Friday 10 August 2012

The New iPad : Everything You Need To Know About

2 comments

The latest to join the queue of the cool tablets flying on the market shelves is the new iPad that Apple rolled out a few months back. The new iPad, iPad3 or third generation iPad…call it by whichever name you wish to, it is undoubtedly one of the coolest gadgets that has become the choice of millions. This new tablet is an amazing and useful gadget for bloggers & we have already covered some of the best Blogging apps for iPad. Now, here is my hands on review of the New iPad after using it for months. I’m sure it will help you to make a decision on to buy it or not to buy.

Frankly, I love the latest gadgets and when it is from Apple, I just can’t resist and finally end up buying one. The latest entry in my gadget world is the new iPad.  Ask me to describe this new gadget in one word and I would say, ‘fabulous‘. I might sound crazy but frankly most share of my hard-earned money goes in buying the gadgets. Before buying the third generation iPad, I was using iPad2 from last 8 or 9 months. After using both the tablets I actually can easily distinguish between the two and share my viewpoint . Though, the new iPad is almost similar to iPad2 lookwise but it comes fully loaded with new features that make it one of the stylishly desirable tablets.
Here I am sharing the positive and negative aspects which I have figured out while using the new iPad that will surely help you to take a decision if you are planning to buy one.

 Key features of the New iPad


Apple A5X (dual-core with quad-core graphics) processor that make it faster than iPad2 that has A5 processor.
One of the groundbreaking features of the new iPad is Retina Display with  2048 x 1536 pixels.
It has 4G LTE cellular technology that will allow you to browse internet and download files at superfast speed.
Mobile users will be excited to see the inclusion of 4G LTE cellular technology, which offers faster mobile downloads.
Another exciting feature that I like in new iPad is its 5 mega pixels/1080p rear camera which is a huge improvement over the iPad2 camera.
It is available with 16GB, 32GB, 64 storage capacity unlike iPad which is now only available in 16GB.
It is first tablet with Bluetooth 4.0 also known as Bluetooth Smart Ready which will help you in faster data transfer between devices.
10-hour battery life, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity, 1GB RAM,  1080p video recording at 30fps, , four and five-finger swipe gestures are the other notable features that enhance the overall user experience.
Adding feather to the cap Apple has announced the upgraded operating system – iOS6 that will bring cool features like Siri : Apple’s voice-activated personal assistant, FaceTime over cellular networks to the new iPad.

The new iPad Vs iPad 2 ?

How is the new iPad different from iPad2 is one question that you all might be curious about. Frankly, I was keenly interested in knowing how it  is different from iPad2 when its design is almost similar. No doubt, the new iPad is thicker and heavier than iPad2 but its features like amazing features make it stand apart from iPad2.
I was quite amazed when I started using new iPad for the first time because the text was razor sharp, colors were quite rich and everything was perfectly detailed because of retina display. Second thing that really blowed me away was its blazing speed while playing games and doing multitasking ; thanks to A5X chip with quad-core processor.

In addition, iOS6 update which is coming this fall will bring features like Siri and Facetime calling over cellular network promising to enhance the overall experience. These two upcoming features will only be available for the new iPad and iPhone 4S users.
Another feature that you might not be aware of is the amazing dictation feature which helps you to convert your words into text. Simply, tap the microphone icon on the keyboard, say what you want to type and it does the typing for you. It was exciting to learn about this cool feature and it was a fun moment to see my new iPad converting my words into text.  Though, if you are an existing iPad2 user and looking to sell it to upgrade your tab to iPad3, I suggest you to wait and stick to iPad2, unless you are complete gadget freak.

Cons of New iPad

It is slightly heavier and thicker than iPad2.
Its reflective screen doesn’t work well in outdoors.
There is no Flash support in the web browser.
The iPad misses out the standard USB port like its predecessors. Same goes for its non replaceable battery and memory card slot.
There is no GPS receiver in the Wi-Fi version
Personally, one thing that bothered me much is that the ‘oh so cool’ tablet becomes uncomfortably hot at times.
If you are interested in basic iOS apps like weather, stocks, clock, calculator, voice memos then you might get bugged up not finding them on your new iPad.
Is it worth buying third generation iPad?
I won’t deny that the new iPad became irresistible to me because I was overtaken by the hype and after using it for sometime I have concluded that it definitely has met my expectations. No matter how strongly we talk about bad side of the coin, fact remains that it is loaded with impressive features. As of now, the biggest USP of the new iPad is its magnificent Retina display but the promising features like Siri and Facetime over cellular networks are sure to make you love the new iPad.

Why should you buy the new iPad?

From my personal experience I am writing down the reason why you should buy it or who should buy it.
If you are the one who is more cautious about image quality between standard-definition and high-definition images then you should go for the new iPad. This is one reason I bought this cool gadget.
It has one of the fast processor with quad-core graphics that will let you enjoy the thrill and excitement of different games.

