Business

FIFA 21 release from Playstation


FIFA 21 is getting released to the public in less than two weeks. One the most awaited gaming downloads of the year, Playstation is the reference when it comes to online gaming.

The history of playstation

Fifth-generation console, the PlayStation is Sony’s first home console, becoming a social phenomenon that propelled Sony as an undisputed manufacturer in the gaming world. However, Sony’s entry into the video game market has seen many ups and downs, and its home console almost never saw the light of day.

Ken Kutaragi was at the time an employee in the Research and Development department of the Japanese firm Sony. He was then stunned to see the human face made by a computer bearing the name of System G (Gazo for image in Japanese), system used at the time to achieve special effects on various television programs produced in Japan.

Seeing real potential, Ken Kutaragi began to think of this system for a completely different medium, however more or less linked to that of television: the world of video games. However, Sony was still a long way from being seen as a multinational company that develops home consoles at that time.

In 1984 a crisis is hitting the gaming world hard. Sony therefore takes a very negative view of the video game market, finding it unprofitable, and they reject the revolutionary idea of ​​Ken Kutaragi. We find Ken Kutaragi a few years later, still with his idea of ​​transposing the G system into the world of video games, but it is not to Sony that he is heading, but to Nintendo.

They are working on a next generation of consoles (16 bits). Aware of this revolution, Nintendo therefore began to develop a new sound processor to equip such consoles. Ken Kutaragi was aware that Nintendo was developing a new processor and a few months earlier he had made a prototype called the SPC-700 processor. It will be called Super Famicom (Super Nintendo in Europe). Nintendo’s hegemony is confirmed!

A partnership between Sony and Nintendo

Sony, seeing this as a real opportunity to enter this completely new market, starts a partnership with Nintendo. This contract has a simple objective: to improve the Super Famicom. This new medium is none other than CDROM / XA, a derivative of the CD-Rom allowing the listening of sounds and the reading of images.

This project is codenamed “the SNES-CD project”. At the head of this partnership: Ken Kutaragi. So moving from an employee in the Research and Development sector of the Japanese firm to director of this project, Ken Kutaragi is developing several tests. Two prototypes are finally selected.

The first prototype is the one desired by Nintendo: a device that would take place directly under the Super Famicom. The second prototype offered the possibility of incorporating cartridges but also CD-Roms in the Nintendo console. This second prototype had the code name “the Play Station”!

However, internal conflicts began to arise. There is even talk of a Nintendo-initiated coup against Sony. Indeed, the president of Nintendo, Hiroshi Yamauchi, realizes that the contract signed three years rather offers a guarantee of size to Sony, as this contract stipulates that the games that will be released on this new device will all belong to Sony. Nintendo will therefore look to Europe and ally without anyone knowing with Philips, a Dutch technology company based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Sony: a revenge called PSX

Following this betrayal, Sony decided to develop its second prototype left in suspense by this contract previously binding them with Nintendo. Their intention is to present their prototype during the Tokyo International Electronic Show in 1991.

Ken Kutaragi is then overwhelmed. He alone is designated as responsible for this failure. He then talked to Sony president Norio Ogha about a new project. A third and last prototype, still with the same name, PSX, but with a major difference: the presence of System G, a system that models 3D textures in real time. So this is Ken Kataragi’s one, only, and last chance.

On the other hand, everything does not go as planned with Philips: the CD-Rom support is not exempt of defects. Philips encounters a bitter failure with its home console, the CD-I, which decides Nintendo to abandon CD-Rom support. Sony does not give up but leaves aside its second project which will have sold 200 copies in order to focus mainly on this third project incorporating System G.

Sony bought a studio that was unanimous at the time: Psygnosis, recognized for its talents as developers and which focused only on the computer market and in particular the Amiga. The first results gave Sony confidence and hope for a more or less optimistic future for the console. But it lacked a crucial element for the time: publishers!

