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How to add an email profile picture to any domain email address

Last updated February 2, 2022

If you have a custom email like yourname@yourdomain.com and you send an email to a Gmail user, you’ll notice your email comes in without a profile photo (or profile picture)!  As a business, you’ll certainly want to have a profile photo, either your company logo or your face profile, whatever it is, this helps makes your email more authentic.

In this post, I will show you how to setup your yourname@yourdomain.com account so that when you send an email to a Gmail account, your profile photo will show up!  It does not matter if your email is hosted via hostgator, bluehost, ipage, etc or any webhosting or email hosting solution!  It doesn’t matter if you are sending your email from Gmail, horde, roundcube, SquirrelMail, or any other webmail client!

Bonus tip: did you know you can use your gmail account to send and receive emails from yourname@yourdomain.com email address?  Yep, it’s easy!  You can setup a Gmail account and have it import your yourname@yourdomain.com emails; your Gmail account will also have the option to set emails “as alias” and recipient of your emails will see that it was sent from yourname@yourdomain.com.  Most hosting company will show you how to setup google mail POP3 access like this article for hostgator users: https://support.hostgator.com/articles/google-mail-fetcher

Advertisement: The easiest way to create an email address and use all of Google’s feature is by creating a G Suite Account for your domain email address. I.E. yourname@yourdomain.com. Here’s how to setup a G Suite account .  NOTE: I can generate you a 20% off code, simply email me at david@utechpia.com and ask me for a G Suite Code, let me know if you want a coupon code for G Suite Basic or G Suite Business, and I’ll send you over a 20% off code!

So you probably came to this blog because when you send an email to a Gmail user, the receiving party doesn’t see a profile photo.

The receiving party will see something like this:

What you WANT to see is something like this:

I’ve searched long and hard to find the solution (other than paying for a Gsuite Account)! The solution is simple!

SOLUTION: Simply go to google.com, sign-out of your account. Create a NEW google account, and make sure to select the option to create it using your existing email address. Then use the yourname@yourdomain.com email address. This will create a Google account for your yourname@yourdomain.com. Now that you are sign in, go to google.com and click on the upper right hand corner Icon, it will let you change your profile of your Google account (which is now your Google Plus account linked to yourname@yourdomain.com). In the Google Plus account, simply update your profile photo and save it. It takes a few hours to update, and then BOOM, you’re done! That profile photo will show up as your email profile photo when you send emails as yourname@yourdomain.com!

After doing that, when you send emails, your email profile photo will finally show up! The email avatar is now the Google Plus Profile Photo! Yay!

Step-By-Step Solution:

So the problem we have is that the receiving party does not see a profile image when they receive your email.  Let’s update your profile photo, here are the step-by-step instructions:

Create your Google+ account to setup your email profile photo
  1. Go to Google.com and Sign out of your gmail account.
  2. Go back to Google.com and Click Sign in
  3. Click on the arrow drop down so you can select “other account”
  4. Select the option to Use another account.
  5. Select the option to Create account.
  6. Make sure to click on “Use my current email address instead”
  7. Put the email address you want to use.
  8. Google will send a verification email to your email.
  9. Open the verification email Google sent to your personalized business email (yourname@yourdomain.com) email.
  10. Now go back to your google account creation page, and use the verification code provided in the email to confirm.
  11. Fill out the profile information for your new Google Plus Account!
  12. Read through the Privacy and Terms, and then agree to move forward.
  13. Go back to Google.com, then on the icon on the upper right hand corner, now select it, and then click on the “change” button to change your profile photo!
  14. This step may take a while (maybe up to an hour!), to speed things up, try sending and receiving email for the new email account (back and forth with any gmail account).
  15. After about an hour, you should see the profile photo get updated!
  16. And now when you send an email, your receipt will see the profile photo.

The steps below include photos if you are a more visual person:

1. Go to Google.com and Sign out of your gmail account.

2. Click Sign in

3. Click on the arrow below so you can select “other account”

4. Select the option to Use another account.

5. Select the option to Create account.

6. Make sure to click on Use my current email address instead.

7.  Here’s where you put the email address you want to use.  Also note, if you don’t want a space between your First name and Last name, then just use the First name field and leave the last name blank.  I need up using RareUnicorns for the First name, and left the Last name blank.  So my email name shows up as “RareUnicorns” instead of “Rare Unicorns”.

8. Google will send a verification email to your personalized business email (yourname@yourdomain.com) email.

9. Open the verification email Google sent to your personalized business email (yourname@yourdomain.com) email.

10. Now go back to your google account creation page, and use the verification code provided in the email to confirm.

11. Fill out the profile information for your new Google Plus Account!

12.  Read through the Privacy and Terms, and then agree to move forward.

13. Go back to Google.com, then on the icon on the upper right hand corner, now select it, and then click on the “change” button to change your profile photo!

