Of course I wouldn’t expect that all of you knew social recommendation site GetGlue because to be honest I discovered the site pretty recently. Anyway, to give you a brief background of GetGlue, the site is described as an innovative social recommendation network for movies, books, and music – three things which a normal human being like you and me definitely digs and most often than not get glued on.

With that explained, lets move on now to the latest updates from the GetGlue site. And this is being branded as Taste Neighbors which is described as a complimentary set of interesting people that you have lot of common with.

Glue will start calculating Taste Neighbors for you for each categegory where you liked 50 or more things.  The more you like more movies, books or music, Glue will figure out other members who have same time as your when it comes to movies, books or music. You will them, your taste neighbors in the sidebar of your home and profile pages.

To make it easier for you to subscribe to  neighbors, Glue will also display them in various categories – Top Boop Neighbors, Top Stars Neighbors, Top Movie Neighbors, Top Shows Neighbors, and Top Artist Neighbors.

Glue also rolls out the “Things in Common” profile view. This cool feature lets you view the things that you and your neighbor  have in common. This profile is also available for other Glue users as well.   To get to this view, visit the profile page, select specific category, like movies or books and then click the Things in Common toggle. On neighbor profiles you will also have a shortcut in the sidebar, under the Things in Common section.

So there instant, people-powered suggestions based on your tastes. If you haven’t checked out GetGlue yet, I suggest you visit their site now.

At first glance, it’s sleek and sophisticated. At second glance, users will fall in love with the high-res touchscreen, and the not-too-touchy buttons (including a dedicated Bing button – imagine that). That’s about it. It’s refreshingly simple, and doesn’t feel overwhelming like a Blackberry. The graphics are outstanding, and the screens are like butter – scrolling vertically, launching easily, and sliding users around with nary an effort. By comparison, the iPhone seems a little … ahem … clunky.

Social Networking

Microsoft’s truly brilliant idea was to keep users highly connected by integrating their contact list with their favorite social networking sites. Users can instantly see friends’ feeds from a number of social networking sites, view online photo galleries, and more.  Social media is the place to be, and Microsoft is there.

Apps

Rumor has it that apps for the WP7S will cost more than iPhone apps, but the quality will be better. Which is kind of the point. Microsoft’s strategy is to not let just anybody with a spare hour (and a willingness to comply with some bendy regulations) develop an app, and then sell it for a buck. But who knows? They may change their minds once customers begin shouting, “More apps! More apps!”

Gaming

One of the most talked-about features of this new smartphone is its integration with Xbox Live. Details are still kind of sketchy, but initial buzz indicates that gamers will be able to make their avatar and Game ID mobile (as in “take it wherever you go”), and easily drop into Xbox Live casual games from someone else’s lair.

Entertainment

Microsoft really wants to build up Zune. So, of course, they’ve made it the go-to entertainment software within the new Microsoft 7 operating system. The WP7S will be Zune enabled, and the company has its fingers crossed that users will feel the experience is different from that offered by iTunes. Microsoft is banking on easy access to music and video, plus a “social element” that makes users feel extra-engaged.

Productivity

Linux lovers don’t love Microsoft. But the fact is that the majority of companies worldwide use MS Office products, and this new smartphone will make a huge contribution to the 24/7 mobile office. It will allow users to create, edit, and share documents with ease – and without those pesky formatting problems – straight from their mobile device.

Availability

iPhone got pretty persnickety and chose AT&T as its only U.S. carrier. Microsoft sat back and laughed, and then learned from Apple’s faux pas. Every major wireless carrier will offer the WP7S, which could lessen its exclusive feel, but cause Microsoft’s stock to skyrocket.

Bugs

OK, bugs aren’t a feature. But it’s worth mentioning that Apple does have an advantage here. The iPhone has been out for awhile, and the company has worked out some glitches. It is guaranteed that the first run of the WP7S will have its quirky moments, which will get the tech bloggers’ panties all in a bunch. But Microsoft’s advantage is they have the shiny, new smartphone. And that’s usually enough.

So tell us … do you think Microsoft is back in the game with their new smartphone? And – more importantly – do you think the name is going to be one of the biggest marketing blunders of 2010?

Vancouver2010

There’s no better place to get the downlow on the games than to visit the official website. Check out Vancouver2010 for everything you want to know about the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. The site boasts a tab for each specific sport, plus a comprehensive spectator guide, The Olympic Store for official gear, an area about Canadian culture, and even event ticket sales in case you decide to hop a plane to Canada (don’t forget your passport).
NBC

The official network of the Olympics, NBC has taken an over-the-top approach to interactive media with their “Be there, wherever you are” campaign. From the opening ceremonies to the very last medal, NBC has you covered:

TV – Watch around-the-clock, high-definition broadcasts of the different events, which will be peppered with special interest stories about the athletes. You can get complete TV listings here, organized by timeslot, or by sport.

Web – Viewers that want even more Olympic feed can go to NBC’s 2010 Olympic Winter Games website, where the network features event results, blogs and tweets from the athletes, video and photo galleries, and up-to-the-minute medal counts.

