Internet and real life

Next iPhone to be unveiled in October

2011-09-22T13:30:00.002-06:00

Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States and current Apple board member stated that new Apple iPhones will be released next month. This was said during a speech he gave at the Discovery Invest Leadership Summit. I haven't been able to find any official release from Apple yet.

Review: Samsung Galaxy Tablet 10.1

2011-09-22T13:25:00.002-06:00

Here is a review of the Samsung Galaxy Tablet which is currently rated as the best choice for Android Tablets. http://pcworld.co.nz/pcworld/pcw.nsf/mobile/review-samsung-galaxy-tab-101

Facebook unveils Timeline profiles

2011-09-22T13:17:00.004-06:00

Here is a good article on the changes that came this week to Facebook. Most people complain whenever a change is made. In my opinion, the changes have all been good. It is just a matter of getting used to the new formats and making sure that you have your settings the way that you want them. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/technologylive/post/2011/09/live-coverage-facebooks-f8-developer-conference/1

March Madness

2011-03-18T09:40:00.001-06:00

Syracuse, Duke, Kansas and Wisconsin are already front runners for the Final Four — in Internet buzz at least.

March Madness is just beginning, but these four teams topped the positive online buzz rankings, according to Zeta Interactive. The agency analyzed about 200 million blogs, message boards and social media websites looking for keywords related to each of the 68 first-round teams. (For instance, “I have Duke winning my bracket” would count as a positive mention, while “I don’t think Duke will make it past the Sweet 16,” is a negative.)

Zeta also picks Gonzaga, Utah State and Richmond as favored “upset” teams this year.

And now to add my buzz in........Go Marquette!

Facebook Change is good... Yes it is!

2011-02-11T16:56:00.004-06:00

Yesterday was quite a shock for anyone in the social media marketing business. Not that we weren't warned that the changes in Facebook were coming but we didn't know quite how or what things would look like.

The good news is that we can now have more control over our Fan pages and we can switch back and forth between our personal profiles and our Fan pages to see notifications that are on our Fan Pages! That is a great feature!

As developers, We now have the ability to completely customize our client's Fan Pages! We can run applications, emulate websites, and the possibilities are endless!

With Facebook's new IFrame Apps we can really take Facebook to the next level.

If you currently have a Facebook Fanpage and find the new changes overwhelming, feel free to give me a call and I will walk you through the new structure. 715-377-0233.

Here is a great article summarizing the changes http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/facebook-pages-get-redesign-927940

Facebook in the sky!

2011-02-01T10:33:00.001-06:00

Can’t wait to update your Facebook status even when you’re 30,000 feet in the air? You’re in luck; several airlines have teamed up with Gogo Inflight Internet and Ford to offer free in-flight Facebook access throughout the month of February.

Gogo’s partners in this promotion include AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines, U.S. Airways and Virgin America.

It’ll work like this: Once the travelers are allowed to turn on tablets, phones, laptops and other personal electronic devices, they will be able to access the Gogo Wi-Fi network, and then click on the Ford/Facebook banner to access Facebook.

If you want to access something other than Facebook, you’ll have to pay a fee, starting at $4.95 and depending on the flight’s duration. Gogo says that Facebook is its number-one website visited by travelers, and Gogo hopes that customers will get hooked to the service during the free promotion in February.

iPhone coming to Verizon

2011-01-11T10:59:00.005-06:00

Even though I am a devoted Droid user, I thought I would let you iPhone lovers know that Verizon just announced that it will be carrying the iPhone 4 early next month.

The Verizon iPhone 4 will be available on February 10. Existing Verizon Wireless customers can pre-order beginning February 3.

The 16GB iPhone 4 will be $199.99 with a two year activation and data package. The 32GB version will cost $299.99 — the same cost offered by AT&T.

One nice thing that I do see coming out of this is the possible lowering of prices on any upcoming new phones. With the competition increasing, we could be able to get new phones more often than every two years which would be great!

Toshiba will announce a new, yet unnamed 10.1-inch Android tablet this week

2011-01-03T11:04:00.003-06:00

Toshiba will announce a new, yet unnamed 10.1-inch Android tablet this week.

The device is not yet ready for production as it awaits the new version of Android (Honeycomb), which is believed to be optimized for tablets. Features include: a dual-core Tegra 2 chip, a capacitive, 1280×800 resolution display, and a 5-megapixel back camera as well as a 2-megapixel front camera for video calls.

It has a full-sized USB and a mini-USB jack, HDMI, an SD card slot, and a rubberized, spill-resistant, replaceable back cover.

