The Need for Innovation in Fashion

My first big purchase shortly upon moving into a beautiful apartment in Brookline and starting my first post-bachelors full time job was a set of antique bedroom furniture. The 1930's flowing lines, the intricately carved flowers, the walnut inlays, cedar lined drawings and the Bakelite draw pulls were enough for me to overlook the major drawback of the set - the dresser / armoire had only about a foot of space for hanging clothes.

This was in 2006, the high reign of fast fashion, and my closet was overstuffed with clothing from Zara, H & M, Nordstrom Rack, Filene's Basement and TJ Maxx. The multi-fiber agreement expired a year prior, online clothing sales were gaining speed and increasingly optimistic with b & m, and the ever-multiplying number of stores was flooded with a dizzying variety of inexpensive, trendy clothing. It seemed like the golden age of fashion: even with a modest entry-level salary I still barely wore a party dress more than once per season, and the plethora of my perfectly coordinated outfits could have launched a lifestyle blog. The 1930's, with the hand-produced wardrobe enough to fit into a foot of hanging space seemed very far away indeed.

Yet as could be expected in retrospect, the bubble burst. I'm not fully sure yet if it was the exposure to the socially aware and innovative spirit of Cambridge, the financial crisis of 2008 and the recession that followed, or the greater awareness of the world that greater than my addiction to the iPhone and all the news / blogs apps. The endless choices of soft printed shirts, ruffled blouses, skinny jeans, fitted dresses and a shoe collection to fit every passing fancy, were all beginning to feel stifling - more so with each and every news article about the sweatshop labor and the environmental impact of throw away fashions.

The basic way that clothing is made has not changed much since the introduction of the sewing machine. Apparel manufacturing has remained a low technology, labor-intensive process. The decreasing tariffs of the 1990's encouraged the shift of the most labor-intensive part of clothing production to industrializing countries with abundant low-cost labor and typically fewer safety regulations and government oversight. Incidentally, this also bought apparel production geographically close to raw material manufactures, such as Uzbekistan's cotton and China's leather. Shifting production from the developed to industrialized countries continued to bring the cost of garments down, while at the same time discouraging technological innovation on the production side.

The Fashion innovations of the 2000's mainly came in a form of using technology to optimize company operations. Following Zara's breakthroughs in responding to customers and bringing new concepts to the stores in as little as 3 weeks, fashion companies focused on quick turn around, increasing variety and lower production costs. The growth of the fast-fashion retailers, in combination with further lowered import barriers ,ave these companies the leakage to push for faster turn around and lower prices from the apparel manufacturers in, among other countries, China, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Tunisia.

The disaster in Bangladesh stresses the need for change in the Fashion Industry. Clothing production should never be a deadly business. Fashion, and fashion production, simply can not stay the way that it is now. While people are becoming increasingly aware of the real costs of disposable fashions, and in response are changing the ways they approach and consume fashion, the demand for clothing will continue to grow with the growing populations and improving living standards. This need for growth challenges us to envision a better fashion future.

What will be the fashion innovations of the next decade? These innovations can not simply be in design - with the globalization of the fashion industry and a fashion week happening every single week somewhere in the world, the true innovations with an impact to change the industry are unexpectedly to come from new designs using the existing materials . Simply stated, everything has been tried, and there has not been anything new in fashion design in ages.

Will the fashion innovation then come from using new materials? Recently I've come across a video featuring Bradley Quinn discussing the Fashion Future, and the material innovations currently in development. Self-cleaning clothing, clothing with embedded technology, garments that protect and make us stronger seem just around the corner. Yet how will these be produced? Perhaps they will be self-assembled, or painted-on, as some have suggested. However exciting, these ideas still seem far away from implementation.

Even if the fabrics of tomorrow are ready to be introduced in the next season, material innovations alone will not address the all of the problems currently faced by the Fashion industry. While it is easy to envision new fabrics and material technologies as supplementing the choices we have now, they are inadvertently to replace them. You might wear a self-cleaning high-tech communication suit during the day, but your most comfy pj's are still going to be flannel.

3D printing, as a concept, gives us the promise of customization. This certainly could have the answer to the desire for trendy, new pieces that capture a certain mood or tone of the moment - the very soul of fashion. Recycling 3D printed items, something that is currently being explored by some innovators, could help address the environmental impact of quickly-changing trends. One could easily envision a future where fashion is produced using 3D printers, while 'consumer items' such as socks, pj's, t-shirts and other basics are ethically and responsibly produced in industrializing or even back in industrialized countries.