Mobile – NBC has also partnered with AT&T to present a mobile app you can download to follow the games while you’re on the go. You can download widgets, get an RSS feed, shop for Olympics souvenirs, and even set up alerts for your favorite sports so you won’t miss a thing.

Vancouver 2010 Olympics Facebook Fan Page

Declare your love for the Olympics out loud by becoming a Facebook fan of the 2010 games. The official Facebook site fan page is over 420,000 fans strong, and is already bustling with activity in anticipation of the games. The site’s “wall” and “discussion” areas are open for comment once you become a fan, and you can also find photo galleries, info on the torch relay (in both English and French), and virtual Olympics “gifts” you can send to your Facebook friends.

Twitter

If your social media site of choice is Twitter, stay connected to the games by following @2010tweets, presented by the Vancouver Olympics Committee communications team. This is where you’ll find “approved” Olympics buzz; if you want some “unofficial” play-by-play, follow the list @kk/Vancouver-2010-olympics for tweets about the games from regular Joes.

The Official Mobile Spectator Guide
Lucky enough to be going to Vancouver? Download the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games: The Official Mobile Spectator Guide to your mobile device before your trip. This free app is location-aware, meaning it knows where you are in relation to where you’re going, and will give you directions and maps to the venues on your agenda. It also details more than 2,000 sports and cultural events taking place over the 17 days of the games.

NBC Olympics Cheer

Now that you know where to find Olympics action, you might need some help cheering for Team USA. Especially if you hit the bar to watch your favorite events. Download the NBC Olympics Cheer app (presented by Coca-Cola) from iTunes, and suddenly your iPhone will be a sound-effects machine that produces sounds like a cowbell or an airhorn. Special sounds can even be produced by shaking the phone or blowing into the microphone. You can even write and record your own Team USA cheers to show your patriotic pride!

What apps or websites are you using to get in on Olympics fun? Comment below and tell us how you watch – or interact with – the Olympics.

Although Facebook Chat is very popular, web interface lacks many features you would like to see on your IM client, that’s why we provide you with best and full function Facebook Chat desktop clients for Windows and Mac platforms.

Digsby

Digsby is very powerful client that knows the “language” of many popular social networks and email services. I will name just largest platforms: Facebook Chat, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Talk, MSN, ICQ, Yahoo, Gmail, Yahoo mail, AOL/AIM Mail and others. It can really become your only software to update all your networks, check email and chat with buddies. Digsby is available for Windows – Mac and Linux versions coming soon (Thanks Mihnea!).

Check out this video to see main features and how it all works:

Adium

Adium is the most popular IM client among Mac users mainly because of features it may offer to mac users. As it is developed specifically for Mac it runs very smooth have native interface. Adium offers large number of services you can integrate together: AOL, MSN, Yahoo, Google Talk, ICQ, Facebook Chat and others. If you own Mac – try Adium!

Pidgin

Pidgin is great client for Windows and Unix systems, although it doesn’t support Facebook chat by default you can integrate it using this plugin. Besides that you will be able to connect with your buddies on large number of networks and remember plug-ins, they offer almost unlimited possibilities for developers to add new features and networks.

Chit Chat For Facebook

App that is built specifically for Facebook and if you don’t want to get crazy integrating everything in one desktop client (trust me, it can be very annoying) you can go and install Chit Chat. This IM doesn’t have nothing too fancy, but there are all basic features you may want to require for Facebook Chat. Runs on windows only.

Palringo

Palringo have strong focus on mobile devices and if you like to use your phone for connecting to your friends – try this app. Currently it have applications for Android, Iphone, iPod Touch, Blackberry, Simbian, Windows mobile and Java application. Also supporting large number of social networks and IM platforms – check out full list on their site.

According to Nielsen, last year we spent 82% more time on social networking sites than we did in 2008.

The sites to blame for such increase of course are Facebook and Twitter – these networks shows impressive growth in their visitor numbers too:

United States with largest audience is also among the countries whose users spent over six hours per month on social media sites. Leaders is Australians spending nearly 7 hours networking online. Japan users somehow managed to limit their time online and it is almost twice as low as an average time spent by other users.

I’m wondering whether Facebook and Twitter, as the sites responsible for the most hours spent by users, will be able to hold (increase) the attention also next year.

via [ReadWriteWeb]

How big is your numbers – I bet you feel really small :)

Created by Online Education

Planning a party is hard work.  From music to snacks to drinks, you’ll have plenty to do – so invitations should be the last of your worries.

Evite – Evite has been the default party invitation service for years, and it’s terrible.  The invitation does not have the address of the party, forcing you to click on the site, where you are bombarded by ads.  What else is out there?

Pingg - Puts all the info you need in beautifully designed emails, and lets you RSVP directly from the website.  For a few bucks you can send postcards or even text messages to your guests as well.  Easy to use, good looking site.

MyPunchBowl – A clean site that gives you all the basic functionality and allows you to text invites.  The cool feature is that yo can let the guests vote on the start time and see how they respond.  If 10pm gets more votes than 9pm, you know when to start the party.  You can also upload photos and send them around afterward as an after party feature.  Depending on the party hijinks this may or may not be a good idea for you.

