There appears to be an ongoing app war between
RIM's Blackberry Messenger, BBM and a budding
rival WatsApp Messenger. While BBM has remained
users favourite app for exchanging free instant
messages amongst a close user group on
Blackberry device, WatsApp has come to slice the
strong hold, perhaps threatening to push BBM to a
seemingly uncomfortable corner.
Unlike BBM which operates in a closed user group,
WhatsApp Messenger is a cross-platform mobile
messaging app which also allows you to exchange
messages without having to pay for SMS. It is
available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows
Phone and Nokia.
This range of phones can all message each other
because WhatsApp uses the same internet data
plan that you use for email and web browsing.
Another beauty of it is that it seamlessly connects
to users who exchange contacts, automatically,
without seeking PINs or authorizations.
Although this messaging platform is gaining
ground among youths and school children, the grip
BBM has on loyal users, seems to be even getting
tighter. So when we sampled opinion of a number
of users of both platforms and the war was
interesting to witness. Hear them out!
Mr.Olaniyi Dare
WhatsApp is sensational.
I was introduced to it by a friend and since then, I
fell in love with it. The platform has more smileys
than BBM and it's an app that can be used on any
phone. You see, the catch is that whatsapp
upgrades a new contact automatically and you
don't need to request to add someone up. You can
add anybody once the person is on whatsapp. For
me, BBM is too serious.
Miss Sopulu Amaechina
I prefer BBM because most people on the platform
are on twitter and news get to twitter faster and by
so doing pass on to BBM.
Mr. Awotoye Abayomi
WhatsApp is boring and does not express much
maturity on users. Most of the people on BBM are
serious people no matter their age and there is this
air of responsibility that revolves around the
platform. Most of my friends are on BBM and for
me, that says it all.
Miss Eva Aja
I prefer BBM to whatsapp because it's a nice way of
communicating when one doesn't have airtime on
the phone. Whatsapp takes time in sending
messages. In fact, more people use BBM than
whatsapp.
Miss Vaughan Kemi
I am not a gadget freak though, but whatsapp is
more like it to me. You know, it works on any phone
as long as one has access to the internet.
Whatsapp gives everyone on your contact extra
means of communicating with you because not
only can you chat, you can also call the person
since you have the person's number.
BBM on the other hand has restricted users, it is
strictly for people using Black berry phones.
Whatsapp is an app you download but BBM is more
like an added technology to the phone. These apps
both perform the same function but whatsapp has
an added advantage because of the number it
shows or asks for before you can add up a contact.
But bbm uses pin which cannot be used to call up
somebody.
Mr. Jide Familugba
When something is meant to look like something, it
can never be the same. Whatsapp was modeled
after BBM and that tells you what an innovation
BBM is. However I have also observed that most
Blackberry users do also download whatsapp on
their phones. To me, that's an extra to a user. Yet,
bbm is still an easier platform to send videos,
music, pictures even as it attributes smiley's,
status, personal messages as well as it displays
pictures.
Miss Aigbomian Obehi
For me whatsapp is a good innovation but I still
prefer BBM because it's more interesting. But the
two apps have disadvantages. While BBM could
sometimes, be annoying by the way people
announce their every movement and anything in
their lives, it is also very interesting to have.
In the same vein, whatsapp is innovative because it
creates alternative for people who cannot afford a
blackberry or do not like the device. On WhatsApp,
even if you delete contact, the person still has your
number. But if you ask me, BBM still has upper
hand on User Interface experience
Friday 31 May 2013
Facebook upgrades security features with Page Verifier
Have you ever had issues with people impersonating
your brand on facebook, well if you are a celebrity or
successful business owner with this problem, guess
your worries over. Facebook has just announced a
new verified feature for pages and profiles, designed
to give high-profile accounts an added level of
authenticity. This is clearly a straightforward copy of
Twitter's own verified accounts, and even features a
similar, small blue checkmark to indicate that a
person or business is indeed the legitimate account
holder. The mark appears on the pages themselves,
as well as in search results and throughout the site.
The Verified Pages are being rolled out to "just a
small group of prominent public figures (celebrities,
journalists, government officials, popular brands and
businesses) with large audiences," Facebook says,
and will soon roll out to profiles as well.
Facebook has a new section in its help center that
describes what a verified profile or page actually is,
but it doesn't say how Facebook goes about verifying
any of its users. The checkmark icon acts as a tooltip,
providing more info about verification when you
hover over with a mouse cursor, and Facebook says
that there's no way for users to request to be
verified; just like on Twitter, the social network will
come to you if they deem it a useful step in helping
you prove your identity.
We've reached out to Facebook to learn more about
the verification process, and will update if the
company sheds any light on what's involved.
Facebook has previously launched a verification
program, back in February 2012, when it allowed
people to verify their account with a valid ID. This
was an extra step that allowed people to then use
nicknames (handy for celebrities with pseudonyms)
and still appear highly in search results. But that
program didn't involve any kind of public badging,
which this one does.
More and more, Facebook is trying to become a
broadcast channel for media, journalists and
celebrities, sort of in the same way that Twitter
already primarily is. The subscription feature it
launched last year to allow people to follow others
and receive their updates without forming a
reciprocal "friendship" is a perfect example of how it
wants to make it possible for people to go to the
social network as a news and information source, as
well as a way to connect with people they actually
know.
Facebook also hired Mashable vet Vadim Lavrusik
back in 2011, who now spearheads efforts to get
journalists to use Facebook as a key publication and
sharing vector for content. A verification badge helps
guarantee that celebrity pages are actually run by
the person (or at least their communications team),
but it also does a lot to help readers confirm the
authenticity of reports purporting to come from
journalistic sources.
The Verified checkmark badge is already live on
Facebook, so if you peruse your favorite celebrity
crushes you should be able to find the blue
checkmark. And if you're really big news, maybe
you've already got one of your own.
your brand on facebook, well if you are a celebrity or
successful business owner with this problem, guess
your worries over. Facebook has just announced a
new verified feature for pages and profiles, designed
to give high-profile accounts an added level of
authenticity. This is clearly a straightforward copy of
Twitter's own verified accounts, and even features a
similar, small blue checkmark to indicate that a
person or business is indeed the legitimate account
holder. The mark appears on the pages themselves,
as well as in search results and throughout the site.
The Verified Pages are being rolled out to "just a
small group of prominent public figures (celebrities,
journalists, government officials, popular brands and
businesses) with large audiences," Facebook says,
and will soon roll out to profiles as well.
Facebook has a new section in its help center that
describes what a verified profile or page actually is,
but it doesn't say how Facebook goes about verifying
any of its users. The checkmark icon acts as a tooltip,
providing more info about verification when you
hover over with a mouse cursor, and Facebook says
that there's no way for users to request to be
verified; just like on Twitter, the social network will
come to you if they deem it a useful step in helping
you prove your identity.
We've reached out to Facebook to learn more about
the verification process, and will update if the
company sheds any light on what's involved.
Facebook has previously launched a verification
program, back in February 2012, when it allowed
people to verify their account with a valid ID. This
was an extra step that allowed people to then use
nicknames (handy for celebrities with pseudonyms)
and still appear highly in search results. But that
program didn't involve any kind of public badging,
which this one does.
More and more, Facebook is trying to become a
broadcast channel for media, journalists and
celebrities, sort of in the same way that Twitter
already primarily is. The subscription feature it
launched last year to allow people to follow others
and receive their updates without forming a
reciprocal "friendship" is a perfect example of how it
wants to make it possible for people to go to the
social network as a news and information source, as
well as a way to connect with people they actually
know.
Facebook also hired Mashable vet Vadim Lavrusik
back in 2011, who now spearheads efforts to get
journalists to use Facebook as a key publication and
sharing vector for content. A verification badge helps
guarantee that celebrity pages are actually run by
the person (or at least their communications team),
but it also does a lot to help readers confirm the
authenticity of reports purporting to come from
journalistic sources.
The Verified checkmark badge is already live on
Facebook, so if you peruse your favorite celebrity
crushes you should be able to find the blue
checkmark. And if you're really big news, maybe
you've already got one of your own.
Thursday 30 May 2013
How to get Verified on Twitter Quickly
What is a verified account?
Any account with a blue verified badge on their
Twitter profile is a verified account.
Why does Twitter verify accounts?
Verification is currently used to establish authenticity
of identities on Twitter. The verified badge helps
users discover high-quality sources of information
and trust that a legitimate source is authoring the
account's Tweets.
What kinds of accounts get verified?
Twitter proactively verifies accounts on an ongoing
basis to make it easier for users to find who they're
looking for. We concentrate on highly sought users in
music, acting, fashion, government, politics, religion,
journalism, media, advertising, business, and other
key interest areas. We verify business partners from
time to time and individuals at high risk of
impersonation.
We do not accept requests for verification from the
general public. If you fall under one of the above
categories and your Twitter account meets our
qualifications for verification, we may reach out to
you in the future.
Why hasn't my account been verified?
If you think you meet the criteria for verification and
have not yet received a badge, please be patient. We
are working within key interest areas to verify
accounts that are sought after by other Twitter users.
We don't accept verification requests from the
general public, but we encourage you to continue
using Twitter in a meaningful way, and you may be
verified in the future. Please note that follower count
is not a factor in determining whether an account
meets our criteria for verification.
Besides verification, how can I show my
account is authentic?
Linking to your Twitter profile from an official website
is the easiest way to confirm the authenticity of your
Twitter account. Including Twitter's follow button on
your webpage is the absolute best way to do this.
Click here to learn how. Or, visit all help articles
about linking to your Twitter account from your blog
or website here.
How to identify an official verified account:
The verified badge will appear in the top-right
portion of a user's profile page just above the
name, location, and bio.
If the verified badge appears anywhere else on a
user's profile page (such as in the avatar or the
background) it is not a verified account.
The verified badge cannot be used unless it is
provided by Twitter. Accounts using a badge as part
of profile pictures, background images, or in any
way implying false verification will be permanently
suspended.
The verified badge will also appear next to
usernames in people searches on Twitter.
The verified badge will have the same color even if
users customize the background of their profile
page or change the color in the sidebar.
Why do I see two timeline options on verified
profiles?
When visiting the profile of a verified user or
advertiser, you will see two timeline options - with
All or No replies. Some verified users like to reply to
mentions from their many fans and followers, but
these replies can crowd their profile timeline, making
it hard to see their other Tweets that may be of more
interest to you. By default, No replies is selected
when you navigate to a verified user's profile. If you'd
like to see that user's complete timeline, including
their @replies, simply click All.
