jiveSYSTEMS Blog

Discover Everything You Need to Know to Make Killer Videos with a Flip Style Camcorder… In Under One Hour!

Propellerhead — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:47:25 +0000

Using a flip style camcorder is easy – point and hit the big red button. Then when you review your footage, the video is shaky, the light is all wrong, and the audio quality sucks. Does this sound familiar to you?

Let the journey down the rabbit hole that is web video production begin…

Wasted Time and Lots of Frustration

I have lost countless hours of work spent Googling and being frustrated with these problems. Producing web video is the combination of several skill sets: pre-production, production (including acting), post-production (aka editing), and publishing. A weakness in any one area is very apparent in the final product you deliver to your viewers. It is a tough problem to swallow, especially if you bought a flip style camcorder under the expectation it would be quick and easy.

The Cost of Not Knowing

Truth is, you cannot afford not to be using web video to promote your business. Plus, unless you have bottomless pockets or ridiculous profit margins, it will be cost prohibitive to hire a professional videographer. In case you haven’t checked into the costs, you are looking at upwards of $1,500 to hire a professional to produce a simple 3 minute video for you (a video in which you are the talent), and significantly more if you want to hire an actor.

Doing it Yourself

I love the DIY approach, but it’s easy to make it harder than it needs to be. I found myself doing things the hard way until I found Dave Kaminski (WebVideoUniversity). After a quick chat with Dave, we gave each other complimentary accounts to our respective services and became cross-promotional partners shortly thereafter.

The Difference Between jiveSYSTEMS and WebVideoUniversity

I have been a member of WebVideoUniversity for several months now. By studying Dave’s tutorials, I have learned how to film and edit video for the web. If you are familiar with jiveSYSTEMS, you may be asking, What is the difference between WebVideoUniversity and jiveSYSTEMS?

Our service is geared toward recording and sending video quickly, record and send simplicity, mainly geared toward webcam users.
WebVideoUniversity is for businesses that want to produce video for the web using a flip style camera or higher, and want to edit their video to have graphics and transitions.

For example, when I am sending a communication to an individual or group, I will use jiveSYSTEMS because I can record and send the video quickly. Whereas, when I want to produce a video for a high traffic landing page or blog post, I use my camcorder, lights, and editing software (which WebVideoUniversity taught me how to use).

Within 30mins of joining WebVideoUniversity, I could edit and render my videos to a web-ready format, a skill I wasn’t able to master after many days Googling. It’s in the way Dave breaks things down that makes his tutorials and coaching so special. He gives you just the right amount of information in an easy to understand and apply format. As a member of his coaching group, you get email access to Dave.

I email Dave regularly to troubleshoot questions like:

Does a matrox card accelerate encoding in Sony Vegas?
How do I attach a shotgun microphone and light to my camcorder?

Despite trying, I have yet to stump him. Dave has also provided guidance that has helped us improve the encoding engines for our video email and web video marketing software. He’s the real deal!

His coaching program is not for everyone:

it’s $100 per month to join
not everyone has a need to go that far down the rabbit hole

Because of this, Dave has created an inexpensive mini-course which is a one-time payment of $49: Everything You Need to Know to Shoot Killer Video With a Flip Style Camera… In Under One Hour!

Understanding HD Webcams: Logitech Pro C910 / FV TouchCam N1

FollowFlywheel — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:08:58 +0000

Up until now, we have not found a webcam that can rival the Logitech 9000 QuickCam Pro, which produces excellent image quality and sound fidelity. I have been using a Logitech 9000 webcam for well over a year now and I am very impressed with its performance.

Two new webcams have caught my eye, and they record in high defnintion. In many cases, when using video on the web, (e.g. video email, video conferencing, and web video in general) HD is still not practical for most people because it is much harder to handle and the final output isn’t noticeably different than SD. This is because video needs to go through an encoding process for it to be usable of the web.

Encoding is a process that reduces the size of a video file so it can be transmitted over the web. In most cases, video encoding reduces the image quality. We call that lossy video compression. Lossless is the other end of the encoding spectrum in which no quality is sacrificed.

Let’s look at some of the major factors involved with the transition from SD to HD:

As internet connection speeds increase, larger video files can be used, and more bits can be steamed per second.
Video compression codecs are also improving, which means that smaller files sizes have higher image quality.
We must have the horsepower needed to encode the video. As a rule of thumb, it takes 4 times longer to encode HD video than SD video. If you don’t have enough horsepower to encode a video, it becomes choppy. This horsepower can be on the computer side or web-server side. When using a web sever to encode videos, the file still needs to get there, so internet connection speed -specifically your upload speed- comes into play.
The screen resolution that the viewer has also in a factor. Unlike your TV, web-HD can be viewed on any monitor that’s modern. As long as your viewer isn’t using a CRT monitor or an old laptop, they should have enough resolution to view the HD video properly. We mainly run into problems when their computer can’t handle processing the video, and the HD becomes quite choppy.

