The InTechnically Savvy Blog

Is Google Circumventing Do Not Track On Purpose or On Accident? You Decide.

Samuel Smith — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:13:24 +0000

In case you aren’t aware, there is unresolved legislation in the US Congress that, ideally, forces major Internet advertisers (read – the ones that have something to lose if they disobey federal laws) to comply with a “Do Not Track” setting on browsers. In short, the legislation says that browsers can feature a tick-mark on their browser that allows people to opt out of ad tracking, and sites like Google, DoubleClick, and other major ad networks have to respect this.

The measure is widely, widely supported by Americans. According to research completed by privacyrights.org,

“Privacy advocates worry that as more and more data is compiled about us — without our knowledge or active consent — it will be combined to reveal a detailed profile, even our actual identities. This data is often collected to market goods and services to us, encouraging us to buy them. There are a number of companies that specialize in targeted online advertising called “behavioral marketing.” Companies say consumers benefit by being exposed to more targeted advertising and that online merchants can make more money more efficiently by targeting the right shoppers.”

Why, then, is “Don’t Be Evil” corporation Google willfully circumventing the “Do Not Track Me” applications and extensions that currently exist for FireFox and Safari? I won’t even start to suggest that they support such a feature on Chrome, as they can do what they want with their own browser, but when these features are requested by the public, implemented on the tech-side for easy use, and then willfully circumvented by Google, one might suspect that they are, in fact, pulling the wool over our collective eyes about their true nature.

(I, for one, welcome our new Google overlords. And if I disappear one day, you’ll know why.)

One thing is for certain: Until the US Congress passes Do Not Track and thereafter threatens Google with fines for non-compliance, Google will NOT sacrifice their profits, even amongst legitimate civil concern.

Public Statements Made By Google

The largest problem Google faces at this point is the two-faced nature of their public statements regarding Do Not Track.

On Google’s “Advertising Cookie Opt-Out Plugin” page, Google publishes the opt-out procedure that it agrees to follow for each individual browser. For Safari, they clearly state “While we don’t yet have a Safari version of the Google advertising cookie opt-out plugin, Safari is set by default to block all third-party cookies.” Unfortunately, according to research conducted by Jonathan Mayer, a Stanford graduate student, this is simply not true. The Wall Street Journal published an article on the topic, stating “that ads on 22 of the top 100 websites installed the Google tracking code on a test computer, and ads on 23 sites installed it on an iPhone browser.” What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate. While Google states that Safari “automatically disables” this tracking, it seems that it only disables active tracking, and certain forms of passive tracking are still allowed, and shared, by default on Safari.

The EFF publishes an open letter to Google, saying, “It’s Time for Google to Make Amends.”

Since a lot of people rely on Safari to browse the web, including almost all iPhone users who have few other options, it seems like Apple should step forward and take some blame for this too, as this kind of tracking -could- be blocked at the browser level with a better system for managing cookies.

Sources

The Benefits of Cloud Computing: Beyond Cost Reduction

Guest Author — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:00:39 +0000

If you’re a small or mid-sized business owner or executive you know what sort of impact information technology has on your bottom line. It’s not just the ever-changing and developed-for-obsolescence hardware, but also the maintenance and IT support required. Enter cloud computing. With the benefits of a cloud computing solution, many of our clients have seen IT cost reductions of 20% or more.

With a cloud based solution, instead of investing in high-powered workstations loaded with software, networking infrastructure and servers, all of that is based in an offsite, secure environment – with uptime usually guaranteed by the cloud provider. (Cloud vendors that don’t provide a guarantee or incorporate such performance metrics into their contacts may not be worth your while.) All you need is a light duty desktop or laptop computer and an internet connection. Everything else is in the cloud. And since most of the hardware has been taken off your budget, so have most of the IT management, support and maintenance costs.

Upfront capital expenditure reduction is just one of the benefits of a cloud computing solution. A small or medium sized business just doesn’t have the budget to incorporate all the infrastructure, security and redundancy that a cloud computing provider offers. Your data will be more secure, your backups more reliable and your uptime more consistent with a cloud based operation without the additional expense to your budget.

Another benefit to cloud based computing that many don’t realize is the flexibility it will bring to your operation. Because the software is running in the host environment, your employees can securely and quickly access your company’s data and software from anywhere with an Internet connection. This will allow you to attract better employees, offer virtual and work-from-home solutions which can provide tax benefits and potentially cut your office space requirements.