Shindigg (beta) – Allows text message invites, after party photo sharing and gives each party it’s own site.  You can also link to photos from Flickr, MySpace or anyplace else.

Socializr – Founded by the guy who started Friendster, Socializr brings the 2.0 to party planning.  Has all the features others do, plus allows you to publish and share party info on Facebook, Yelp and other social networking sites, allows contact importing from all big email services and gives users the option of customized URLs.

PurpleTrail – Gives the basic functionality of the others and allows you to send printed invitations for a small fee, either through them or by printing them at home.  Unlike some of the others which have google ads on their free versions, PurpleTrail is ad free.

Crusher – If you are a committment-phobe who can’t be bothered with signing up for Websites, Crusher is for you.  Keep an open guest list, poll friends for information and design custom announcements – all without ever parting with your e-mail address.

Smilebox - Unlimited photo uploads and custom skins will bring you one step closer to bringing your online friends offline.  Create unique groups and seek out ‘partygoers’ with similar interests.

Zoji - Choose from tons of invitations, add your photos, videos, words, and music.  Then you have the option to e-mail, blog, or print your invites.

We here at Rotorblog are still waiting for our invite.  Don’t you dare tell us it got lost in the (e)mail!

If proxy don’t work for you or you feel it’s not the solution you like to use – try Virtual private network services (VPN). Other great advantage of using VPN is hiding your personal information online.  VPN services hide your real IP address and encrypts transferred data so you can be sure nobody tracks your activities online.

So here are some of the best and free VPN services available today:

AlonWeb – Free VPN service

Choosing AlonWeb you get almost premium service absolutely for free. All your traffic is encrypted and compressed using this service so there is no need to worry about privacy. Check out also premium version with VoIP support and no traffic limits.

Hotspot Shield

No doubt Hotspot Shield is most popular VPN service right now and many users trust this software. It has it’s downside too – some of websites (Hulu for example) are fighting to block users who use Hotspot service. But anyway it is a great soft and you can defiantly try it out. Hotspot Shield have support Windows 200/XP/Vista and Mac OS X Tiger/Leopard.

GPass

GPass also is a great solution for anonymous web surfing and accessing blocked websites and services. It has support for streaming audio/videos, email, instant messaging, download managers encrypted socks tunnels and backup tunnels using Skype and Tor

UltraVPN

UltraVPN is a VPN service based on OpenVPN. This soft gives you possibility to use VoIP software like Skype, connect to MSN if it’s blocked and use Hulu for example or other services restricted to US users only. Of course you get total privacy as using other VPN services.

CyberGhost

CyberGhost gives you 1GB of traffic/month with free account and up to 40 GB with premium accounts. Premium accounts have also speed guarantees which can be very important for people transferring a lot of data.

Share your experience and techniques of accessing blocked services, websites in comments below – our readers will appreciate it!

PIPL

My tool of choice is Pipl, a search engine that culls the “deep Web” in order to find people around the world. Culling through social network profiles, member directories, court records and other pages that aren’t always available to general search engines, Pipl is great for uncovering that former flame or long lost relative.

Searching is a breeze. Simply enter a first name, last name (mandatory), city, state and country and you are off and running.

The results are broken out into sections: Background Reports (which lead you to pay-to-find sites), Professional and Business, Personal Profiles, Public Records, Publications and more.

The top right side of the page contains thumbnail images of potential photo matches.

There is no registration and Pipl is 100% free to use.

The GOOD: Free, easy-to-use, results easier to sift through than a ‘normal’ search engine.

The BAD: Results are inconsistent, too many links lead to pay sites and these are formatted to look like ‘free’ results – and that can be misleading

WHITEPAGES

Recently redesigned, Whitepages.com is no longer a tree-killing clunker like its paper predecessor. There is a “Find People” section, but if a personal has chosen to be unlisted (which seems to be the exception, not the rule) you are out of luck.

The true power of WhitePages comes with the ‘reverse lookup.’ If you have the address or phone number of a person, you can verify their name, location, age range and potentially other members of the family living at the address. Any good Internet sleuth knows that searching family members of your intended subject is a great route to find who you are looking for. The searchee might have gone through measures to not be found, but have their relatives?

There is also a Neighbor Search (it’s always good to know who’s around you!) and a Mobile carrier lookup – which can help you narrow down what service provider a number is attached to.

The GOOD: Easy-to-read results, multiple free search tools

The BAD: Unlisted numbers are a dead end, information is not necessarily current

INTELIUS

If you do a Google search of “find people,” you will find that many roads travel back to Intelius. That’s why it comes as no surprise that the site gets over 1 million hits a day and generated over 3 million reports last year. Favored by many businesses and human resources departments, the site also delivers accurate information to individuals. In-depth searches such as e-mail address locator or ’social net search’ with cost you a few bucks, but there are a few free features you can use to your advantage. A name and city search will yield potential previous cities where your searchee might have lived. You also get a list of names that could be possible relatives. Another cool feature is the reverse phone search which will tell you if a number is a cell or landline (Google voice numbers are considered landlines). There is also a free criminal records search.