Any account with a blue verified badge on their
Twitter profile is a verified account.
Why does Twitter verify accounts?
Verification is currently used to establish authenticity
of identities on Twitter. The verified badge helps
users discover high-quality sources of information
and trust that a legitimate source is authoring the
account's Tweets.
What kinds of accounts get verified?
Twitter proactively verifies accounts on an ongoing
basis to make it easier for users to find who they're
looking for. We concentrate on highly sought users in
music, acting, fashion, government, politics, religion,
journalism, media, advertising, business, and other
key interest areas. We verify business partners from
time to time and individuals at high risk of
impersonation.
We do not accept requests for verification from the
general public. If you fall under one of the above
categories and your Twitter account meets our
qualifications for verification, we may reach out to
you in the future.
Why hasn't my account been verified?
If you think you meet the criteria for verification and
have not yet received a badge, please be patient. We
are working within key interest areas to verify
accounts that are sought after by other Twitter users.
We don't accept verification requests from the
general public, but we encourage you to continue
using Twitter in a meaningful way, and you may be
verified in the future. Please note that follower count
is not a factor in determining whether an account
meets our criteria for verification.
Besides verification, how can I show my
account is authentic?
Linking to your Twitter profile from an official website
is the easiest way to confirm the authenticity of your
Twitter account. Including Twitter's follow button on
your webpage is the absolute best way to do this.
Click here to learn how. Or, visit all help articles
about linking to your Twitter account from your blog
or website here.
How to identify an official verified account:
The verified badge will appear in the top-right
portion of a user's profile page just above the
name, location, and bio.
If the verified badge appears anywhere else on a
user's profile page (such as in the avatar or the
background) it is not a verified account.
The verified badge cannot be used unless it is
provided by Twitter. Accounts using a badge as part
of profile pictures, background images, or in any
way implying false verification will be permanently
suspended.
The verified badge will also appear next to
usernames in people searches on Twitter.
The verified badge will have the same color even if
users customize the background of their profile
page or change the color in the sidebar.
Why do I see two timeline options on verified
profiles?
When visiting the profile of a verified user or
advertiser, you will see two timeline options - with
All or No replies. Some verified users like to reply to
mentions from their many fans and followers, but
these replies can crowd their profile timeline, making
it hard to see their other Tweets that may be of more
interest to you. By default, No replies is selected
when you navigate to a verified user's profile. If you'd
like to see that user's complete timeline, including
their @replies, simply click All.
Tips on how to connect Instagram with Facebook on IPHONE
I recently ran into a problem connecting my
Instagram app on my iPhone 5 to Facebook, and
neither Instagram's or Facebook's help pages were as
helpful as they claim to be.
Instagram 3.4 is supposed to have improved sharing
integration for iOS 6, supposedly making the
connection to Facebook simplified and seamless on
an iPhone 5.
Once you first try to share a photo on Instagram to
Facebook, it will tell you to go to iOS Settings ->
Privacy -> Facebook and then turn on Instagram to
give it access.
If you're lucky, it will be as simple as that. But if
you're like me, you'll never even see Instagram in the
options.
As the help page on Instagram suggested, I deleted
both Facebook and Instagram, then reinstalled, but it
still would not work. Other folks on the web
suggested disabling restrictions by going to iOS
Settings -> General -> Restrictions and making
sure it was disabled. Mine already was. Facebook
offered no help on the matter.
It could have just been a temporary glitch, but no
matter what I tried, I kept getting the message to
enable Instagram in the Facebook privacy settings on
my iPhone, where Instagram never appeared. So, if
you've been having that problem too, this is what
finally solved it for me.
How to Finally Connect Your Instagram to
Facebook
The trick is getting on your computer and going to
the Instagram app page on Facebook, which you can
get to directly from this link. Make sure you're logged
into your Facebook account before doing this, on
both the online and mobile version.
NOTE: You will not be able to do this in Safari on your
iPhone, because clicking on the Instagram app on
mobile Facebook there will merely send you to the
Instagram app already installed on your iPhone or to
the one in the App Store. So, make sure you are
doing this on your computer.
Once on the Instagram app page on your computer,
click on Send to Mobile to "send" the app to your
iPhone. Since you're already logged into the
Facebook app on your iPhone, this will simply send
out a notification to you.
Once you get the notification on your iPhone, click on
it. If you missed the popup, you can always find it in
the notifications bar, too.
This will open up your notifications in the Facebook
app.
Then, click on that notification and you should be
golden. It will open up the Instagram app on your
iPhone and finally let you share your photos.
To verify, you can go back to the Facebook Privacy
settings and see that Instagram is now turned on and
not missing entirely.
And that's it. Pretty simple, despite this not being
noted anywhere online. You'd think that since
Facebook owns Instagram, that something like this
wouldn't happen.
Instagram app on my iPhone 5 to Facebook, and
neither Instagram's or Facebook's help pages were as
helpful as they claim to be.
Instagram 3.4 is supposed to have improved sharing
integration for iOS 6, supposedly making the
connection to Facebook simplified and seamless on
an iPhone 5.
Once you first try to share a photo on Instagram to
Facebook, it will tell you to go to iOS Settings ->
Privacy -> Facebook and then turn on Instagram to
give it access.
If you're lucky, it will be as simple as that. But if
you're like me, you'll never even see Instagram in the
options.
As the help page on Instagram suggested, I deleted
both Facebook and Instagram, then reinstalled, but it
still would not work. Other folks on the web
suggested disabling restrictions by going to iOS
Settings -> General -> Restrictions and making
sure it was disabled. Mine already was. Facebook
offered no help on the matter.
It could have just been a temporary glitch, but no
matter what I tried, I kept getting the message to
enable Instagram in the Facebook privacy settings on
my iPhone, where Instagram never appeared. So, if
you've been having that problem too, this is what
finally solved it for me.
How to Finally Connect Your Instagram to
The trick is getting on your computer and going to
the Instagram app page on Facebook, which you can
get to directly from this link. Make sure you're logged
into your Facebook account before doing this, on
both the online and mobile version.
NOTE: You will not be able to do this in Safari on your
iPhone, because clicking on the Instagram app on
mobile Facebook there will merely send you to the
Instagram app already installed on your iPhone or to
the one in the App Store. So, make sure you are
doing this on your computer.
Once on the Instagram app page on your computer,
click on Send to Mobile to "send" the app to your
iPhone. Since you're already logged into the
Facebook app on your iPhone, this will simply send
out a notification to you.
Once you get the notification on your iPhone, click on
it. If you missed the popup, you can always find it in
the notifications bar, too.
This will open up your notifications in the Facebook
app.
Then, click on that notification and you should be
golden. It will open up the Instagram app on your
iPhone and finally let you share your photos.
To verify, you can go back to the Facebook Privacy
settings and see that Instagram is now turned on and
not missing entirely.
And that's it. Pretty simple, despite this not being
noted anywhere online. You'd think that since
Facebook owns Instagram, that something like this
wouldn't happen.
How to deal with Battery Draining Problem on your Iphone
When the 6.1 version of iOS was released back in
February, complaints of severe battery drainage for
iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users exploded onto
every Apple-related forum on the Internet. Everyone
was either losing a percentage every three or so
minutes, or their battery only lasted half as long as it
did before the update.
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS version 6.1.3,
to supposedly fix a recent exploit that allowed
anyone to bypass the lock screen
—but as it turns out, the update didn't really fix the
issue.
Now it appears that the newest Apple update has not
only been unsuccessful in its futile attempt to fix the
passcode exploit, but that is has also unfortunately
reintroduced the battery drain issues that plagued
6.1 users.
February, complaints of severe battery drainage for
iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users exploded onto
every Apple-related forum on the Internet. Everyone
was either losing a percentage every three or so
minutes, or their battery only lasted half as long as it
did before the update.
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS version 6.1.3,
to supposedly fix a recent exploit that allowed
anyone to bypass the lock screen
—but as it turns out, the update didn't really fix the
issue.
Now it appears that the newest Apple update has not
only been unsuccessful in its futile attempt to fix the
passcode exploit, but that is has also unfortunately
reintroduced the battery drain issues that plagued
6.1 users.
How to Transfer iPhone Contacts Over to Your Samsung Galaxy Note 2 or Other Android Smartphones
Why is transferring contacts from an old smartphone
to a new one still insanely difficult? I can check my
bank account, upload a picture to Instagram, email
someone across the globe, and check the weather
forecast on my phone—all in under five minutes.
So why does transferring contacts from an iPhone 5
over to a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 feel like it takes
hours?
What gives?
You'd think that since we can do everything else
almost instantaneously, transferring contacts would
be a quick, simple process. But different operating
systems, SIM cards, and phone carriers don't always
play well together—especially when it's between
Android and iOS.
If you have an iPhone and want to ditch it for a
Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S4, or other Android
device, you won't want to lose your contacts. Even if
you've already made the switch and still have your
iPhone, how exactly do you port those contacts over?
Luckily, there are a few easy ways to transfer them
over, whether you have a Mac, PC, or no computer at
all.
Contacts (for Mac Users)
If you have a Mac, it's a pretty sure bet that your
iPhone contacts are already synced to your Contacts
application (connecting your iPhone usually syncs
them automatically). In order to transfer these
contacts to your Galaxy Note 2, you'll need to first
export them to your Gmail account. To do this:
1. Open Contacts on your Mac.
2. Select all of your contacts (Command+A).
3. Click on File -> Export -> Export VCard.
4. Save the file somewhere that you can easily find
it.
5. Log in to your Gmail account and go to
Contacts.
6. Click on Import Contacts and select the VCard
you just saved.
7. Your contacts will show up as Imported (Date
you imported).
The next few steps will take place on your
Samsung Galaxy Note 2:
If you're turning on your device for the first time, it
will ask you if you want to sync your Google
account. Sync that account and all of your contacts
will show up.
If you've already been using the phone, you can
head over to Settings -> Add account and log in
to your Google account, making sure to check Sync
Contacts under Sync settings.
Note: If you have more than one group of uploaded
contacts on your Gmail account, either delete the
ones you don't need or make sure you can
differentiate between the two. The contacts are
synced on your Note 2 as one huge entry unless you
specifically create a group that divides them.
iTunes (for Windows Users)
If you have Windows, you'll want to connect your
iPhone to your computer and follow these steps:
1. Open iTunes.
2. Select your iPhone.
3. Under the Info tab, choose Sync Contacts
with Google Contacts.