I will keep you updated as more details become available but this is definitely going to be on my "must have" list.

HDD Virus Alert

2010-12-13T13:43:00.003-06:00

Over the past few days I had many calls from clients and family members who have fallen victim to the HDD virus that has spread across the Internet.

The HDD virus was initially spread via fake ads on Google and MSN produced by hackers. The virus disguises itself as a computer optimization and analysis program that displays false information so that it can scare you into thinking that there is something wrong with your computer in order to scare you into purchasing the program.

If you think you might have this virus, you can get rid of it with a few simple steps:

1) Boot your computer into safe mode - Shut down your computer fully. Press the power button to start it back up and then press the F8 key repeatedly. Use your arrow keys and the Enter button to select SAFE MODE

2) Once in safe mode you should go to START, PROGRAMS, ACCESSORIES, SYSTEM TOOLS, then select SYSTEM RESTORE.

3) Follow the instructions for restoring your computer to a date before you believe you had the virus

4) SYSTEM RESTORE takes a while to perform but once it is done you should be back to your normal windows screens

5) Now you need to remove the virus. You can do this by purchasing any good Malware removal tool. I recommend Spyhunter from Enigma Software http://www.enigmasoftware.com/products/

Hope this helps!

How Important are Testimonials?

2010-11-08T13:30:00.005-06:00

As you can see, I recently re-branded my website, print collateral and social media. It is always a difficult decision and process. However, when your image becomes out-dated, it is a "must!"

I am always telling my clients how important testimonials are to their business and their website. As I was re-designing my own website, I realized that I needed to "practice what I preached."

With a simple E-mail to my most current project clients asking them for a testimonial, I was able to update my testimonial page with some great comments. To be honest, it felt really good to get an E-mail or two every day from someone telling me how I had impacted their business and I was constantly updating my testimonial page for a while.

The moral of this story is.... Don't be afraid to ask your customers for testimonials or how they feel about your products & services. You might be surprised at what they write and it is a great way to showcase your business on your website and gain trust from prospective customers. Beyond that, it can be highly motivating.

You can read all the great comments here http://www.wizedezigns.com/testimonials.html

So thank you to all the Wize Clients out there for your business and support!

Start looking for geek gifts!

2010-11-02T09:54:00.003-06:00

Now is the time to start searching for the perfect gift for the geek in your life. One way to get a quick glimpse of the top deals is to visit this handy page http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/hot-tech-deals

The website gives you a listing of the top deals found on the Internet over the last 24 hours.

Cool Halloween Android Apps

2010-10-28T09:44:00.003-06:00

Here are some Android apps to keep your Halloween fun. Search for them at the Marketplace!

Creepy Tales is a collection of short stories, tales and urban legends. This Android app has stories organized in categories for ghosts, mysteries, insanity and demons. Free.

Hauntcast Radio brings you feeds, updates and live streams from the popular podcast. The program covers haunt news, horror reviews, music and interviews. Free.

Spooky fun
In Zombies Live you start out as a lowly zombie, freshly undead. Fight your way to the top, in order to become the most powerful crypt lord, battling zombies and vampires. Free.

Halloween Countdown offers a new icon each day. Ghosts, glowing pumpkins, black cats and flying witches are just some of the widgets that will rotate on your home screen. $1.00

The Mask is an app that turns your phone into a fun facial effect. Choose from a number of creepy cover-ups, like bloody vampire teeth, jagged jack-o-lanterns and chattering skull heads. Free.

The Halloween Memory Match lets you choose a skill level, and get to matching! Each card flip reveals a ghost, goblin, mummy, pumpkin and more. Free.

I know what I want for Christmas... Google TV must read!

2010-10-13T08:28:00.002-06:00

Sony unveiled its newest TV line at a media event last night in New York City. The new model line, known simply as Sony Internet TV, gives users access to the Web like never before. Unlike current Internet-connected TV sets that give users closed, restricted access to the Internet - meaning they can only use special online apps - Google TV literally lets users access everything on the Internet, from their TV. No external box required.

The TV platform uses a full Web browser, Google Chrome, letting users do whatever they want on the World Wide Web, while also watching TV. That's something else unique about Google TV, because most other IPTV applications force TV playback to be halted in order to devote all of the unit's resources to the app.

Sony Internet TV can keep a live TV picture-in-picture box on the bottom-right of the screen no matter what other apps or websites you're running in the background. The TV itself has an Intel Atom chip inside it to power everything. It also has 8 GB of storage, unlike the very measly handful of megabytes Samsung offers on its Internet-connected TVs.