If speed matters to you a lot then this new tablet from Apple is an ideal choice. The new iPad is 4G enabled device that will offer browsing at amazing speed. Go for the one which works on either AT&T’s 4G network or Verizon’s 4G network for fast connection anywhere.
It is good for those who love to keep their music and video data stored. Unlike iPad2 that has 16GB storage capacity, the new Apple iPad is available in 16GB, 32GB or 64GB capacity. However, I preferred 16GB for the reason that I don’t have too much of music and video data.

Saturday 4 August 2012

FIVE SIMPLE STEPS FOR USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO FIND NEW CLIENTS

0 comments

FIVE SIMPLE STEPS FOR USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO FIND NEW CLIENTS
Have you met any business people lately who weren’t interested in finding new clients?
I certainly haven’t.
But I have met more than a few people who don’t actually get how social media can help them with this challenge.
And often enough, even among those who do have a sense of the potential of social media for lead generation, there is lack of understanding about just how to go about tapping into this opportunity.
These five simple steps provide a framework for using social media to find potential new clients via the social web and then begin engaging with them:
Get clarity about your ideal client
Survey existing clients
Check in where the clients are
Listen for concerns, interests and needs
Share your knowledge

1. GET CLARITY ABOUT YOUR IDEAL CLIENT

Social media provides new opportunities to identify our ideal clients and provides also some new learning and experimentation, especially for those not already comfortable with using social media for business.
Having a clear picture of our ideal client is essential if we are going to:
use our marketing time and budget productively
not be always settling for whoever comes along
This is basic foundational work for any kind of marketing, but taking time out to do it thoroughly is essential.
Our existing clients can help.

2. SURVEY YOUR EXISTING CLIENTS

It seems to me that, one way or another, every book on social media and every social media consultant or coach tells us to find our prospects on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social networking sites, so that we can engage with them there.
Fair enough.
But how do we find them?
One strategy I recommend is to ask our existing clients what they do, what platforms they use, what networks, and how much, on the basis that there is a good chance others like them will have similar social networking patterns of behavior.
I work on the assumption that my clients will be happy to help, within reason, as they will want my business to do well.
Using a tool like Survey Monkey (free or premium) can help in collating and analysing the results of our enquiries (I believe in keeping such surveys simple and brief so that it’s not a burden or nuisance).

3. CHECK IN WHERE THE EXISTING CLIENTS ARE

Once we know where our existing clients spend their time and engage on the social web, we need to make sure we are there too.
We may be already signed up to the platforms and groups they are on. If not, we need to register, for the main ones at least. For most executives or other professionals, we should be able to cover a reasonable amount of the field from the platforms listed in my post from last April, Six Key Social Platforms for Busy Professionals: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Blog and YouTube (and note the recommendation there to not try and become proficient in all of them at once!).
With some ongoing experimentation, we should be able to get a picture of which platforms or networks are likely to be most helpful to our cause.

4. LISTEN FOR CONCERNS, INTERESTS AND NEEDS

Social networks provide priceless information to help us connect with clients and prospects. Once we have a sense of the places and spaces where our clients and prospects are likely to be we can begin to learn more about them by hanging out there ourselves.
The first thing to do is listen. Listen for what the conversations are and for what they reveal about the interests, concerns and needs of the people with whom you want to connect.
The second thing to do is listen some more.
Above all, we have to resist the temptation to immediately use these new channels of communication to broadcast about our products and services.

5. SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Once we have done some listening and developed a sense of the way people are communicating on a particular platform, say on a LinkedIn Group or with Twitter or other social platforms, we can start to share our knowledge and experience.
That does not mean diving in and declaring (however much and however justifiably we believe it) that we have just the product or service to solve their problem. If we do feel we have the answer they need, or at least an answer, and we have a sense that this will be all right to mention, then it is absolutely essential, for our ongoing credibility with the particular group, that we be transparent about the fact that this is our product or service, or – say – that we are affiliates (and thus stand to gain a commission).
What we can be sure of is that if, and as soon as, we start to look like we are just using the group to trawl for clients and not making any positive and reasonably disinterested contribution, people will tune out.
More positively, as we connect with the real concerns and issues of people in the group and offer help and suggestions where we can, people will become more receptive to learning about what we have to offer in terms of products and services.

SOMETIMES A MINDSHIFT IS NEEDED

I fully realize that, for many business people, this way of doing things will not come naturally.
But I believe it’s increasingly the way savvy professionals are going to be finding new clients.
And at the same time keeping “top of mind” for existing clients.
It’s all part of social selling.
Have you tried this approach, or something like it? Please feel free to share your experience.

Thoughts: Don’t forget content, but context is king.

0 comments
Thoughts: Don’t forget content, but context is king.

Following on from my earlier post ”mobile” is now really about the blend of online and offline; enhancing one with the other – social + sensors.

Google are ahead of Apple at present as they have implemented this at the OS level with Google Now.

Google has the advantage of holding its own data whereas Apple is in partnership with various data providers (and will rely on opening up for other areas such as transit information) but that will change.

The one thing that won’t change (at least immediately) is the partnership with Facebook, by necessity that must get stronger, closer and more ingrained – after a disappointing IPO and a share price in free fall Facebook needs all the friend it can get.