4. Enter your Gmail username and password and
wait for it to sync.
5. Once finished, open your Gmail account and
look under Contacts to make sure they
appeared.
6. On your Note 2, go to Settings -> Add account
and log in to your Google account, making sure
to check Sync Contacts under Sync settings.
If you don't want to sync the contacts through your
Note 2, you can connect it to your computer and use
Kies, Samsung's desktop software for wirelessly
transferring files.
Through Kies, you can select your device, click on the
Sync tab, and choose which account you want to
sync your contacts with under Personal
information.
Applications (Android/iPhone)
If you want to transfer the contacts directly through
the two devices, you can do it using a few different
applications—no computer required!
First, you'll need to download the iOS version of
Contacts Sync. It's really simple to use—with
nothing more than an upward swipe, all your
contacts are backed up to the NQ Contacts Cloud.
Now that you're done with your iPhone, grab your
Note 2 and download the Android version of the
application, called Contacts Imported.
Open the app and tap on Restore Contacts, which
will pull all the contacts you uploaded to the cloud
onto your new device.
That's all there is to it.
to a new one still insanely difficult? I can check my
bank account, upload a picture to Instagram, email
someone across the globe, and check the weather
forecast on my phone—all in under five minutes.
So why does transferring contacts from an iPhone 5
over to a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 feel like it takes
hours?
What gives?
You'd think that since we can do everything else
almost instantaneously, transferring contacts would
be a quick, simple process. But different operating
systems, SIM cards, and phone carriers don't always
play well together—especially when it's between
Android and iOS.
If you have an iPhone and want to ditch it for a
Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S4, or other Android
device, you won't want to lose your contacts. Even if
you've already made the switch and still have your
iPhone, how exactly do you port those contacts over?
Luckily, there are a few easy ways to transfer them
over, whether you have a Mac, PC, or no computer at
all.
Contacts (for Mac Users)
If you have a Mac, it's a pretty sure bet that your
iPhone contacts are already synced to your Contacts
application (connecting your iPhone usually syncs
them automatically). In order to transfer these
contacts to your Galaxy Note 2, you'll need to first
export them to your Gmail account. To do this:
1. Open Contacts on your Mac.
2. Select all of your contacts (Command+A).
3. Click on File -> Export -> Export VCard.
4. Save the file somewhere that you can easily find
it.
5. Log in to your Gmail account and go to
Contacts.
6. Click on Import Contacts and select the VCard
you just saved.
7. Your contacts will show up as Imported (Date
you imported).
The next few steps will take place on your
Samsung Galaxy Note 2:
If you're turning on your device for the first time, it
will ask you if you want to sync your Google
account. Sync that account and all of your contacts
will show up.
If you've already been using the phone, you can
head over to Settings -> Add account and log in
to your Google account, making sure to check Sync
Contacts under Sync settings.
Note: If you have more than one group of uploaded
contacts on your Gmail account, either delete the
ones you don't need or make sure you can
differentiate between the two. The contacts are
synced on your Note 2 as one huge entry unless you
specifically create a group that divides them.
iTunes (for Windows Users)
If you have Windows, you'll want to connect your
iPhone to your computer and follow these steps:
1. Open iTunes.
2. Select your iPhone.
3. Under the Info tab, choose Sync Contacts
with Google Contacts.
4. Enter your Gmail username and password and
wait for it to sync.
5. Once finished, open your Gmail account and
look under Contacts to make sure they
appeared.
6. On your Note 2, go to Settings -> Add account
and log in to your Google account, making sure
to check Sync Contacts under Sync settings.
If you don't want to sync the contacts through your
Note 2, you can connect it to your computer and use
Kies, Samsung's desktop software for wirelessly
transferring files.
Through Kies, you can select your device, click on the
Sync tab, and choose which account you want to
sync your contacts with under Personal
information.
Applications (Android/iPhone)
If you want to transfer the contacts directly through
the two devices, you can do it using a few different
applications—no computer required!
First, you'll need to download the iOS version of
Contacts Sync. It's really simple to use—with
nothing more than an upward swipe, all your
contacts are backed up to the NQ Contacts Cloud.
Now that you're done with your iPhone, grab your
Note 2 and download the Android version of the
application, called Contacts Imported.
Open the app and tap on Restore Contacts, which
will pull all the contacts you uploaded to the cloud
onto your new device.
That's all there is to it.
How to Install Jelly Bean 4.2's Photo SphereCamera & Gallery on Your Samsung GalaxyNote 2
The rumors are flying everywhere about the
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 getting updated to Jelly
Bean 4.2, but as of now, we have no freakin' idea
when. Among all of the features sported in the
update, Photo Sphere is one of the more popular,
allowing you to snap incredible and immersive 360
degree photographs.
So, until that update comes, you're probably still
marooned with Jelly Bean 4.1.2 on your Note 2, and
that means no Photo Sphere camera.
Unless you're rooted...
How to Get Photo Sphere for the Galaxy Note 2
If you want to download the fully functional Photo
Sphere Camera and Gallery applications to your Note
2, follow these instructions:
Root your device.
Download this camera42_patched_v2.zip file
directly onto your phone.
If it's not already, make sure USB Debugging mode
is on by heading to Settings -> Developer Options.
Turn off your phone and boot it into Recovery mode
by holding Volume Up + Home + Power.
Scroll down to Advanced, click on wipe dalvik cache
and then press Yes.
Going back to main menu, select install zip from
sdcard, choose zip from sdcard, tap on Download/,
navigate to the camera42_patched_v2.zip file, and
select Yes.
After the zip installs, go back to main menu in
recovery and select reboot system now.
You should now see brand new Camera and Gallery
apps in the Apps section of your Note 2!
To use the new feature, just click on the new camera
icon and select the circular world icon to access Photo
Sphere. From there, align the pokéball with the blue
dot until you stitch up the entire 360 degrees!
If you have Photosphere Live Wallpaper installed, you
can now start using your own photo spheres for your
home screen wallpaper, unlike before, when you had
to find someone else's.
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 getting updated to Jelly
Bean 4.2, but as of now, we have no freakin' idea
when. Among all of the features sported in the
update, Photo Sphere is one of the more popular,
allowing you to snap incredible and immersive 360
degree photographs.
So, until that update comes, you're probably still
marooned with Jelly Bean 4.1.2 on your Note 2, and
that means no Photo Sphere camera.
Unless you're rooted...
How to Get Photo Sphere for the Galaxy Note 2
If you want to download the fully functional Photo
Sphere Camera and Gallery applications to your Note
2, follow these instructions:
Root your device.
Download this camera42_patched_v2.zip file
directly onto your phone.
If it's not already, make sure USB Debugging mode
is on by heading to Settings -> Developer Options.
Turn off your phone and boot it into Recovery mode
by holding Volume Up + Home + Power.
Scroll down to Advanced, click on wipe dalvik cache
and then press Yes.
Going back to main menu, select install zip from
sdcard, choose zip from sdcard, tap on Download/,
navigate to the camera42_patched_v2.zip file, and
select Yes.
After the zip installs, go back to main menu in
recovery and select reboot system now.
You should now see brand new Camera and Gallery
apps in the Apps section of your Note 2!
To use the new feature, just click on the new camera
icon and select the circular world icon to access Photo
Sphere. From there, align the pokéball with the blue
dot until you stitch up the entire 360 degrees!
If you have Photosphere Live Wallpaper installed, you
can now start using your own photo spheres for your
home screen wallpaper, unlike before, when you had
to find someone else's.
How to Tether a laptop to a Droid smartphonefor free WiFi
In this Electronics video tutorial you will learn how to
tether a laptop to a Droid Smartphone for free Wi-Fi.
For this you will need the android wifi tether
application. Download the version for your device
from here and install it. Then launch the app and
press the icon to start tethering. In your laptop, go to
settings and then to wi-fi. You will see a new network
called android tether. Connect to the network and
you will see that it works. As with any other network,
you can change the name and create a password to
access the network. It's that simple!
tether a laptop to a Droid Smartphone for free Wi-Fi.
For this you will need the android wifi tether
application. Download the version for your device
from here and install it. Then launch the app and
press the icon to start tethering. In your laptop, go to
settings and then to wi-fi. You will see a new network
called android tether. Connect to the network and
you will see that it works. As with any other network,
you can change the name and create a password to
access the network. It's that simple!
How to adjust computer sound volume in Windows 7
If you have Windows 7 and you are trying to figure
out how to adjust or mute the volume, then you
should watch Helpvids "Adjusting the Computers
Sound Volume in Windows 7". There are many
different ways to adjust the sound volume in
Windows 7, and this video will show you a few
including the little button in the taskbar, and
hardware and sound in the control panel. This video
will also show you how to mute a single application
without muting your whole system. This is useful if
you are having a voice chat over the internet or multi
tasking.
out how to adjust or mute the volume, then you
should watch Helpvids "Adjusting the Computers
Sound Volume in Windows 7". There are many
different ways to adjust the sound volume in
Windows 7, and this video will show you a few
including the little button in the taskbar, and
hardware and sound in the control panel. This video
will also show you how to mute a single application
without muting your whole system. This is useful if
you are having a voice chat over the internet or multi
tasking.
Tips on how to root your Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using ODIN for Windows
Just like the recently rediscovered Star Wars ruins in
the Tunisian desert, there are tons of hidden
treasures in your Samsung Galaxy Note 2 just
waiting to be unearthed.
Rooting enables you to install custom ROMs,
exclusive features from other devices, add Wi-Fi
tethering, overclock the CPU for faster speed, and
many other customizations.
In this guide, I'll be showing you how to root your
Note 2 using a Windows computer, so you can begin
the adventure that awaits.
Prerequisites to Rooting
Before we get started, you'll need to make sure that
your device is compatible with this rooting process.
These are the models of the Galaxy Note 2 that will
work:
International (GT-N7100 / GT-N7105)
AT&T (SGH-I317)
T-Mobile (SGH-T889)
Canadian models (starting with SGH-I317 or SGH-
T889)
You can find your model number either under the
battery or in "About Device" at the bottom of the
"Settings" menu. If your device is not listed above,
do not use this rooting method. There's a good
chance you'll brick it.
You should also make sure to backup all your data
before rooting, as there's always a possibility you'll
lose it.
Rooting the Galaxy Note 2 (Windows)
First, you'll need to put your device into download
mode. Turn it off, then hold the Volume Down +
Home + Power buttons until you see the screen
below.