The transition from SD to HD is complicated business for the industry, and that filters down to you.

Now that we have gone over the ground work, I am going to keep things as simple as possible when discussing the value proposition of the Logitech Pro C910 and FaceVsion TouchCam N1.

For both webcams, you need a high speed internet connection (cable, DSL)

Logitech Pro C910

The Logitech records in 1080p and it will produce a higher quality picture, both initially and as a final viewable file. This is because higher quality source file will always result in the higher quality final file, when going through the same encoding workflow. Logitech also has excellent sound quality. Due to this webcam recording in 1080p HD video, your going to need a fair amount of computer horsepower to capitalize on its capabilities. Logitech recommends at least a 2.4Ghz Core 2 Duo processor and 2GB of RAM on their website. I would push that to at least 3GB of RAM.

FV TouchCam N1

The FV TouchCam only hits 720p, and is not noticeably different on most people’s computer monitors. It also has on-board hardware to reduce the load put on your system to transcode the video before transmitting it. A Core 2 Due processor is still recommend by the manufacturer, but 1GB of RAM is listed as the minimum requirement.

Both webcams cost just over $100.

Bottom line:

If you want superior image and sound quality, in my opinion, you should go with the Logitech C910. However, you must have a computer that can handle the encoding process, 2.4Ghz Core 2 Duo and 2GB of RAM or higher. If you don’t have a computer that meets the requirements, consider purchasing the Logitech 9000, which records in more than adequate SD, or giving the FV TouchCam N1 a try.

Q3 Zoom: Finally, a Camcorder with Awesome Audio Quality

[newsletter] iPad and iPhone Support, New Member Ambassador

FollowFlywheel — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:52:26 +0000

We’ve been busy bees over here at jiveSYSTEMS!

Since our approach to teaching people and businesses how to leverage our video email and web video marketing software is heavily focused around training and support, we have added a Member Ambassador to our team of video coaches. Also, due to the rising popularity of the iPad, iPhone, and android phones, we have been working diligently to have our encoders and player automatically support them. We are performing the final tests of the new jiveSYSTEMS software and will be rolling it our to our members in the coming weeks.

Highlights

New Tutorial – Learn how to integrate jiveSYSTEMS with your email marketing program
New Webinar – Concept to Profit 4.0 is now available on demand

Summary of Popular Posts

3 Building Blocks of Success with Video

Understanding why you fail is just as important as knowing why you succeed. This is why Flywheel did an investigation on why some of our members sign up, never use it, and then leave. What he discovered was very interesting.

F irefox and Chrome – the Death of Internet Explorer

Do you know how to browse the web quickly and safely? This post from the Propellerhead reveals the flaws of Internet Explorer. It doesn’t stop there; in this post you will also learn about the two alternatives to Internet Explorer and how to use them. For those of you who haven’t made the switch yet, this post is for you!

Team News

Member Ambassador

We are welcoming a new team member. Her name is Christine.

Christine, or Teeny for short, brings considerable skills to the team. Her background is in theater and business, working side by side with colleagues as young as 6 and as old as 60 – she’s very personable. She’ll be reaching out to our members, so feel free to reply to her emails and let us know if there’s anything more we can do to assist you in leveraging video email and web video to automate and grow your business online.

Closing Thoughts

If you haven’t already, get the low down on Flywheel’s new program Rocket2Profit.

Time, energy and imagination are the key to lasting success, not a big marketing budget. If you want to learn how to make your company memorable and generate buzz around your products and services on a shoestring budget, keep reading!

[webinar] Concept to Profit 4.0 – Learn How to Produce and Distribute Video Content Online

FollowFlywheel — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:45:14 +0000

Watch the video presentation below to learn how to produce and distribute video content online. We would like to thank Tim Wackel (The Sales Expert) for his webinar on how to enhance the new Concept to Profit 4.0 presentation.

On this presentation you will learn:

Stats & facts about video email and web video marketing
Equipment needed to produce web video
6 Best ways to leverage video email and web video
Top 4 challenges of running a small business and how web video solves those challenges
Video sharing sites versus paid web video services

Find out more, watch the 31:05min video below:

Side note: Just as we did with version 3.0, we recorded this presentation in Camtasia using a MXL .007 condenser mic. We feel that when you record a live presentation within web conferencing services, the resulting file is too large and the audio quality is compromised. In addition, the original live presentation was 60 minutes – quite long for an on-demand presentation. Lastly, we shrunk the presentation on our display prior to recording it, and then sized the recording window to match our blog’s width. This not only reduces the file’s size making it load faster, it also keeps the image crystal clear as it does not go through any resizing when exporting the final flash file.

Thank you for taking the time to watch our presentation. Please leave comments, feedback, and any questions you have below.

[webinar] Concept to Profit 3.0 – Learn How to Produce and Distribute Video Content Online

FollowFlywheel — Fri, 14 May 2010 19:18:44 +0000

We have a new version of our Concept to Profit webinar, let’s go learn>>

Watch the video presentation below to learn how to produce and distribute video content online. A big THANK YOU goes out to Mike Brooks (Mr. Inside Sales) for his suggestions and guidance in creating Concept to Profit 3.0.