Sony Internet TVs go on sale at Sony Style stores across the country beginning this weekend. They'll also be available in Best Buy on October 24. Price range from $600 -$1400.

I am totally excited about this so if you need a new website, search engine optimization or social media marketing help, let me know. I gotta find a way to get one of these!

The Facebook Announcement

2010-10-12T12:46:00.004-06:00

I promised that I would update you on this latest announcement but, in my opinion, the only cool thing to come out of it was the ability to download a .zip file of everything you ever uploaded to Facebook.

I was waiting for the feature to come live and it already is for some accounts so I will give you the instructions:

Sign in to Facebook and select Account -> Account Settings. In the dialog box that pops up, look for Download Your Information near the bottom. You may not have it yet. If you do and you click, it will submit a request to Facebook to create the Zip file. That could take a few minutes to a few hours, since it involves collecting, formatting and compressing everything you have posted. When the Zip is ready, Facebook will send you an e-mail with a link to the download. If you don't have it yet, keep checking over the next few weeks!

Once the Zip file is downloaded to your computer, just double-click it to see what’s in there. There’s an index page that, when double-clicked, will open in your browser. A simplified profile page links to your photos, videos, etc. Or you can skip the index page and use your computer’s desktop to open the photos folder inside the file to see all your photos saved.

Our lives are now archived! Pretty Cool IMO

The Social Network - The Movie

2010-09-16T15:42:00.002-06:00

I meant to blog about this a while ago when I first saw the trailer but time is a funny thing and just because something is on my brain doesn't mean that I have time to talk about it.

Mark your calendars for Oct. 1st. The movie "The Social Network" comes out that day http://thesocialnetwork-movie.com/ . This movie is about the founding of Facebook and the struggle with other budding social media platforms. I am expecting it to be much like "Pirates of Silicon Valley," another awesome movie, IMO. Now wait, my mind is thinking of the comparision of Anthony Michael Hall to Justin Timberlake. I can buy AMH as a geek, but Justin? I'm not sure but if he can pull it off that is just fine with me! Maybe his next song will be "I'm Bringing Geeky Back."

Yahoooooooo!! hmm we'll see

2010-09-16T15:32:00.002-06:00

Yahoo Inc., struggling to win back Internet users who have been drawn to popular sites such as Facebook says that it plans to give many of its products a makeover this fall. At a special event held today at the company’s Sunnyvale, Calif., headquarters, Yahoo’s Blake Irving, who joined the company as chief product officer in April, said Yahoo is going to “feel a little bit different.”

Among its plans: Yahoo will let users send messages and post updates to Twitter from its site. It is also planning to make its e-mail service twice as fast and plans to stock its search pages with more visual content to engage users. It’s also working on a revamped advertising platform.
Irving said new features, updates and products will come out faster than in the past because Yahoo is going to focus on innovation. He pledged that Yahoo will get its “cool” back.

My take on this..... Wow Yahoo you came to the prom at 11:45!!!! The good news for them is that they still have some loyal users and they will still be a contender in the search engine market share. I doubt they will be able to conquer social media though so they might want to go back to the drawing board and try to find a different way to keep their market share.

Facebook Dislike Button Is Fake [WARNING]

2010-08-19T08:34:00.003-06:00

A new Facebook scam is circulating which attempts to get users to install the non-existent Facebook feature, the dislike button.

There is no such thing as an official Facebook dislike button. It’s possible that Facebook will implement a similar feature in the future, but right now it simply does not exist.

So, if you see a status update containing the message “I just got the Dislike button, so now I can dislike all of your dumb posts lol!!” or “Get the official DISLIKE button now” followed by a link, you should know that it’s another one of many scams that aim to extract your personal data.

I advise you not to click on suspicious links on Facebook, especially if they promise something that sounds impossible or unlikely. Do not give away your personal information, unless you’re absolutely sure why and who you’re giving it to.

Amazon Releases Kindle App for Android Phones

2010-07-06T09:34:00.002-06:00

My Droid never ceases to amaze me and this gets me super pumped!

Amazon is quickly expanding the reach of its electronic books business by offering its Kindle application on PCs and mobile phones.

Amazon just announced the release of a new Kindle reading application, called Kindle for Android, that is available as a free download for phones running Google’s Android software.

A Site for the Videos You Don’t Want Everyone to See

2010-06-15T09:44:00.000-06:00

Some people post videos to YouTube and Facebook with the hope that everyone will see them. But for many others, the idea of the whole world viewing a personal video is not what they want.