Ken Kutaragi then abandons his manager’s cap to clothe that of a salesman. He knocked on all the doors of Japanese publishers and unveiled a technical demo of a dinosaur animated in 3D, thus extolling the prowess of System G. Two heavyweights that are Namco and Konami – completely convinced by this technical demonstration – decided to join Sony.

Marketing of the PSX

It was now necessary to show the whole world that Sony was a great company! It was therefore in 1994, during the Tokyo International Electronic Show, that the PSX was unveiled.

The public was won over by this new console and above all by its extraordinary capabilities! Sony’s new console, the PlayStation, was marketed with games such as Battle Arena Toshinden, Wipeout and Ridge Racer. The PlayStation will land in 1995 in the USA and Europe.

As a new console, the PlayStation needed to have an eye-catching logo. The management of the logo was entrusted to Manabu Sakamoto, and it was then with relentlessness and after multiple attempts that the famous PlayStation logo was finally created. Three colors were to appear: red, yellow and blue. Likewise, the letters P and S of PlayStation had to be part of the logo. The PlayStation controller also went through various stages before arriving at the official controller.

Like its controller and logo, the PlayStation’s philosophy was to develop its own identity far from its beginnings as a simple Super Nintendo peripheral.

How to Make an Amazing House Renovation

home renovation
The tips below will be helpful if you are in the process of getting your property renovated.

Do not forget these details

Imagine the best use of your outdoor areas. The living space of your home can be extended into your backyard. It’s the ideal spot for grilling steaks or even just enjoying some fresh air and relaxation after work.

Use a floor lamp in place of table lamps to free up space on your end tables and night stands. Floor lamps stand upright and you can move them around, but table lamps just take up space. There are many unique and interesting lamps to choose from.

When undertaking a home improvement project on your own, make a point of buying high quality materials and tools. It can be expensive, but the expense is worth the value of doing things right. Products that are high-quality generally last longer. It’s not desirable to replace expensive tools frequently.

Downward-facing outdoor lighting accents can easily make the attractive places in your walkway or lawn appear more attractive. When positioning large tree branches, this lighting can appear like natural lighting similar to the sun or moon on a darker day. Try emphasizing garden structures like trellises, statues or seating arrangements.

Though single solar lights cost very little and come in lots of styles, they do little more than add a bit of visual appeal. If strong lighting is what you require for a pathway, you probably need electric lights. While these are typically more expensive, they are reliable and will last for many more years than most solar models.

Do you need your renovation project to be completed quickly?

If so, then you should know that you are probably going to have to pay some extra money. You will find that your contractor will be happier to work more on the project if you are going to be paying more. As long as you are willing to pay more, they will be willing to do the work. This is very common with rush jobs.

Refinish your dining table to update your dining room. Although this takes time, refinishing it will make the old table appear like new. Take all the time you need to sand and refinish your table and pay close attention to details for the best result.

Most people who own their homes will make improvements to it. The real question is if they’ll be successful in that endeavor or not. It’s not uncommon for something to be done wrong because someone didn’t take the time to learn to do it the correctly.

Try to avoid this majority and make your projects come out successfully, perhaps even with a little attitude on top. These suggestions can make home improvement projects a success.

Think about your budget

You don’t have to spend a lot of time or money to do some home improvement. New window dressings, replacing flooring or making simple repairs can make a home feel fresh and inviting. Read on for more great ideas about beautifying your home.

Changing your air filters is very important. It will help you breathe cleaner air, and it helps keep your AC unit in good working condition. A lot of problems that happen with heating and cooling have to do with dirty air filters.

Get a new porch light that features a motion sensor in order to help reduce your electric bill. It is still possible to turn the light on manually, and the sensitivity is adjustable.

Protect your floors at all times when you engage in painting your home. The protection will keep wet paint from ruining your carpet and floors. One inexpensive and effective way to protect flooring is using layers of old newspapers. Other alternatives include a drop cloth or large plastic tarp; both are available at most home improvement centers.