On this presentation you will learn:

Top 4 Challenges of Running a Small Business and How Web Video Solves those Challenges
Stats & Facts About Video Email and Web Video Marketing
Equipment Needed to Produce Web Video
Video Sharing Sites versus Paid Web Video Services
6 Best Ways to Leverage Video Email and Web Video

Find out more, watch the 29:39min video below.

Player will appear here

If you can’t see the video, it is most likely because you need to upgrade to the new version of flash.

Side note: We recorded the presentation in Camtasia using a MXL .007 condenser mic. We feel that when you record a live presentation within web conferencing services, the file is too large and the audio quality is compromised. In addition, our live presentation is 60 minutes – quite long for an on-demand presentation. Lastly, we shrink the presentation prior to recording it, and then size the recording window accordingly. This not only reduces the file’s size making it load faster, it also keeps the image crystal clear as it does not go through any resizing when exporting the final flash file.

Thank you for taking the time to watch our presentation. Please leave comments, feedback, and any questions you have below.

Firefox and Chrome – the Death of Internet Explorer

Propellerhead — Thu, 13 May 2010 19:18:08 +0000

If you’re using Internet Explorer to read this post, please read on.

Before always-on internet connections, I used AOL, Netscape, or Internet Explorer to access the internet. Those days of poorly constructed internet browsers are over. Companies are producing polished programs for us to browse. These programs not only look good, but increase the speed, security, and ease of browsing the interwebs.

Browsers should be organic; they need to have a natural flow, just like designing the layout for a room in your home. Anything that is superfluous needs to be discarded. Let’s take a look at IE and it’s default homepage.

There are so many things here that we don’t need in a browser – a lot of blank unused space in the top of the browser, a poorly placed favorites menu, and those controls on the top right (page, safety, tools) that don’t need to be there. There are ads all around the default MSN homepage, and silly news stories that I really don’t care about. The browser is bloated, slow, proprietary, and attempts to look flashy to make up for it’s shortcomings.

Why would a company as large as Microsoft have a browser that is agreeably poor? One answer is that they are spreading themselves thin. Think about it – Microsoft makes and maintains the following:

Windows
office software
hardware
internet browser (IE)
search engine – Bing
servers
Xbox
video games
clothing
Windows Mobile
email service (Hotmail)
virus scanner (Windows Defender)
media format (.wmv)
media player (Windows Media Player)

For a large company, that list in itself isn’t long. However, think of how much variety those things have; operating systems, video games, and internet browsers are not all that similar. Let’s compare that list to Google…

Chrome OS (in development)
Google Phone
search engine
Gmail
Google Docs
Chrome
Google Earth
Other companies they own (YouTube, Picasa, etc.)

…and Mozilla, the makers of Firefox:

Firefox (browser)
Thunderbird (email)
Lightning (calendar)
Sunbird
Seamonkey (dev tools)

Overextended

It appears that Microsoft has a bunch of things on their development plate, and I’m left to question how many resources and how much focus they can devote to their internet browser. When you control over 90% of the home computer market, why bother making an amazing internet browser? In this case, the browser in and of itself is not going to bring in a sale.

Competition

Seeing this lack of any really great browser, companies that devote their time to web products jumped into browser development. Mozilla came first, with a platform built off the Netscape architecture. With Firefox as their main product, they put all their efforts into making it an amazing program – Firefox was the first browser to bring tabbed browsing into the mainstream and allow for modular add-ons from third party developers.

Chrome was released in late 2008, and incorporated all the great ideas from Firefox. Chrome is different in small ways from Firefox, and since Google is such an internet goliath with years of making great products and services, it’s as good of a browser as Firefox.

Internet Explorer is Awful

With these other companies that devote their time so much to developing the perfect browser, it’s clear that Microsoft probably can’t compete. Based off of my testing and opinion, and supported by many other sources, IE is slower, more prone to attack, less updated, poorly laid out, and not as good looking as these other two browsers. Both Chrome and Firefox are constantly updated with not only bug fixes, but new features and looks.

That’s enough arguing my case, let’s look into how to install these browsers.

Before we go further, please keep in mind that having more than one browser installed is a waste of space. [Unless you're a tech person like me and you need to troubleshoot issues in multiple browsers.] If you download both of these browsers to test them out, that’s great! Just make sure that once you’ve made your decision, you uninstall the other one.

Firefox

First off, Firefox is the browser I use on both my Mac and Windows machines, so if you’re looking for the official Propellerhead Recommendation, here it is.

I recorded a screencast of how to install Firefox:

Firefox Install

Firefox has an amazing depth of customization and ability. I’ll expand on some need-to-know features in later posts.

Chrome

Again, I do love and recommend Firefox over Chrome, but that’s not to say that Google has made themselves a really cool browser. Chrome took all of the best aspects of Firefox and really made them their own.

