RAVPower FileHub Review

Trying to stay connected when you’re out traveling isn’t always easy. And carrying a bunch of different devices for specific jobs ends up with a lot of moving pieces, a lot of extra weight, and more things to go wrong.

There are starting to be some new products that try to solve several of these problems at once. They don’t fit easily into a standard category but are rather a bunch of different solutions packed into a single device.

The one I’m focusing on here is the pocket-sized RAVPOWER FILEHUB It includes an SD card reader makes it particularly attractive to photographers.

It’s a device of many talents, but they’re hard to pin a name to. FileHub isn’t especially useful or sexy, but that’s not to say that I can think of a better name. And here’s why–these are the key features of the RAVPower FileHub.
WiFi Hub

The wifi functionality is really to the heart of why this device exists. There are several aspects to it, but the first is that it acts as a wifi hub or personal router.

But it’s important to be clear what it isn’t. By itself it doesn’t provide internet access—it acts as a bridge between your wifi devices and another form of internet access. For instance, you can connect the FileHub to a hotel’s wifi and then connect your phones or computers by wifi to the FileHub to share the hotel’s connection. That can come in handy when hotels limit the number of devices you can use (or charge by the device). You can also connect the FileHub by wifi to a mobile hotspot and then connect your devices by wifi to the FileHub.

But the FileHub is not a mobile hotspot. It doesn’t connect directly to cell networks—you need to arrange that separately. And you can’t easily use it as a traditional router to turn a wired connection into a wifi connection (there’s nowhere to plug in a regular internet cable).

Best electric gate openers

Protecting your home, possessions, and especially your family is a top-priority task for anyone. Employing security guards sounds fantastic but not everyone can afford the drastic methods. Investing in gates with an MIGHTY MULE 500 system is a way easier solution. It not only strengthens the safety of your house and property but also adds more comfort to your driving experience.

The market reacts quickly to the needs of customers. Today, you can make a choice between slide and swing, single and double gate opener system. Besides, each model varies in quality performance and additional features. Moreover, the installation is comparatively easy. Usually, it does not require welding works or the employment of specialized wire workers. As a rule, the manufacturers provide installation manuals that come together with the gates and openers. The manual provides detailed instructions so that installing the opener yourself is relatively easy.

It is crucial to take all necessary protective measures prior to installing electric gate openers. This type of gates prompts a high level of power, and the protection measures have to be taken throughout the entire installation process. In this write-up, I will do my best to give all details on choosing and installing the product successfully and safely. This article also covers the best three models according to my research and analysis.

How Electric Gate Openers Work

Automatic gate systems, as their name suggests, work in a way that allows opening and closing your gates with minimal actions. In practice, this looks like this. To activate the gate door opener, you need to simply press the remote transmitter installed in your car. The transmitted signal activates the power gate opener mechanism immediately. After you have passed through the gate, one more press on the transmitter will close the gate. There is also a popular function that prevents leaving the gate open accidentally. If you forget to press the remote transmitter the second time, the gate opener will automatically close the gate a minute after opening. This adds to the safety functions of the device.

The gate openers available in the market use either the power supply coming from the house, the solar panels powers, or the power back-up provided by batteries. Many models allow connecting to all three sources thus guaranteeing stable operation.

The mechanism of the motorized gate depends on its type: sliding or swinging. Below, I will explain their main peculiarities and differences.

Types of Automatic Gate Openers

Understanding the general difference between types of gate openers will make the process of choosing one much easier. There are two major types of automatic gate openers:

1.) Slide gate openers

2.) Swing gate openers (one-piece and two-piece gates)

Slide Gate Openers

The mechanism of sliding gate openers works on a motorized gear wheel. It enables the gate to move to a right of left direction thus opening or closing the driveway. The simple mechanism consists of two wheels and a gear track installed on the gate. When activated, it lets the gate move in a sliding manner, which has given it its name.

Swing Gate Openers

The mechanism of the swing-type gate openers includes electric RAM arms that perform an in-and-out movement. They are connected to the gate and its posts. When activated, the mechanism swings the gate on the hinges.

Basically, this works the same way as any typical door in your house, except for the movement is automatic.
Swing gate openers divide into single and double types, depending on the type of swing gates you have. Single-piece swing gates are usually less expensive. They require less hardware since the gate has only one leaf. However, two-piece openers are often a more popular choice. Double gates possess a more traditional look and are available in various sizes. When choosing the swinging gate opener, make sure you pay attention to the number of leaves it is designed for.