The GOOD: The #1 player in the people verification space

The BAD: Details will cost you money

Other useful tools:

Fundrace, offered through the Huffington Post allows you to use a zip code and last name to find out if a political contribution has been made to a major American political party.

Zabasearch gives you the ability to know when YOU are being searched for.

MyLife offers you access to more than 750 million profiles with advanced search and filtering options, all in one place. Enter an individual’s interests for refined results.

Classmates was the original ’secret stalker’ Website, giving folks the change to reconnect with former school buddies and military personnel. You must register and indicate the year you graduated and school you attended in order to access records. Of course, should you become “creative” with your registration, others can be located without being found.

Zillow will give you information on a person’s home if they are the owners.  Learn how much they paid, when they purchased it and what their taxes are.

Maintaining anonymity and having a Web presence is virtually impossible these days. If you have any other tools you use to track people down, let us know!

P.S. – These Google search tricks are often overlooked and a great way to find folks!

Call Me with Google Voice

This app lets you display your Google Voice widget in tab, profile and box. It allows you to make phone blasts to your Facebook News feed, create widget link that you can append to events and customize flash load image.

Call-My-W&ll

This is a simple with one simple and yet useful purpose – it lets you call in your Facebook status updates and then leave a voice status.

Reach Me On My Mobile

A pretty useful Facebook app that allows your friend to contact you through call, chat, text and voice messaging from your Facebook profile. It also prompts you to get online and log-in to your Facebook account for new file sent by your friends.

Telephone

Talk and send instant messages to your Facebook friends for free. You can also leave a voice message to your friends.

Party Line

This is an easy-to-use and useful app that lets you make instant conference call with your Facebook friends.
Jottby Jott, Inc.

Jott

A voice-to-text service app that allows you to capture thoughts, send emails and text messages as well as connect to popular web services through a simple phone call.

GuerrillaTel – Call for FREE

If you’re in the US or Canada, this app lets you make free phone-to-phone calls via your Facebook profile. You simply click on a friend’s picture to connect via phone patch for free.

Talkster Phone Party

This app lets you call a friend or a group of up to 5 friends at once for free. It allows you to use any mobile or landline phone, internationally.

Calliflower- FREE Conference Calls

Another app that lets you start a conference call for free. It allows you to call from home, mobile, Skype or any VOIP service.

Calls & SMS worldwide

Lets you make calls as well as send SMS from your Facebook account directly to your friends. It also lets you friens call you or leave a voicemail to you directly from your Facebook profile.

Share through SpinVox

This app lets you update your Facebook status as well as you Twitter and Jaiku accounts through a simple phone call. It also sends your messages into SMS.

Have you used any of these applications in your Facebook account?  Share with us your experiences by leaving a comment below.

Social media is not just a fad but a vessel to reach a wider audience. A site without readers is powerless, which is why bloggers and internet marketers are advised to build quality network to ensure quality traffic. Quality connections assure your well-written posts be heard and spread – a vital rule for a site to grow and be known.

8 Things To  Consider While Building a Quality Network

1. Determined and Clear About Your Goals

- One has to be clear about the purpose of the network. There’s a huge crowd in every social media site: some joining it for fun, some as an outlet while some are looking for business ventures. Be clear of your objectives before reaching out so you’ll have a clear idea on the ample time and effort spent in network building.

2. Research on The Power Users

- Do you know how power users utilize social networks in their area of expertise? How they started? What social media they’re using to reach the desired crowd? You don’t have to be a copycat but by learning how they did it, you’ll have a lead where to start and modify your strategy from there. Same trick may not give you the same result, so always be prepared for trials and initiate a better one to fit your needs.

3. Identify Your Potential Audiences

- A simple question: Now why do we see promoters loitering around the mall capturing potential customers? Apart from traffic, it’s the place where consumers most likely to spend on something. You don’t see shopaholic hanging out in the clinic, do you? Identify your potential audiences within a social network, whether it’s a forum or a particular chatroom. Gain access and start contributing in frequency and quality.

4. Be Distinctive & Noticeable

- The idea of being you, and no one else! Representing your own, unique brand and your site, be outspoken but with respect; share an experience or an insightful comment on a post you just came across. Initiate a conversation or ask a question if you’re not sure about the answer. Don’t be quiet in a network unless you wish to be buried and never be found.

5. Patience & Forget About Number’s Game

Taking part in all of the social media sites might not give you the results you hope for. Here’s why:

A) 10 social media sites (1 hour/day) = 6 minutes per site

• A quick drop of ‘visit my blog’, ‘I’m updating my post’ or ‘Just got back from work’ won’t excite people. Not to mention sometimes you tend to spend longer at a site and lost track of time. What if it affects your work quality, or causes procrastinations?

B) 3 social media sites (1 hour/day) = 20 minutes per site

• Have in depth conversations with your peers. Do you know a person better by following their updates and respond accordingly? Definitely.