Pouring bleach on the inside of the toilet bowl can help keep it sparkling clean. The smell may be bad, but germs will be eliminated and the toilets will stay clean. You can use scented bleach for a nicer smell.

Turn off the plumbing if any home improvement projects will take place in the bathroom or kitchen. The first step in working on water pipes in your home is locating the shutoff valves. This step will help you prevent a flood.

Check out the credentials of any home improvement company that you are considering. If a firm does not have a street address and uses just the phone, they may not be reputable. Stick with companies that are reputable and reliable.

A huge expense can be that of replacing a home roof, in case you are renovating your attic. Always get a few estimates from reputable roofers and not just by the newest and cheapest roofing company. There are many different styles of roofing materials available today, from lightweight tiles to traditional shingles. A knowledgeable roofing contractor can help you make the best decision.

Homes with a great view may sell for more than houses like it on the market. If you pay more for the view from your home, keep in mind that this may be to your individual taste only. Future home buyers might not be as impressed by the view and might not be interested in paying a higher price for it.

For an elegant jewelry display, put up a wall-mounted coat rack with no curves. But do not hang real jewelry on the rack, just costume jewelry. Your signature pieces of jewelry can add a personal touch to your room’s decor and also keep your necklaces and bracelets tangle free. Select a few pieces that you wear often and keep those within reach.

Try to determine in advance the amount of paint you will need for any painting job. Simply guessing could cost you a lot of money. Take your time and be sure to take measurements so you know the exact amount you’re going to paint.

No mater what type of home improvement project you want to undertake, there is always an inexpensive way to go about it. Use some creativity to get the look you can be proud of. Use the information shared here when you are doing your next home improvement project.

How to reduce plastic waste

Due to the properties of plastics and their low cost, their use has increased twenty-fold since the middle of the last century. Programs and initiatives have emerged to raise awareness and reduce plastic waste.

Almost 150 million tonnes of waste are already floating in the oceans (most of which are not biodegradable), and each year it is estimated that 8 million tonnes of plastics end up in the oceans, the equivalent of dumping a garbage truck every minute! The production of plastics, still increasing, is set to double in the next twenty years (press release from the Ministry of Ecological Solidarity Transition and the Ministry of Economy and Finance).

Reducing plastic waste is a crucial issue. If current trends continue, it is predicted that 12 billion tonnes of plastic waste will accumulate on the Earth’s surface in 2050, the vast majority of which will end up in the oceans. Around the world, plastics account for 85% of the waste found on beaches.

As part of the transition to a more circular economy, the European Commission communicated its strategy to protect the planet, defend citizens, and support businesses. If we don’t change the way we produce and use plastic, there will be more than fish in the ocean by 2050

The only long-term solution is to reduce plastic waste through increased recycling and reuse. It is a challenge that citizens, businesses, and governments must tackle together, ”said Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President of the European Commission, responsible for sustainable development. A real challenge: all plastic packaging on the European Union market will be recyclable by 2030, the consumption of single-use plastics will be reduced, and the use of microplastics in products will be limited.

The “Plastics 2030” program

To support this strategy, PlasticsEurope, the European association of plastics producers, launched “Plastics 2030”, a program intended to manage resources better and promote actions aimed at curbing the loss of plastics in the environment and developing recycling & reuse and encourage innovation.

To meet the ambition of the European Commission, which hopes that by 2030 all plastic packaging placed on the European market can be reused or recycled and does not end up in litter, European plastic producers are committed to achieving high rates of reuse and recycling of this packaging. They are targeting an ambitious target of 60% by 2030, which should lead to reaching 100% reuse, recycling, and recovery of plastic packaging in 2040 in the European Union (PlasticsEurope press release of January 16, 2018).

When will global harmonization begin? The European Union also works with partners around the world to find solutions and develop international standards. In the meantime, everyone must be aware of the consequences of their actions on the environment.

Some instructions to remember: do not throw anything in the nature or on the public highway, and sort your garbage so it can be recycled properly! In Europee, we still have a lot of progress to make: France is only in 25th place in the European recycling ranking (2016 figures from PlasticsEurope).