Press the Volume Up button to continue. This will
take you to ODIN download mode. Once you see the
"Downloading..." screen, connect your Note 2 to your
Windows computer via USB cable.
Note: Your device is not actually downloading
anything at this point. This just means it has
successfully entered download mode.
The next several steps will take place on your
computer.
If you don't already have it, download and install the
Samsung USB Drivers. Now, download and unzip
the GalaxyNote2Root.zip file. Open the ODIN
program by double-clicking the odin3 v1.85.exe
application file.
In the ODIN program, you should see a yellow ID:COM
box with a random number in it. If for some reason
you don't see it, make sure your Samsung USB
drivers are installed correctly and unplug your Note
2, then plug it back into your computer.
Without changing any other settings, click on PDA
under Files [Download] and find the cwm6-root-
note2.tar. file. Select it and click on Start. From
here, ODIN will flash the custom CWM Recovery. If
it's successful, a green "PASS!" box will appear.
When it finishes, your device will boot into
ClockworkMod (CWM) Recovery one time in order
to install the SuperUser app and its binaries. Then,
reboot again.
Once your device finishes rebooting, you should find
a new application called called SuperSU.
Your Galaxy Note 2 is now rooted and ready for you
to explore. Now, you can customize it with any ROM,
kernel or mod you want, and finally have access to all
those root-only apps in the Play Store. Be sure to
share your favorites with us in the comments below.
the Tunisian desert, there are tons of hidden
treasures in your Samsung Galaxy Note 2 just
waiting to be unearthed.
Rooting enables you to install custom ROMs,
exclusive features from other devices, add Wi-Fi
tethering, overclock the CPU for faster speed, and
many other customizations.
In this guide, I'll be showing you how to root your
Note 2 using a Windows computer, so you can begin
the adventure that awaits.
Prerequisites to Rooting
Before we get started, you'll need to make sure that
your device is compatible with this rooting process.
These are the models of the Galaxy Note 2 that will
work:
International (GT-N7100 / GT-N7105)
AT&T (SGH-I317)
T-Mobile (SGH-T889)
Canadian models (starting with SGH-I317 or SGH-
T889)
You can find your model number either under the
battery or in "About Device" at the bottom of the
"Settings" menu. If your device is not listed above,
do not use this rooting method. There's a good
chance you'll brick it.
You should also make sure to backup all your data
before rooting, as there's always a possibility you'll
lose it.
Rooting the Galaxy Note 2 (Windows)
First, you'll need to put your device into download
mode. Turn it off, then hold the Volume Down +
Home + Power buttons until you see the screen
below.
Press the Volume Up button to continue. This will
take you to ODIN download mode. Once you see the
"Downloading..." screen, connect your Note 2 to your
Windows computer via USB cable.
Note: Your device is not actually downloading
anything at this point. This just means it has
successfully entered download mode.
The next several steps will take place on your
computer.
If you don't already have it, download and install the
Samsung USB Drivers. Now, download and unzip
the GalaxyNote2Root.zip file. Open the ODIN
program by double-clicking the odin3 v1.85.exe
application file.
In the ODIN program, you should see a yellow ID:COM
box with a random number in it. If for some reason
you don't see it, make sure your Samsung USB
drivers are installed correctly and unplug your Note
2, then plug it back into your computer.
Without changing any other settings, click on PDA
under Files [Download] and find the cwm6-root-
note2.tar. file. Select it and click on Start. From
here, ODIN will flash the custom CWM Recovery. If
it's successful, a green "PASS!" box will appear.
When it finishes, your device will boot into
ClockworkMod (CWM) Recovery one time in order
to install the SuperUser app and its binaries. Then,
reboot again.
Once your device finishes rebooting, you should find
a new application called called SuperSU.
Your Galaxy Note 2 is now rooted and ready for you
to explore. Now, you can customize it with any ROM,
kernel or mod you want, and finally have access to all
those root-only apps in the Play Store. Be sure to
share your favorites with us in the comments below.
Wednesday 29 May 2013
How to backup your Application and Application data on your HTC or Android Smartphones
When you upgrade to a new Android smartphone like
the HTC One, you can have browser bookmarks, Wi-Fi
passwords, and other settings quickly transferred
over from your old device using your Google Account
backup. However, you'll still have to download apps
individually from your Google Play list, and not all of
your saved progress will be transferred over.
Fortunately, there is a third-party app that will allow
you to backup and restore your apps—with all their
data.
Step 1: Download Helium on Your HTC One
Download the Helium - App Sync and Backup app
(previously known as Carbon) from the Google Play
Store and install it.
Step 2: Download the Helium Desktop App
Note: You may skip this step if your HTC One is
rooted.
If you're using Windows and don't have the HTC
drivers installed, either download them from the
ClockworkMod site or install HTC Sync Manager,
which includes the drivers. Once installed, restart
your computer.
Download and Install Helium Desktop from the
ClockworkMod website and open it.
Step 3: Back Up Your Apps
Open the Helium app on your HTC One. You'll be
prompted to download Helium Desktop. Fortunately,
we already did this, and if you're rooted, you don't
even need it.
If you're not rooted, connect your phone to your
computer via USB now.
You can back up everything or select apps
individually, and you can select to back up the app
with data, or just the data if you don't mind
downloading later and want to save space.
Once you make your selection, tap Backup. Select
either internal storage, SD card, Dropbox, or set up a
backup schedule, and watch it work its magic.
You can also back up to your computer. Tap the
menu button on the top right, and select PC
Download. It will start a server and give you the IP
address to put in your browser's address bar.
Navigate to this address in your browser and you will
see a simple interface.
Easy! As you see in the screenshot above you can
easily drag a backup into the webpage to...
Step 4: Restore Your Backed Up Apps or Data
To backup using the app, simply tap Restore and
Sync and select where your backup is located.
Now you'll be able to recover your apps and app data
if you upgrade or replace a damaged phone without
spending hours trying to figure it out.
the HTC One, you can have browser bookmarks, Wi-Fi
passwords, and other settings quickly transferred
over from your old device using your Google Account
backup. However, you'll still have to download apps
individually from your Google Play list, and not all of
your saved progress will be transferred over.
Fortunately, there is a third-party app that will allow
you to backup and restore your apps—with all their
data.
Step 1: Download Helium on Your HTC One
Download the Helium - App Sync and Backup app
(previously known as Carbon) from the Google Play
Store and install it.
Step 2: Download the Helium Desktop App
Note: You may skip this step if your HTC One is
rooted.
If you're using Windows and don't have the HTC
drivers installed, either download them from the
ClockworkMod site or install HTC Sync Manager,
which includes the drivers. Once installed, restart
your computer.
Download and Install Helium Desktop from the
ClockworkMod website and open it.
Step 3: Back Up Your Apps
Open the Helium app on your HTC One. You'll be
prompted to download Helium Desktop. Fortunately,
we already did this, and if you're rooted, you don't
even need it.
If you're not rooted, connect your phone to your
computer via USB now.
You can back up everything or select apps
individually, and you can select to back up the app
with data, or just the data if you don't mind
downloading later and want to save space.
Once you make your selection, tap Backup. Select
either internal storage, SD card, Dropbox, or set up a
backup schedule, and watch it work its magic.
You can also back up to your computer. Tap the
menu button on the top right, and select PC
Download. It will start a server and give you the IP
address to put in your browser's address bar.
Navigate to this address in your browser and you will
see a simple interface.
Easy! As you see in the screenshot above you can
easily drag a backup into the webpage to...
Step 4: Restore Your Backed Up Apps or Data
To backup using the app, simply tap Restore and
Sync and select where your backup is located.
Now you'll be able to recover your apps and app data
if you upgrade or replace a damaged phone without
spending hours trying to figure it out.
How to silence a noisy Laptop and Smartphones with a simple device key
Electronic devices seem to have an uncanny ability to
make noise at the worst possible times. It's always
during an important meeting, a quiet study session
at the library, or a biology final that your laptop or
smartphone decides to play some obnoxious or
embarrassing sound.
It goes without saying that muting a device would
prevent this problem, but if you forget to do so
before shutting down or entering sleep mode, it can
be difficult (if not impossible) to silence it before the
startup sound plays.
This is such a common annoyance that there's
currently a Kickstarter project for a muting device for
the iPhone. It plugs into the headphone jack to
silence all the sounds (alarms, apps, Siri) that can
play even when the iPhone is set to silent.
While buying such a product is pretty obviously
overkill, it begs the question: why don't
manufacturers just include a freaking mute button
on their devices?
To get around this unnecessary annoyance, computer
scientist Philip Peter made a simple hardware "mute
button" that attaches to his keyring. It was made
with a laptop in mind, but it'll work with any device
you can plug headphones into. All it takes is a 3.5
mm stereo jack and a little piece of insulated wire.
Using an audio jack as a silencer is hardly a new idea,
but adding a loop for your keychain means you'll
always know where it is, and never forget to bring it
with you. But, if you don't have a soldering iron to
attach the wire, it'll work just fine without it.
Philip also added a resistor, which "could provide
some fun additional uses and would also allow any
static to dissipate safely," but it's entirely optional.
This may not be the prettiest solution, but it works,
and it's a great way to get some use out of a broken
or crappy pair of headphones. Check out Philip's blog
for more details on how to make your own.
Alternatively, if you don't want to cut up a pair of
headphones, you can get the same results by using a
cheap Y-adapter cable or stereo jack adapter.
make noise at the worst possible times. It's always
during an important meeting, a quiet study session
at the library, or a biology final that your laptop or
smartphone decides to play some obnoxious or
embarrassing sound.
It goes without saying that muting a device would
prevent this problem, but if you forget to do so
before shutting down or entering sleep mode, it can
be difficult (if not impossible) to silence it before the
startup sound plays.
This is such a common annoyance that there's
currently a Kickstarter project for a muting device for
the iPhone. It plugs into the headphone jack to
silence all the sounds (alarms, apps, Siri) that can
play even when the iPhone is set to silent.
While buying such a product is pretty obviously
overkill, it begs the question: why don't
manufacturers just include a freaking mute button
on their devices?
To get around this unnecessary annoyance, computer
scientist Philip Peter made a simple hardware "mute
button" that attaches to his keyring. It was made
with a laptop in mind, but it'll work with any device
you can plug headphones into. All it takes is a 3.5
mm stereo jack and a little piece of insulated wire.
Using an audio jack as a silencer is hardly a new idea,
but adding a loop for your keychain means you'll
always know where it is, and never forget to bring it
with you. But, if you don't have a soldering iron to
attach the wire, it'll work just fine without it.