No network can be built without even willing to spend time and listen to someone. Unless you’re super connective and humorous to grab people’s attention. In that case, it’s a gift, use it wisely.

Spend ample time and care about others, only then people will care about what you’re sharing. Be patient as quality network takes time. Forget about ‘number’s game’ and focusing on quality network building.

6. Be Helpful & Sincere

We all love kind and sincere individuals. When I was just a new blogger, I remembered clearly who helped me and encouraged me along the way. Their names are vivid in my mind even till today. To help someone is a great experience. While you get to make some new friends, you can learn something in return. Do not expect repayments but be sincere. I never see prestigious bloggers urging people to thank them or hold a grudge at someone for unwilling to promote their products. Humility is a wonderful virtue and shall be prolonged in any social networks.

7. Quality Posts & Return Favors

If you’re a blogger, writing killer blog posts is the best way to grab attention. Learn to be the authority within your niche. Providing quality presentations while active in replying comments. Continue the blog networking elsewhere by repaying visits or supporting your commentators on other social networks. A healthy network is all about mutual support and encouragement, but not until someone uses it to manipulate the intention of this good will. For example, don’t reward link droppers or spammers with your favors.

8. Enjoy the Process

Most of all, enjoy the process and have fun with it. In my experience, quality network building is what ensures the satisfaction and friendships I have today, which I valued more than just a popular post. The supports are on-going and mutual trusts are built from within. There’s no popular contest on the run here so take your time! Unless you’re looking for fast traffic, then I’m afraid it’s the quantity game you’re aftering.

It’s Your Turn
What do you value most in a social network? Do you have anything else to add besides what mentioned above? Kindly share it in the comments.

Guest post:

Ching Ya is a social media addict & freelance writer/designer. She’s the author of Social @ Blogging Tracker where she talks about ideas & apps related to social networking. You can reach her at @wchingya (Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn.

]]> http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/09/17/8-things-to-consider-while-building-a-quality-network/feed/ 17 http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/08/05/rock-on-9-free-music-websites/ http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/08/05/rock-on-9-free-music-websites/#comments Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:28:34 +0000 Andrew G.R. http://www.rotorblog.com/?p=4239 For years I have been a Rhapsody subscriber. The streaming music service is well worth every penny, as I relish the fact that I can play just about any song at any time. But I can understand young music lovers who do not wish to pay to hear the tunes they seek. That’s where these great free services come in.

PANDORA

It’s like they know me! Enter the name of a band, song or genre , and Pandora’s intuitive system will play tunes that have similar musical qualities to your selection.

Registering entitles you to 100 “stations” and the ability to bookmark songs or people. Album art and a blurb about the band accompanies each track.

The recently launched Pandora One offers higher audio quality, a five-hour timeout period (if you don’t interact with Pandora, the system will auto-pause) and no ads for $36 a year. The free version peppers in audio and video ads, and while they definitely interrupt the flow, they are certainly not deal breakers.

BLIP.FM

Designed to allow anyone to be a virtual DJ, Blip.fm allows you to tell the world what you are listening to. A blip creates a short URL to a song that is accompanied with a brief message. This information is broadcast to your friends or shared on Twitter.

Even though I’m not big on ‘blipping,’ I do use the site to pull up songs I want to listen to. A preview button next to each track will actually enable a song to play all the way through. The availability of tracks is a bit unpredictable, as the system pulls songs from a variiety of servers and Websites – including YouTube.

This site is for folks who want to impress their friends by showing off their DJ skills or for people who want access to a song in a flash.

MUSICOVERY

As the name implies, this is another music recommendation engine. What’s unique is that playlists can be built based on your mood. Feeling like a dark mix from the 70s or an energetic mix from the 90s? Use the filtering system to customize your music. Free users can ban songs they hate and enjoy lo-fo streams.

A graphical interface based on Liveplasma technology. The Liveplasma technology creates a graphical map of possible tastes, with songs most likely to please the user appearing closer to the current song on the visual map than songs less similar.

LAST.FM

Last.fm recommends music, videos and concerts based on what you listen to. The system registers every track that you play and stores that information behind your profile. It can then recommend similar songs – and people who have alike taste.

Music can be recommended o a friend, tagged or commented on, all impacting the song’s importance on the site. The more positively a track is received the higher up the Last.fm charts it moves, resulting in greater exposure. With Last.fm, you have the power to help decide what’s hot and what’s not.

DIZZLER

Dizzler, the self-proclaimed media tornado is a search engine for music tracks, music videos and song lyrics. Type in what you are looking for and you will be presented with an opportunity to stream the song for free, add it to your playlist (free registration required), view lyrics, share with a friend or (via Thumbplay) purchase the ringtone. The information comes from public searches but all URLs are encrypted to protect the identity of the content source.

The site also hosts chat rooms devoted to your favorite artists as well as links to news, photos and tour dates.

Spotify.com – Listen for free (ad-supported), purchase a Day Pass (24 hours ad free) or subscribe for the Premium program.

MP3.com – Listen online or purchase tunes for download. My favorite feature is the “Random Artist” button on the top toolbar.