14. This step may take a while (maybe up to an hour!), to speed things up, try sending and receiving email for the new email account (back and forth with any gmail account).

15. After about an hour, you should see the profile photo get updated, like I see in the above image!

16. And now when you send an email, your receipt will see the profile photo:

I hope this article help!  If you find this article helpful, please share it with family and friends!  Also, feel free to post me a comment below.  If you’re not already subscribed to my YouTube Channel, please consider doing so!  Thanks!

The Canon M50 is the best vlogging camera!

Last updated June 2, 2018

After owning and using the Canon M50 for the last few weeks, I can say it’s truly a great value and a marvelous tool for vloggers.  Right now it is on sale on for $200 off!  This deal will NOT last long, especially since this camera was just recently released!

The previous best Vlogging Camera (IMO) is the Canon G7x Mark II.  Which still has it’s PROS and CONS over the Canon M50.  Personally, I have both the Canon G7x Mark II and the Canon M50, and feel they both have their unique purpose, while both overlap as the best Vlogging Cameras out there.

Canon G7x Mark II PROS: everything is builtin, and thus making it easy and error-proof to turn on and start recording.  The G7x Mark II can fit in my jeans pocket!

Canon G7x Mark II CONS: 24mm-100mm effective focal length sometimes isn’t wide enough.  Has a slow and dated autofocus system, does not have an external microphone jack.

Canon M50 PROS: Has the best Autofocus system in the market today, has an External Microphone Jack, has better lowlight capabilities.

Canon M50 CONS: larger than the G7x Mark II, and cannot fit in my jeans pocket anymore.

NOTE: It’s great for 1080p vlogging.  Although it does have the capabilities to record 4K@24fps, this mode is not ideal for vlogging because in 4K mode the camera does not have the Dual Pixel AF system enabled (it goes back to terrible contrast detection), the other disadvantage in 4K is that it adds a 1.6x crop factor (which makes it tricky to get wide shots since you now have an effective 2.56 crop factor). With the effective 2.56x crop factor, the widest EF-M lens, the 11-22mm lens, effective will be a 28.2-56.3mm.
Here's are 11 reasons why this is the perfect camera for vlogging!
  1. Amazing Dual Pixel AF, this is the best autofocus system on any camera right now!  The face tracking mode works wonders (in 1080p mode).  This is the same autofocus system found in Canon’s flagship Canon 1Dx Mark II, a $6000 camera!
  2. It has a flip-out Screen, so you can see yourself, check exposure, check battery life, make sure you are ACTUALLY recording!
  3. It has an external microphone jack for better audio.  I personally use the Rode Video Mic Pro, but the Rode Video Micro, or the Rode Video MicGo all work great too!
  4. Even if you don’t use an external Microphone, the on-camera Microphone is actually really good!
  5. It’s compact and lightweight!  If you detech the lens, it can easily fit in your jacket pocket!
  6. It can capture 1080p at 60fps or 30fps, and it can do 720p at 120fps for some sweet slow motion!
  7. Has great low light capabilities and ability to create creamy blurry backgrounds using the APS-C sensor (which is a 1.6x crop sensor, the same sensor found in the Canon 80D, a $1200 camera).
  8. It’s priced very well.  The Canon M50 with the EF-M 15-45mm Imaged Stabilized Lens retails for $899, but Canon usually puts these on sales twice a year for around $699!  Check Amazon for the latest price.
  9. You have lens options!  For $400, you can get the EF-M 11-22mm Imaged Stabilized Lens which is even better for vlogging if you want to capture a wider shot (although the kit lens, the 15-45mm lens works fine for vlogging).  Another option, if you want some nice blurry background effect and/or better low light capabilities, you can check out the Canon EF-M 22mm f/2.0 for about $250.
  10. The batteries (Canon LP-E12) are small, you can fit a few in your pocket!  Each can last about 1.5 to 2 hours of video recording per battery.  They take about 2 hour to fully charge.
  11. The camera uses SD cards which are inexpensive and compact!  The SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB SD cards are the best bang for the buck, but they also come in 256GB and 512GB.  Personally I use a MicroSD card with an adapter since I have a lot of MicroSD cards which I use in my Mavic Pro, GoPro Cameras, and other devices.
  12. As with any Canon camera, the Canon Color science always looks great!
  13. If you add a EF-M to EF lens adapter, you can attach ANY of Canon EF lens lineup!  Like the Canon 15mm Fisheye, 24mm L Mark II f/1.4, Canon 50mm f/1.2 L, Canon 85mm f/1.2 L Mark II, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS Mark II, just to name of few of my favorites!