Philip also added a resistor, which "could provide
some fun additional uses and would also allow any
static to dissipate safely," but it's entirely optional.
This may not be the prettiest solution, but it works,
and it's a great way to get some use out of a broken
or crappy pair of headphones. Check out Philip's blog
for more details on how to make your own.
Alternatively, if you don't want to cut up a pair of
headphones, you can get the same results by using a
cheap Y-adapter cable or stereo jack adapter.
Tips on managing and recovering your facebook message and chat history
In the UK, 20 percent of divorce filings include the
word "Facebook." You may think you're being slick by
using the site to chat with your ex, but the problem
is that Facebook saves everything, and I mean
everything. All someone needs is your login
information and they have access to everything
you've ever said on Facebook, public or private.
On the flip side, many people have years of their lives
stored in conversations and photos on their accounts.
So, what happens if you accidentally delete a
message that you really wanted to save, or want to
delete a message that you don't want popping back
up later?
Here are some of your options for managing your
messages and chat history.
Deleting Messages and Chat History
If you're worried about having a record of some of
your more sensitive conversations, you can easily
delete them from Facebook. Just log in to your
account and go to the Messages icon.
Both regular messages and chat messages are stored
here. Just select a thread you'd like to edit and
mouse over to the gear icon labeled Actions. Click
on it and a drop-down menu will appear.
If you're looking to hide a message or thread from
your page, but not get rid of it completely, just
Archive it. Archiving removes the items from your
messages, but they can still be accessed at anytime.
If you want that message gone for good, you can
delete the entire conversation (all messages within
the thread) or just a particular message. You will be
warned that any deletion will remove the message
from this realm and the next.
On Facebook's mobile app, the process is more or
less the same. If you have the most recent version,
your messages and chats will come in the form of
Chat Heads. If you click on a Chat Head, it will bring
you into the standard messaging screen, but you
can't delete a message from within a Chat Head
conversation.
Next to your Chat Heads is the standard messages
icon (a square dialog box with a mini lightning bolt
inside). Click on this icon to see a list of all your
conversations and chats. All you have to do is select
a message or thread and slide your finger to either
side. You'll be given the option to Archive or Delete
the conversation.
If you're using the Facebook Messenger application,
the process is nearly identical. The only differences is
in the Messenger app, you must slide to the right to
bring up the Archive and Delete options. Sliding to
the left reveals the chat list and settings.
Recovering Deleted Messages
So, can you recover a deleted message or
conversation from your inbox or chat history? The
simple answer is no. Facebook makes it pretty clear.
If you're trying to hack your way into retrieving your
chat history, it ain't gonna happen. After so much
pushback from users scared of their information
being available forever, Facebook implemented the
new settings that make it very easy to delete your
content—forever.
But, not all hope is lost.
Check Your Archives
Before doing anything else, check your archived
messages and make sure the conversation you're
looking for isn't there. You may think clicking on the
'X' next to a message would delete it, but it doesn't—
it just removes it from your inbox and sends it to
your archive. So, unless you're absolutely certain you
hit delete, check there first in case it's just hidden.
You can find archived messages by typing the other
participant's name or some keywords from the
conversation into the search box.
To view your entire archive, under Messages click
on More, then choose Archived from the drop-down
menu.
Friend Request
If you did manage to delete an important message or
thread from your account, the other person(s)
involved in the conversation will still have access to
it. While they can't send you the thread via Facebook,
they can copy and paste the conversation into a
Word document or take a few screen grabs and get it
to you that way.
Save Your History
To prevent losing messages in the future, there are a
few extensions that can help store your history off-
site. For Firefox users, there's an add-on called FB
Chat History Manager. It lets you to save and
export your chat history so you never have to worry
about losing it on Facebook.
word "Facebook." You may think you're being slick by
using the site to chat with your ex, but the problem
is that Facebook saves everything, and I mean
everything. All someone needs is your login
information and they have access to everything
you've ever said on Facebook, public or private.
On the flip side, many people have years of their lives
stored in conversations and photos on their accounts.
So, what happens if you accidentally delete a
message that you really wanted to save, or want to
delete a message that you don't want popping back
up later?
Here are some of your options for managing your
messages and chat history.
Deleting Messages and Chat History
If you're worried about having a record of some of
your more sensitive conversations, you can easily
delete them from Facebook. Just log in to your
account and go to the Messages icon.
Both regular messages and chat messages are stored
here. Just select a thread you'd like to edit and
mouse over to the gear icon labeled Actions. Click
on it and a drop-down menu will appear.
If you're looking to hide a message or thread from
your page, but not get rid of it completely, just
Archive it. Archiving removes the items from your
messages, but they can still be accessed at anytime.
If you want that message gone for good, you can
delete the entire conversation (all messages within
the thread) or just a particular message. You will be
warned that any deletion will remove the message
from this realm and the next.
On Facebook's mobile app, the process is more or
less the same. If you have the most recent version,
your messages and chats will come in the form of
Chat Heads. If you click on a Chat Head, it will bring
you into the standard messaging screen, but you
can't delete a message from within a Chat Head
conversation.
Next to your Chat Heads is the standard messages
icon (a square dialog box with a mini lightning bolt
inside). Click on this icon to see a list of all your
conversations and chats. All you have to do is select
a message or thread and slide your finger to either
side. You'll be given the option to Archive or Delete
the conversation.
If you're using the Facebook Messenger application,
the process is nearly identical. The only differences is
in the Messenger app, you must slide to the right to
bring up the Archive and Delete options. Sliding to
the left reveals the chat list and settings.
Recovering Deleted Messages
So, can you recover a deleted message or
conversation from your inbox or chat history? The
simple answer is no. Facebook makes it pretty clear.
If you're trying to hack your way into retrieving your
chat history, it ain't gonna happen. After so much
pushback from users scared of their information
being available forever, Facebook implemented the
new settings that make it very easy to delete your
content—forever.
But, not all hope is lost.
Check Your Archives
Before doing anything else, check your archived
messages and make sure the conversation you're
looking for isn't there. You may think clicking on the
'X' next to a message would delete it, but it doesn't—
it just removes it from your inbox and sends it to
your archive. So, unless you're absolutely certain you
hit delete, check there first in case it's just hidden.
You can find archived messages by typing the other
participant's name or some keywords from the
conversation into the search box.
To view your entire archive, under Messages click
on More, then choose Archived from the drop-down
menu.
Friend Request
If you did manage to delete an important message or
thread from your account, the other person(s)
involved in the conversation will still have access to
it. While they can't send you the thread via Facebook,
they can copy and paste the conversation into a
Word document or take a few screen grabs and get it
to you that way.
Save Your History
To prevent losing messages in the future, there are a
few extensions that can help store your history off-
site. For Firefox users, there's an add-on called FB
Chat History Manager. It lets you to save and
export your chat history so you never have to worry
about losing it on Facebook.
Step by Step Guide on how to make free phone call using GMAIL
Did you know that you can use Gmail to make free
phone calls to anywhere in North America?
We're not talking computer to computer, but actual
free phone calls to cell phones and home phones. All
you need is a Gmail account, a microphone, and
speakers plugged into your computer.
Google started this service in 2010 and recently
announced the service will be extended to include all
of 2011 as well.
Step 1 Log into your Gmail account
This is an easy step. You need to log into your Gmail
account to be able to make phone calls.
Visit Gmail's website: www.gmail.com
Log in with your username and password.
If you don't have a Gmail account, then click
"Create an account" and follow the directions.
Step 2 Check Gmail phone settings
After you log into Gmail, you need to check your
account settings to see if the phone call feature is
enabled.
Click on "Settings" at the top-right corner of the
screen.
Once you're in the settings screen, select "Chat".
Then locate and select "Enable outbound voice
calling with Google Voice" in the Call Phones
area.
Finally, click the "Save Changes" button at the
bottom.
Step 3 Install the voice plugin
After you enable the phone feature of Gmail, you
should now see a "Call Phone" option in the chat
area.
Click on it and a dial pad will open up on the screen.
Once the dial pad is open, you may notice a
message "Please download the voice plugin to
make a call". If you don't see this message, then
skip ahead to the next section.
Click on the download link and it will take you to
the installer page.
Click on the install button to install the plugin.
When it's done, the installer should prompt you to
restart your browser.
Click "Restart Browser Now" to finish the install.
Please note that this help page will close after you
click the restart button. It's probably best to just
bookmark this page so you can easily get back here
afterwards.
After the browsers restart, you will see the
"Congratulations on installing Google voice and
video chat" screen.
You can now log back into your Gmail account.
Step 4 Test the microphone and speakers
You now need to make sure your microphone and
speakers are working properly.
Go into your Gmail settings again.
Then select the "Chat".
Select "Verify your settings" in the Voice and video
chat area.
To test the microphone, just start speaking and you
should see the bars move as you talk. If they don't
move, then make sure the microphone is plugged
in and turned on.
Next, test the speakers by clicking on "play the test
sound" and you should see the bar move. If you see
the bar move but don't hear any sound, then make
sure the speakers are plugged in, turned on, and
the volume turned up.
If both tests were successful, your Gmail is ready to
make free phone calls.
Step 5 Start making phone calls
Go back to your mail Gmail page and open up the
phone dial pad by clicking on "Call Phone" in the
bottom left side of the screen.
You should now see the dial pad without the plugin
warning message.
The $0.10 means you have calling credit which you
can use if you want to make calls outside of North
America. You don't need to worry about this since
all your calls will be in North America are free.
To make a call, simply start dialing using the mouse
or keyboard.
You can also make phone calls straight from your
Gmail contact list by clicking on the green phone
icon beside your contact's phone number.
phone calls to anywhere in North America?
We're not talking computer to computer, but actual
free phone calls to cell phones and home phones. All
you need is a Gmail account, a microphone, and
speakers plugged into your computer.
Google started this service in 2010 and recently
announced the service will be extended to include all
of 2011 as well.
Step 1 Log into your Gmail account
This is an easy step. You need to log into your Gmail
account to be able to make phone calls.
Visit Gmail's website: www.gmail.com
Log in with your username and password.
If you don't have a Gmail account, then click
"Create an account" and follow the directions.
Step 2 Check Gmail phone settings
After you log into Gmail, you need to check your
account settings to see if the phone call feature is
enabled.
Click on "Settings" at the top-right corner of the
screen.
Once you're in the settings screen, select "Chat".