Here’s how to install Chrome:

Google Chrome Install

Which browser do you use? IE, Firefox, and Chrome are the largest three browser out there, but there are still others such as Opera, Safari, and more. After switching from IE to one of these browsers, how do you like it? Let us know in the comments below.

Thumbnail image courtesy of: www.neowin.net

3 Building Blocks of Success with Video

FollowFlywheel — Tue, 11 May 2010 11:53:25 +0000

For the past few months, I have been conducting some research to uncover why people sign-up for jiveSYSTEMS, and then leave. I feel this information is just as useful as knowing how the top 20% of our members are using the system.

I expected that people would be complaining about the overall usability of our software, and I was pleasantly surprised at how few people actually complain about it (we are talking less than 1%). I was shocked when I uncovered the really reasons people were canceling their membership. A resounding number of people said they simple don’t have enough time, which is a load of cobblers. Recording just one evergreen reusable video to follow-up a first phone call with a new prospect saves you time and shortens the sale cycle (saving you even more time in follow-up).

Baffled by the excuse people are using to leave our service, I rolled up my sleeves and delved deeper looking for anything that could link them together, or that differentiated them from our Top 20%. And then it struck me, like a light bulb going off in my head, the answer, which has been in front of my eyes since day one: our successful members (seen in our success stories) have: a suitable location to film, they are/feel camera ready (appropriate attire, hair, etc.), and don’t have camera anxiety. The people that are having the most success with our system can fire up our software and hit record and then send anytime they want. On the flip side, pretty much all of the people that cancel there membership rarely have: a suitable location to film, feel they are camera ready at a moments notice, or would say they feel comfortable in front of a camera.

If you are thinking about or currently using web video to promote your business, a surefire way to increase the probability that you will be successful is to ensure you have the 3 Building Blocks of Success:

Dedicated Location to Record

I use a laptop on my kitchen table the majority of the time. Behind where I sit is my big whiteboard. My webcam sits on top of our monitor. All I have to do to send someone a video email is fire up the jiveSYSTEMS video email software and then hit record. The background of my video is always professional (view of my big whiteboard). I am not saying you have to build a studio, you just need a location that is suitable for filming behind your where your compute resides. If I didn’t have a whiteboard I would buy one of those privacy screens, the ones you always see James Bond’s new squeeze changing behind in the movies just before they have an in-depth conversation about the birds and the bees.

Being Camera Ready (Attire, Hair, etc.)

Even though I am an underpants entrepeneur, which means I rarely have to go into the office, I feel camera ready most of the time. I bought 12 black t-shirts that are all exactly the same, so I always have a clean one ready to wear. The standard viewing area for a webcam on top of computer is chest up and a black t-shirt is suitable for almost every occasion. The goal is to be able to switch on your webcam with the least preparation possible when you are working.

Free From Camera Anxiety

For some this comes easily, for others it takes a little time. However, as with anything new, being comfortable on camera is a skill and it can be learned. If you do get anxiety before filming, take comfort in the fact that if you make a mistake on camera, you can always do another take. It took me a couple of months to be really comfortable on camera and feel that I was communicating my message clearly and concisely. In hindesight, I realize I could adjusted much quicker, if I had sent more videos. If you are new to video, I recommend that you create a list of family, friends, and your best clients, send them videos regulary and ask for feedback. People love to help people, over the course of this learning process you will become closer to you family, friends, and best clients. If you would like more information about overcoming camera anxiety, you should check out the blog post I made earlier this year, How to Beat Your Inner Critique.

.
I hope you found this post useful. If you have any questions, comment, or suggestion please leave them below.

[newsletter] It’s All About Having a Good Team

FollowFlywheel — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:22:25 +0000

We have been working diligently behind the scenes to provide you with all the information you need to automate and grow your business efficiently and effectively, not just with video email and web video, but overall.

The feedback we’ve been receiving has helped us hone in on the specific elements that will help you Rocket2Profit. This is the fitting name of my new project that will help you do just that: Rocket2Profit! Learn more about Rocket2Profit.

Summary of Popular Posts

Inside-look at Our New Member Tutorial #1

This is the first video a new member in our video email and web video marketing coaching program receives. The video goes over the overall theory and application behind implementing video email and web video in your business.

The Hierarchy of Computers

Our resident propellerhead, Reed, has written another uber useful post. This one is a crash course in understanding all the different types of computers from desktop to smartphone.

Team News

We are saying goodbye to Level Juan, our level 1 jiveSYSTEMS Video Coach, who just so happens to be named Juan. He is going into the Army to be a 19D Cavalry Scout with a 40 option. This job means he’ll be going out with a small team of snipers and scouting for them. The 40 option means that he will have the opportunity to go straight into Ranger School to be an Army Ranger. We are sad to see him go, but happy that he is on the way to fulfilling personal life goals and dreams. We welcome your positive thoughts and good wishes for Juan. Please feel free to leave a comment for Juan at the bottom of this page.

