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TechCrunch did a story on Tango's latest release, which highlighted video calling from the PC. I decided to download the app and see what it can do.
After a pretty quick download and installation process, I was asked to provide my telephone number, name, and email address. Because I had been a Tango user in the past, it found a couple of my friends who are also using the service.
Once complete, it dawned on me that the interface looks like a big iPhone (see above).
Making Telephone Calls
Making a telephone call was easy. I simply search through my list of friends, click on their name, and the app starts dialing.
When the other person picks up the call, I have an option to turn on my camera, which I did.
First Impression
My first impression was not a good one. I'm not a fan of the iPhone, or any phone for that matter, as the user interface for a PC app. Just give me a box with a screen and let's call it a day.
Video Quality
The video quality from PC to PC was not good either. On my video, it was pixelated. I could understand lower quality video if I were calling to a mobile device on 3G, but with huge bandwidth and an HD video camera, it should have been much cleaner.
Confusing UI
Additionally, I found the rotating screen a bit odd. In order to get my other caller to sit upright, I had to click on the rotating icon (seen in the upper right hand corner) 3 to 4 times before we both were looking at each other correctly.
Alternatives
I appreciate the effort Tango is making, but I get all the video calling I need from Google Hangouts, Google Chat, and Skype. Not to mention, in all three cases the video is much cleaner.
If you're interested in trying it out, follow this link. Once you do, let me know what you think in the comment section below.
On the Google Analytics blog, the company announced that it is rolling out Google Analytics in real-time. While not a lot of information is known at this time, the author explains that users will access the feature on the dashboard tab of the new design (see image above). Additionally, many of us can expect to see real-time analytics made available in the coming weeks.
For those that cannot wait, stop by this link and request an early access.
From the look of things, users can tell how many people are on the site at any given moment. It also gives information on how they got to the site and which page is most popular at the moment.
Ever since Google rolled out real-time analytics for Blogger, I've actively used it throughout the day. Hopefully, with this latest update, we'll get even more information than I get now.
What do you think? What reports are you most anxious to see in real-time? Let me know in the comment section below.
Based on the videos I've seen, he looks to be an entertaining speaker with real insight on marriages and relationships.
For more information on Pastor Jimmy Evans, check out the video below. If you're interested in hearing him live, make plans to visit C3 Church in Clayton, NC.
On today's episode of Room 3026 Live, we discussed topics ranging from the secret release of Facebook's Spartan Project to Spotify now allowing you to listen to music in private.
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The video is brought to you by UStream.Tv. Special Note: We had technical issues during the first 13 minutes of the show. As a result, we restarted the recording.
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Business Insider reported on a tweet from Spotify's CEO and Founder, Daniel Ek, who announced that the company is rolling out a new client (see tweet below).
This new feature comes after Spotify users complained about transparency on Facebook. The issue is that as you listen to music, Spotify will automatically share the artist, song, and link. Anyone that has access to view your account can see a history of songs you listening to.
To temporarily hide your listening activity, select the "Private Listening" mode (see image below).
What do you think about these changes? Let me know in the comment section below.
Skype announced on its blog yesterday that 41 Android devices can now connect with video. Version 2.5 provides whitelisted 14 additional devices. They include:
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
HTC Nexus One
HTC Shooter
Sony Ericsson Xperia Live with Walkman
Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V
LG Optimus Black
LG Optimus 3D
LG Optimus 2x
Motorola Photon
Motorola Droid 3
Motorola Bionic
Motorola Xoom
Motorola Atrix
Acer Iconia
To get the complete list of devices capable of connecting video, check out the Android Market.
Additional features that rolled out with this update include:
Switch between portrait and landscape mode during video calls
Zoom in with a simple double tap on the screen
If this sounds interesting, stop by the Android Market and download it now. Once you do, let me know what you think in the comment section below.
Today, Flickr released their mobile app for devices using the Android OS.
According to the web page, the in-app camera takes pictures, offers filters, and allows users to share their pictures on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, email, blogs, and more.
