Picture
Skypers talk to Skypers and Facetimers talk to Facetimers, but video chatting still can't rival the ease of picking up a phone. Right?

Not now! Meetings.io starts a video chat between you and up to five people in two simple steps: 1. Press button to generate link to video chat; 2. Share link. That’s it. No registering, no logging in, no screen names to remember. Just click and start.
 
Your screen automatically resizes to accommodate participants as they come and go, and there are cool little add-ons like a notepad for personal memos and a messenger space for personal comments.

If you did want to register for an account (it’s free!) you can create your own “vanity room,” meaning you could simply say, “Meet me at 7:00 in The Netted Chat Room. And BYO lounge chair!”



 
 
Picture
You may have heard that using free Wi-Fi is the same as SHOUTING everything you're typing out loud across the planet.

A service called Spotflux is perfect for use in airports, hotels, and that cafe around the corner where you may nestle in to get some work done.

Spotflux is a free download available (for both Mac and PC), that ensures your Internet usage is protected even when sharing a connection with total strangers. Once you're logged in to the wireless network, flip on Spotiflux and browse as you normally would. The service encrypts your internet traffic, blocks malware and viruses, and hides your IP location to keep you anonymous.


Visit Spotflux
 
 
Picture
VISUAL HASHING: Password Protected Color Code of Your Login Info

Visual Hashing is a simple plug-in for Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome browsers.

It turns every site's password entry space into a bar made up of four colors which change with every key you press.

You can think of the hash as being your password's "fingerprint."

Type your password correctly and you will see the same four hues each time. As you quickly log in, it's a quick visual cue as to whether or not you've entered the password correctly. After you install this add-on, you'll be able to see a four-color visual "hash" in password inputs all around the web. The hash will update as you type.

Over time, you'll remember the colors associated with each password, which will prevent you from mistyping your passwords.
 
 
Picture
The case for mobile marketing is strong, and businesses need to be paying attention to it.

Make your print interactive with QR codes. QR Codes or, "Quick Response" codes, are barcodes that can be read by mobile phones. They allow an interactive element to be effortlessly added to your printing.

A QR Code can include phone numbers, text messages, V-Card data, HTML links or even plain text. Once scanned, your phone or QR enabled device will translate the information and open the appropriate program to use the encoded data. The unique properties of QR Codes allow users to scan codes when they're upside down or even wrapped around a curved surface.

There are many different QR code scanning utilities available for the different smart phones on the market, many of them free. QR codes are extremely popular in Japan (where they were invented), but are just starting to catch on in the US. As they become more popular, more and more users will add theses utilities to their phones, and it is likely that eventually most smart phones will ship with some type of QR reader installed. Google makes it easy - any URL you create can be shortened and given a QR code.

If you aren’t using a barcode reader, you’ll want to install one, and text the fancy QR code you just created! There are many free ones to choose from depending on your device:

To sum it up, users point their phone at your QR code and can instantly:
  • View a web page with more information about your event or product
  • Add your contact information to their address book
  • Get directions to your location (via Google Maps)
  • Receive a text message with special offers, more info, etc.

 
 
Picture
Facebook has decided to bring ads to your mobile device. If you saw the blockbuster movie Social Networking, you recall the founders arguing that 'ads aren't cool'. But with the huge growth in audience numbers, they just gave in.

From what we hear, Facebook’s mobile ads will probably follow the “Sponsored Stories” format, and will appear in your mobile news feed. Rather than a display ad with “Your Name Here,” users will be notified when their friends interact with a brand. We’re not too sure how people will enjoy these new additions to their news feeds ... most will protest and then keep using the service anyway.

Facebook has big plans for the future. In 2011 alone, Facebook saw 300 million new users sign up.

How do you feel about Facebook Ads coming to your mobile device?

 


_
Picture
Designmodo recently published an article showcasing some top-grade, incredibly executed Facebook Fan Pages.

One of these esteemed Facebook pages is Beyond Yoga. Lively graphics and engaging their clients with relevant content sets them apart.

Videos are posted to teach yoga poses, models are beautifully photographed and the design is cutting edge.

The Beyond Yoga thumbnail is inviting and bright. When Facebook users race through down their news feeds,  having an attractive profile picture that allows for an eye-catching thumbnail can mean more visits to your fan page and more interactions on your posts.
_

 
 
This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.
 
 
Picture
_Gimme Bar offers stability in an instable cyber world, archiving any piece of content from the Web – forever.
 Save it. Gimme Bar doesn’t just keep bookmarks; it stores items in your personal library in the cloud.

DRAG and DROP photos and links, and they’re SAVED! Highlight a portion of text or scroll over a video and you are offered the option to store that for future reference.

__ Collections are archived back at your "Gimme Bar account", easily accessible with the thumbnails and a search feature.
 
Where will we go from here?!
 
 
Picture
_Social media can be used for great things. Most Americans were not even aware of the Occupy movement until they heard about it on social media because the traditional news media neglected to mention it.

_Social media has become vital for protestors to get the word out prior to protests, building momentum during the protests and then announcing future protests. Protestors are uploading videos of police arresting protestors to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter to gain sympathy for their cause and ultimately sway others to join this movement.

Social media has opened a whole new platform for protestors. News media may not give accurate coverage of protests and does not seem to side with them. Now, social media gives them the ability to get their own coverage and possibly gain global recognition for their efforts.

No matter what your personal opinion of the protests is, clearly the use of social media has created a cohesive message that encouraged people to come together. We all value the idea of democracy and rule of the people, and social media emphasizes the importance of the people and making sure that their voices are heard.

 
 
Start blogging by creating a new post. You can edit or delete me by clicking under the comments. You can also customize your sidebar by dragging in elements from the top bar.