And Apple needs the social data.

So how about this scenario:

iOS needs to have location awareness and Facebook integration with the expertise of the Glancee team is the perfect route to achieve this as easily as possible.

Combined with data from the central mapping engine (and maybe acquire some smaller developers that produce location aware apps) Siri could start providing us the type of information supplied by Google now. Google, however, still has the advantage of the Knowledge Graph.

The advantage of doing all of this at the OS level rather than by relying on apps is that you create a standard install baseline so you instantly know that all those with the latest OS running on (probably) the past couple of phone revisions will all be equally capable – and others will want to upgrade to achieve that capability.

No-one is safe

The question then becomes when does Apple acquire or develop its own data sources before dropping its partners? I’ve said before that dropping Google Maps shows all partners that no-one is safe from the cull.

Tourism Tweetup: Connecting Locals & Visitors

0 comments
Tourism Tweetup: Connecting Locals & Visitors

Ask any traveler: would you rather stay in a tourist compound (aka tourist ghetto) or get out and meet the locals? Overwhelmingly, travelers want to meet the locals!
Social media can facilitate this in so many ways. Today I am promoting the idea of connecting guest travel bloggers with local bloggers, to enhance the coverage of the destination and to build a deeper, more personal community online among the many voices in travel. You are invited to a tweetup on Saturday, June 23rd, from 2-3 pm at Flatbread Pizza in Pāʻia. See below for details!
I have long believed that local people are among the very best ambassadors for a locale. After all, we know the secret spots, the shortcuts, the best food, etc. Granted, we don’t always want to give those details away, but speaking for Maui, I know there are many of us who are happy and eager to share our home and help make the visitor experience awesome!
This week the Maui Visitors and Convention Bureau is hosting a group of travel bloggers for a new media press trip. We first did this together back in April, 2010. We used primarily local bloggers due to the short planning window. It was a huge success, both in getting a powerful message out to the people beyond Hawaii, but also in introducing social media to many who live and own businesses here on Maui. It included the launch of a blog for the bureau, VisitMauiBlog.com.
To help our visitors, here is a list of some of Mauiʻs top bloggers. Not all of them will be able to join us tomorrow, but I wanted to create an easy way to see who we are and to invite our guests to tap us, and our blogs, to help tell the stories of visiting Maui! This is a draft list – by no means complete! (Though for this list I am looking for blogs with ample posts that talk about Maui-related topics. Plus, there are many key influencers in our community who are not big on blogging yet who belong in these conversations.)

Southwest Offering 50% Off Flights on Facebook

0 comments
Facebook News 

To celebrate the growth of its Facebook fanbase to 3 million, Southwest Airlines is offering half-off fall flights through the end of the day.

The offer applies to select roundtrip flights (they’re labelled “Wanna Get Away”) that fall on Sept. 5, Sept. 11, Sept. 18, Sept. 25, Oct. 2, Oct. 31 and Nov. 6. Fans are asked to use the promo code “LUV2LIKE” when booking on southwest.com to take advantage of the offer, which expires at midnight PT on Friday.

Southwest wasn’t able to tell me what percentage of its flights qualify for the promotion on each of those days, but I was able to find at least one flight from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to my home airport in Orange County, CA, and back on each. It’s possible to get a partial discount by only booking the initial or return flight of your trip with the discount. Unfortunately, those who have already booked flights on those dates will be unable to take advantage of the offer unless they cancel their previous reservations and make a new one.

Microsoft Ditches Metro Name

0 comments
Microsoft Metro

Microsoft Metro is no more; at least as a brand name for the design style found in Windows 8, Windows Phone and other Microsoft products.

That colorful, boxy and built for touch-interfaces style will remain, but, for now, without a specific name.

Here’s Microsoft’s official statement:

“We have used Metro style as a code name during the product development cycle across many of our product lines. As we get closer to launch and transition from industry dialog to a broad consumer dialog we will use our commercial names.”

That “code name” part is a bit disingenuous. Microsoft seemed far more wedded to the “Metro” name when I met with them last spring, Metro was more than code, it was a philosophy for product development. Metro was, they told me, much more than just a design — though they had no problem acknowledging that there was a thing called the “Metro Design”. They even had posters made up that said both “We Are Metro” and listed out the core tenants of the Metro philosophy.

Those tenets are:

Authentically Digital
Do More with Less
Fast and Fluid
Pride in Craftsmanship
Win as One
To be fair, only a small part of that deals with design, per se. Repositioning Metro as a philosophy may have been an indication that Microsoft was ready to move away from Metro as a public-facing design idea.

There were, it appears, other signals that Microsoft’s love affair with all things “Metro” had run its course. During the unveiling of the Windows 8 preview in Barcelona, Spain, Windows lead Steven Sinofsky and company rarely mentioned Metro, though someone did, at one point, refer to the standard Windows 8 desktop as a “full-screen Metro app.”