Yet until every single household has a 3D printer, the challenge with 3D printing, besides the current lack of clothing appropriate materials, lies in the question of mass-production. Could 3D Printing technology evolve to allow for mass-customization? Will this mass-customization happen in mini-factories, or directly in the home? Or will another technology arise to solve the problem of fashion production? Its an interesting future we are in for, and I can not wait to find out.

Computer Speedup Tutorial - A Trick to Make Any PC Run Like New

One of the largest issues facing computers today is the way in which they are rather running slowly. This problem is a huge issue for millions of systems around the World, and is caused by a large number of potential problems that can develop on any Windows system. Although there are a few effective ways to speed up your PC again - there is one really powerful "trick" you can use to boost the speed of your system back to the levels it was at when it was new.

The way to speed up a PC is to fix the problems that cause it to run slowly. Many people make the mistake of just trying to tweak and optimize their system to improve its speed, but are unaware that unless you have a strong "foundation" for your system, you will not be able to improve the speed of your PC at all . There are a number of reasons why computers can run slow, but there's one main cause which is extremely easy to fix and could make your PC run like new - by cleaning out the registry .

The registry is a central database inside your computer which stores a large number of files and settings that Windows requires to run. Everything that Windows requires to run are kept inside the registry database, making it one of the most important & frequently used parts of your system. Settings such as desktop icons and even your stored website passwords are kept in this part of Windows, making it one of the most important features of the Windows system. Unfortunately, the registry is so important that it's used too much, causing your computer to save many parts of it in the wrong way, leading it to run slower and with a lot of errors.

The registry database is the most common reason why Windows will run slow - and now many people even know it exists. It's also why computers tend to get slower with age - because new PCs have no damaged registry settings to hold them back. This is a huge problem because it causes Windows to be unable to read the files it requires to run, making your system run slower and slower as it tries to decode the files it needs. To fix this part of your system, you can use a software program called a 'registry cleaner' to fix all the potentially damaged settings inside it.

Laptop Or Desktop Confusion? Top Consumer Advice Revealed

Are you confused and frustrated not knowing which one to buy? A cheap desktop PC or a great value laptop? Well let me offer you my thoughts about the differences between a laptop and a desktop PC.

My aim is to make it easier for you to make the right choice and buy a PC to be proud of.

There are many different factors that should be considered with regards to your purchase.

Let's have a closer look at this:

Portability - It does not take a rocket scientist to work out that buying a laptop will give you greater mobility. The laptop is very portable. Perhaps a better question to ask you is ... where do you plan on using this computer? Are you going to be home based or would you need to take it away from the home. Would it be an advantage to be able to take it away from the home? Personally I always choose a laptop. Why? Because it gives me greater flexibility in the working environment and it is nice to work in the garden in the summer! So for portability the laptop is preferred.

Perhaps you are not fussed where you're computer will be located. If that's the case and your happy sitting at the same desk in the same room, the desktop computer is the choice for you.

Hardware Capability - There used to be a huge difference in the hardware capabilities between a desktop and a laptop PC. A few years ago if you wanted a powerful PC you never considered a laptop. These days technology gets more powerful and smaller so there really is not much difference. The only difference is the size of the hard disk. To me this does not really sell a desktop PC as laptops typically have more than enough disk space to cater for my needs.

Desktop PC's are great for heavy processing activities. If you are passionate about your music, video, photography or games then you might want to take advantage of the desktop PC's larger storage capacity.

The other great thing about desks is that you have plenty of scope to upgrade the components.

You could add an external storage unit to a laptop but it compromises its portability.

Processing capabilities - If you are a die hard gamer then a desktop is the only real answer. Many games put a tremendous burden on the processing capabilities of a PC. With a desktop you can always upgrade your graphics card, something you can not do with a laptop.

So if you can not live without your games and you want to be able to play them effortlessly for the next couple of years then I suggest a desktop PC with a support hot graphics card installed. As companies aim to take software to its limits they place more more demands in having the hardware to support it. Technology gets smaller and even more powerful.

Cost - Laptop PC's usually cost more than the equivalent spec desktop PC. Laptops do come with other external periphers such as built in monitor mouse and keyboard.

OK let summarize:

Laptops are great for portability and for traveling about. So if portability is important you really have no choice but to go with a laptop.

If you do not mind working on your PC in one place then ask yourself if you're likely to play games. If gaming is something you are likely to do then a desktop PC is the choice for you.