VidMe, a new video site lets people share videos privately with only a chosen group of friends; the videos cannot be forwarded or downloaded.

The Butterfly Effect

2010-06-11T09:55:00.000-06:00

Can the simple flutter of a butterfly’s wings change the world forever? If you’re a believer in the butterfly effect, the answer is indeed yes.

The notion of the butterfly effect states that a seemingly minor event can create ripples that ultimately trigger an outcome of far larger proportions.

It’s known as the butterfly effect based on the idea that a butterfly flapping its wings on one side of the earth can create a tornado on the other side. Real life butterfly effects are now evident online everyday in social media!

It all starts with a tweet, post or blog! The question to ask yourself is if you are a Caterpillar, Cocoon or a Butterfly!

My own thoughts on SEO

2010-05-11T10:11:00.005-06:00

Lately, I have been talking to a lot of people about Search Engine Optimization and Submission (SEO). I am amazed when I find out that website owners might be working with a firm on their SEO but have no idea what they are paying that firm to do. Surprisingly, many know little about what good SEO is and how to achieve it and the firm they are working with has done little to explain the process to them.

What all website owners should know is that every SEO specialist has their own philosophies on what makes for good SEO. It takes a lot of explaining so I decided to jot down mine. This way I will have a place for prospective clients to go and read about my philosophy on SEO and what really works! I hope you enjoy it and also please contact me if you have any questions at all! Thanks

PART I: Keyword Optimization
The first step in a search engine optimization campaign is to choose your keyphrases for each of your web pages. Keyphrases are the terms that search engine users type in the search box to conduct a query. The right keywords are those that:

1. clearly describe the purpose and content of your site (what you do or sell & where you do it)
2. allow your site to show up as close to the first results page as possible.

Look at your business carefully and write down the words and phrases that best define what you do and where you do it. Try to form two or three word phrases, since competition for one-word keyphrases is fierce, and it is virtually impossible to get a top position for them. Once you have developed your list of potential keyphrases you are ready for the next step: to analyze the demand and supply for those keyphrases, and choose the best ones (those with good demand and not enough supply).

My favorite way to do this is using Google's keyword selector tool https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordSandbox Using this tool will let you type in your selected keyphrases and then give you the amount of times these were used in a search. It will also suggest new keyphrases.

The next step is to check the supply, or, in other words, to see how much competition there is for your selected keywords. You want to focus on keyphrases where competition is less fierce so the more unique your keywords are the better! For this step, go to Google and type-in each of your keyphrases in the search box. Enter your keyphrases with and without quotation marks and see how many results each individual query produces, making a note of those with a relatively small number of results (less competition).
You will stick with the keyphrases that:
1. Best describes what you do where you do it
2. Is a popular search term according to Google's keyword selector
3. Generates a relatively small number of results after performing the Google search.

PART II: Web Page Optimization
Once you have chosen your keyphrases, the next stage is to optimize your page for those keyphrases. You do that by positioning your keywords in strategic locations within your page.

• Create a descriptive title for your page: Your web page title is very important because it is what the search engines display as link text as the result of a search. The title must include your main keyphrases!
• Unless your business is big and well known (like Microsoft or Coca Cola) don't start your page title with the name of your company. Start your title with the words search engine users will most likely use (your keyphrases)
• Put your main keyphrases at the beginning of your page title (keyphrase prominence) and keep your keyphrases together (keyword proximity).
• Keyphrases in your Keyword Meta Tag: Search engines rarely use the Keyword Meta Tag any more (Google completely ignores it). However, place a list of your main and secondary keywords in the Keyword Meta Tag of your page, just in case search engines decide to use them again in the future.
• Keyphrases in your Description Meta Tag: The Description Meta Tag is still important, since some search engines use them to elaborate on the results link.
• Keywords in the body of your page: It is important to use your keywords heavily on your page, since this will help the search engine determine the topic of your page.
• Use your keyphrases several times in the text of your pages, and place them as close to the top of the page as possible.
• Place your keyphrases between Header Tags (H1, H2 or H3) in the first two paragraphs of your page.
• Place your keyphrases in the alternate image tags on your site
• Repeat your keyphrases often to increase your keyphrase density.
• Since you have to repeat your keyphrases often, you must be especially careful not to make your text sound awkward.
• You must make your page easy to navigate by the search engines. Search engines heavily favor text over graphics, and HTML over other editing formats.
• Use text heavily, especially in your navigation bar. Avoid placing text in graphic format since the search engines won't be able to read it.
• Avoid frames. Search engines have trouble following them, and they may index only the framed content page and not the navigation frame.
• Avoid Flash and JavaScript: search engines don't follow either one.
• Create a Site Map that includes all the pages in your site and submit it to the search engines. When the search engine follows the site map link, it will find and index all the pages in your site!
• Make sure that all your internal pages link to your homepage.