Then locate and select "Enable outbound voice
calling with Google Voice" in the Call Phones
area.
Finally, click the "Save Changes" button at the
bottom.
Step 3 Install the voice plugin
After you enable the phone feature of Gmail, you
should now see a "Call Phone" option in the chat
area.
Click on it and a dial pad will open up on the screen.
Once the dial pad is open, you may notice a
message "Please download the voice plugin to
make a call". If you don't see this message, then
skip ahead to the next section.
Click on the download link and it will take you to
the installer page.
Click on the install button to install the plugin.
When it's done, the installer should prompt you to
restart your browser.
Click "Restart Browser Now" to finish the install.
Please note that this help page will close after you
click the restart button. It's probably best to just
bookmark this page so you can easily get back here
afterwards.
After the browsers restart, you will see the
"Congratulations on installing Google voice and
video chat" screen.
You can now log back into your Gmail account.
Step 4 Test the microphone and speakers
You now need to make sure your microphone and
speakers are working properly.
Go into your Gmail settings again.
Then select the "Chat".
Select "Verify your settings" in the Voice and video
chat area.
To test the microphone, just start speaking and you
should see the bars move as you talk. If they don't
move, then make sure the microphone is plugged
in and turned on.
Next, test the speakers by clicking on "play the test
sound" and you should see the bar move. If you see
the bar move but don't hear any sound, then make
sure the speakers are plugged in, turned on, and
the volume turned up.
If both tests were successful, your Gmail is ready to
make free phone calls.
Step 5 Start making phone calls
Go back to your mail Gmail page and open up the
phone dial pad by clicking on "Call Phone" in the
bottom left side of the screen.
You should now see the dial pad without the plugin
warning message.
The $0.10 means you have calling credit which you
can use if you want to make calls outside of North
America. You don't need to worry about this since
all your calls will be in North America are free.
To make a call, simply start dialing using the mouse
or keyboard.
You can also make phone calls straight from your
Gmail contact list by clicking on the green phone
icon beside your contact's phone number.
Monday 27 May 2013
How to make money through Youtube
How To Make Money Using YouTube
1 – Sell your own Products
The channel for fitness,
Blogilates, and Pilates
teacher Cassey Ho has 16
million views along with
an e-commerce feature
where she sells her own
Pilate exercise clothing
line and gym bags.
Cassey Ho says she makes a six-figure income now,
all thanks to the #1 video sharing platform,
"YouTube".
2 – Tutorials
Michelle Phan is a 25
year old who creates
makeup tutorials and
teaches women how to
purchase cosmetics. Miss
Phan's vivacious persona
and sharp tutorials made
her an instant sensation with over 3 million
subscribers and more than 647 million video views.
Michelle Phan has been asked by Lancôme to become
their authorized video makeup artist. She is just one
of many that have made some serious cash from
creating a successful tutorial youtube channel.
3 – Create a Series
Brother's Benny and
Raffi Fine made their You
Tube "Kids React" series
profitable. With over 360
million views, it is easy to
see why. The videos show
teens and children
responding to pop-culture and other viral videos.
They have had so much success they can now afford
to hire a team of ten employees to work with them.
4 – Reviewing affiliate programs
An easier, faster and
probably the most
effective method of
making money on
YouTube is by promoting
affiliate products and then
linking them in your
description field. To get
guaranteed sales through this method, all you need
is to show how the product is used to get results.
This way you will be able to make a lot of sales.
5 – Create a Hit Single!
South Korean sensation
Psy showcased his song
"Gangnam Style" on
YouTube and the rest is
history. Not only has he
clocked up more than 7
million likes and over 1
and a half billion views,
Justin Bieber's manager has added Psy to his roster,
his single reached pole-position in the iTunes charts
in at least nine countries, and he's now a multi-
millionaire just from google ads on his
YouTube video !
Teen artist, Rebecca Black also cashed in on her
millions when her single "Friday" went viral on
YouTube. She can thank TV host Jimmy Fallon after
he shared her "Friday" video clip on late night TV
across America resulting in a domino effect of
stardom.
6 – Let your voice be heard!
Ted Williams was
homeless and down on his
luck until a fortunate
encounter with a
videographer from the
Columbus Dispatch. Ted's
speaking voice was so
mesmerizing, his
YouTube video went viral. After more than 20
million YouTube views Ted has been on countless TV
shows and offered voiceover work from well-known
companies for TV commercials and radio.
So, if you have a voice with an interesting quality,
tone, or twist to it, let it be heard!
7 – Become A YouTube Partner
Currently there are more than 15,000 YouTube
partners throughout the world, and online video
advertising has reached a staggering $3.4 Billion in
2012; it is expected to reach over $5 Billion in 2013.
Most of them make a career out of their videos, with
some managing to make 6 figures or more in a year.
Partners in this program share income generated
from rentals and InVideo overlay ads. They also get
opportunities to participate in branded
entertainment openings. The YouTube partners are
usually featured on YouTube's homepage, meaning
that they enjoy more views and more chances of
making money.
It is important to note that, to get into YouTube
Partner Program is not easy and requires one to gain
subscribers even before applying for the program.
8 - Start A YouTube Competition
Mariah Carey's Fan Club
Remix proposed a remix
competition to market a
new song. There were
45,000 views within two
weeks. The winner's video
claimed the 1st spot from
1,200 entries. Now, this
individual has a career as a DJ and video-mixer due
to YouTube's exposure and the competition from the
singer's fan club.
If you can make your competition fun, exciting and
with a great reward, you will be able to generate
enough exposure for your project or company, so hit
the drawing board and come up with a great,
legitimate competition out there that will be a win
win for you and your contestants.
9 - Sell Links In Your Video Description
Primarily, this method
focuses on directing or
converting YouTube
visitors to another
webpage or source. Here,
you do not have to make
ads in your videos to make
money, just a link
placement in the description box below.
Your main target is the small percentage of visitors
that convert to real customers.
10 – YouTube Rentals
This is one of the most
recent ways of making
money on YouTube. In
this method, content
creators are allowed to
offer their content for rent
and then share a portion of
the profits made with
YouTube. However, YouTube has not yet clarified
whether the service will be available to all or just
certain types of users.
This will definitely provide a whole new method of
making money on YouTube, as users will be charging
rental fees for their videos.
11 - Just Ask for It!
One good success
deserves another, and
exposure on YouTube
helps to sanction start-
ups, assisting them with
raising the venture capital
they need. In addition,
YouTube has been
assisting nonprofit
organizations for fund-
raising ventures as well.
The International Fund for Animal-Welfare and
Greenpeace has worked with YouTube along with
struggling filmmakers. If you are running a non for
profit then this may be the platform for you, just
make sure that the video is compelling and produced
at a high enough quality to really present to the
world your good cause.
Summary
Overall, in order to build a following on YouTube the
beginning video maker must frequently produce
fresh work. This will keep curiosity seekers returning
to see what's new, which in turn spreads the word in
cyberspace about what's trending on YouTube. In
addition, video novices must title their video so that
anybody searching for its content will easily find it.
1 – Sell your own Products
The channel for fitness,
Blogilates, and Pilates
teacher Cassey Ho has 16
million views along with
an e-commerce feature
where she sells her own
Pilate exercise clothing
line and gym bags.
Cassey Ho says she makes a six-figure income now,
all thanks to the #1 video sharing platform,
"YouTube".
2 – Tutorials
Michelle Phan is a 25
year old who creates
makeup tutorials and
teaches women how to
purchase cosmetics. Miss
Phan's vivacious persona
and sharp tutorials made
her an instant sensation with over 3 million
subscribers and more than 647 million video views.
Michelle Phan has been asked by Lancôme to become
their authorized video makeup artist. She is just one
of many that have made some serious cash from
creating a successful tutorial youtube channel.
3 – Create a Series
Brother's Benny and
Raffi Fine made their You
Tube "Kids React" series
profitable. With over 360
million views, it is easy to
see why. The videos show
teens and children
responding to pop-culture and other viral videos.
They have had so much success they can now afford
to hire a team of ten employees to work with them.
4 – Reviewing affiliate programs
An easier, faster and
probably the most
effective method of
making money on
YouTube is by promoting
affiliate products and then
linking them in your
description field. To get
guaranteed sales through this method, all you need
is to show how the product is used to get results.
This way you will be able to make a lot of sales.
5 – Create a Hit Single!
South Korean sensation
Psy showcased his song
"Gangnam Style" on
YouTube and the rest is
history. Not only has he
clocked up more than 7
million likes and over 1
and a half billion views,
Justin Bieber's manager has added Psy to his roster,
his single reached pole-position in the iTunes charts
in at least nine countries, and he's now a multi-
millionaire just from google ads on his
YouTube video !
Teen artist, Rebecca Black also cashed in on her
millions when her single "Friday" went viral on
YouTube. She can thank TV host Jimmy Fallon after
he shared her "Friday" video clip on late night TV
across America resulting in a domino effect of
stardom.
6 – Let your voice be heard!
Ted Williams was
homeless and down on his
luck until a fortunate
encounter with a
videographer from the
Columbus Dispatch. Ted's
speaking voice was so
mesmerizing, his
YouTube video went viral. After more than 20
million YouTube views Ted has been on countless TV
shows and offered voiceover work from well-known
companies for TV commercials and radio.
So, if you have a voice with an interesting quality,
tone, or twist to it, let it be heard!
7 – Become A YouTube Partner
Currently there are more than 15,000 YouTube
partners throughout the world, and online video
advertising has reached a staggering $3.4 Billion in
2012; it is expected to reach over $5 Billion in 2013.
Most of them make a career out of their videos, with
some managing to make 6 figures or more in a year.
Partners in this program share income generated
from rentals and InVideo overlay ads. They also get
opportunities to participate in branded
entertainment openings. The YouTube partners are
usually featured on YouTube's homepage, meaning
that they enjoy more views and more chances of
making money.
It is important to note that, to get into YouTube
Partner Program is not easy and requires one to gain
subscribers even before applying for the program.
8 - Start A YouTube Competition
Mariah Carey's Fan Club
Remix proposed a remix
competition to market a
new song. There were
45,000 views within two
weeks. The winner's video
claimed the 1st spot from
1,200 entries. Now, this
individual has a career as a DJ and video-mixer due
to YouTube's exposure and the competition from the
singer's fan club.
If you can make your competition fun, exciting and
with a great reward, you will be able to generate
enough exposure for your project or company, so hit
the drawing board and come up with a great,
legitimate competition out there that will be a win
win for you and your contestants.