First Impression
Once I got the application installed, I immediately liked it. For starters, it has a user-friendly interface that allows me to take pictures, turn off the flash, adjust the shot in a portrait or landscape mode, search for pictures on my phone, and connect with my friends.
Furthermore, I like the filters, which is something I don't get with my current camera application.
Truth be told, I have been envious of all the iPhone users because they had Instagram. Today, I get Flickr. Maybe now I can finally increase my Flickr score on Empire Avenue.
To get an idea of what Flickr's new Android app can do. Check out my filtered picture below.
What do you think? Would you use the app? Have you used the app already? If not, drop by the Android Market and download it today. Once you do, let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Mashable reports on their blog about an interesting service that shows your connection to famous people.
Log into A+E's Biography page using your Facebook account and find out what you and 6,000 celebrities have in common.
When I ran my Facebook profile through the system, I found out that Bing Crosby and I are from the same city. I also learned that boxer Floyd Patterson and I share the same birthday.
Not only can I see my connections with the stars, but I can also find my friends and their connections.
While the service doesn't actually spell out the degrees of separation between a celebrity and I, the concept was entertaining enough. In fact, I found myself perusing a number of different biographies for other commonalities.
If you would like to see who you match up with, take a few minutes to check it out. When you get done, let me know what you think in the comment section below.
Yesterday, we found out that Apple plans to hold a discussion on the iPhone next Tuesday (October 4 @ 10 am). For weeks, we have been talking about the arrival of the iPhone 5 and where it may land next. Some believe that Sprint will get the iPhone 5 some time in October.
The question I have concerns the unlimited data plans.
Business Insider reported yesterday that Sprint would continue to offer its unlimited data plans after it gets the iPhone. However, later that afternoon, Forbes reported that Sprint's Chief Technology Officer, Stephen Frye, hinted that the company may ultimately let the plans go and follow in the footsteps of the other major carriers.
If Sprint were to let the unlimited data plans go, I believe it would ultimately seal it's own demise. Why? you ask. The unlimited data plan is a huge reason I chose Sprint to begin with. With the iPhone and unlimited data, I believe many people would make the switch to Sprint. If not, then Verizon, regardless if you're on a Blackberry, Android, or iOS offers a more expansive network than Sprint.
At this point, I'm not sure what will happen with Sprint and it's unlimited data plan. My hope is that they keep things like they are now.
What do you think? Will Sprint remain strong or let their unlimited data plan go? Let me know in the comment section below.
Amazon had a busy morning unveiling the new Kindle Fire tablet and Kindle e-readers. Not only did the company discuss hardware, but they also introduced a new web browser called Silk.
Utilizing Amazon's Web Services to deliver content both in the cloud and on the device, the user experience is to be greatly improved. The term "Silk" was used to describe a strong connection between Amazon's cloud service and the Kindle Fire tablet.
To get more details on the new Silk browser, check out the video below. After the break, let me know what you think in the comment section below.
This morning, we learned that Amazon revealed the Kindle Fire tablet for $199. Business Insider just reported that Amazon also plans to release three additional Kindle e-readers: Kindle Touch 3G ($149), Kindle Touch ($99), and Kindle ($79).
Fast Facts
Kindle Touch 3G will ship November 21
Kindle Touch will connect with Wikipedia and provide a touch navigation
Kindle does not Internet access but is extremely light and ships today
During an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Amazon Executives reveal the 7-inch Kindle Fire tablet, which will go to market with a $199 price tag. Equipped with Android OS, the e-reader will allow users to read books, watch television and full-length movies, and listen to music.
When compared to Apple's least expensive iPad, which sells for $499, this new device may entice the bargain shopper.
Additional Details
No embedded camera or microphone
Provides wi-fi but not 3G access
30-day trial of Amazon Prime (worth $79)
Without the camera, this is a no go for my mother who wants to see and talk with her grand babies, but it still sounds like a worthy device.
What do you think? Is it worth a look see? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.
I'm extremely pleased to see Blogger still working on its services. With WordPress maintaining popularity among many bloggers and site developers, it warms my heart when I can call them up and ask, "Can your blog do this?"