Eliminate most or all of your IT staff and servers as well as most of your IT infrastructure by moving to the cloud. This creates savings that go straight to the bottom line that anyone considering a cloud computing solution will easily grasp. But there are other tangential savings you may not realize. You will save on electricity for powering the equipment and cooling a computer room you no longer need. If you allow some of your workforce to go virtual, you can eliminate office space saving on rent and furnishings.

Even if you keep everyone in-house, the need for a secure server room goes away. For another thing, your disaster recovery plant just got cheaper and easier. A cloud based solution includes redundancies and backups that ensure no down time for your business. And finally, since this is a service, it is 100% tax deductible. If you purchase your own servers and equipment, it has to be capitalized over years to realize any tax benefit. Since you will be billed monthly for cloud services, that is a deduction you can take in the current year.

Take a look at your IT budget and think about the numbers. If saving a large portion of your information technology budget looks like something that is appealing to your business, take a look at a cloud based solution.

Yehuda Cagen :

Yehuda Cagen is the Director of Client Services for Xvand Technology Corporation, provider of IsUtility®, a pioneer of utility and cloud computing computer services for Houston’s small and midsized businesses, backed by nearly two decades of research and proven client implementation.

3 Top Myths about Web Design

Juliana Weiss-Roessler — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:01:43 +0000

Designing a good website for your business is both easier and harder than it looks. You want it to look good, obviously, but you also want the form to match the function, and to funnel visitors to the most important pages as naturally as possible. Unfortunately, there are a lot of misconceptions out there about what makes a good webpage, and quite a few things that you want to avoid, whether you’re hiring a web designer or attempting to do it all yourself. Here are some of the most prevalent web design myths.

The ‘Flash’ier, the better. With so many people and businesses creating new web pages all the time, it’s a natural desire to want to stand out and have your page look “cool.” Flash gives you lots of interesting tools to do just that, but way too many people go overboard with it and do not know how to use the tool correctly. You don’t want to create such an elaborate Flash intro, for example, that people are forced to wait… and wait… and wait to get to the relevant information. Also, you risk alienating a significant portion of the internet population that doesn’t even have Flash installed on your browser.

More colors/pictures/videos will make my site stand out. Maybe. Or maybe they’ll make your site look psychedelic or incredibly cluttered. Remember, you don’t want to overwhelm your visitors. The site still needs to get clear and easy to use, or you’ll have people clicking away. A good design is attractive and draws the user’s attention to relevant information.

A fancy new site will mean fancy new visitors. People talk about how the broadcast TV networks in the United States have it bad because they’re now competing against hundreds of other channels where there were only a few dozen a generation or two ago. Well, the internet has that problem multiplied by the thousands, and just making your site prettier or better functioning doesn’t mean that people will suddenly come flocking to you. Rather, creating or updating a site is the price of doing business – you still have to do the hard work of marketing yourself to the audience you’re trying to reach. The difference is that once you get them to your awesome site, hopefully there’s a better chance they won’t want to leave.

8 Tips for Using PowerPoint at Your Next Presentation

Juliana Weiss-Roessler — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:10:33 +0000

At some point in our careers, most of us are subjected to a terrible PowerPoint presentation. The most common issue that presenters encounter is the audience’s inability to read what’s on the screen, and in these cases, the PowerPoint can be a detriment to the presentation rather than an advantage. It can make material appear overwhelming and confusing, even when the speaker is clearly explaining the concepts.

The key to a good PowerPoint presentation is to keep it simple! Here are a few tips for making your next presentation more effective.

Find visuals. We all know the saying, “A picture says worth a thousand words.” That’s certainly true for PowerPoint presentations, but don’t limit yourself to photographs or artwork. Make use of charts, graphs, and other ways to visualize data for your audience.

Use bullet points. When you do want to use words to emphasize what you are talking about, don’t use sentences or paragraphs. People are unlikely to read that much text as you present, and if they are doing this, it means that they’re not listening to you. Instead, try shortening things to simple phrases or even single words.

Make your font size large. Nothing’s worse than a PowerPoint presentation that you can’t read. Unlike Word documents where 12 or 14 point font is perfectly legible, the smallest font you want to use in PowerPoint is 28 to 32 point. Having trouble fitting everything on one slide in that font size? That’s a sign you have too much information on that slide anyway. Split it in two.

Use the “Appear” animation effect. Make it easier for your audience to follow along with you by “building” the slide as you go. This way your audience isn’t reading ahead and getting confused about what points you are making. It can be tempting to use fancier animation effects, but most of them are distracting.