How to Choose an Electric Gate Opener

To make the process of choosing between various models, I recommend using this checklist as your guide. When you have made clear all the points for yourself, making a final decision should not be a problem.

1. Type
Analyze the peculiarities of slide and swing gate openers that I have described above. If you are only planning to buy a new gate to protect your property, take into consideration the space available. The landscape also determines the suitable gate opener type. For instance, sliding electric gates are generally better for sloping landscapes and limited spaces.

2. Size
It is necessary to take into account the size of the gate you already have or are planning to buy. If it is a two-piece gate, make sure you know the size of each of the leaves. The size of the columns is crucial as well. Even the materials play their role: extra heavy gate would require a more powerful automatic gate closer.

3. Power
Think about how you plan to power your gate opener. If you want to choose an AC powered model, check if electricity is available in the place where the gate opener will be located. Note, that the size of your gate also influences the amount of power used by the automatic gate opener. You can also check the eco-friendly solar panels that can supply some of the models with enough power for operation.

4. Extra safety features
The biggest part of the models available now include the stop-and-reverse feature. It uses the infrared photobeams to detect if the gate is about to contact an obstacle when moving. This prevents any damage to people and property. Underground loop detectors that detect metal object nearby provide extra safety in preventing collisions. An Auto-close function will guarantee your gate is closed even if you have forgotten to press the remote control for closing the gate.

5 Tips to Reduce Travel Expense in Small Business

Travel is one of the highest discretionary spend for many small business owners. It is also one of the spend items that you cannot skimp on either. You have to let employees travel to meet with customers, attend conferences and find prospects. There is only so much you can accomplish via phone or video conference. While there is no way to avoid travel there are ways in which you can reduce the travel expense without sacrificing your business. Below we share 5 tips to help you achieve that goal.

1. Book in Advance

Whether employees do their own booking or you plan trips for them as a business, booking in advance reduces hotel and flight costs. The closer you get to any trip, the higher the prices tend to get. Plus, when you book in advance, you have time to wait for the best days of the week to book your travel plans. You’ll also have more flight and hotel options to consider. If sending employees on the red-eye is the cheapest option, you’ll be able to book that flight before it fills up.

2. Create a Travel Policy

Instead of determining a specific travel budget or capping employee spending at the same amount each time, create a travel policy that employees must follow. This might mean specifying what kind of expenses require prior authorization or making a list of preferred hotel brands and airlines, especially if your business has a deal or an account with those brands. If you ask for preapproval for things such as flights and hotel bookings, your employees will have a harder time waiting until the last minute to book their travel plans.

4 Reasons Why Small Business Owners Must Monitor Online Reviews

“Writers … fall into two groups: those who bleed copiously and visibly at any bad review, and those who bleed copiously and secretly at any bad review.” Isaac Asimov specified writers in this famous quote, but his words could apply to business owners as well. You might be too emotionally attached to read what Yelpers are saying about your brainchild, but someone in your business needs to keep an eye on review sites. Explore four reasons why you shouldn’t ignore those online reviewers.

1. You Get a Second Chance

Of course, you wish your customers would talk to you directly when they have an issue and spread the word to others when they’re happy. Customers don’t always follow that model. Instead, they often choose to leave your business by fuming and venting on a review site.

All is not lost, however. Occasionally, you can reach out to that reviewer, briefly explain why the experience isn’t typical of your business, and entice the person to give you a second chance by offering a free product or service.

2. The Feedback Has Value

Not every negative review is valid. Some customers bring unrealistic expectations or personal issues into your business and leave unhappy. But a pattern of customers complaining about similar issues gives you vital information about your own blind spots and the issues you need to resolve to be successful.

If you can’t tolerate reading your own reviews, at least have someone skim them weekly or monthly and ask your review monitor to tell you if a pattern develops. Those bad reviews can help you improve your business operations.

Small Business Owners: Are You Looking After Your Money Carefully?

Money in the bank is everything to small businesses. If you don’t have enough cash, you will experience cash flow problems which could hold up some of your operations. You also need plenty of money to help the business grow and develop. Not only that, though, but it is also useful to have plenty in the bank if you ever hit a rocky patch.

But even though money it acutely important to small businesses, there are still some who aren’t looking after theirs as well as they should. Here are some of the ways various small businesses regularly put their money at risk.

Not Using an Accountant

Many business owners try and track their finances and file their own taxes on their own. This is especially the case for businesses that are only a couple of years’ old. However, if you don’t have any financial experience, this can very quickly go wrong. It is always best to have an accountant from the outset. That way, they can keep you on track, and you can be confident that you aren’t going to be fined for getting your taxes wrong!