One thing I noticed about the examples above is that every blog looked similar in color. I am happy to report that users can load customized headers and change the sites background and foreground colors.
At this point, I'm not sure if I'm ready to change, but I will definitely keep a close eye on what Blogger rolls out next.
What do you think? Which template do you like best? Let me know in the comment section below.
AVOS, an Internet company created by the founders of YouTube, officially announced on its blog this morning the release of a new and improved Delicious.
For those unfamiliar with the Delicious service, it is a place to save your favorite links and share them with others.
Back in April, AVOS acquired Delicious from Yahoo! and decided to rebuild the service from the ground up. Today, the company releases it to the world.
Some of the most notable changes include:
Stacks - A new feature that allows users to group related links into lists
Simpler Navigation - Many of the redundant features are now consolidated
Links - Bookmarks are now called links
Private Links - Any links previously marked private in Delicious will remain that way
Multiple-Word Tagging - Tags are separated with commas (i.e. "San Francisco")
Avatar - Profile pics are now supported
For more information about Delicious, specifically on the new Stacks feature, check out the video below. After the break, stop by and let me know what you think about the new Delicious in the comment section below.
Owen Prater, an Engineer at Google+, just announced that users can begin sharing their circles with friends.
If you're interested in learning how, complete the following steps:
Visit your circles page
Select the circle you want to share
Select circles you wish to share the list with
Add a comment
Click the share button
The option to share circles was a highly requested feature, thus the recent launch. It is important to note that sharing circles captures only those members present at the time of sharing. Subsequent updating will not be viewable by others unless shared again.
Those individuals who open your shared circle may then subscribe to one or all of the people within.
As one who recently introduced Google+ to their mother, it would be much easier to create a list of relatives in a circle and share the list with her. This would also be helpful for coworkers, interesting bloggers, and the like.
If you would like to see the update in action, check out the video below.
Note: At the time of this article, I did not see the Share button. I imagine the feature is rolling out as we speak.
After the break, let me know what you think about the new option in the comment section below.
The Next Web reported on their blog today that newSpotify customers are required to have a Facebook account before allowed to create a Spotify account.
Can you sign up for Spotify without Facebook?
There seems to be nowhere on Spotify's website that lets you sign up for Spotify without a Facebook account. The sign up links ask to to log in to Facebook or create a new Facebook account.
Is there a hidden link anywhere on the website that lets you sign up without linking it to a Facebook account?
The following response came from a Spotify Employee:
Hey Guys thanks for your question, Unfortunately you will need a Facebook account to access Spotify from now on, unless you already have an account set up.
This does not stop you creating the Facebook account adding nothing to it and making it totally private as the Facebook account does not have to be actively used.
To verify, I logged out of Facebook and tried to create an account on Spotify. This is what I got:
While I am not all that concerned about the recent change, there are many who are. In fact, reviewing the comments on Get Satisfaction reveal customers canceling their services and overwhelming feelings of frustration and confusion.
What are your thoughts on this subject? Let me know in the comment section below.
This morning, I received an invitation to try out the new Digg Newsroom, which is currently in Private Beta. As seen in the image above, the newsroom includes the following sections: Featured Newsrooms, All Newsrooms, Newswire Activity Feed, and Trending Newswire for all Topics.
At first glance, the Digg Newsroom is slightly different because it pulls story activity and popularity results from places like Facebook, Twitter, as well as Digg itself.
Another upgrade is that users get rewarded for sharing stories that get posted on the front page of a newsroom. The more active and influential a user, the more badges one can earn.
From the Digg blog, the author provides more explanation on how the new service works:
Sourcing: We locate great content for each topic and display in a real-time feed called “Newswire.”
Signals: Stories are ranked automatically by an algorithm that looks at recency and popularity including Likes on Facebook, Tweets and LinkedIn sharing, to name a few.
Curation: The news is then filtered by the Diggs and Comments of passionate users who have gained reputation as top influencers in each Newsroom topic.
While I haven't had an opportunity to fully explore the site, I find it intriguing. Maybe I'll have more to report in a few days.