Check the contrast. Simply put: you either want a light background and dark-colored text, or the reverse. If the color of your font matches the background too closely, it will be hard to read.

Use slides sparingly. It can be tempting to use PowerPoint as an outline for yourself, but you don’t need to have a slide for every thought or point you make. Instead, make use of PowerPoint only when it’s adding value to your presentation, and keep that detailed outline on a printout that only you can see.

Consider a separate handout. Sometimes people cram so much into their PowerPoint because they want to ensure their audience has all the information they need when they leave. That’s a valid concern, but this is better suited for a handout than a PowerPoint presentation. This also allows people to relax and focus on what you have to say rather than frantically trying to take notes.

Keep your file size down. In order to avoid technical issues while you give your presentation, you don’t want the file to get too large. When possible, compress the media in your files, and make use of PowerPoint features, such as tables, charts, SmartArt graphics, and shapes, instead of importing graphics from other programs.

Making Web 2.0 Work With Your Business

Rodolfo Lentejas — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:21:20 +0000

Many things have been said about the Web 2.0 and the vast reality is that majority of businesses that have embraced these social media platforms. Ecommerce has never been this alive and more companies both big and small are employing ways and means to interact with their customers. Needless to say, from a customer’s unique digital experience and up until a brand’s internal social media marketing – Web 2.0 is taking over enterprises and enhancing most business, brand and customer experiences.

One such example of a Web 2.0-based company is Burberry where their CEO, Angela Ahrendts explains what it’s all about. Their brand focuses on the customer and has this to say about their vision. She explains that the Burberry experience involves the customer having a complete and total access to their brand no matter what gadget or device they were using. In other words, they would experience the same feeling of the brand, the culture no matter where, how or when they were getting access to Burberry. She recommends to any CEO of these modern times to start a social enterprise now. It is important to be fully connected to all your customers and target consumers.

Her statement can be broken down in a few simple elements that essentially make up what Web 2.0 or in a company’s case, Enterprise 2.0, is all about.

You must be accessed from any device
Simply put, your brand must be able to give the customer the same and consistent experience all throughout different platforms. Back then, all an organization needed to do was to be able to sell through their website or offer simple commerce online. Now, businesses must learn to branch out through Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other such potential market places online.

Any gadget or device
It has been said that the new desktop commerce is actually mobile commerce, with transactions and applications through the phone rising by the minute. In 2014 or sooner, all eyes are on the mobile phone which hold truly wonderful potential for the business to connect with their consumers and vice versa.

Anywhere
With the arrival of the digital age, organizations have better be prepared to enhance their locally targeted platforms. In dealing with countries like Russia or China, it is important to employ means to reach customers in areas of the globe which are not as active on Facebook or other social media. It is also wise to strengthen and immerse in language and culture education across the markets that they function in.

Get the same experience no matter how, when and where the customers access the brand.

Although this sounds easy in the beginning, as this is something that brand guidelines can take charge of, some precautions must still be made. A simple brand message can become distorted as they are presented on different platforms. Some of the questions that can make the task easier are: What are we trying to say? What sort of videos can we post and share? What is our policy when someone posts negative stuff about our company? These are some basic things that should help you in figuring out a consistent brand message to apply across all social media platforms.

Everyone that comes into your brand through social media must experience the mission and the journey.

There have always been methods to connect with the customer or to get involved with them. Through the years, focus groups, surveys, loyalty and reward systems have been offered by such businesses in an effort to build relationships. Web 2.0 takes all of these a step further by making sure businesses engage in open and honest conversations not only to one but to many consumers across multiple platforms.

To get Web 2.0 in your business may take strategic planning and much effort but you can be assured that when executed correctly, all these will pay off.

The Web 2.0 Revolution

Rodolfo Lentejas — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:16:22 +0000

This second wave of the World Wide Web applications and uses is called Web 2.0. On these platforms, people are able to share information and collaborate in online communities and such. The main difference from the HTML web pages of the first generation which remained static, version 2.0 is able to offer web applications to the Internet user. With Web 2.0, there is emphasis on the community and the sharing of information, a big factor in it being used more and more as a marketing weapon rather than just a computer term. Examples of 2.0 components are blogs, social media platforms, wikis and web services.