Then came the Office 15 or (Office 2013) launch last month. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer never used the word “Metro,” even when it seemed clear that he should. In describing the portions of Office 2013 that would look the most like Windows 8 Metro-style apps (One Note and Lync), Ballmer introduced a new phrase, “Windows 8 Design Style.”

I wrote it down because it struck me as odd. Had Microsoft quietly renamed Metro design style without telling anyone? Yes it had.

Microsoft does not officially have a new name for what was once Metro, though “Windows Design Style” is the leading candidate. What we do know, however, is that when it comes to names, there are no longer any sacred cows at Microsoft.

The Name Game

During that same Office event, Ballmer changed the name of the Office Suite without noting that he had done so. In the run up to the first official preview, the product was known as Office 15. On the launch day, Ballmer never uttered the names “Office 15″ or “Office 2013.” Instead he talked about Office 365 and the “Office Preview.”

And just this week, Microsoft retired one of the oldest names in the tech game: Hotmail. It’s being replaced by Outlook.com. Again, this seemed kind of sudden. I visited Microsoft last spring and met with the Hotmail team. We talked about new features, but not the name. They did, though, hand me a cup with “Microsoft” printed on one side and “Hotmail” on the other. The company was, I thought, pretty wedded to the brand name.

Are brand names a big deal? It depends on the product. Years ago, Microsoft tried to push Hotmail down in favor of the “Windows Live” umbrella brand and then gave up on the effort. Back then the company was willing to admit that the brand affiliation was too strong and was happy to support it.

The death, or at least demotion, of Metro from consumer-facing brand to a corporate philosophy you print on internal, corporate posters, is not going to matter to consumers. On the other hand, it does feel like Microsoft spent a fair bit of capital creating some sort of design recognition revolving around a single name. Now they want us to think that they never really wanted consumers to notice it in the first place.

If Windows Design is the go-forward label, I’m sure most consumers will embrace it. But there will always be a few of us who remember the heady days of Metro Design.

How to Build a Company Culture of Experimentation

0 comments
How to Build a Company Culture of Experimentation

If you are a consumer internet company you should constantly be experimenting with changes to your site or product. That’s because no matter how smart or experienced you are at building things, not all of your ideas will be successful.

The benefits of A/B testing — testing two or more variations in a controlled random setting — are well documented, with numerous websites devoted to A/B testing case studies. Still, many companies only briefly dabble in it. Why? Probably because creating a company culture that’s open to experimentation is tough to do. Plus, integrated A/B testing sounds like a lot of extra work when you already have limited resources.

The truth is, to succeed on a long-term basis, you have to build a culture of experimentation where testing is part of everything you do. Here’s how to get started.

Let Everyone See They Can Be Wrong

People generally believe they will get the product right the first time. As a leader in your company, you need to show everyone why testing is an important investment.

Start small. Choose three to five simple things that employees think they know to be true about the company website, and test each. For example, set an A/B test to change the color or the wording of one page on the site. Have everyone vote on expected results (the percentage lift or decline each change will have). Then, put the team responses in a spreadsheet and send them all a copy. Run the test, tabulate results, and announce them.

On average, even the best people are wrong about half the time. It’s humbling, eye-opening, and the first step to get people to realize how much opportunity for growth exists in testing.

If you need some inspiration for designing a test, check out Which Test Won?. You’ll always find new tests as well as the results.

Make it Easy to Test Ideas

Convenience is critical. The easier it is to do a test, the more tests you’ll be able to do. Consider investing the time up front to build an A/B testing infrastructure as well as an experiments “dashboard” to monitor how all experiments are doing. You can also use existing third party-systems such as Visual Website Optimizer or Optimizely.

Make Brainstorming Part of Your Process

Your experiment results are only going to be as good as the ideas that go into them. Brainstorm at least once a week, and include team members from across the organization. Keep a list of different experiments you want to running at any time. You’ll not only find good ideas but discover that people will get more excited when they realize how many new improvements they could make. And not all of these have to be big changes. According to Visual Website Optimizer, Wikijob, a job site in the U.K., increased sales by 34% by changing its user testimonials.

Make it a Numbers Game

The reality is, when you start testing, only one out of every five experiments will generate positive change. Most will make no difference or have a negative effect. As your website starts improving, your odds get worse. After you’re in the swing of testing, you will have to put a lot of experiments out there just to get a few positive boosts.

Get a Statistics Champion

Your answers must be statistically significant and someone at your company really needs to understand this. You may find that one result outperforms another on day one by 50%, but it might not be statistically significant and you’ll head down a wrong path. Consider setting up your dashboard to automatically calculate and highlight statistically significant shifts. Better yet, get a statistics guru.

Let it Change Your Culture

Proper experimentation can be beneficial for the company but can also be empowering and fun for employees. It gives everyone a chance to make a difference. It’s also a great way to handle disputes. Two people have two strong but different opinions? We no longer argue about it in our offices. We just test it.

Male Advertising Stereotypes are Backfiring

0 comments
Online Advertisers News

Advertisers may want to rethink how they depict men in their advertisements. New research has found that typical depictions of men using overexaggerated male stereotypes actually has a negative impact on men’s willingness to buy a product.