If you're interested in playing with the new service, follow this link to get the invitation now. Once you get it, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.
This weekend, C3 Church continues a new series entitled, "LOVE." Stay tuned during the 11:15 service (EST) for a live blog of Pastor Matt Fry's sermon. Refresh this page during those hours for a regularly updated post.
If you would like to view the service online, please click here.
12:22 pm - If you would like to make a fresh start in your life and receive God's love, pray this prayer:
Dear God, I realize I've sinned and I need you. Thank you for dying on the cross and rising from the grave. Come in to my heart and save me. Thank you for giving me eternal and abundant life. Help me to live for you, for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name. Amen.
To share your story, want more information about next steps, or just in need of prayer, please contact Pastor Matt Fry.
12:20 pm - The Love Revolution is not a C3 Church thing, a Matt Fry thing, but a Jesus thing.
12:15 pm - Sometimes you have to fulfill the physical needs of people before you attempt to talk about God. Whenever you do an act of kindness, people will want to give you something. Our response is to give a card that read, Jesus loves you and so do we (the church). Together, if we all challenge ourselves to act nice to each other, we can make a huge difference.
12:12 pm - Let's talk about Kindness. God wants us to express love through kindness. Pastor Matt's prayer is that we would take this information and express Christ-like kindness to our neighbors.
12:10 pm - Fourth challenge to patience: We want it now. Through Twitter, Facebook, microwaves, and CNN news, we expect things to happen right now. We expect God to act NOW. One thing many of us do is take shortcuts. Shortcuts lead to temporary benefits with long-term heartache.
12:06 pm - Third challenge to patience: We want it our way. When kids don't get their way, they cry and throw a tantrum. What if we did that? Some of us still do. We manipulate, put people against you behind your back, and scheme.
12:03 pm - Second challenge to patience: Some people are hard to love. Because of Jesus, we can love them and be patient with them. It's not about your ability to be patient, but though the power of God.
12:02 pm - No matter who you are, where you're from, or what you have, we love you and accept you.
11:57 am - First challenge to patience: We are all different. Therefore, each of us has a different way for how we want to receive love. Understanding each other shows how we practice patience. Take the time to listen.
11:56 am - What if everyone practiced patience? We could change the world.
11:54 am - "Real Love is Patient." Being patient means to bear pain and trials without complaining. It also means to have a long fuse or slow to anger.
My son spends a lot of time traveling with the Boy Scouts. At least once a month, I drop by the local ATM in order to grab money for gas, food, and other necessary items. When that's not happening, one of my three kids needs to see a doctor or make an unplanned last-minute purchase, for which I am requested to fund.
Until now, my options were to make frequent stops at the ATM or pull extra cash while paying for groceries. It works but it's not perfect.
If I had my way, I wish that I could quickly transfer money from my account into sub-accounts. Then, when the kids need money, they can pull out a debit card and make their purchases. This process would allow me to better control the family budget while remaining flexible for those times when they need money.
The Solution
Thanks to American Express, I can have exactly what I wished for and more. The solution is called, Serve and it makes sending, receiving, and spending money easy to do. Did I mention it was FREE?
Through the web site and mobile app, I can load the account with money using my bank account, debit, and credit card. Once funded, it's a cinch to transfer resources from the main account to my kid's sub-accounts. From there, they can use a prepaid reloadable Serve card wherever American Express cards are accepted.
Other Uses
As I peruse the service offerings on their site, I thought about other ways to use Serve. Below are a few ideas.
Sub-accounts for fraternity business - Committee chairs, or other organization representatives, may need to put down payments on facilities, purchase supplies for events, or take a trip on behalf of the organization. In these cases, a prepaid Serve Card would allow the Treasurer to put money on the card and not worry about individuals spending more than what is allocated.
Raise money for a podcast - Accepting donations in support of a podcast is made easier when there is a widget on the page. Listeners can trust the American Express name for its dedication to security.
Raise money for a worthy cause - Use a widget on your web site to accept donations for scholarships, cancer research, feeding the hungry, or any number of worthy causes.