When you surf websites today, you will no doubt come across plenty of reference to the term Web 2.0. It seems to be sweeping the online communities and websites as a revolutionary manner wherein people get to interact in ways never thought possible. Is Web 2.0 really the stuff of the future? How much of it is just hype and just what exactly is new about it?

A closer look at the Web 2.0 history
In 2004, Web 2.0 was simply an idea brewing in the heads of programmers as the “Web used as a platform”. The main concept for the application shifted the Web as being more than just an avenue for people to browse and viewed information. Rather, some great minds believed that it can actually serve as a platform where people could converge, share thoughts and participate in getting things accomplished. While this was the main objective, the concept was still vague at the time and the idea failed to catch fire.

Then Web 2.0 was thought of as programming tools that are responsible for creating pages on the Web that were said to be on the cutting edge of Web 2.0. These applications included SOAP, AJAX, other JavaScript and XML programs that were essential in helping the user get into a closer and more personal application as they normally could.

With further development, Web 2.0, through the application of AJAX technology for example, is allowing users to interact with the information available online. With the use of Web 2.0, the power that used to remain with news sources and software sellers of the traditional landscape are being transferred to amateur developers and writers. Suddenly, these “kids” are able to create Web sites and their own applications that can even get them more credibility than those of the former. It is with the combination of JavaScript tools that enable practically anyone to interact and contribute to the data online is the most essential element of Web 2.0.

Is it revolutionary?
Possibly, but the idea of the Web 2.0 and ability to contribute and interact therein has been around for a very long time although in limited formats. What is truly revolutionary about it is when combined with the mentioned AJAX and other cutting edge browsers. Now individuals are being given a voice and a platform to express their views in a bolder way than ever thought before.

Card2Contact is Bringing Back the Business Card in a Big New Way

Samuel Smith — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:30:17 +0000

I just got rid of my rolodex. That may sound like a weird statement to make in 2012, especially for a guy in the tech industry, but there seemed to be no way to square away the fact that I had hundreds of business cards and was being handed a dozen more every month without any technology solution to manage them.

Though I will complain about the efficiency of the business card, I don’t want to get rid of it. Business cards are ubiquitous across every industry and every job function. Everyone has one, and it would take a momentous shift in the way we network to find a more user-friendly solution to trading contact information. For all their value, however, they are terribly inefficient to manage when compared to modern solutions, like an address book on my phone.

That’s when I discovered Card2Contact, a simple app that allows me to store new business cards in my address book the moment I receive them. With my BlackBerry and the Card2Contact app, I can snap a picture of the business card I’m handed and press “Upload,” at which point the image of my new card zips away across the Internet to an individual in the Card2Contact team who manually enters the card’s information into a BlackBerry-ready contact card. Within a few minutes, the full contents of the card are uploaded back onto my BlackBerry.

I’ve tried other solutions before. I tried a scanner that would read the data on the business card by OCR then send the contact to Outlook, where I could import it to my BlackBerry while it Syncs, but every solution I tried was riddled with problems. In some cases, the OCR simply did not work. With the variety of font choices available these days, anyone who used a stylized font for their name or phone number would return a scrambled result from the OCR, resulting in junk contacts. If I went for a month without Syncing, I’d also be missing the contact information for many of my recent contacts, so when my cell rang with a number I didn’t recognize, there was an awkward “Sorry, who is this?” moment. Entering the data manually into my Contacts took about five minutes per contact, or an hour a month for me, maybe several hours for others – a waste of time.

Card2Contact is simple to install and use. The accuracy is impeccable. It’s a great conversation topic to take out my BlackBerry at networking events, snap a picture of their business card, and receive their contact information back in minutes. It’s the only solution I’ve found that allows me to fully utilize the business card again as an easy and functional way of trading information.

Corporate Blog Study: PlayStation

Juliana Weiss-Roessler — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:13:35 +0000

If you have a built-in fan base like Playstation does, a blog is a great way to keep them invested in your company. Not only is it an opportunity for you to share your message with consumers, it’s also a way to hear back from them. A good blog is a two-way street, and this is something the Playstation blog is doing well. Here are a few goals they are accomplishing with their blog.

Keep your fans informed. Playstation’s blog is the best place to find out what games are being released this week as well as what new trailers and videos are available to watch. They make it easier to fans to stay up-to-date, which will encourage them to come back frequently.

Reward your customers. The blog lets visitors know about discounts available on Playstation products, giving fans another reason to visit. Often, the people reading your blog are your most loyal followers, so making sure they know when you are having any kind of deal will help to keep them happy.