Plastic initiatives

Great initiatives are emerging to educate and inform the public. You can for example follow the association “7th continent expedition”, which works for a preserved ocean by combining scientific, educational and media know-how around targeted actions (www.septiemecontinent.com). You can discover his comic strip, The Plastic Monster, inspired by his expeditions.

Follow the Flipflopi expedition and its boat made from plastic waste and whose coating is designed from 200,000 used flip flops. This boat took to the sea in January 2019 for a three-month journey in the Indian Ocean, intending to raise awareness of proper waste management practices on the populations during its passage.

Offer you a pair of sea2see sunglasses made from recycled marine plastic waste …How about that?

How to renovate your attic at a low price


Depending on what your needs are and what you want to add to your home, a guest room could be a wonderful thing to have, like a spare room for guests and friends.

An attic renovation could be just the solution to get that, as a more cost effective alternative to a traditional extension. In fact, the usable space in your roof cavity could be as much as half of the floor space in your home. An attic can add between $80,000 and $150,000 to the value of your home. But what kind of upfront investment does it require? That is the question.

The national average cost for home remodelers to renovate an attic ranges from $15,000 to $85,000. While converting an attic into a living space can carry a hefty up-front price tag, the remodeling costs could end up being an investment that increases your home value by a significant amount.

Renovating an attic is a common and smart way to renovate your home without the expense and energy of an addition. But before you do, make sure to read these some tips from leading experts to ensure your renovation is safe, efficient and a pleasing place to live. If your attic will only have five windows or less, the attic renovation cost of the windows will be $2,219.

If your attic needs to have stairs installed in order to access it, a professional stair installation will cost you about $2,240 to $3,126. The average attic renovation cost is $50,000-65,000 to convert it into a living space, such as a bedroom, office, or bathroom. While finishing an attic is one of the more expensive home improvement projects, it also boasts one of the highest ROI’s.

Every attic is different, but a few established norms and practices will guide your renovation. Follow the rule of sevens: enforcement varies, but codes typically say that at least half of a finished attic must be at least 7 feet high, and that this area must be a minimum of 7 feet wide and 70 square feet.

From minimal floor space to ceiling height, a host of regulations will guide your remodel. Rafters, mainly found in older homes, lend themselves to attic expansion. Rafters look like giant triangles that form the peak of your home’s roof. Configuring your attic renovation may prove to be more complicated than configuring improvements in other areas of your home. The amount of usable space in your attic is largely dependent on the number and type of trusses used to support the roof, the joists and the pitch of the roof.

In most homes, the attic is an afterthought. It’s a place to store extra furniture and old things you no longer use. But with their angled ceilings and interesting layouts, attics can be just as homey as any other part of your house. So why waste this available space in your house when you can do great things with it?

If your attic is a playroom, pile on vibrant colors to make the space bright and happy. A modular sectional makes a great place to snuggle and lounge. Carpet tiles are also a brilliant choice for playrooms. If one gets stained, swap it with one in a less conspicuous part of the room. There are so many way to remodel your attic to make it an attractive part of you premisses.

Note that you must not forget to include waste management and cleaning costs when you calculate your budget. Depending how much you tear down and rebuild, you may end up with a lot of construction debris and blocks of concrete that need to be discarded in an environmental friendly way. Hire a good dumpster rental service that will deliver a bin or dumpster to your place and take it away when full. This type of junk removal is not too expensive depending how much quantity of waste you have.

Kale Realty Explains How Realtors Get Paid

Chicago Realtors IncomeSome folks never put much thought on how realtors and real estate agents make their money. You will find professionals who receive their fees elsewhere and not from the buyer while some get a commission from their sale. But once you are decided to sell your house or buy a new one, this is usually the time when people start wondering how do realtors get paid.