Allowances - With kids, having an allowance is one way to offer financial resources while teaching proper money management.
The ideas are endless and Serve seeks to help you meet your goals.
The Fine Print
I know what you're thinking, because I was thinking it, too. All of that sounds great, but how much does it cost? What's the catch? How does Serve compare to PayPal? In this section, I'll attempt to answer a few of those questions.
Adding money - If adding money from a credit or debit card, adding money is instantaneous. However, if you add money from a bank account, it could take up to 5 business days.
Sending and receiving money - To send and receive money, both parties must have a Serve account. Once in place, you can send money using their email address.
Subaccounts - If you're going to use the subaccount with children, please note that you only get four subaccounts and kids must be at least 13 years of age.
Fees and limits - For the most part, everything is free. You can transfer funds and purchase items without cost. However, the following actions may incur a fee:
ATM withdrawl - The first withdrawl each month is FREE, but after that it's $2.00 each time. This doesn't take into account any fees applied by the bank.
Funding the Serve account with a credit card - Using a credit card to add money will incur a 2.9% of amount transferred + $0.30 transfer fee.
Subaccounts - There is a one-time fee of $2.95 to setup a subaccount.
Funding limits - There is a limit of $100 per day from credit and debit cards and a $1,000 limit per day from a bank. Total funding per month is $2,500.
Serve vs. Paypal - For the most part, the two offerings are pretty close. However, there are a few differences. See below:
Pay by check - Paypal allows users to scan checks using a mobile device and then deposit that money into an account. Serve does not.
Rewards - Serve Cards do not offer rewards but Paypal does.
Credit card backing - Serve is backed by American Express and Paypal by MasterCard.
Subaccounts - Paypal offers a subaccount for kids aged 13-18 but Serve offers a subaccount for anyone over the age of 13.
Closing Thought
As a long time user of Paypal, although not extremely active, I like what Serve provides. Most importantly the subaccount idea.
As a father of three and president of my local fraternity chapter, the current offerings could serve quite beneficial to our needs.
Please note that in writing this article, I am not yet an experienced user of either Paypal or Serve. Given more time, I'm sure I could render a more personal story about the pros and cons of each. Until then, I look forward to hearing from you and your stories. Let me know what you think in the comment section below.
Special Thanks to Danielle Baldwin for bringing this service to my attention.
During the recent Facebook F8 Developer Conference, we first learned about a partnership between Spotify and the 800 million member social network, Facebook. As a result, you can listen to music on Spotify and share your favorite songs with friends right now.
How Does It Work?
To begin, visit Spotify.com and download the application.
Once installed, log into Spotify and check out the right-hand side of the dashboard. You should either see a Facebook icon with a button asking you to Connect to Facebook or a list of your Facebook friends.
From this point, you can begin listening to music. As you listen, friends on Facebook can see the songs you're listening too, both in the ticker and on your wall.
Not only can your friends SEE what you're listening to, but they can now HEAR what you're listening to as well. As seen in the image below, simply click on the play button and the song will play.
Thanks to Spotify, both you and your Facebook friends can listen to over 15 million songs together for FREE.
To see more details on the new music service, check out the video below. Immediately following the break, leave me a comment in the section below. What do you think about the feature?
Over the next few months, the church will dig deep into the subject of love while also reading a highly recommended book by Joyce Meyer called "Love Revolution."
This week, Pastor Matt released a blog post on the acts of kindness. In the article, he shares a list of things that we can do to demonstrate our love for each other. Surprisingly, this very message has been on my heart for months. Most recently, it has come up in discussions with the executive board for my fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi.
Our discussions have been centered on finding ways to return a value by showing kindness and being in service for one other. As brothers, we should passionately seek ways to bless both the individual and their families. If someone gets sick, we should step up, deliver meals, clean the house, or mow a lawn. It's not about us or what we'll get in return, but rather it is a sign of love and support.
Think about how awesome a friend, relative, or fraternity brother would feel if they came home from work and found their cupboards full of food. What if we took care of others the way we take care of ourselves? It would be both memorable and life-changing. Remember, love is not a feeling but an ACTION WORD.