We are welcoming two new team members, Tiny and Jim Gribble.

Tiny, aka Keith Pottinger, is our new Level 1 video coach in training. He has a strong background in computers and video production. Tiny can actually build a computer from the ground upward and he is a magician at fixing them when something goes wrong. We stole Keith from EA Sports where he was a lead computer game tester. Needless to say, we keep a vigilant eye on Tiny to ensure he doesn’t have World of Warcraft open in the background.

Jim specializes in Affiliate Program Management and has done so since the dawn of time. Well, maybe not the dawn of time, but he’s a pioneer in the field. He is now managing our rarely spoken of affiliate program which we, for all intents and purposes, keep hidden. We are thankful to add Jim’s expertise and experience to the team. Now that you know about the opportunity, what will you do with it?

Software Updates

We upgraded our web-based flash encoder and the quality now competes with that of our desktop software. In the background we’re well underway with mapping out the new user interface for our software, along with the transition to full H.264 encoding and streaming.

Closing Thoughts

Business is only as difficult as you make it out to be. Ask the right questions to the right people at the right time, and you will be amazed at how simple business becomes.

Jon’s Video Email and Web Video Marketing Success Story

Video Coach — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:58:55 +0000

Name: Jon
Business: Online Clothing Retail
Member Since: February 2009

Jon\'s Video Email and Web Video Marketing Success Story

“Overall, it’s just been incredible. It’s a great solution. It allows me to really reach out and touch our customers and communicate with them in a revolutionary new way.”

We help online marketers, sales professionals, and entrepreneurs leverage video email and web video to automate repetitive tasks and shorten their sales cycle by nurturing better relationships with their prospects and clients, even if they have a face for radio and are completely terrified of technology.

Find out more, take a 30 Day Test-Drive.

Lori Swanson’s Video Email and Web Video Marketing Success Story

FollowFlywheel — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 22:03:04 +0000

Name: Lori Swanson
Business: Guardian Roofing
Member Since: July 2009

Lori Swanson\'s Video Email and Web Video Marketing Success Story

“You can tell they really care about our business and what we’re trying to accomplish. By utilizing web video it will really help us personalize and customize our messages to our clients”

Find out more, take a 30 Day Test-Drive.

The Hierarchy of Computers

Propellerhead — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 22:57:51 +0000

As an industry develops, products branch out to cover many niches. Look at vehicles. After a century of development, we have cars, wagons, SUVs, crossovers, sports cars, hybrids, trucks, etc. With product differentiation, manufacturers can sell to a greater number of people.
.
The same thing has happened with computers in the past 10 years. This post will cover the different categories that computers are filed into and the general features that each category contains.

Desktop

Desktops are the big daddy of the personal computing world. They were the first on the scene back in the 80s, and they haven’t changed much since then. Desktops allow for the most powerful possibilities of (normal) home computing while remaining relatively affordable. Also, desktops are the only machine you can build from scratch and are the easiest type of computer to upgrade. Why are they so cheap and easy to upgrade? Well, have you ever looked inside your tower computer (if you have one)? There’s a bunch of empty space. This means that they’re great boxes for your nice motherboards, graphics cards, and everything else. Also, with all that room, cooling is not nearly as much of an issue when compared to other computers that have the circuitry stacked on top of each other.

Able to upgrade
Relatively cheap
Easy temperature management
Modular repairs and upgrades (If the monitor is old/breaks, buy a new one – If you want a better CPU, put one in)
The largest computer option

Nettop

A nettop is a step down from a desktop in the hierarchy of computers, but some would argue that it’s a better solution.

First off, allow me to explain what appending anything with “net” means (see nettop, netbook). This means that the device is meant to be a great internet browser. A nettop is like a desktop for people who know that the primary use will be for the internet.

Imagine taking the elements from inside a laptop and squeezing them behind a flat screen monitor: that’s what a nettop is. Why do we call it that? Nettops are best suited for less intensive computing tasks. Any Office program, simple games, and internet browsing are what this computer is for. Think of it this way: a nettop can handle anything except for intense media editing (graphics, audio, video) and the newest video games.

When a computer is an “all-in-one”, it’s forced to have a more selective level of components due to the limited space that the manufacturers are allowed to play with. This means that some components will be not as powerful as their desktop counterparts, or that some components might be more expensive.

Side note: I personally own a computer that’s about halfway between a desktop and a nettop. My iMac was built to have very impressive specifications and can handle many kinds of programs, including Photoshop, movie editing, and intense gaming. The only major difference between it and a desktop is that my iMac is basically un-upgradable (save a RAM upgrade). If anything breaks (such as the monitor), I need to have the whole computer unit serviced.

More expensive, due to the all-in-one nature of the computer
Cannot conduct major upgrades
Generally less powerful than (cheaper) desktops
Sleek and good looking

Laptop

Though we all know what a laptop is, we might not completely understand where it fits on this list. Laptops are inherently more expensive than the two computers above; however it’s the tool of choice for the business world because it is the most powerful device in the portable domain.