Get YouTube RED for 3 months FREE!

Last updated June 21, 2018

Updated June 19, 2018, now they are giving the YouTube Premium + YouTube Music trial for only 3 months, but that’s still a good deal!  To get the deal, use the same link below!

We live in a world where YouTube is free, and that’s amazing!

But it CAN get even better with YouTube RED!

And right now, there is a special promotion that gives you a 3 months free trial of YouTube PREMIUM and YouTube Music ad-free. Plus access to all YouTube Originals.  After that it is $11.99 a month.  Watch the video below for step-by-step instructions on how to get this deal

Check out the VIDEO above for detailed instructions OR click: HERE
Updated June 19, 2018, now they are giving the YouTube Premium + YouTube Music trial for only 3 months, but that’s still a good deal!

LINK TO GET THE DEAL:

Click HERE to sign up for the 3 month trial!

Let me tell you why I am LOVING YouTube RED!

These are all the features you get with YouTube RED:

Features of YouTube Red
  • There are No Ads on YouTube Videos!  Weather you’re on your phone, tablet, computer,  TV devices, smart TV, games consoles, or any device where you can log into your YouTube Account! For a complete list of compatible devices, see this YouTube Document
  • Uninterrupted music – Enjoy ad-free music in the YouTube Music app, as well as a subscription to Google Play Music, at no extra cost.  This is similar to services like Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, etc.  But it’s even better since you can even watch the music videos while you listen to the music!  Infact you can watch and listen to all your favorite YouTube Videos!
  • Download videos and songs to watch offline.  This is great for saving mobile data and perfect for when you travel (like flying on an airplane!).
  • Background Play: Play videos while using other apps or when your screen is off. Background play is available on YouTube, YouTube Music, YouTube Gaming, and YouTube Kids mobile apps (if these apps are available in your location).
    • What I love about this is that YouTube not waste your bandwidth by streaming the video when it is in background play mode!
    • And then, when you want to, you can switch right back to the video and continue watching the video stream!

Alright!  YouTube RED is pretty awesome, right?

Here’s how to do it:

Step-By-Step Instructions
  • Step 1:  Log into your Gmail account, make sure this is the same account you use YouTube with.
  • Step 2: Click on this link: HERE
  • Step 3: If it does NOT say 3 months free trial, then that means you’ve already had a trial before or you have paid for Google Play Music Service before, this offer will not work.  If that’s the case, then simply create a new Gmail Account, and you can claim this offer again!  *Shamelesss Plug: If you create a new gmail account, please support this channel by subscribing to UTECHPIA with the new account as well as your original YouTube account! Thanks everyone!
  • Step 4: Click subscribe, it will ask for your payment information. Go ahead and enter your payment information. You can use a credit card, a debit card, or a PayPal account. Don’t worry you WILL NOT get charged if you cancel before the 3 months trial ends. Infact, you can cancel right away, and you still get full access to your 3 months of membership. I’ll show you how to do that the next few steps. For now, Click Subscribe to start your trial.
  • Step 5: You should have YouTube PREMIUM and YouTube Music.
  • Step 6: If you want to cancel it right away, go to the Menu > Settings > Cancel Subscription >  Select Your YouTube Premium Subscription, select cancel, put it any reasons you want.  And you’ll see, it will cancel by itself in 3 months!  So you get all benefit for the next 3 months!  And you don’t have to worry about getting charged!

That’s it! I hope you were able to take advantage of this Awesome deal! Please share this post, www.utechpia.com/YouTubeRed with you friends and family so they can take advantage of this great deal too!  Let me know in the comments below if you are using YouTube Red and what’s your favorite feature about it!

15 Reasons To Buy the DJI OSMO Mobile 2!

Last updated October 24, 2019

Freaking Awesome Smartphone 3-Axis Gimbal and Stabilizer.

Here are my 15 Reasons to Buy The DJI OSMO Mobile 2! If you use your phone to make videos or do live streams, this is a MUST BUY tool.

Check out the VIDEO Above

This is the BEST smartphone gimbal in the market right now.

I used it with my iPhone X, and love all the new abilities that I have now!

For Less than $130 you can the DJI OSMO Mobile 2. Which is a must have accessory for video creators! These are reasons why I LOVE IT!