Lala.com – All the music you could ever want, playable in a web browser. Over 7 millions songs, the first 25 for free.

Slacker.com – Personalized radio service featuring over 100 expert-programmed genre stations and the ability to create your own.

Where are you listening to music on the Web?

]]> http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/08/05/rock-on-9-free-music-websites/feed/ 5 http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/27/screencast-free-tools-to-record-your-screen/ http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/27/screencast-free-tools-to-record-your-screen/#comments Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:07:24 +0000 Andrew G.R. http://www.rotorblog.com/?p=4200 Last week my boss approached me about a presentation she was putting together for a large audience. Her default play was to put together the typical Powerpoint slideshow which she planned to narrate.

Yawn. Snore. Boring!

Thankfully she has an open mind and I was able to introduce her to screencasts: simple videos that have the ability to show what is happening on the computer screen. They can be recorded in advance and some neat bells and whistles can be added. The best part is that many of these tools are free.

ScreenToaster

ScreenToaster is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X and Linux and is 100% Web-based. Simply approve a Java Applet to run and you can capture screen actions with a single click.

The keyboard command of ‘ALT + S’ will record/pause your presentation. Choose to record the full screen or designate a specific area, depending on what you are looking to illustrate.

Bonus features include the ability to add subtitles, an option to remove/replace audio and control over a screencap preview.

Upon completion of your recording, you can upload the file to ScreenToaster for the highest resolution; send it to YouTube for a more compressed version. Videos can also be saved locally as a Quicktime file or Flash (in beta).

Social networking: E-mail screencasts to a friend, share them across all the usual networks, generate a URL or embed directly on your site.

Capture your screen in seconds

FreeScreencast

FreeScreencast allows you to create Flash-based screencasts for free after downloading the required screecast recorder. The software is ad-free and allows you to publish to the internet in seconds.

Embed your screencast in your website or blog.

Screencast-O-Matic

All of the tools listed here allow you to not only create screencasts, but to view other people’s casts as well. Screencast-O-Matic does this better than most by letting the user search for videos in dozens of different languages.

To record, approve the Java applet and you are off and running.

Videos can be placed into “channels” which users create. These channels generate a pop-up window or an embeddable box that let viewers add videos into the channel. So for example, we could create a Rotorblog Channel and ask our wonderful readers to submit screencasts.

Jing

Jing is free but requires a download. The software, which adds visuals to your online conversation, works on both Windows and Macs.

For a maximum of five minutes, Jing will record all of the actions that take place on your screen. If your computer is mic’d up, you can record audio simultaneously.

Uploaded videos can be accessed via unique URL or embedded on a Web site.

Jing’s functions expand beyond screencasts. You can also use the service to put your “Print Screen” button to shame. Select a portion of the screen, grab an image and then mark it up with text boxes, arrows, highlights or rectangles. The image can then be one-clicked over to Screencast.com, Flickr, Twitter or just about anywhere.

A paid version, known as Jing Pro lets you sync videos with Vimeo and Viddler, record MP4 screencasts and eliminate “Jing” labeling from your final product.

Honorable Mention

Capture Fox

If you’re a Firefox user, there is a great add-on that records your screen frame-by-frame. Add your voice and download as an .AVI file. Since it works within the browser, it is not OS dependent.

Camtasia Studio

For $299 you can record onscreen activity, edit it and share with the world.

Adobe Captivate

For $799 you can create professional-looking eLearning content with advanced interactivity, software and scenario simulations, quizzes, and other engaging experiences — no programming or multimedia skills required.

In my humble opinion, I do not see the need to pay for any of these tools, unless you are really looking to WOW an audience. My fall back choice is ScreenToaster. It has proven to be a consistent and useful with excellent uptime.

]]> http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/27/screencast-free-tools-to-record-your-screen/feed/ 7 http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/15/how-to-never-forget-your-password-again/ http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/15/how-to-never-forget-your-password-again/#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:55:50 +0000 Andrew G.R. http://www.rotorblog.com/?p=4127 Passwords have become the bane of our 21st century Internet existence. Between character limits, forced casing issues, the inability to use a portion of your name and ever-improving phishers, we are constantly forced to update and create user names and passwords. How on earth is a savvy Web user expected to retain all of this sensitive data? To this end there are several online tools that allow you to keep track and manage all of all your passwords in one place.

Passpack

Passpack offers centralized storage for personal passwords, logins and links. You can even store private data. The site is accessible from anywhere there is an Internet connection. A 1-click login lets you enter your favorite sites without having to type.

Keywallet

Browser independent and easy to use, Keywallet works with all form types and Windows operating systems in order to encrypt your private data. There is no spyware or ad-ware and there are cool skins that can be added to give the program a unique look. An extra layer of protection has the program capture the key strokes of your login information. After that, you simpy drag and drop your user name and password to fill out any login boxes or forms.

Clipperz

With nothing to install, Clipperz is a password manager that offers an extra layer of encryption, meaning that the bad guys can’t access your login credentials. The site encourages you to use their service for all sensitive data – not just the stuff that’s found online. (i.e. – Security system password, secret notes, etc.) There is also an offline version which allows you to access the system sans Web connection. A Firefox app is available as well.