Part III: The next and final step to increase your site's ranking is to get as many links to your site as possible, from quality sites that have a topic related to yours.

Once you have selected your keyphrases and optimized your pages for them, the last step is to make sure that you get linked from the best directories, and from lots of quality sites with a topic related to your site's. The best search engines, and in particular Google (who alone can deliver 80% of the search engine traffic to your site) "crawl" the web looking for links to your site. They interpret a link to your page as a vote, and the more links (votes) you have coming from quality sites the higher your page rank will be, and the higher the possibility that your page will achieve a good position in the search results pages. The best way to do this is to seek out other websites and directories that will give you a free link back or a reciprocal link back.

The Flash debate - cont... & html5

2010-04-30T06:33:00.003-06:00

Back when I blogged about the iPad, I told you that it was a deal breaker for me because it didn't support Flash, which is a major plug-in that supports many videos and websites. Yesterday, Apple's Steve Jobs confirmed that the iPad, iPhones, etc... would never support flash. He called the plug-in proprietary, a battery hog and ill-suited for modern mobile devices.

So what does this mean for the future of web development? Not to worry, there is a solution. HTML5, a new Web technology that Apple is promoting. The biggest thing about HTML5 is that it will eliminate the need for 3rd party plug-ins such as Adobe Flash and MS Silverlight.

What does this mean to you? Don't freak out because you have a Flash website. There will be plenty of work-arounds coming that will probably allow your website to function properly for years. However, if you are in the process of getting a website developed I would recommend that you steer clear of Flash and any other technologies that require plug-ins. Let your developer know that you would like your website to be html4 and css code compliant and that you would like it adaptable to html5 when it is fully rolled out and stable.

Personally, I am very happy for these changes. I never liked Flash and rarely use it on websites except for accents or photo galleries. I am looking forward to the seeing the evolution of html5!

What's That Bird - MAMA's story

2010-04-12T06:56:00.001-06:00

Every year I have the same bird that comes and nests right below my deck outside my office window. I call her "Mama." She always nests in the same spot and lays her eggs. They usually survive and fly from the nest in late July.

The problem is that I just don't know what kind of bird she is and it is driving me crazy. I decided to search out a website. I came across http://www.whatbird.com/ It is a pretty cool in that it has a wizard that you can run to help you identify what bird you are looking for.

Unfortunately, I still can't be sure what kind of bird Mama is so I need to keep searching. Please let me know if you know of any good websites that I can try.

Above Mainstream - The name says it all!

2010-04-05T08:22:00.013-06:00

For the last year, I have been blogging endlessly about the importance of Social Media Marketing. Well if you haven't gotten the hint yet, you are now officially way behind the curve. The hottest new trend in social media marketing has emerged and it is called FMBL! (Facebook Mark-up Language) What is FBML and why do you need it? Well, basically it is a way to take your Facebook Fan Page to the next level. Custom programming and tabs allow you to mimic your existing website or spice up your existing fan page. The "WOW" factor that this gives your existing and potential fans will show them that you are serious about Social Media Marketing.

So you have a Business Fan Page, so what? So does everyone else. Now is the time to jump ahead of your competition and get yourself a Custom Fan Page. Need help? Of course you do. This stuff is not for novices! Check out http://www.abovemainstream.com/ and www.facebook.com/abovemainstream and call them today! I can personally recommend this firm and I can tell you that the owner comes from a very stong gene pool of programming - Me, her Mom, LOL

I am currently getting my Custom Fan Page programmed so look for that link to come later this week! Exciting!

Also, please check out this video on Social Media Marketing!

I sure hope Johnnie doesn't read my blogs

2010-03-24T07:18:00.002-06:00

First I just want to apologize for not blogging the last 2 weeks. I just got back from an incredible family vacation cruise on the Carnival Dream. The weather was perfect and the ship was amazing. One big change was the amount of computers they had on board for use. They were everywhere. You could literally hop on and check your facebook and email anytime you wanted. They named them "fun hubs."

Now on to the blog.... I just read that Nintendo has released plans for their newest gaming device, The Nintendo 3DS, on which games with three-dimensional capability can be played without the need for any special glasses. The company said that the new 3DS could possibly be out before Christmas which would mean my 13 year old son won't have to think about what to put on his list. I also read that the existing DS games will be compatible with the device, nice!