Laptops are priced like they are because, in addition to the costs of stacking and miniaturizing all the components of the computer (as mentioned in the section above), the machine has to actually move mechanically. Think about it: laptops have to open and shut many times a day. Laptops are placed on laps, tables, floors, or any other surface that presents itself. In addition to this new mechanical component of design, laptops have to withstand moderate abuse from being in a bag or being moved around all day long. Also, laptops have to be somewhat portable.

Take all the above into consideration, and you’ve just added a bunch of design parameters that weren’t present before. Laptops at their core are not too upgradable, but there are some key components that can be changed out: the RAM, battery, and hard drive to name a few.

Portable but powerful
Expensive
Limited upgrades

Netbook

Netbooks were popularized around late 2008 and have come into their own niche since then. You can expect to find a 1.6 GHz processor, a 160 GB hard drive or a smaller solid state drive, and 1 GB of RAM, normally around 533 MHz. Netbooks are generally either 7″, 8.9″, 10.1″, or 12″, though I think the 12″ ones aren’t true netbooks because of their size. [Note that the sizes quoted here are screen sizes in diagonal inches.] I can find refurbished netbooks for as cheap as $220.

These computers are the new portable workhorse. On a netbook, you can do things that a smart phone can’t – you’re running a full OS. That being said, don’t expect this computer to replace a daily computer. There are many things that a netbook can’t do well: game, handle heavy programs, and be comfortable to use. As with the nettop mentioned before, these computers are made to browse the internet. Some of these netbooks will also have a wireless card built into them (3G being the prevalent type at the time of this writing), but these netbooks require a contract with a cell company.

The act of actually using a netbook presents challenges to some. Netbooks have small keyboards and small trackpads. Personally, I am fine with the keyboard, but don’t like the mouse experience.

Amazingly small
Affordable
Will not replace your normal computer – more of a supplement
Not powerful
Cannot conduct upgrades

iPad / Tablets

I haven’t been able to touch an iPad yet, but we can still discuss what niche it fills. The iPad is a step beneath a netbook. It has comprable specifications – 1 GHz processor, ~64 GB HD space – but it is not an open source computer. What I mean by that is you can only run one operating system on it, and you can only install things that work with that one operating system.

On a normal computer, if I want to upgrade my OS I just buy the newer one. I can also install free operating systems, such as Linux or Ubuntu, and from that point do anything under the sun to my computer. An iPad is a closed piece of hardware, and it can only run programs (or “Apps”, as Apple is calling them) that people design for the iPad/iPhone OS and that Apple approves. This is a huge thing here – Apple has to approve a program that goes on the iPad.

All that being said, it is going to be a wonderful internet and media device. I can browse the internet with a very small device, and I can do tasks such as word processing, spreadsheets, and even make PowerPoints! [Keynote presentations, as Apple calls them.] The iPad also has a 3G option, so you can get internet over Wi-Fi and cell towers. Learn more about the iPad on Apple’s site.

There are other tablets coming mainstream, most notably the HP Slate. It looks amazing, just like Apple’s tablet, and it has a larger processor and a bunch of ports on it. It’s also running a version of Windows 7, so the closed operating system is not an issue as it is with the above. Looking at the amount of media buzz, it looks like the Slate is going to be the iPad’s main contender, just as Android phones are the main contenders for the iPhone. I am personally very excited for this HP’s release.

Great for browsing the internet, even on a long car ride
Relatively affordable
Stylish
Will not replace a computer
“Luxury” ticket item
Closed source hardware (iPad only)

Side note: devices like the iPad are replacing (and revitalizing) the segment of the market that used to be dominated by UMPCs, or Ultra-Mobile PCs.

Phone

Google Android. iPhone. Blackberry. Anyone who’s used these devices (or anything similar) knows how amazing it is to have the ability to get on the real internet wherever you are. I say “real” because when you go to a webpage on these phones, you’re most likely seeing what you’d see if you were on your computer at home going to that same site.

These phones have revolutionized how we get work done, and have ushered in a new age for mobile computing. Perhaps soon our computers will not be needed for any basic work.

What other niches might there be out there? Do you own or know of any other devices that inhabit them? Shout ‘em out in the comments below.

Essential Computer Maintenance Tools

Essential Computer Maintenance Tools

Inside-Look at the jiveSYSTEMS New Member Tutorial #1

FollowFlywheel — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:02:47 +0000

The video below is the first tutorial our members receive upon signing up for a 30 Day Free Test-Drive. It covers some of the overall theory and application behind implementing video email and web video in your business.

***Note*** The call to action at the end of video says to check your inbox; our members watch this tutorial immediately after signing up. You will not receive an email after watching the video below.

New Member First Touch Success Page Video

From this tutorial, our members continue to receive unlimited coaching and support for the duration of their membership to our video email and web video marketing software.