“While partying and promiscuity are often depicted in advertising, some men find these images to be negative portrayals of their gender and are, in fact, turned off by them,” said Cele Otnes, lead researcher and the Investors in Business Education Professor of Marketing at the University of Illinois. “So it’s important to recognize that some men may react negatively or be adversely impacted by such images.”

Some men’s negative reactions occur because they are offended by advertisements that depict these negative images. Men are mostly offended because they feel these ads do not depict them in an accurate and positive way, the research found.

“People build up certain offensive and defensive strategies when they look at ads,” Otnes said. “So if a man is turned off by how males are portrayed in an advertisement, he’ll say, ‘I don’t want to be that guy’ — and that’s the end of his relationship with that brand. So teasing out what’s offensive from a sociological or cultural perspective is important.”

This research holds particular importance to companies and marketers who are looking to capture the male market. Additional research has found that men are the main shoppers in almost one in three households. Taking advantage of this market may be as simple as tailoring advertising campaigns that depict men in a more realistic way.

“A lot of ads directed at males are still dominated by ‘The Player,’ ‘The Beer Drinker’ or ‘The Buddy,’” Otnes said. “But those stereotypes don’t actually fit the vast majority of males. Advertisers and marketers need to broaden the spectrum, and create campaigns centered on more of the actual roles that men play — ‘The Dad,’ ‘The Husband’ and ‘The Handyman.’ Those types of ads weren’t easy to find at the time we were doing our research.”

This study was published in the book Gender, Culture, and Consumer Behavior (Routledge Academic, 2012) which was co-edited by Otnes and Linda Tuncay Zayer, of Loyola University.

5 Things Your Digital Agency Isn’t Telling You

0 comments
Digital-Marketing

Chances are your digital firm is a passionate bunch, devoted 100% to delivering sound, successful communications strategies to its clients. However, as part of any valued relationship, they should be providing you — the client — with counsel that may not always be easy to swallow.

Below are five things you may never hear from your digital half. It’s the kind of stuff guaranteed to ruffle a few feathers and rate high on the squirm-factor scale. But that’s not always a bad thing. So, if your digital partners haven’t brought these possible issues up, don’t be afraid to take the lead.

1. You May Not be a Thought Leader

Is your point of view in step with your organization? Do you struggle with public speaking or lack social media acumen? Sure, you may appear to be the most likely candidate for brand thought leadership, but these kinds of factors might mitigate your ability to serve in that role. This must be addressed honestly and quickly. Although that does not mean it will be.

Your PR firm doesn’t want to have to tell you this. If you feel it might be an issue then acknowledge it. You may not be the best fit for the role, so identify those who are and put them forward. Thought leadership isn’t for everybody and requires commitment, flexibility, and panache.

2. There is No Guarantee

PR professionals aren’t soothsayers. Years of insight, study, and investing in developing mutual relationships empower PR pros to make well-informed decisions. However, no matter how much blood, sweat and tears they invest in the trenches, culling research or building relationships, the end result is ultimately in the hands of the public. And increasingly so thanks to social media.

The public are more savvy and skeptical than ever. Brand trust remains low and hard to acquire, and online behavior is ambiguous at best. In the end, it all comes down to trust. You must trust your team, their experience, and foresight. Trust that they have provided information of value based on the best ethics and best practices. Then cross your fingers with the rest of us that the reception will be strong.

3. KPIs Are an Endangered Species

Social media has flipped traditional measurement on its head. The old KPI measurement model is outdated and egregious the more it’s forced upon digital programs. While standard quantitative indicators can be set (number of tweets, comments, shares), qualitative data can’t necessarily be tallied up. Still, KPI’s can be “smashed” with one re-tweet. Conversely, unforeseen events like Twitter crashing may cannibalize an otherwise promising campaign.

Experienced digital strategists know integrated campaigns always contain some sort of calculated risk. They also recognize that defining digital measurement is like wrestling a bear and likely what keeps brand partners up at night. The human element and technology are powerful allies but opaque in their reliability. KPIs are benchmarks and should always be treated as such.

4. Digital Campaigns Are not Sales Tools

There exists a misconception that digital campaigns are sales tools. This isn’t the case. They are simply the platforms where content exists, audiences gather, conversations happen and interest is gained. The right content strategy will leverage digital media platforms to communicate messages of value and raise interest in the right areas.

If done well, audiences will go to where more information can be found and ultimately purchases will be made. So while digital platforms and analytics tools can measure performance indicators like website traffic, registrations, and purchases, it’s not the campaigns themselves that create the sales.

5. There’s no Such Thing as Free Advice

There’s something very disturbing happening in the PR industry. A turf war exists where firms are doing what they can to win new business. PR firms, ad agencies, and digital marketing shops are giving away business on a trial basis as part of their new business offerings.

Some would argue this is a positive sign of investment; a demonstration that the firm believes in the brand and is confident in future business. But in a struggling economy where many new business wins are project-based, this is simply not a viable solution for either party. What if you’re not in the position to take on the firm at the end of the trial program despite its success? Not many can stomach having just “invested” hundreds of man hours and thousands of dollars with no fiscal return.