MySafeBox

MySafeBox operates on the premise that you should never trust anyone with your passwords – not even them. That is why rather than store your password, the site encourages you to store your “secret question” or password hint data. Stored info is placed into an encrypted database and is not seen by any other human eyes. Watch a demo.

Mitto

Mitto is Latin for “to send.” While we’re not 100% sure if that’s a great name for a free password manager, we do like the simple/free service. You can access your passwords securely from any computer, organize them with tags, and securely share them with trusted friends.

Handy Password

Part password manager, part form filler, part bookmark manager, Handy Password is designed to improve the quality of your Web browsing experience. the add-on can be hooked into IE or Firefox and will ensure that you never forget a password again. For under $30 (there is a free trial), you can download the USB Flash drive manager which includes a random password generator.

RoboForm

With over 22 million downloads, Roboform touts itself as the “#1 downloaded password manager.” The program allows you to create a single master password, meaning that even if you have 20 different sets of login information, you only need to remember a single password. Powerful AES encryption securely stores your user names, passwords and other information stored on your computer.

I know many people reading this blog are well under 40. But let me ask…do you find your memory getting worse with each passing year? I do! I’m lucky I remember the birthdays of those I love, let alone my login information for some random social networking iste I signed up for 3 years ago.

]]> http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/15/how-to-never-forget-your-password-again/feed/ 10 http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/07/connect-the-movie-music-past-with-the-present/ http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/07/connect-the-movie-music-past-with-the-present/#comments Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:34:06 +0000 Andrew G.R. http://www.rotorblog.com/?p=4088 I’ve always found that the best way to find the best things this world has to offer as far as arts and entertainment is by word of mouth.

When someone truly know who you are, they better understand the things you will enjoy – way better than a ‘reviewer’ ever could.

When it comes to music and movies, Filtersage asks a simple question: What does it remind you of?

Relying on groups of strangers who have similar interests, the site aims to introduce you to movies and music from yesterday that are similar to your faves from today.

For example here are two of my own recommendations…

If you like the Goo Goo Dolls…try The Replacements.
If you dig There’s About Mary…watch The Sweetest Thing.

When you connect arts from the past with the present, you can truly appreciate how an artist was influenced along the way.

Filtersage is fun because you can add your two cents to existing pairings or create your own.

This is a great way to filter through new releases to see if an album or movie is worth your time. After all, with so much media floating around out there, you HAVE to be somewhat selective.

Rounding out the site experience are trailers and music videos, enabling you to check certain media out on the spot.

]]> http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/07/connect-the-movie-music-past-with-the-present/feed/ 0 http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/06/is-your-website-down/ http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/06/is-your-website-down/#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:37:18 +0000 Andrew G.R. http://www.rotorblog.com/?p=4084 Even if your Website has an uptime of 99.9%, you know that the one time something big happens – for example you get linked to by a major news organization – your Website will go down. The funny part is that often times, this problem can be remedied. The real problem is not knowing when your Website goes. Because no matter how much of a Webhead you are, it’s impossible to monitor your site 24/7. Or is it?

Howsthe.com is a Website that allows you to monitor your Web properties. Enter in the URL you would like the site to track and select the interval in which you would like the site checked. A free plan, which gives you the ability to monitor three Websites, lets you choose between 5 minutes and 1 hour. You can set e-mail or SMS notification to send downtime notifications as the happen, every six hours or once a day.

Howsthe.com will regularly check your Website, and if they receive a code outside of the normal 200 – 300 HTTP status codes, you’ll know about it.

The site has another useful function as well. You can have Howsthe.com search the content of a Website for specific keywords or phrases.

This can prevent false positives on a website that is having database issues or application errors, the website my be reachable but is displaying errors. With keyword search you can require that the content of the website always includes this keyword or phrase.

There are two U.S.-based servers that can perform a Website “quick check” in under a second. This is a useful tool if you’d like to check a Websites without going through the free registration process.

]]> http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/06/is-your-website-down/feed/ 3 http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/06/tweet-test-play-solo-games-with-twitter-followers/ http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/06/tweet-test-play-solo-games-with-twitter-followers/#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:21:30 +0000 Andrew G.R. http://www.rotorblog.com/?p=4080 Twitter has so many practical uses, so anytime we come across a Website looking to make it “fun,” it’s fair to say we are skeptical.

TweetTest is trying to change our minds…and they just might do it!

There is no registration or password required. Simply enter your Twitter handle and you can begin to play a series of games and take several tests based on your Twitter activity.

I got off to a horrible start. For example…

Which Friend has this bio:
“this is my subgrouping of twitter career people I follow.”

I was given several choices – and failed miserably!

Since I came to the conclusion that I don’t know the people I’m following as well as I should, I move on to Picture Shuffle. This is a game where you slide pieces of a picture – in this case one of you tweets – and have to put them in the correct order so the image makes sense. Your score is determined by the number of moves and the time it takes you to solve the puzzle.

