http://bit.ly logo

Originally uploaded by fakeinside

bit.ly has just published a series of best practices and suggested third-party tools for integrating into your bit.ly Pro account. Check out the list at:

http://k.eep.me/3rdpartytools

What’s a bit.ly?

bit.ly is a URL shortening service that allows you to share and shorten links from almost anywhere. URL shortening is useful for social media users, mobile devices such as iPhones or BlackBerries, as well as creating memorable URLs to make it easy for others to follow your links.

bit.ly also allows you to check statistics on your links, such as how many clicks, top referrers and more. bit.ly Pro permits you to use your own custom domain to create more memorable links for your readers. My “k.eep.me” domain above is an example of a custom Pro domain.

Google Real Time search is now available to search for trends, information and conversations based upon your search criteria. From the Reuters article:

Google’s real-time search engine, which indexes and serves up status updates, messages and other public content from sites like Twitter and Facebook, now has its own Web address and contains new filtering capabilities.

Visit Google Real Time Search here, and enter in your search text. The address www.google.com/realtime will eventually be available for everyone; Google started its roll out on Thursday 8/26. In the meantime, this link works for all.

Google Real Time search allows you to refine your results, pinpointing by time, location and more. Being able to read complete discussion threads also allows you to gain context as you search.

Interesting then, according to BNET, “the number of searches performed in the US were down 16 percent year over year.” BNET says that it’s due to the social networks’ alternative method of search.

Google loves experiments, and has clearly shown that it is not afraid to try something and fail (latest example: Google Wave). Will Google Real Time Search add value? Only time will tell.

Gmail

Originally uploaded by gaharoni

Unless you have been living off the net for some time now, you know that Gmail offers free accounts with over 7 gig of storage; Google Premier Apps customers get 25 gig per user for $50 a year.

Google encourages you, therefore, to save everything. As a virtual assistant, I receive many large files and attachments. 7 gig gets used up more quickly than you might think.

Periodically, I therefore use the tips and tricks from this Lifehacker post as a good starting point for scrubbing my Gmail account back down to size.

Have a favorite tip for clearing out your no longer needed Gmail junk? Please share it in the comments!

Soap Box

Originally uploaded by oliver.tomas

How to be a successful leader of an organization of non-paid volunteers: praise what they do, thank for what they give, share your gratitude and appreciation with the whole organization. If your volunteers aren’t getting money, they need to get your appreciation and gratitude (and they still do even when they **are** paid). Criticism and complaints gather you no loyalty or respect. People want to give for those who appreciate them.

Yeah, you know who’s being referred to here, West Chester organization! To put this more simply:

“You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.” – Nana

On the phone

Originally uploaded by Heidi and Bondi

Tomorrow’s ezine will talk about how, with a bit of patience, you can reduce or eliminate significant cell phone charges by using a few tech tricks.

It’s note too late! Subscribe to our weekly tech and productivity tips

Each Monday, I’ll start your week with a tech or productivity tip from my trusty tool kit. I hate spam as much as you do. Your email address will never be sold, rented or otherwise used without your permission.

In addition to my weekly Monday tip, I will occasionally send you a newsworthy item – no more than 1 additional message per week.

Lib in boots

Originally uploaded by BCR Librarian

“There is only one satisfying way to boot a computer.”

- J. H. Goldfuss

I love Gmail, and I love using all the keyboard shortcuts that it provides. Sometimes, though, my hands get ahead of my brain.

Today, I accidentally muted a conversation on Gmail.  Did you know there is no “unmute” button?  I didn’t either. A quick search brought up this solution from Lifehacker:

Select the message and click the “Move to inbox” button.

That’s how to remove the mute tag.  Seriously Google — how about a button or menu pick in the drop down?

Panasonic Calculator model JE-855U, 1972

Originally uploaded by galessa’s plastics

I read this tip on the Mac TidBITS blog, and it’s a great one!

Calculate with Spotlight

“Have a quick calculation to perform? Don’t bother opening Calculator, simply enter the calculation into Spotlight’s search bar, and Spotlight displays the answer as the top item. To perform further calculations, hit Return, or click the answer, and Spotlight launches Calculator.”

Was this post helpful? Subscribe to our weekly tech and productivity tips

Each Monday, I’ll start your week with a tech or productivity tip from my trusty tool kit. I hate spam as much as you do. Your email address will never be sold, rented or otherwise used without your permission.

In addition to my weekly Monday tip, I will occasionally send you a newsworthy item – no more than 1 additional message per week.

Today I moderated a webinar for a client. Attendees paid to participate – as much as $159. Once their payment was received, they were sent a login to the webinar.

15/365

Originally uploaded by iamsymmetrical

This is where it gets interesting

One of the attendees chose to share her login credentials with two other individuals. That is — two other individuals who did not pay to attend. Following the webinar, one of the non-registered “stealth attendees” sent an email congratulating my client on a great presentation and asking for a copy of the slides. Pretty brazen, IMHO. Or maybe just really dumb to expose himself as a non-paying, unregistered attendee.

Sharing someone else’s webinar login is stealing

These people stole $318 from my client and her co-presenter today, then had the nerve to ask for a copy of the slide deck. Thinking that you can sneak in on someone else’s paid registration is unethical – perhaps illegal – and not very respectful to presenters who’ve spent long hours assembling their quality presentation.

Please don’t steal paid electronic content of any kind.