On the incremental side, digital is being wedged in as a “bolt on” to an existing plan where the budgets remain the same. Think about it. The scope of the plan has changed, as have the expected results, yet the budget (translation: billable time) remains the same. Chances are you wouldn’t approve a program like this if the roles were reversed, so don’t get in the position where you set up your firm to suffer or even fail.

Meet The One Your Friends Forgot to Introduce You to with Circl.es

0 comments
Social Media News

Genius Idea: Help people find romance by connecting them to their friends’ friends.

The world of dating has changed a lot in the past few years. It’s been just over a decade since online dating hit the mainstream, and only the past five years for it to become part of our collective online culture. However, the idea of meeting a stranger in person for the first time still leaves a lot of people feeling uneasy.

Justin Krause, the creator of Circl.es found the solution — friends of your friends. Many people manage this without the help of the Internet, but for those who have difficulty meeting people in person this could still be helpful. Rather than introducing users to complete strangers, Circl.es uses Facebook to find friends of your friends. Circl.es does not show your friends in match results.

Circl.es only launched this past April, but is already steadily gaining active users. There are no questions about your taste and hobbies, no listing your favorite bands or foods, just the assumption that if you’re friends with someone, you’ll probably have things in common with their other friends. It makes sense. You can skip filling out an absurdly long profile and simply plug in the basics (body type, age, and those you prefer in a partner) and find significant-other-material in your vicinity.

“Your real identity is on display,” Krause told Mashable. “This is anathema to many old-school online daters, but to the younger Facebook generation, using real identities just makes sense to reduce lying and cut through the crap – and seeing mutual friends, education, and the ways someone is expressing themselves to their friends is infinitely valuable when trying to judge dating potential. It really is a revolution in this once-sketchy corner of social media!”

Court Rules Embedding Video Is Not Copyright Infringement

0 comments

Court Rules Embedding Video Is Not Copyright Infringement
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that a site that embeds copyrighted videos from another site is not committing copyright infringement.

Flava Works, Inc. v. Gunter came to a close after the ruling was passed in favor of the defendant, Marques Gunter, the sole proprietor of myVidster.com. The court also ruled that watching an infringing video does not constitute copyright infringement.

The case began in 2010 when the adult video production company, Flava Works, sued video bookmarking website myVidster,for copyright infringement. The Court for the Northern District of Illinois issued myVidster a preliminary injunction in July 2011. It was then appealed to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

The court ruled Thursday that embedding a video that infringes on copyrighted material is not a violation of copyright law. For example, if you found an episode of The Simpsons on YouTube and embedded it in your blog, you would not be violating any copyright laws. That holds true even if the person who uploaded the video ripped it straight from The Simpsonsseason 3 DVD. However, the person who uploaded the video is in violation of the law.

The court’s decision also protects those who watch illegally uploaded copyrighted videos. Judge Richard Posner wrote in Thursday’s ruling:

“…As long as the visitor makes no copy of the copyrighted video that he is watching, he is not violating the copyright owner’s exclusive right … His bypassing Flava’s pay wall by viewing the uploaded copy is equivalent to stealing a copyrighted book from a bookstore and reading it. That is a bad thing to do (in either case) but it is not copyright infringement.”

How the Social Web Is Talking About the Summer Olympics [CHARTS]

0 comments

We’re about halfway through the 2012 Summer Olympics, and social media has played a bigger role for fans than ever before. But who and what have gotten the most buzz?
To find out, we got a slew of information from social media monitoring platform Salesforce Radian6. Its data takes into account a total of more than 150 million sources including Twitter, Facebook, blogs, YouTube and message boards. Below are some of Radian6′s more interesting findings from the July 27 opening ceremony through midday Friday. (One quick disclaimer: the data monitors mostly English-language shares, with obviously has impacts results.)

The United States so far is winning the Olympics in both the physical and digital worlds, according to Radian6′s findings, with 43 total medals and more than 15 million social mentions. Great Britain is second in social mentions at about 3 million, exceeding its fourth-place medal performance to date. The chart below shows the top 10 countries for Olympic-themed social mentions so far:

Among individual athletes, American swimmers Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte lead the Radian6 standings. Phelps, who broke the world record for career Olympic medals this week, is the far and away leader with nearly 600,000 social mentions that also included Olympic keywords. This chart breaks down the top 10:

Phelps didn’t dominate this year like he did in 2008, of course, but social sentiment surrounding him has still be overwhelmingly positive, at 65%. The chart below shows how the Phelps buzz has trended over the past week and, predictably, it hit a massive spike when got his record-setting 19th medal:

Finally, we get to the U.S. women’s gymnastics squad, which took home the team competition gold in dramatic fashion and captured the hearts of many. Gabby Douglas, who also became the first African-American to win the women’s all-around competition, leads the way here. She’s followed by Jordyn Wieber, who came into London with sky high expectations only to falter in her quest for individual gold. This chart shows how the entire “Fab 5,” as the team came to be known, stacks up in social buzz:

How Does Your Internet Service Stack up to Google Fiber?