9 - Sell Links In Your Video Description
Primarily, this method
focuses on directing or
converting YouTube
visitors to another
webpage or source. Here,
you do not have to make
ads in your videos to make
money, just a link
placement in the description box below.
Your main target is the small percentage of visitors
that convert to real customers.
10 – YouTube Rentals
This is one of the most
recent ways of making
money on YouTube. In
this method, content
creators are allowed to
offer their content for rent
and then share a portion of
the profits made with
YouTube. However, YouTube has not yet clarified
whether the service will be available to all or just
certain types of users.
This will definitely provide a whole new method of
making money on YouTube, as users will be charging
rental fees for their videos.
11 - Just Ask for It!
One good success
deserves another, and
exposure on YouTube
helps to sanction start-
ups, assisting them with
raising the venture capital
they need. In addition,
YouTube has been
assisting nonprofit
organizations for fund-
raising ventures as well.
The International Fund for Animal-Welfare and
Greenpeace has worked with YouTube along with
struggling filmmakers. If you are running a non for
profit then this may be the platform for you, just
make sure that the video is compelling and produced
at a high enough quality to really present to the
world your good cause.
Summary
Overall, in order to build a following on YouTube the
beginning video maker must frequently produce
fresh work. This will keep curiosity seekers returning
to see what's new, which in turn spreads the word in
cyberspace about what's trending on YouTube. In
addition, video novices must title their video so that
anybody searching for its content will easily find it.
Wednesday 22 May 2013
The hard truth about internet and smartphones
A study claims that evolution's making us dumber,
and internet, smartphones, reality shows and junk
food are to blame.
Reality TV shows
Science speak: "The entertainment we consume
can influence our emotions and behaviour" –
according to the study, A Story About a Stupid
Person Can Make You Act Stupid (or Smart), by
Markus Appel.
What it means: You are what you watch and
watching dumb people do dumb stuff can make
you dumb too.
Researchers conducted a study wherein they made
people watch a video called "foolish soccer
hooligan" – a man who wakes up, gets drunk, goes
to a soccer match and picks a fight.
Another group of people watched the story's longer
version where the guy does nothing stupid. The
latter beat the former at a general knowledge test.
Smartphones
Science speak: "Scientists say people who
constantly multitask are more easily distracted.
Such task-switching, aka multi-tasking, has been
shown in several studies to increase stress, which
can interfere with short-term memory, leading to
more mistakes," according to a magazine.
What that means: How many us deserve a degree
in Angry Birds rather than whatever course we
were pursuing in college, considering how many
hours in every lecture were dedicated to slaying
those pigs?
Do you feel the sudden desperation to type
"whatsupp dude" to anyone on your contact list
the minute your boss starts a meeting? Blame the
smartphone. Thanks to it, we just don't have any
attention span left.
It also makes us think we're superhumans who can
text, drive and sing all the lyrics to the new Justin
Bieber song – all at the same time. Isn't that
evidence enough of our stupidity? What good have
smartphones done till now anyway?
How is "gr8 prty c u l8r" better than the grunting
of our prehistoric ancestors? Although there still
isn't any neurological study to substantiate the
fact that smartphones make us dumb, there are
"distraction studies" aplenty.
Junk food
Science speak: According to Briston University
study, children who eat junk food grow up with a
lower IQ. The brain grows at its fastest during the
first three years and good nutrition during this
period may encourage optimal brain growth.
What it means: You mean junk food makes us fat
and stupid? If you hadn't yet lost your will to live,
here's another piece of bad news – sugar makes
you dumb too.
Researchers at UCLA found that rats had a harder
time navigating a maze after eating a fructose-only
diet.
The internet
Science speak: Google is replacing our brains.
Earlier we had fewer resources (i.e. books) to gain
information and knowing we didn't have 24/7
access to those meant our brains stored the
information. With the advent of Google, our brains
no longer know how to retain the info, according to
Forensic Psychology.
What it means: Using Google is marginally better
than flushing your brain down the toilet. Think that
was a little too harsh?
Well, that was nothing compared to the website's
melodramatic ending to the study: "if Google were
to explode, so would our memory".
All this sounds like a plot of one of those Will Smith
vs the Robots movies, we know, but this is real life!
and internet, smartphones, reality shows and junk
food are to blame.
Reality TV shows
Science speak: "The entertainment we consume
can influence our emotions and behaviour" –
according to the study, A Story About a Stupid
Person Can Make You Act Stupid (or Smart), by
Markus Appel.
What it means: You are what you watch and
watching dumb people do dumb stuff can make
you dumb too.
Researchers conducted a study wherein they made
people watch a video called "foolish soccer
hooligan" – a man who wakes up, gets drunk, goes
to a soccer match and picks a fight.
Another group of people watched the story's longer
version where the guy does nothing stupid. The
latter beat the former at a general knowledge test.
Smartphones
Science speak: "Scientists say people who
constantly multitask are more easily distracted.
Such task-switching, aka multi-tasking, has been
shown in several studies to increase stress, which
can interfere with short-term memory, leading to
more mistakes," according to a magazine.
What that means: How many us deserve a degree
in Angry Birds rather than whatever course we
were pursuing in college, considering how many
hours in every lecture were dedicated to slaying
those pigs?
Do you feel the sudden desperation to type
"whatsupp dude" to anyone on your contact list
the minute your boss starts a meeting? Blame the
smartphone. Thanks to it, we just don't have any
attention span left.
It also makes us think we're superhumans who can
text, drive and sing all the lyrics to the new Justin
Bieber song – all at the same time. Isn't that
evidence enough of our stupidity? What good have
smartphones done till now anyway?
How is "gr8 prty c u l8r" better than the grunting
of our prehistoric ancestors? Although there still
isn't any neurological study to substantiate the
fact that smartphones make us dumb, there are
"distraction studies" aplenty.
Junk food
Science speak: According to Briston University
study, children who eat junk food grow up with a
lower IQ. The brain grows at its fastest during the
first three years and good nutrition during this
period may encourage optimal brain growth.
What it means: You mean junk food makes us fat
and stupid? If you hadn't yet lost your will to live,
here's another piece of bad news – sugar makes
you dumb too.
Researchers at UCLA found that rats had a harder
time navigating a maze after eating a fructose-only
diet.
The internet
Science speak: Google is replacing our brains.
Earlier we had fewer resources (i.e. books) to gain
information and knowing we didn't have 24/7
access to those meant our brains stored the
information. With the advent of Google, our brains
no longer know how to retain the info, according to
Forensic Psychology.
What it means: Using Google is marginally better
than flushing your brain down the toilet. Think that
was a little too harsh?
Well, that was nothing compared to the website's
melodramatic ending to the study: "if Google were
to explode, so would our memory".
All this sounds like a plot of one of those Will Smith
vs the Robots movies, we know, but this is real life!
Is Google Apps Offensive and Racist
The maker of a Google app thinks it's fun to
make yourself look Asian by changing the
shape of your eyes and wearing a Fu Manchu
mustache and rice paddy hat. Or you could
be a Native American with brown skin, war
paint and a feather headband.
"This is just a fun app that lets you indulge you
and your friends,"- says the description of the
"Make Me Asian" app created by user
KimberyDeiss and available on Google Play. There
are also photo-altering apps including "Make Me
Old" and "Make Me Fat", "Make Me Russian" and
"Make Me Irish" which play off stereotypes.
"You can for a few seconds to make yourself a
Chinese, Japanese, Korean or any other Asians," –
the description says.
Not amusing or cute, say Asian-American
organizations that launched a petition to get
Google to remove both apps. The apps use dated
and racist stereotypes of Asians and Native
Americans, said the online campaign 18 Million
Rising, named after the number of Asian-
Americans in the United States.
"These racist and offensive portrayals of Asians
and Native Americans perpetuate damaging racial
stereotypes and should not be distributed on the
Google play store," – said the campaign, which has
an online petition to remove the apps.
Google, however, said the apps are not in violation
of the company's policies that protect against hate
speech.
"We don't comment on individual apps. We remove
apps from Google Play that violate our policies," –
Google said in a statement.
But the furor in the Asian-American community,
sparked a few weeks ago, is growing. Blogs,
including Angry Asian Man, have reinforced the call
to remove the apps.
Washington pastor Peter Chin decided to mount an
even larger protest on the website Change.org.
Chin said he understood Google's motto is "Don't
be evil." That makes it hard to fathom why the
company would support these apps, he said. This is
the first time Chin has protested in this way. He
was prompted to act, he said, because Google
refused to do so.
"Google normalizes everything from Google maps,
Gmail," – he said. "If you want to search for
something on the Internet, you even say "to
Google it."
Chin feared Google's power would make people
think the apps were OK. He wants Google users to
know that the stereotypes in the apps have been
used to marginalize and discriminate against
people.
"I wanted to make sure this app isn't given a pass
of approval. It's not cool," – he said.
make yourself look Asian by changing the
shape of your eyes and wearing a Fu Manchu
mustache and rice paddy hat. Or you could
be a Native American with brown skin, war
paint and a feather headband.
"This is just a fun app that lets you indulge you
and your friends,"- says the description of the
"Make Me Asian" app created by user
KimberyDeiss and available on Google Play. There
are also photo-altering apps including "Make Me
Old" and "Make Me Fat", "Make Me Russian" and
"Make Me Irish" which play off stereotypes.
"You can for a few seconds to make yourself a
Chinese, Japanese, Korean or any other Asians," –
the description says.
Not amusing or cute, say Asian-American
organizations that launched a petition to get
Google to remove both apps. The apps use dated
and racist stereotypes of Asians and Native
Americans, said the online campaign 18 Million
Rising, named after the number of Asian-
Americans in the United States.
"These racist and offensive portrayals of Asians
and Native Americans perpetuate damaging racial
stereotypes and should not be distributed on the
Google play store," – said the campaign, which has
an online petition to remove the apps.
Google, however, said the apps are not in violation
of the company's policies that protect against hate
speech.
"We don't comment on individual apps. We remove
apps from Google Play that violate our policies," –
Google said in a statement.
But the furor in the Asian-American community,
sparked a few weeks ago, is growing. Blogs,
including Angry Asian Man, have reinforced the call
to remove the apps.
Washington pastor Peter Chin decided to mount an
even larger protest on the website Change.org.
Chin said he understood Google's motto is "Don't
be evil." That makes it hard to fathom why the
company would support these apps, he said. This is
the first time Chin has protested in this way. He
was prompted to act, he said, because Google
refused to do so.