At times, buyers get surprised when they learn that realtors and agents get their commissions from the selling side of the deal. What this means is that the fees get negotiated between the seller and the listing broker. When the house is sold, the seller’s agent splits the listing fee that the seller paid with the buyer’s agent.

You must also know that there are some agents who represent their buyers for a flat rate. There are also some agents who work on an hourly basis, but this business model is not popularly used. So far, the most common practice followed by realtors and agents is the commissions being split between the buyer’s representative and the listing broker.

The normal process of buying a house starts with the buyer’s agents showing their clients some of the homes listed for sale. Usually, both the prospect buyer and the realtor visits the property and assesses whether it is a place they want to buy. After this, an offer is made through a residential purchase agreement with an earnest money deposit. Assuming that everything goes smoothly and both parties are on the same page, the deal will proceed to the closing stage.

The closing stage is when the escrow, or also called a neutral third party, handles the money. Once the property is paid, the commission will be split into two, which are then disbursed to the agents directly or to the companies for whom the agents work for.

When it comes to the responsibilities of real estate agents, only brokers can list homes on the market. Even if you work with an agent and agree on the terms, their broker is the one legally holding the listing. Which means the broker also gets a percentage of the money paid by the seller of the house. Brokers will naturally get some type of commission from the house sale. After all, they are in charge of listing the home and of marketing it as well.

For brokers, their typical fee is usually from 5% to 6% (which is then shared to the agent as the realtor’s commission) as a reward for listing your property and marketing your house. They do this by posting property listings on their personal website, official website, internet ads, mailers, yard signs, and print publications. They also handle the telemarketing and social media exposure of the property.

Not all real estate transactions are made equal and the real estate agent fee is part of the equation. That is why you need to do your own research before embarking on such a big investment so that you understand all the costs associated with such a deal. A lot of money can be made in real estate, but some people have lost money as well. So pay attention and do your homework.

What Is SEO Exactly

If you are an aspiring blogger, a digital marketer or a business owner, you have probably seen the term SEO thrown around. But what does this three-letter-term exactly mean? SEO is short for Search Engine Optimization. For many entrepreneurs and newbie marketers, learning this concept can feel like a nightmare.

Before you get lost in the complexities, let us first discuss what it is and why it is worth studying.

Everybody who owns a website wants to land a spot on the first page of Google search results. Understanding search engines first will help you grasp the idea of SEO. Think of Google as the library – a place where you can look for information.

Let us pretend that you want to know more information about “farming.” The librarian will most likely ask you the aspect of farming you want to know about. You respond by saying you want to learn how to grow an organic vegetable garden in your backyard.

By giving these specific gardening keywords, your librarian can provide you with the best information you need. But how does your librarian determine the best information, or in this case, data for your need? This is where SEO comes in.

Webmasters, marketers, and bloggers read and learn about search engine optimization to make sure that their site is visible to search engines like Google or Bing. Without it, the sites will remain outdated, and Google will quickly overlook websites that are not optimized.

Because Google is an artificial intelligence machine built on algorithms and learning abilities, it detects properties like content, keywords, links, and much more to determine if your site is worthy to be presented to their users. Here are some basic key terms that you should know.

Optimization stands for the techniques, strategies and tactics used to invite and garner more visitors to your website. In other words, the more you continue to optimize your website for SEO, the more you gain visitors to your site. The amount of visitors, data sent and received by visitors is called traffic.

Another definition you need to familiarize yourself with is the term keyword. This is the key phrase or the sets of words used by the users in Google to find what they are looking for. Popular keywords have, if not hundreds, thousands of monthly searches. So getting a position for one of them will be tough.

As you learn the ropes and apply SEO, you will eventually get there. Furthermore, you will soon be introduced to other terms as you continue to study this subject. Let us now talk about why SEO is essential to every webmaster by citing an example.

One huge aspect of SEO is learning how to strategically and efficiently use keywords. Ranking for a popular keyword or key phrase could bring you as much as 40,000 visitors a month. However, there are other factors to consider here as well.