Here is a little more information about who we are and what we do:

We help small businesses, entrepreneurs and sales professionals leverage web video and video email to automate repetitive tasks and nurture better relationships with their prospects and clients, even if they have a face for radio and are completely terrified of computers.

Let us prove to you that this technology and our training can help you automate and grow your business.

Take a 30 Day Free Test-Drive Today>>

[newsletter] Big Improvements, 3 Great Posts, and More…

FollowFlywheel — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:22:21 +0000

It has been another action packed month. As our members will know, we went to the Infusionsoft conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. The event never disappoints me! At the conference we meet a bunch of our members, as many of them are Infusionsoft users.
.

I asked almost everyone I met, and we also did a competition for our members to find me and ask the question, “What is the biggest roadblock you face when growing your business?” Almost everyone responded, “Educating our prospects and clients, along w/ long-term nurture marketing campaigns.” In the coming weeks, I am going to create a series of posts that will answer this question.
.

Summary of Popular Posts

For those of you who have been tracking our blog closely, you will have noticed the post rate has dropped significantly this month. It is not because I am spending less time creating content that will help you grow your business, I am actually spending more! The reason is this: I am shooting for 1 exceptionally useful blog post per week now, instead of as many as I can cram in.

Let’s take a look at this past months posts:

How to Leverage Executive Summaries to Learn More in Less Time

This post is arguably one of the best I have ever written, and one of the most useful. It has been several weeks in the making because I researched and tested summaries from several different services. Applied knowledge is one of the major keys to success, and executive summaries allow you to acquire knowledge at an astounding rate. If you want to learn more in less time, read this post.

Q3 Zoom: Finally, a Camcorder with Awesome Audio Quality

Since writing this post, I have started calling the Q3 Zoom the “Flip Killer.” This is because I haven’t touched my Flip Video camcorder, since purchasing the Q3. This camcorder is a must have for anyone who wants to leverage web video.

TimeDriver: The Ultimate Appointment Scheduling Tool

If you don’t have an executive assistant, or simply want to put your assistant’s time to better use, TimeDriver is going to become your best friend. Using this web-based service, you can put your appointment scheduling on auto-pilot.

Team News

Myself and Reed are eagerly awaiting the launch of the iPad. I don’t even own a Mac, and I want one, as I am growing tired of lugging my laptop around and my G1 mobile phone is simply too small for web surfing.

Paul is still booked back-to-back w/ integration and strategy sessions, this is all due to TimeDriver’s awesome automated scheduling ability. Also, I have launched a new personal website concept, which represents a completely new way to build a personal page.
.

Software Updates

We are working a major system upgrade, to support mobile phones. This first step is upgrading our players to support H.264 and then transcoding all the existing videos. Our ultimate goal is to have a mobile app for every phone that has a camera. Instead of prettying up the system, we are going to be tackling mobile phone support head on w/ complete focus. A bonus of using H.264 is that, as a result, we will support HD recording devices.
.

Closing Thoughts

There is no magic button or secret strategy that will make your website make money. Further more, a long-term prospect nurturing campaign does not guarantee sales. If you are looking to grow your business, the best way is to do it is 1 step at a time. Start by eliminating as much work as you can w/o breaking anything that currently works, then streamline and automate as much of the remaining load as possible. Once you have done this, you are ready to adopt an assiduous and almost obsessive focus on your prospects and customers needs. I believe the foundation of success is a CRM system that can manage all our your marketing and billing in one solution. We use Infusionsoft to manage jiveSYSTEMS, I am also affiliated w/ Infusionsoft and a Certified Marketing Automation Coach (CMAC) on their system. If you do not have a CRM or are not happy w/ the capabilities of your current system, watch the Infusionsoft demo, it is well worth giving your contact information for. They really are an all-in-one solution!

How to Leverage Executive Summaries to Learn More in Less Time

FollowFlywheel — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:22:23 +0000

Learning more in less time: all you have to do is decrease the noise and increase the signal. You can improve the signal to noise ratio in many areas of your life. This is done by setting up amplifiers and creating filters.
.

Filter provided by summaries:
Filter books before buying them – Executive summaries the perfect way to filter books before buying them. They will save you time and money!

Amplifier provided by summaries:
Increase comprehension and retention – We learn in layers and an executive summaries help your mind prepare for each chapter and the entire book, and they also help crystallize the information when used for post chapter review.

Background

I am not a fast reader, but I still make the time and invest about 15 hours every week to further my understanding of business and marketing. Since I was about seventeen years old, I have averaged about two books per week. On a side note, my reading speed and comprehension has started to increase, now that I schedule time to improve it. I supplement the books I read for videos and DVDs, when possible and appropriate, to increase my comprehension and retention of the information.

Going to the library is time prohibitive and therefore cost prohibitive for me, due to the hourly rate I assign to my activities. I also tried using a runner to pick-up books for the local library, but quickly found that the new releases and many of the esoteric works I was after were not available or currently out of stock. Buying lots of books was my only option until I discovered how to leverage executive summaries.