"Google normalizes everything from Google maps,
Gmail," – he said. "If you want to search for
something on the Internet, you even say "to
Google it."
Chin feared Google's power would make people
think the apps were OK. He wants Google users to
know that the stereotypes in the apps have been
used to marginalize and discriminate against
people.
"I wanted to make sure this app isn't given a pass
of approval. It's not cool," – he said.
How to send money through gmail
Along with a flurry of other announcements
made on Wednesday at Google I/O, Google's
annual developers' conference, the company
announced that it's integrating Google
Wallet with Gmail, meaning Gmail account
holders will soon be able to send money via
email.
The amazing thing about this is how easy it is. As
you can see in the YouTube video below, all you do
is hit a "$" symbol to attach money to an email —
just like you would attach any other file.
Google Product Manager Travis Green wrote in a
blog post that this feature will be rolled out "over
the coming months to all U.S. Gmail users over 18
years old." You can also get early access if a friend
— perhaps who works at Google — already has the
feature and sends money to you.
This could pose a threat to e-commerce startups
like Venmo, which allows you to send someone
payments through an app for iPhones or Android
phones. "Holy startup killer," said Artur Adib, a
senior engineer at Twitter.
Jeff Peters, a new media and marketing consultant,
wrote in a tweet about the news, "This could be
big…if (when) people trust it."
Tech executive Ray Nolan went even further,
declaring, "eCommerce just changed."
made on Wednesday at Google I/O, Google's
annual developers' conference, the company
announced that it's integrating Google
Wallet with Gmail, meaning Gmail account
holders will soon be able to send money via
email.
The amazing thing about this is how easy it is. As
you can see in the YouTube video below, all you do
is hit a "$" symbol to attach money to an email —
just like you would attach any other file.
Google Product Manager Travis Green wrote in a
blog post that this feature will be rolled out "over
the coming months to all U.S. Gmail users over 18
years old." You can also get early access if a friend
— perhaps who works at Google — already has the
feature and sends money to you.
This could pose a threat to e-commerce startups
like Venmo, which allows you to send someone
payments through an app for iPhones or Android
phones. "Holy startup killer," said Artur Adib, a
senior engineer at Twitter.
Jeff Peters, a new media and marketing consultant,
wrote in a tweet about the news, "This could be
big…if (when) people trust it."
Tech executive Ray Nolan went even further,
declaring, "eCommerce just changed."
Wednesday 15 May 2013
How to use facebook to create social media using some strategies
Setting Objectives
For Facebook, specifically, the rules remain similar. Defining the objectives by having a goal in mind is extremely significant before heading out in any direction blindly. This requires an understanding, not just of the brand's existence and worth, but also of the target audience; a sentiment analysis is extremely necessary to understand how the audience connects with what you have to offer.
New brands need more ground work to create awareness and interest in the public unlike the market leads, and so the need to stay visible becomes even more immediate. Did you know that the shelf life of a post on Facebook is not even an entire day?
On the other hand, we've also seen Facebook emerge as a platform, by established brands, to help with functions like
1. Product and service promotions,
2. Employee engagement,
3. Brand awareness, and even
4. Business development.
Facebook can't be your exclusive source for lead generation, but it can definitely help!
For Facebook, specifically, the rules remain similar. Defining the objectives by having a goal in mind is extremely significant before heading out in any direction blindly. This requires an understanding, not just of the brand's existence and worth, but also of the target audience; a sentiment analysis is extremely necessary to understand how the audience connects with what you have to offer.
New brands need more ground work to create awareness and interest in the public unlike the market leads, and so the need to stay visible becomes even more immediate. Did you know that the shelf life of a post on Facebook is not even an entire day?
On the other hand, we've also seen Facebook emerge as a platform, by established brands, to help with functions like
1. Product and service promotions,
2. Employee engagement,
3. Brand awareness, and even
4. Business development.
Facebook can't be your exclusive source for lead generation, but it can definitely help!
How to build and develop a well navifated website
When designing your website, it is important that you consider
how the navigational structure of the site will impact on the browsers'
experiences.
There is nothing worse than getting lost in a website as it can cause browsers to exit the site completely and choose another. Other annoying navigational issues include:
• getting caught in "a loop" between pages,
• having too many menus to choose from,
• seeing a high quantity of pages which all seem to relate to the same topic, e.g. "Services" page and "What we Do" page,
• finding dead or broken links that leaves you with error messages,
• clicking on pages that take too long to load.
To try and combat some of these issues, you should pay attention to the layout of your site during its creation. It is not just about getting a pretty design and lots of copy, but also about the structure of the menus and pages. You might also want to introduce sub menus to help you categorise pages. This allows browsers to freely pick between pages without getting confused.
Another idea is to introduce breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs technique involves putting a list of the pages
There is nothing worse than getting lost in a website as it can cause browsers to exit the site completely and choose another. Other annoying navigational issues include:
• getting caught in "a loop" between pages,
• having too many menus to choose from,
• seeing a high quantity of pages which all seem to relate to the same topic, e.g. "Services" page and "What we Do" page,
• finding dead or broken links that leaves you with error messages,
• clicking on pages that take too long to load.
To try and combat some of these issues, you should pay attention to the layout of your site during its creation. It is not just about getting a pretty design and lots of copy, but also about the structure of the menus and pages. You might also want to introduce sub menus to help you categorise pages. This allows browsers to freely pick between pages without getting confused.
Another idea is to introduce breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs technique involves putting a list of the pages
Reasons why online marketing is important for business
Online activities have grown manifold across the globe.
Businesses are increasingly realizing the importance of marketing
online. Many small businesses are, however, confused whether or not to
go for online marketing. This is mainly because they are not aware of
the importance of marketing online. We discuss here the importance of
online marketing for small businesses.
Nearly 94% Internet users, search products online before buying. People are thus relying more on the Internet to find businesses. That means, businesses need to focus more on increasing their online visibility.
To make local audiences aware:
You may have a great product line or services, you also should make sure your target audience know about your business. Local audiences are more likely to become customers for small businesses. In online marketing, you can use local SEO to enhance your online visibility in local search results. This will make
Nearly 94% Internet users, search products online before buying. People are thus relying more on the Internet to find businesses. That means, businesses need to focus more on increasing their online visibility.
To make local audiences aware:
You may have a great product line or services, you also should make sure your target audience know about your business. Local audiences are more likely to become customers for small businesses. In online marketing, you can use local SEO to enhance your online visibility in local search results. This will make
How to write an outstanding blog post
It’s a problem that even the most experienced bloggers can stumble
into every now and again, so if you’re having trouble coming up with
interesting blog post ideas, you most certainly are not alone.
It’s likely that you’ve been searching around the web for tips about content creation and have come to the conclusion that all of your articles must contain an original idea with the likes that have never been heard of before. Sadly I can’t help but feel that you have been (unintentionally) led astray by these types of advice.
Now you may be wondering why I’m rebuking the argument that your content must be “original and unique†since you don’t really hear anyone else out there saying otherwise.
Well I’m here to tell you that there is no such thing as an “original idea†when it comes to writing. Every idea that you can think of has been done before, sometimes to the point of overkill.
I think when starting out with blogging and article marketing, everybody get’s self conscious about their own writing and the type of content that they will be creating. Often the self defeating thoughts are somewhere along the lines of “what if people hate my contentâ€, or “what if they think I’m boring?â€
To put your mind at ease, let me put it this way.
If you’re not offending somebody, you’re not doing it right.
If you’re not offending somebody, you’re not making a big enough impact with your content.
It’s likely that you’ve been searching around the web for tips about content creation and have come to the conclusion that all of your articles must contain an original idea with the likes that have never been heard of before. Sadly I can’t help but feel that you have been (unintentionally) led astray by these types of advice.
Now you may be wondering why I’m rebuking the argument that your content must be “original and unique†since you don’t really hear anyone else out there saying otherwise.
Well I’m here to tell you that there is no such thing as an “original idea†when it comes to writing. Every idea that you can think of has been done before, sometimes to the point of overkill.
I think when starting out with blogging and article marketing, everybody get’s self conscious about their own writing and the type of content that they will be creating. Often the self defeating thoughts are somewhere along the lines of “what if people hate my contentâ€, or “what if they think I’m boring?â€
To put your mind at ease, let me put it this way.
If you’re not offending somebody, you’re not doing it right.
If you’re not offending somebody, you’re not making a big enough impact with your content.
Tuesday 14 May 2013
Great SEO ways to generate high traffic to your site or blog
Developing SEO strategies that can divert a great deal of traffic to
your website quickly and easily can be a rather tough thing to do. The
main objective of SEO strategies is to attract visitors who want to
purchase the services or products that you offer so that you can
generate revenue. There are many ways which can help make your website
more noticeable and here are 5 easy and great ways to do so.
Long tail keywords
Introducing a blog on your website can help to benefit your business a great deal. This is because it can help to divert a lot of traffic to the site. However, simply posting any kind of content is not effective in bringing more visitors to your site. It is important that you use long tail keywords in your posts to attract visitors. For instance, writing posts with a title like “How to….improve business or earn more money†can help in improving traffic to your site and this in turn can increase site performance. In addition to this, it also helps you rank higher on search engines.
Use 3-5 keywords per page
An ideal strategy to increase the traffic to your website is by using more than 2 keywords in your blog posts or on your pages. Let’s say you use 3 different keywords in your posts and you post about 15 blogs on a monthly basis. The total number of keywords you use will total up to about 45, which is extremely helpful in diverting traffic to your site. This is a rather simple thing to do. All you need is to ensure keywords are included in the body of your post and in the title. You should also use LSI along with main keywords.
Long tail keywords
Introducing a blog on your website can help to benefit your business a great deal. This is because it can help to divert a lot of traffic to the site. However, simply posting any kind of content is not effective in bringing more visitors to your site. It is important that you use long tail keywords in your posts to attract visitors. For instance, writing posts with a title like “How to….improve business or earn more money†can help in improving traffic to your site and this in turn can increase site performance. In addition to this, it also helps you rank higher on search engines.
Use 3-5 keywords per page
An ideal strategy to increase the traffic to your website is by using more than 2 keywords in your blog posts or on your pages. Let’s say you use 3 different keywords in your posts and you post about 15 blogs on a monthly basis. The total number of keywords you use will total up to about 45, which is extremely helpful in diverting traffic to your site. This is a rather simple thing to do. All you need is to ensure keywords are included in the body of your post and in the title. You should also use LSI along with main keywords.
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