0 comments
Google recently announced a supercharged fiber-optic  

Google recently announced a supercharged fiber-optic Internet and TV service that it’s testing in Kansas City, Kan., and Kansas City, Mo. Google Gigabit + Fiber TV will offer both insane Internet speeds and a souped-up TV package. It could be the future of broadband in the United States — someday.

Internet bandwidth will be 1 gigabit per second for downloads and uploads, with no data caps. That’s about 100 times faster than typical U.S. broadband connections, according to Google. With that, there would be no buffering before you watch a Netflix video, and most downloads and uploads would be virtually instantaneous.

The biggest TV feature is the DVR — able to record eight TV shows at once and store up to 500 hours of HDTV. Google also includes its Nexus 7 tablet, which acts as a remote control, among other things.

Customers can select just the gigabit Internet service for $70 per month or Internet and TV for $120. They can also opt for free Internet service at 5 megabits per second down and 1 Mbps up, but they have to pay a $300 setup fee.

But there is a catch. Google Fiber TV lacks many premium channels, such as AMC, HBO and ESPN. Google says it will be adding more channels in the future.

SEE ALSO: 5 Steps to Cut Cable and Enjoy TV for Half the Price (TechNewsDaily)
More important, Google Gigabit + Fiber TV is just a science experiment in a few neighborhoods (where enough people sign up) in two cities. And even if it comes to your town someday, it may be overkill. According a new survey by research firm NPD, 64% of Americans don’t even know what their maximum data download speed is. But 90% are happy with whatever they are getting.

Available Internet and TV Services, Compared

In the real world, you can’t yet match the Internet speeds and DVR options of Google Gigabit + Fiber TV. But you can get some close competitors all over the country — for a price. (Details may vary a bit depending on where you live.) Here are a few top-tier options:

AT&T: Max Turbo Internet and U-verse U450 TV

Internet: 24 megabits per second (Mbps) downloads/3Mbps uploads
Channels: 430, including Cinemax, HBO
DVR: One, records four channels at once, 65 hours HD
Availability: 22 states
Price: $188/month
Comcast: Xfinity Extreme 105 Internet and Digital Premier TV

Internet: 105 Mbps down/10 Mbps up
Channels: “More than 300,” including AMC, ESPN, HBO, Showtime
DVR: One, records two channels, 60 hours HD
Availability: 39 states and Washington, D.C.
Price: $180/month
(A 305/65 Mbps service for the Northeast and mid-Atlantic is in the works.)
Time-Warner: Signature Home package

Internet: 50 Mbps down/5 Mbps up
Channels: 350, premium channels cost extra
DVR: Two, each records two channels, 150 hours HD total
Also includes phone service
Availability: 29 states
Price: $199/month
Verizon FiOS 300 and Ultimate HD

Internet: 300 Mbps down/65 Mbps up
Channels: 380, including ESPN, NFL RedZone, Showtime
DVR: One, records two channels, 60 hours of HD
Availability: 12 states and Washington, D.C.
Price: $318/month
(Downgrading to 150Mbps Internet lowers total price to $178/month.)
Google: Gigabit + Fiber TV

Speed: 1,000 Mbps down/1,000 Mbps up
Channels: 162, including Showtime
DVR: One, records eight channels, 500 hours HDTV
Availability: Kansas City, Kan., and Kansas City, Mo.
Price: $120/month

Bon Iver Wants You to Remix His Songs for Spotify Album

0 comments
American folk band

American folk band Bon Iver, winner’s of Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards in February, wants people to remix the songs from its album Bon Iver, Bon Iver.

The 10 best recreations will be featured on Bon Iver’s remix-only album exclusively on music-streaming service Spotify. The top music makers will receive $1,000 each if their versions make it onto the 10-track album.

Dubbed Bon Iver, Bon Iver: Stems Project, the contest on partnering social network Indaba Music provides participants with remixing tools and individual audio stems of the vocals and each instrument.

People can enter remixes here until Aug. 29. The remixes will face a public vote and the most-voted ones will reach Bon Iver for consideration.

Is This App the Next Siri — or the New Big Brother?

0 comments
Saga observes your real-world 

Quick Pitch: Saga observes your real-world activity through the eyes of your mobile phone.

Genius Idea: After Saga has become familiar with your patterns of activity, it starts making personal recommendations.

We all have our daily routines — bus route, favorite coffee shop, the corner deli. Once habits are formed, they are difficult to break, even if there are better options out there.

With Saga, a new app from Seattle startup A.R.O., users are given a chance to try new things based on their past choices.

Saga keeps track of where you are, how you got there and who you’re with — all without you having to check in. The app uses senors already embedded in your phone to record your whereabouts — and suggests places you should visit based on your previous destinations.

In many ways, Saga is Siri‘s silent counterpart. Whereas Siri will answer questions when asked, Saga already knows what you want — and is ready to provide personal recommendations whenever you need them.

