Many of us get our entertainment, news, and pay our bills online. So, it’s not a surprise that we access our music over the Internet as well. Many individuals subscribe to on-line music-streaming services that are either free or cost money. The advantages are many. People don’t have to move their music files onto different devices and they can listen to it anywhere they have internet access.

But which music-streaming services are the best? Below are a few suggestions:

Pandora: Pandora is hardly a surprise choice, but there’s a reason this music-streaming service remains popular: It is not difficult to use and it can quickly introduce users to new music that they may not experience otherwise. The concept behind Pandora is simple: After logging onto the service, type in the name of a favorite artist, say “David Bowie.” Pandora will then play songs by Bowie and will also play songs from similar artists. This gives you a taste of other tunes that you might also like.

Grooveshark: This streaming service is much like Pandora, in that it creates a customized “radio” station based upon your musical tastes. You do not have to create an account to listen to Grooveshark, or to create your own playlists. However, in order to save your information, you will need to create one. One benefit to Grooveshark is that you are able to enjoy whole albums instead of a station you created. One of the most interesting features of Grooveshark is that users can add their own music if the Grooveshark database doesn’t have what they are searching for.

Rhapsody: Rhapsody’s appeal is based on its huge database of music: more the 14 million songs. Sadly, this service is not free, it is $10 a month for unlimited music.

Spotify: Spotify is one of the most widely known music-streaming services out there. After its introduction in 2008, it expanded rapidly. Spotify has a user friendly interface. You can listen to entire albums, choose to create a “radio” station based on your tastes, or create playlists that you can share with other Spotify users. This is attractive to individuals who enjoy the nostalgia of making mix tapes. Many people love Spotify’s integration with Facebook. By utilizing the Facebook app, Spotify creates a running list of what you are playing day by day. You can also see what your Facebook friends are listening too, in real-time.

When was the last time we saw a Windows product which captured the essence of “cool”? Before recently it had been a while, but when Microsoft created the Kinect for Windows that all changed. The Kinect is a motion and voice-sensing device that was initially developed for the Xbox gaming console.

A version of the device also works with Windows-operated PCs, and shortly after its release in February, people started coming up with innovative ways to use it.

Innovative Uses for the Kinect

Earlier this year the Chief Marketing Manager for Nissan North America created a virtual tour of the Pathfinder’s interior at the Chicago Auto Show. The only thing that was actually displayed was the outer shell of the Pathfinder, but participants could see the improved interior on a large screen using the Kinect.

Microsoft is working with companies to produce applications for the Kinect. This not only motivates ingenuity but it puts the Kinect at the center of many of the most recent innovations. One example of a company that is working closely with Microsoft in this way is Boeing. Boeing used the Kinect to make virtual tours of its jets. Another example is a medical facility in Canada. They’re using the Kinect’s gesture-recognition capability to swipe through CT scans. This removes the risk of getting germs on their hands from a keyboard or mouse.

Kinect: A Solid Hit

Microsoft hit a home run when they developed the Kinect. The Xbox 360 was last year’s best-selling gaming console, and they have the Kinect to thank for that. Since November of 2010 Microsoft has sold more than 18 million Kinect devices.

The excitement surrounding the Kinect and its many uses can only improve Microsoft’s reputation. They may be on their way to moving into the “cool” tech company category.

>

There are lots of people seeking jobs today. However, as an employer, you are not trying to find just anyone. You would like to hire the best, most innovative employees to work at your business. You recognize that your company is only as strong as your workers. How do you hire the most suitable people? It all begins with the job interview.

If you hold the standard job interview, asking the same dull questions, the odds are you won’t be able to tell the top candidates from the so-so ones. That’s why it’s important to craft a unique job interview strategy.

Ask the Right Questions

Start by asking the right questions. Don’t ask applicants what their job titles were at past positions. Don’t ask them what their duties were. Instead, ask them to list any innovative ideas that they came up with for their previous employers. Ask them if these ideas helped their employers earn more money, run more effectively, or lower expenses.

Don’t ask candidates about their strengths and weaknesses. Too many people have memorized stock answers to these questions. Instead, ask them how they bring their unique personalities to their jobs. Ask them what they do to make their jobs more interesting and satisfying. Truly creative workers should be able to tell you of new innovations they developed and new programs they created, all in the effort of adding that imaginative spark to their positions.

If you truly want to see which of your candidates are the most creative, give them a simple task to perform. It doesn’t have to be complicated; you can ask them to write an essay detailing how they would approach their job if hired. You could ask them to write down their ideas on what their perfect workspace would look like. Ask them to come up with new names for company services or products. Basically, ask them anything that will get their creative juices flowing.

In today’s marketplace, employers have the advantage of choosing amongst many talented people. So to be able to pick the very best, they need to alter the types of questions they ask in job interviews.