Ergonomic Computer Chairs

Ergonomic computer chairs are chairs that provide the most comfortable work settings in the present computer age. Ergonomic computer chairs are built for optimal comfort and functionality for anyone spending a lot of time at his desk. Ergonomic computer chairs offer multiple adjustments to customize the computer chair for holistic benefits, more specifically to eliminate professional hazards like pain in the neck, back, bottom, and spine.

There are a lot of ergonomic chair models available from dealers as well as online. The ergonomic computer chair is designed in such a way that it adapts automatically and adjusts to people of all sizes for different types of uses. It provides ample comfort, body support, and style and offers natural, custom-fitted, lower-back support below the beltline for an easy posture. It has a high and wide-contoured back that leaves the lower strain comfortable. The suspension system distributes weight evenly over the seat and back. These chairs have wide, soft arms sloped in the front.

Adjustable leather ergonomic computer chairs would cost around $ 104.99 apiece. There are others like those costing $ 199.95, $ 209.99, $ 219.99 and the like.

Ergonomics are the relationship between man and his working environment with special reference to physiological and psychological factors. The computer chairs, with their special features, should provide superior performance and prized ergonomics. Especially in this Internet age, when one spends a lot of time continuously before a computer, the right chair can make all the difference in one's comfort, creativity, productivity, and total enjoyment. Studies have shown that back pain, fatigue, aggravated tension, and strain were part of the results of poorly designed computer chairs. Human beings differ from each other in strength, height, quality of sight, and tolerance levels.

The computer chairs are the seating arrangements for all these types of people. Consequently, the chairs should be designed in such a way that they should absorb the physical and behavioral benefits of all and provide maximum adjustability. Ergonomic computer chairs are made to soothe the other discomforting aspects arising from long hours of continuous activities before a computer.

The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 3

At any time in history, no matter what the current state of the economy, no matter what the current trends, no matter what the employment rate is or where interest rates lurk, some money-saving ideas stay true.

Some of you may have heard of these ideas before, others may be entirely new to you. But whether you are familiar with these super secrets or not, it will be well worth your while to put them into effect in your own life. The magic they will work on your financial life is guaranteed. I urge you to put them to work - any one of these could change your life! Big changes come from small steps. One plus one does equal two, so if you add one from eleven different places, you will see big results.

This is a four part series giving you advice on saving your hard-earned money in a variety of down-to-earth ways. Nothing here is anything that anyone can not do on a daily basis.

Amazing Money Tip # 6

Do what you love and the money will follow. I think there's a book by that title. At any rate, it's true. One of the primary reasons that many people live paycheck to paycheck, and are broke despite working very hard at their jobs, is the fact that they hate what they do.

If you hate your job, you will not have a positive attitude towards money. You will associate money with that dreadful sound of the alarm clock every morning. Once you tie up your source of wealth and income with drudgery, that's exactly what the majority of your life will become: drudgery.

Starting today, you should begin planning your escape. The first thing you should ask yourself is: "If money were no object, what would I be doing? What do I like to do most for fun, and is it possible that I could get paid for it?"

Sound ludicrous? It's not. In fact, if your work is not also your play, you are fighting against yourself. You will ever burn out and hate the world. On the other hand, if you get up every day being exciting, positive and looking forward to what you are going to be doing - and making money at it - you will automatically move toward doing more and more of what you love, and making more and more money at it. If your dream job means starting your own business, do not let that stop you either! It is much easier than most people think. Look in to it, it could literally change your life.

Amazing Money Tip # 7

You must get organized. Being a tidy, efficient person has more influence on how much money you make than you can ever imagine.

If you want to have a lot of money, you can not afford to be a slob. Think about it. Let's say you are at your desk trying to get some work done. You need to find the stapler, but because your office is such a pit, you spend 15 minutes looking for it. You've just spent 15 unproductive minutes. Next you may need to locate a file, and that takes you 20 minutes of sifting through paper. Another 20 minutes down the tube. By the end of the day, you may easily burn up two or three hours doing something as trivial as looking for things. The same goes for any kind of job you might have. If you are an auto mechanic, how much time do you spend trying to find a nine-sixteenth wrench, when you could have it at your fingertips.

It's disorganized people who are always saying at the end of the day: "I seem to work so hard but get very little done!" Of course! You spend the entire day looking for the Scotch tape!

The fact is, time is money. The more time you spend unproductively, the less time you are earning money. Clean up your office. Organize your tool shed. Get your book organized. Think of every minute saved as a buck in your pocket.

Amazing Money Tip # 8

Make your own daily top 10 list. Speaking of getting organized, you should sit down every morning with your cup of coffee and list the top 10 things you would like to get done that day. Then organize them in priority of importance. Start at item # 1 and go down the list as fast as you can.