Get ideas and feedback from fans. Like Starbucks does on its blog, Playstation has asked its users directly for ideas on how to improve their experience. Then other users can vote on the ideas, so they have a sense of what’s most popular. This type of feedback can be incredibly valuable to your company, influencing the products and developments you pursue and enabling you to grow in a more knowledgeable way.

Allows users to get answers. The Playstation blog also connects people to customer service, making it easy for them to seek assistance with any issues they may be having. Also, fans who post comments on the blog often receive responses. This is something many corporate blogs overlook, but responding every now and then – even just to say thank you – is crucial to encouraging people to visit and comment again in the future.

When looking at your own corporate blog, consider ways that you can allow the users to contribute to the conversation or seek their feedback on company developments. Your goal should be to develop a community that builds loyalty for your brand.

6 Digital Valentines You Didn’t Know You Could Create Online

Danielle Kogan — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:27:00 +0000

1. Starbucks Cup Magic App for Valentine’s Day
Send and receive virtual Valentine messages with the Starbucks Cup Magic App. Just scan one of their limited edition Valentine’s Day themed cups to watch your cup come to life. You can also use the app to buy and send a Starbucks Card eGift!

Download for iPhone / Download for Android

2. Send Out Cards allows users to create interactive cards using QR code technology. How it works is, when a QR Code is generated and inserted into the card, it pulls up a video, text or other media messages that your Valentine can view on their smartphone.

3. Make a Video
Not sure where to start? Many websites now offer simple and easy tools for you to create and customize videos online, for free.

Go!Animate is a simple and easy to use website, that allows users to animate all of their creative ideas, without having to download or draw anything.

4. Online Video Chat
Want to say Happy Valentine’s Day in person, but can’t make it? You have a few low cost options available to you.

5. Generate a virtual image of your future baby!
MorphThing lets you combine any two photos and morph them into one. Try combining a combination of your own with a celebrity!

6. Send a Valentine Whisper
A ’whisper’ is a word or words that someone can use to access to a secret message (text, pictures, or video) stored in Whispero, or to create replies and images of your own. The Whispero web app lets you stay in touch anonymously, without exchanging any personal information. Create your own ‘whispers’ and pass them to only those you want to see your secret message.

3 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day Online

Samuel Smith — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:53:24 +0000

Need some quick ideas for celebrating Valentine’s Day when you’re separated from your significant other? The Internet has you covered. Consider creatively upgrading some of the traditional sweet, romantic, and idyllic Valentine’s Day tropes with the help of the World Wide Web.

Send Personalized Chocolates, Flowers, Gifts, and More!

The recent Teleflora commercial, aired during the Super Bowl, makes the benefits of gifts clear when it says, “Guys, Valentine’s Day is easy. Give and you shall receive.” But why buy the same gifts that every girl sees in the shopping malls and supermarkets when you can send personalized gifts? Consider some of the following retailers to find the perfect personalized gift for your loved one:

http://www.wrappedhersheys.com – Offers personalized wrappers for Hershey’s chocolates, including unique tins, boxes, and buckets full of chocolate.

http://www.mymms.com – Choose custom colors, messages, and art to appear on M&Ms.

http://www.teleflora.com – Send flowers, stuffed animals, and boxes of chocolate to your loved one.

Unique Greeting Cards

E-cards have been around for a decade or more, but only recently have so many unique and diverse styles become available. Try searching for something your significant other likes, or something that fits their personality, like “digital greeting cards for artists” or “star trek digital greeting cards.”

If you’re willing to go the extra mile and have the skills in Photoshop or InDesign, you can download dozens of greeting card templates from places like Graphic River (http://www.graphicriver.com) and customize a card on your own, have it printed by a local printer, stick it in an envelope, and send it traditionally, via snail mail. Try to get it in the mail by Saturday to ensure that it arrives before the 14^th.

Have Dinner While Video Chatting

Don’t forget that the Internet allows for face-to-face conversation, too. Consider inviting your significant other to a Skype video call or a Facebook video chat and sharing a takeout dinner with them. Sites like GrubHub allow you to order takeout from restaurants in major cities, and many offer delivery. Having a surprise dinner delivered and sharing it over a video chat can be an exciting and unexpected gift for your love.

Remember, the goal of Valentine’s Day is to show appreciation for the significant other in your life. There’s no better way to do this than by spending the day thinking of each other. With these helpful Valentine’s Day tips, you can be sure your significant other will think of you all day long.