Check Current Price

15 Reasons to Buy the DJI OSMO Mobile 2!
  1. Use it in PORTRAIT or LANDSCAPE orientation!
  2. Walk or Run…. You can get great smooth footage!
  3. Basic Controls to SMOOTHLY pan LEFT/RIGHT and tilt UP/DOWN.
  4. Smooth Digital Zoom (works only for rear facing camera).
  5. TRACK a moving subject while following them. (Using rear camera)
  6. Track yourself using the front facing camera. (Always be centered, perfect for vlogging.)
  7. You can attach it to a tripod and FILM your OWN videos without any assistance!
  8. Put it on a Monopod for Awesome “crane” footage!
  9. Timelapse feature!
  10. Motion Timelapse! (The camera moves while capturing timelapse)
  11. You Can Create a smooth “Slider Effect”
  12. Has a 15-Hour Battery Life! (Takes just 2 hours to fully charge!)
  13. It can charge your phone too! (even while you are using it!)
  14. Lightweight & Portable
  15. That PRICE! Under $130.00!

Check out the current price on Amazon.

Apple AirPods – Worth it? – Reviewed & Loved by an Audiophile

Last updated August 16, 2018

Are Apple Airpods worth $159?

Cutting to the chase, Yes! They are awesome wireless ear buds with good sound quality and excellent connectivity.
Check out the VIDEO Above

Check Current Price

They are compact and work like magic! I’ve had them for 2 weeks now and I really love them, and I think every iPhone user should have a set (especially if you haven an iPhone 7 or newer because you can take advantage of the W1 chipset allowing pairing to happen instantly)

Let’s talk about the features, both good and bad

Features:
  • They look a little goofy.
  • The sound quality is nothing better than the standard wired apple earphones that come with the iPhones.
  • They connect just fine to my MacBook, however, I notice a slight delay when using it on my Mac, this makes it NOT ideal for editing video. I don’t notice this delay when connecting to my iPhone.
  • They are easy to use, just open the case and they are connected to your apple devices. The very first time, and anytime after that. They also sync with your apple ID, so they are automatically paired to all my apple devices!
  • To turn them off you put them in the case, which also charges them. I don’t think about changing them because they last a long time and they are always charging when they are off and in the case. You charge the case up, and the case can provide 24 hours of charge to the AirPods, the AirPods themselves hold 5 hour of charge at time. If you run out of juice on the AirPods, you can pop them in the case for 15 minutes and get 3 hour of listening time.
  • They are super compact and easy for travel. I find myself always carrying them around with me.
  • They are truly wireless and that goes a long way; the freedom they provide is something that you just have to experience to really appreciate.
  • If you remove one of the ear buds, it will pause your video or music, and once you put back the ear bud, your video or music will resume playing again! This is a very convenient feature!
  • They fit amazingly well, I can run and do tons of physical activities and they never fall off. Of course, this depends on the shape of your ear. These AirPods are pretty much identical to the shape of the typical Apple wired Earphones that come with the iPhones, so if they fit the same way.
  • You can configure double tap on each individual air pod to either activate Siri, Play/Pause, go to the Next Track, Previous Track, or turn off that periarticular bud. I like to set my right ear bud double tap to go to the Next Track, and the left ear bud double tap to go to the previous track.
  • Oh yeah, I and if you want to use the AirPods to answer phone calls, they work perfectly well, my wife couldn’t tell the difference when I used the AirPods vs talking directly on the phone!

 

PROS:
  • Easy to Sync/Connect EVERYTIME
  • Solid 5hr Battery Life w/ Charging Case
  • Small & Compact, even with case
  • Auto Stop/play feature
  • Fits super well (subjective)
  • Stays attached even when laying down
CONS:
  • Look a little goofy.
  • Sound Quality is same as Wired Apple EarBuds
  • Has slight audio delayed for Mac/PC

Things I wish it had:

Room For Improvements:
  • The one feature I wish it could include would be to be able to provide a slide up and slide down gesture on the AirPods to adjust the volume, that would have been awesome!
Conclusion: Are they Worth it?
So for $159, I think these are awesome to have, especially if you have an iPhone 7 or newer device, I totally recommend them. If you have an older apple device or an android device, they will still work via standard Bluetooth, but you lose the instant connecting features of the W1 chipset.; which is a big part of the appeal for me. Bottom line: I used to travel with my Bose QC15 headphones, which I LOVE for the sound quality and noise cancelling abilities, but they are bulky, and I would much rather travel with the AirPods. These are so compact and convenient to use, that I find myself using them all the time. I hope you guys like this review, if you did, please remember to check out the YouTube Video, leave a thumbs up. And if you haven’t already subscribed, please consider subscribing; your support is always greatly appreciated it.

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