you can still get it but it downloads as a white screen still uses the same effect.
2. Save you money at the supermarket. Apps like coupons.com and grocery IQ use your location to find coupons and deals at local stores.
3. It can also help you lose weight, there are hundreds of weight apps that can monitor your food intake and can gradually builds up your strength and stamina.
4. Control how apps access your private info, if you don’t want certain apps to access your location info hit ‘’settings’’ and click ‘’location services’’ to limit or grant access. You can also update your address book with facebook phone numbers so that you have everyone to contact that are your friends.
5. Another cool feature is the fact you can stream music thanks to the high capability of the A6 processor chip so that you don’t take up any space on your phone which is handy if you use it a lot.
6. Help you sleep better. Check out apps like white noise and sleep cycle to take advantage of your body’s natural rhythms so that you can get a deeper more fulfilling sleep.
7. Show more detailed battery info so that you know exactly what you can do to before the battery runs out in terms of music and apps. Together with this you can see your usage per day and how long your phone has been on standby since its last charge.
8. You can also scan documents, apps like genius scan allow you to scan documents easily with your IPhone camera.
9. Use your own custom ringtone. If you have a whole load of audio that lasts 30 seconds or less you can convert it to an ACC file in iTunes. Rename its file extension to .m4r and turn it into a ringtone. It can also act as a music studio, the iPhone app four track and square allow for you to use the iPhones quality microphone to capture and craft multi recorded demos and mix them together. On the subject of recording you can also tune your guitar for free which is handy if you don’t have a tuner at that vital point before a gig.
10. Another cool feature is you can take panoramic photos. This is a great built in feature with the iPhone 5 but if you have an older iPhone then you can download Panorama, Photosynth and TourWrist are all capable of taking stunning panoramic pictures.
11. Find directions by bus, train or walking. After you look up a location in the maps app, tap the bus icon before hitting route to get directions via the local bus routes and likewise with the other options.
12. Speed up text messaging with shortcuts, all you need to do is visit the settings menu tap general then keyboards to enable simple shortcuts for any phrase.
13. You can send voice memos to friends, if you’re on Wi-Fi connection you can send a memo directly to a friend. You can also share it on facebook, twitter and many others because the interface is linked in to be more socially productive and keep you up to date and connected with the outside world.
14. Run credit cards, free apps from services like PayPal and Square offer a service that allows you to change and charge credit cards at your business. Also you can download an app from 02 called the wallet so that you can send others money via the app which is much better than carrying around cash especially if you are going on holiday.
15. Finally you can sync your calendars to your computer through wifi without leads, just connect to the same wifi and open iTunes to automatically sync calendars music and more!

Author Bio:

Katy writes for i-case.co.uk who sell a wide variety of phone cases and accessories including iphone 5 skins.

 

BRITISH COMEDY AWARDS

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Jack Whitehall scoops King of Comedy Award

The annual British Comedy Awards took place on Wednesday last week which saw some underdog nominees pick up awards. A surprise winner in Julia Davis beat off great competition from ‘The Thick of It’ and ‘Twenty Twelve’ with her spoof drama ‘Hunderby’ to win both Best New Comedy Programme and Best Sitcom.  This year’s winner of Best Comedy Breakthrough Artist went to talented Australian born impressionist-actress Morgana Robinson.

The television series ‘The Thick of it’ which first hit screens back in 2005 won awards for both the show’s main leads, however; Peter Capaldi grabbed the award for Best Comic Actor who stated “I am now officially funny”. Rebecca Front also of The Thick of It picked up Best Comic Actress whch in the process beat off twice nominated Olivia Colman. Front, the BAFTA Award-winning comedian also thanked the BBC and stated “We are bloody lucky to have them”.

Comedian, writer and actress, Jo brand was titled Best Female Television Comic and Lee Mack who is known most commonly for his stand up comedy scooped the Best Male TV Comic award. Best Comedy Entertainment Personality had a host of potential winners and was a tight competition, in the end, the award didn’t go to either Stephen Fry, Graham Norton or Harry Hill, but to '10 O'Clock Live' and Newswipe's Charlie Brooker, again, a slight surprise in the awards in which were held in London.

The young and relatively new to the comedy scene; Jack Whitehall was the one who took the headlines and the limelight as he picked up the respected King of Comedy through public vote. The comedian from London beat the likes of presenter of ‘Chatty Man’; Alan Carr, Sarah Milican and Graham Norton to win the people’s vote for the main award. The 24 year-old ‘Fresh Meat’ said “This feels a little bit like when TOWIE got a Bafta”

Rather fittingly, popular show ‘Harry Hill’s TV Burp’ which has come to an end of it’s run won the Best Comedy Entertainment Programme. Additionally ‘shooting Stars’ which was axed by the BBC last year saw Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer pick up Writer’s Guild of Britain Award. Mortimer and Reeves thanked those in which contributed to their success which included Jonathan Ross and explained “cos he made it happen...And Jools Holland. And Glenn Tilbrook.”

Possibly the most prestigious award of the evening; the Outstanding Contribution Award went Sacha Baron-Cohen who has had various different characters down the years including Ali-G, Borat, Bruno and new character The Dictator. . Accepting his gong from Ben Kingsley, and in the guise of Ali G - a character we haven't seen in years - Baron-Cohen said: "I is grown up now! I ain't living in my nan's house anymore. I am living in her garage".

Author Bio:

Katy writes for Awards Online, a site specialising in corporate awards and trophies.