Aside from location monitoring and suggestions, Saga also gamifies your life. The app translates the things you do in real life into experience points, allowing you to rack up XP each time you do something cool. If nothing else, earned XP can serve as a reminder to pat yourself on the back for being awesome.

But where is all this data going? Is this app the new Siri or the new Big Brother?

A.R.O. maintains that information collected by Saga is meant only for you, and will never be shared — it is simply meant to improve your life by forcing you to pay more attention to the choices you make every day.

Video Says iPhone 5 Will Be Larger and Thinner Than iPhone 4S

0 comments
Social Media News 2012

All signs are pointing to a larger, thinner iPhone 5. A video released Friday by iPhone5Parts.net supposedly compares the display for the iPhone 4 with what is thought to be the display for the next-generation of the phone.

Obtained by “reliable sources,” the first thing you’ll notice in this video is the purported iPhone 5 screen is much taller than the iPhone 4S version. The upcoming iPhone’s screen measures in at 4.065-inches, compared to the 3.61-inch screen found on the iPhone 4S.

The screen also abandons the iPhone’s current aspect ratio, taking it from 4:3 to 16:9

Along with being larger, the screen is also 10% thinner than the iPhone 4S, according to this video, while still being able to resist scratches.

Keeping in line with previous rumors, the forward-facing camera on the phone will be repositioned to right above the earpiece on the phone rather than to the left where it currently resides.

The home button on the phone is also slightly smaller.

The iPhone 5 or “New iPhone” is expected to be announced at a rumored Apple event on Sept. 12. Rumors speculate that the phone will be released about a week later, on Sept. 21.

The iPhone 4S was released on Oct. 4, 2011, making a late September or early October release — based on history alone — seem likely.

In addition to some huge exterior changes, the iPhone 5 is also expected to have some undated specs under hood including a faster processor and LTE connectivity.

Do you think this is a video of the iPhone 5 front panel? What do you think we can expect from the next-generation of the iconic handset? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Important Site lists for all Seo Lovers.

13 comments
                            
Link Juice Definition
I am Aslam a Seo Lover. Computer and Internet technologies is my second love. I had tried to gather the internet marketing professional on one platform to perform well and contribute best to internet technology. These sites will will help you while working with search engine optimization. I had posted Free Press release sites, article sites, blog posting sites, bookmarking sites, directory submission sites, blog commenting sites, Rss feed sites, Link feeds sites and various on page tips.


Link Wheel Sites

Follow are the sites that are required for creating a Link Wheel.


www.Blogsome.com
www.Blogger.com
www.Squidoo.com
www.Wetpaint.com
www.Wordpress.org
www.EzineArticles.com
www.VOX.com
www.Quizilla.com
www.Weebly.com
www.LiveJournal.com
www.HubPages.com
www.Onsugar.com
SEO Lover
www.Prlog.org                 
www.Devhub.com
www.Yolasite.com
www.Terapad.com
www.Beep.com
www.Webnode.com
www.Viviti.com
http://www.squidoo.com/
http://www.blogger.com
http://quizilla.teennick.com/
http://www.weebly.com
http://pinterest.com
http://hubpages.com
http://multiply.com
http://blog.com
http://www.livejournal.com/
http://www.wetpaint.com
http://www.insanejournal.com/
http://www.100zakladok.ru
http://business.blinkweb.com
http://www.tumblr.com
http://www.jimdo.com
http://www.wordpress.com
http://www.webs.com
http://www.webgarden.com/
http://www.jigsy.com
http://www.del.icio.us
http://www.Digg.com
http://www.diigo.com
https://www.amazon.com
https://aol.com/
http://www.baang.ir/
http://www.baidu.com/
http://www.beat100.com/
http://www.bebo.com/                                
http://bentio.com/
http://www.biggerpockets.com
https://bitly.com/
http://www.bizsugar.com/
https://bland.is/
http://blinklist.com/
http://blip.pl/
http://www.blogkeen.com/
http://blogtrottr.com/
http://www.blurpalicious.com/
https://bo.lt/
http://bonzobox.com/
http://www.bookmerken.de/
http://www.bordom.net/
https://www.box.com/
http://www.buddymarks.com/
http://bufferapp.com/
http://www.care2.com/
http://www.chiq.com/
http://www.cirip.ro/
http://www.citeulike.org/
Link Juice Calculator
http://www.classicalplace.com/                                  
http://www.cleanprint.de/
http://clipdo.com/
http://www.connotea.org/
http://www.cosmiq.de/
https://www.curate.us/
http://designbump.com/
http://www.diggita.it/
http://digthiswebhost.com/
http://dipdive.com/
http://www.dosti.com
http://www.douban.com/
http://www.dropjack.com
http://www.dzone.com
http://evernote.com/
http://www.facebook.com/
http://www.extraplay.com
http://www.fark.com/
http://www.farkinda.com/
http://www.fashiolista.com
http://www.folkd.com
http://www.faves.com
http://www.business-planet.net/
http://multiply.com
http://www.stumbleupon.com/

If This post help you then Like my facebook fan page and follow my blog.