Make no doubt about it - this is a powerful way to get work done. It will put hoards of cash in your pocket. The reason is that making money is all about movement - forward movement. As the famous novelist Ayn Rand told us, in a capitalist society the most important things a person can do is move forward every day!

Having a top ten list will ensure that you accomplish something every day. You may not get through the whole list every day, nor should you needarily try. Just do your best. At the end of the day, you should be able to look at your list with pride, examine the scratched off items and say: "That's what I got done today!

Again, this method has been used by a majority of the most wealthy and successful people in history. Should not you join the club?

The next of the 11 best money saving ideas of all time will be discussed in part 4. Until then, take note of what you have learned so far and put this information to good use. Read and reread this article; I bet you will notice a difference sooner than you think.

Copyright © by Palyn Peterson

Computer Freezes? An Effective Method to Stop Computer Freezing

Like blue screen and blank screen, computer freezing is an annoying problem to Windows XP, Vista users. I researched for a long time for the reason why computer kept freezing. Finally, when I found it, I was in big surprise!

It was Windows registry which caused computer freezing!

The Windows Registry is a database that stores settings and information for hardware, operating system software, and non-operating system software. That is, registry contains vital information of PC device drivers and all installed software.

When you run a program, registry provide the information of the program to Windows. Then Windows can find the location of the program and access the settings correctly. With the information, Windows can run the program smoothly and stably.

Registry is usually saved as DAT, SAV and other files, spreads over the system disk where you installed Windows. Registry key is the smallest unit which store the value of specific programs. It is very vulnerable.

If you install and uninstall programs from computer, registry keys can be easily damaged. And if computer is infected with virus, malware, spyware, they can also bring damages to registry keys or even delete some keys completely. These two issues result in up to 90% missing, invalid and corrupted registry keys.

When some keys are damaged, the programs and drivers will not be able to work properly. That is why you frequently have program not responding, screen freezing, blue screen and blank screen of death. To solve those problems, you need to clean up and optimize registry regularly.

Mobile App Development Trends to Watch Out for in 2018

Staying unique and relevant in this competitive mobile app marketplace can be a challenge because of the deluge of new apps that flood the app stores every single day. Google Play Store pegs the number of apps it had in at the end of 2017 at 3.5 million while the Apple Store came in second at 2.1 million. Apps have become a billion-dollar industry generating revenues for businesses big and small and there have been many stories of successful enterprises that started from a great app. 2018 has seen the evolution of app development go into new frontiers such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT).

The giants of the tech industry have been focusing on these concepts among other things in their annual developer conferences. Microsoft started with their Build 2018 developer conference in Seattle and Google just kicked off their annual Google I/O 2018 conference with both companies emphasizing the bigger roles of AI and IoT in their respective ecosystems. Here are a few other things that have been announced that set the trend for app development in 2018 and beyond.

Smarter Assistants

Developments in AI has paved the way for even smarter voice assistants. It has enhanced mobile apps like recommendation engines, behavioural targeting, and a more personalized social experience.

Google Assistant has now developed into a more advanced AI that can understand context on many levels and have a more human-like conversation with the user. It can now call companies that do not have an online presence and converse with their representatives on behalf of the user to book a reservation or inquire about opening hours on holidays.

Cloud Computing

The introduction of cloud computing has expanded the capabilities of apps by enhancing their storage or computing potential and are no longer tied to the limitations of a smartphone. Apps like Dropbox have been around for many years providing cloud storage for both individuals and businesses alike and adding extra features like encryption and file or folder sharing.

Mobile & Desktop Synchronization

Mobile apps are supposed to replace desktop apps but sometimes the best solution is a better integration between apps and desktop operating systems. Windows 10 has announced Timeline which aims to communicate effortlessly with iOS and Android phones to give you a more seamless experience when switching from phone to desktop and vice versa. It allows you to send SMS or email and browse a shared webpage from within Windows 10.

Internet-of-Things

Internet-Of-Things (IoT) is a term that describes a system of devices that is connected to the cloud to give apps the ability to perform remote operations, automation, and monitoring. There have been many IoT products that were introduced by a variety of manufacturers including connected cameras and smart appliances.

Blockchain

The rise in popularity of bitcoin has shed light on the importance of blockchain technology, which is the backbone of cryptocurrency. Blockchain is an open, electronic ledger that is continually updated and shared with the internet community. It shows all transactions that occur with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin so that there is a public record of its movement. Its open nature ensures security from fraud and makes it an attractive option for mobile banking and e-commerce app solutions.