Let us say that the keyword you used averages 200 searches a month, and you rank number one for this particular search. Even if your profits are low, there is still an enormous potential for high earnings. Regardless of whatever product or service your site offers, ranking on top of these keywords nevertheless equates to high-profit potential.

An important detail to learn is before you start optimizing, you need to strategize appropriately. Some techniques can deliver your site a good reputation, but there are also wrong tactics that can pull your stats down and even get your site penalized. This means for every post you publish, every page you create within your domain, it needs to have its purpose. Here is an excellent article about differentiating whitehat SEO with blackhat SEO.

If you are a business with a marketing budget, you can use an SEO agency to help you develop your brand and get trusted by search engines. If you have established your website, one important detail to remember is to keep it updated by adding quality content. But there are also specific rules to follow when it comes to creating content for SEO. Right now, publishing content for the readers is the essential way to keep your website current.

You have to target your readers’ interests and cater to their informational needs to ensure that they stay engaged with your site. Call-to-action techniques such as downloading an e-book, leaving their emails for discount codes or inviting them to sign up for free trial services can help bring more business in. This is particularly essential for websites who are selling products or services.

You need to remember that when you do not optimize your site, there is very minimal chance of landing that first-page spot on the search engine results page (SERP). And honestly, people rarely check the second page.

SEO helps drive more traffic and valuable leads to your business. If you do not want to spend a lot of money on costly advertising, it is your best choice. Here is a link to the General Guidelines to help Google find, index and rank your site.

Strategies to Find Clients Online

According to Gleanster Research, 50 percent of leads are qualified but not ready to buy, and just 25 percent are legitimate leads that should proceed to sales. The faster you can determine which leads are legit and which are back-burners, the higher your earning potential.

While many of the time-tested methods for assessing lead quality and converting leads—cold calling, personal services and in-person networking—are still relevant, technology can help you identify qualified leads faster and earn more.

Find Clients Through Self-Promotion

Online self-promotion requires you to prepare promotional materials or thought leader pieces (such as blog posts or articles) and sharing them online, and then waiting for these materials to find an audience. As they do, you become a topic expert, and clients in your field see you as a sales expert they want to work with.

Entrepreneur’s Ann Hadley recommends SlideShare for sharing slideshows, webinars, white papers and PDFs. With a Pro membership (which ranges from $19 to 249 per month), you can enable a LeadShare feature that requires viewers to provide their contact information to view your materials. This one-time investment in content preparation and membership can feed you leads on a regular basis without additional effort.

Attract Clients via Social Media

Finding quality leads on social media requires a regular time commitment. Once you figure out what types of content to post and how often to post them, social media can be a rewarding leads channel. The key lies in listening to conversations, making authentic connections and promoting your services at just the right time.

Try identifying interests your clients may have (i.e. fitness, cars or parenting), then listening in on those conversations and engaging the posters (by asking about fitness goals or recommending baby products). Then, slip in your lead in a natural manner, once you’ve made a connection. If you can make the connection that a new baby means it’s time to consider life insurance, you’ll earn a qualified lead. Just promoting life insurance on its own is less likely to foster a lead.

Use a Lead Generator

Lead generators narrow down the “wide Web” for you by sending you qualified leads in your topic area. Targeted leads put you in a better position to engage the possible customer compared to individuals who have not demonstrated an interest. Companies like QuoteWizard, which was listed in Deloitte’s “Technology Fast 500″ as one of the top 500 fastest-growing technology companies in Canada and the U.S., act as an insurance salesman’s customer funnel, saving time and increasing sales performance.

Maintain Your LinkedIn Profile

LinkedIn is a viable way to build your network and gain sales leads. To generate leads via LinkedIn, ensure your profile is up to date. Periodically review questions asked and offer answers. Use LinkedIn Groups to connect with other professionals who may need your services. By focusing on offering your product as a solution when it’s truly a good fit, you can generate quality leads and become seen as a topical expert on LinkedIn.