Discovery

Here is what I discovered: executive summaries can be leveraged to improve the process. The end result, I can learn more in less time, and save alittle bit of money as well.

It takes me about twenty minutes to read an executive summary. This means I can read forty-five executive summaries in the time it takes me to read two books. I do not read forty-five summaries per week though, not even close. I use them as a filter, and then make the decision on whether to listen to the audio summary and/or buy the book. This method of reading the summary as a successor to the blurb puts an additional filter between the blurb and the book. The blurb is still useful, but it becomes one of two decision making factors. I can choose to delve deeper into those books which seem interesting, even if they have totally rubbish blurbs; it happens! The executive summaries can also be leveraged on the backend as well, as the basis from which to build notes to improve comprehension and retention. After all, it’s not how fast you can read but how much you can retain and then apply.

Research

Not all executive summary services are created equal. I know this because I have tested several executive summary services. I compared them to each other and choose summaries of books I had already studied. While the framework of the summaries was constant, the quality of them was not.

Some services missed key points and concepts that I felt were key.
The amount of summaries in their library, type of summaries, and the number of new ones that are created each week is another area where the services could be differentiated easily.
The number of summaries in their library and number produced each month was also a major decision making factor after quality.
Another area that I used to differentiate the services was value added services (e.g. audio summary, eReader file, and more).
- Most offered service’s like these, but the quality of the audio presentation both in presentation and fidelity varied, provider to provider; for some the audio summaries felt like a complete after thought.

After completing my research, I purchased a subscription to GetAbstract whose tagline is fittingly ‘compressed knowledge’. I also called and chatted w/ one of GetAbstract’s founders. It may interest you to know that, one of the main reasons they started the company is to make business knowledge more accessible around the world aka for people who don’t speak English or America which ever you prefer. This is a noble goal that reminds me of just how lucky those of us that live in America are.

In my opinion, GetAbstract is hands down the best quality executive summary service. They produce 50 new summaries of the best business books each month, and have over 6000 summaries in their library.

We have since entered into an affiliate relationship with GetAbstract and are in the process of adding a banner to the jiveSYSTEMS Blog. Currently, they are 1 of only 3 businesses we recommend. Infusionsoft and Web Video University being the other 2.

Free Executive Summaries

You can acquire 2 complimentary executive summaries from GetAbstract by visiting their homepage.

I also negotiated to be able to offer you a three summary packet to help you quantify the value proposition of their service.

In addition, I handpicked 3 of their best summaries! The summaries are entitled:

Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High;
Email Marketing by the Numbers;
and The Customer Rules.

You can download them here.

I hope this post contributes to you building a system that will help you learn more in less time. If you have a strategy for learning more in less time, please feel free to share it in the comment section below. Also, I will gladly answer any questions you may have about this post; if you have a question, you can leave it in the comment section below as well.

jiveSYSTEMS Blog

Discover Everything You Need to Know to Make Killer Videos with a Flip Style Camcorder… In Under One Hour!

Wasted Time and Lots of Frustration

The Cost of Not Knowing

Doing it Yourself

The Difference Between jiveSYSTEMS and WebVideoUniversity

Most Popular Posts

Understanding HD Webcams: Logitech Pro C910 / FV TouchCam N1

Let’s look at some of the major factors involved with the transition from SD to HD:

Logitech Pro C910

FV TouchCam N1

Bottom line:

[newsletter] iPad and iPhone Support, New Member Ambassador

Highlights

Summary of Popular Posts

Other posts

Team News

Member Ambassador

Closing Thoughts

Most Popular Posts

[webinar] Concept to Profit 4.0 – Learn How to Produce and Distribute Video Content Online

Most Popular Posts

[webinar] Concept to Profit 3.0 – Learn How to Produce and Distribute Video Content Online

Most Popular Posts

Firefox and Chrome – the Death of Internet Explorer

Overextended

Competition

Internet Explorer is Awful

Most Popular Posts

3 Building Blocks of Success with Video

Dedicated Location to Record

Being Camera Ready (Attire, Hair, etc.)

Free From Camera Anxiety

Most Popular Posts

[newsletter] It’s All About Having a Good Team

Summary of Popular Posts

Other Posts

Team News

Software Updates

Closing Thoughts

Jon’s Video Email and Web Video Marketing Success Story

Most Popular Posts

Lori Swanson’s Video Email and Web Video Marketing Success Story

Most Popular Posts

The Hierarchy of Computers

Desktop

Nettop

Laptop

Netbook

iPad / Tablets

Phone

Inside-Look at the jiveSYSTEMS New Member Tutorial #1

Most Popular Posts

[newsletter] Big Improvements, 3 Great Posts, and More…

Summary of Popular Posts

Team News

Software Updates

Closing Thoughts

How to Leverage Executive Summaries to Learn More in Less Time

Background

Discovery

Research

Free Executive Summaries