Finally, a game I’m not that bad at!

I moved on to Memory. This is where you are shown a grid of hidden squares. Each time you click on one, an image of one of the people you are following is shown. You must then find the matching pairs. The quicker you put 1 + 1 together, the higher your score.

Other fun games include Guess Whose Tweet, where you pick out the one that doesn’t belong; Guess the bio; Or Tweet-Lib, where you must differentiate between real and fake tweets from one of the people you are following.

There are a few too many ads on teh site, but overall, it’s a fun way to pass some Twitter time.

]]> http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/06/tweet-test-play-solo-games-with-twitter-followers/feed/ 2 http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/01/get-in-style-with-stylecaster/ http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/01/get-in-style-with-stylecaster/#comments Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:44:14 +0000 Andrew G.R. http://www.rotorblog.com/?p=4071 Are you concerned with what the ‘new black’ is? If your answer is yes, you need to know about Stylecaster, a Website launched earlier this year that helps you stand out from the crowd. Or, at the very least, look like you’re part of the ‘in crowd.’

Coupling style-based content with a shopping community creates an experience that is unique to each user. Based on your preferences and history, you are presented with items (clothes, accessories, beauty products) that the system has selected for you. These can be purchased online 24/7.

As you browse the style network, if you see someone who has a style you are fond of, you can select them so that they begin to influence the things you see on the site…and eventually wear.

“My Forecast” is a 7 day outlook that includes weather and events, allowing you to select the right fashion for the coming week.

The “15 Minutes of Fame” section can get your fashion prowess featured on the Website.

Videos, fashion news, and tons of images and deals round out StyleCaster.

The site is currently in beta and you can register using your Facebook credentials.

The social network helps personalize and enhance your shopping experience. Give it a try!

]]> http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/07/01/get-in-style-with-stylecaster/feed/ 4 http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/06/23/alice-helkps-you-shop-save-money/ http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/06/23/alice-helkps-you-shop-save-money/#comments Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:44:36 +0000 Andrew G.R. http://www.rotorblog.com/?p=4054 Don’t you hate it when you make a hamburger only to find out you’re out of ketchup!? Or worse yet. You pay a visit to the ceramic throne, only to discover that you are out of toilet paper?

I recently professed my love for CC Betty. Now it looks like I have another hottie on my hands with Alice…she even makes sure I’ll never run out of ketchup or toilet paper again!

The free service has you search and add your favorite products to virtual shelves. When the system thinks you’re getting close to running out of an item, you will receive a reminder. Alice will also share relevant coupons and discounts with you. Shipping directly to your front door is free, meaning no need to roll around a wobbly cart as you dodge seniors.

Here’s an example as how it works. Let’s say I’m shopping for GUM. Alice reveals that she currently carries 56 varieties and has 7 coupons available. When I locate the product I want (Orbitz Peppermint) I label it and select how many I want. I then tell the system when to remind me to order more.

Products can be sorted by brand, price, coupon availability, bargains and even if they are “green.”

There is a social networking element to the site too. In the “neighborhood” you can chat, make friends and share information about your favorite products.

The homepage will monitor how much money you have saved with coupons, how many products are in your cart, the average amount of money spent, your total # of shipments and the # of products Alice thinks it’s time for you to reorder. There are also recommended deals which relate to your product history.

If you have any doubt that Alice will help you pinch those pennies, just click on the site’s “Budgeting” tab. Here you will see a chart that compares average purchases with those made by the Alice community.

]]> http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/06/23/alice-helkps-you-shop-save-money/feed/ 6 http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/06/22/find-the-perfect-personal-trainer-online/ http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/06/22/find-the-perfect-personal-trainer-online/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:47:21 +0000 Andrew G.R. http://www.rotorblog.com/?p=4051 Ever wonder how those movie stars can reshape their bodies in a matter of months? The keys are time, money and dedication – though not necessarily in that order.

Launching today is fitorbit, a new Website that aims to level the playing field, making personal trainers available to the masses. What sets the site apart is that you can actually filter personal trainers to find one that best suits your goals, lifestyle and preferences.

As someone who has walked in and out of several gyms during his life, this sounds like a great concept. I often find that I have nothing in common with the trainers I’ve been paired up with. And as hard as I’ve tried to outline MY goals, I have found the trainer always reverts back to what THEY know or want for me.

Once you find a trainer to your liking, together, you develop a course of action. On a daily basis you will receive daily encouragement from your trainer and be able to offer feedback.

To get started you tell fitorbit what you are looking to work on (weight loss, strength training, injury recovery, etc.). Tell the system what areas of your body you want to target and a little about the lifestyle you lead. Pick your five favorite physical activities and your five least favorite.

You can either filter through to find a personal trainer match or you can browse through a list and pick your own.

As you would imagine, a personal trainer does not come cheap – though the virtual type will set you back a lot less than an in-gym option. If you’re willing to commit for 6 months, you can expect to pay around $10 a week. A single week can cost up to $29.99.

A small price to pay for health, nutrition and general well-being, no?

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