In closing, I would like to share a few ideas Pastor Matt came up with on his blog. Immediately following that, I would ask you to share your ideas. What are some other ways that we can help each other out? What have you tried that really made an impact on someone else's life? Let's talk about it in the comment section below.
INDIVIDUAL:
Take your child’s teacher and/or bus driver a lunch or coffee gift card.
Pay for the person’s food behind you in a drive-thru.
Pay for someone’s gas.
Send an encouraging note to someone who is going through a tough time or someone you haven’t connected with in a while.
When you’re mowing your grass, mow your neighbor’s grass too.
Take your neighbor a meal.
Offer to clean the house for an expectant mom or a senior citizen.
Serve at the Raleigh Rescue Mission or Smithfield Boys & Girls Club.
Leave a note of thanks with a $5 gift card for your mail carrier, trash collector, etc.
Adopt an under privileged child in your child’s classroom and provide school supplies, snack and/or lunch money for that child.
Pay a utility bill for someone who is going through a difficult time.
Leave a generous tip for your waiter or waitress when you dine out.
Buy someone’s groceries at the supermarket.
Give someone a C3 sermon CD.
Park further away in order to give someone else a closer space.
GROUP:
Provide free services for those in need through your business.
Contact local schools and spend Saturdays cleaning, painting and fixing up school buildings that are in need.
Provide meals for families in need. A list is available at the church office.
Go to the hospital and drop off gift baskets to the sick or those working.
Collect clothes and donate them to a local organization.
Collect and provide school supplies for teachers.
Send out teams to neighborhoods and help with anything people need done in their house or yard.
Cook a meal for local police officers and/or firefighters.
Bring in snacks for teachers and/or principals.
Hand out free bottles of water at community sports events (GCAA soccer games, football games, etc.).
Make lunches to give out at Moore Square in Raleigh.
Make cards and small care boxes for people in assisted living facilities.
Collect and donate baby items for iChoose Pregnancy Support Services.
Throw a surprise party for someone.
Ask a local non-profit how to help maintain or improve their facilities.
Earlier today, the Dish Network announced Blockbuster's new streaming service titled, "Movie Pass." For an additional $10 a month, Dish Network customers will have access to over 100,000 movies, television shows, and games.
Note: Blockbuster Movie Pass is NOT a stand-alone service. Instead, it is a packaged deal for Dish Network subscribers.
How Does It Work?
The Blockbuster Movie Pass provides the following:
Mail It! – More than 100,000 DVD movies, TV shows and games available by mail. No additional charge for high definition Blu-ray™ movies. One ($10), two ($15) or three ($20) disc plans available. Queue management made conveniently from a link at www.dish.com.
Stream it! – Stream more than 3,000 movies to the TV. Stream more than 4,000 movies to the PC. Watch hundreds of on-demand TV shows.
Play it! – More than 3,000 video games by mail for XBOX®, XBOX 360®, Playstation2™, Playstation3™, and Nintendo Wii™.
Exchange it! – Unlimited exchanges of DVDs and video games at participating Blockbuster stores.
Watch it! – More than 20 premium entertainment movie channels from studios like MGM, Epix, Sony Movie Channel, PixL and more.
The service is scheduled to begin October 1, 2011.
To see more details on the service, check out the video below. After the break, let me know what you think. Is this a Netflix killer? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Engadget reports that Microsoft has patented a modular mobile phone. As seen in the image above, the device offers a slide out keyboard that can be easily replaced by a battery, game pad, or even a remote control.
As one who currently owns the Samsung Epic 4G, which comes with a slide out keyboard, this idea is intriguing. Consider the opportunities to have multiple functions in one device.
If you could, what other attachment would you like to see this mobile phone have? Leave me a comment in the section below.
You remember that neat mobile application called "Color," right? No? Well, it was a highly touted application that was supposed to change the way we share pictures. In a nutshell, you take a picture on your mobile device and it was supposed to show you pictures from people close to you.
Imagine attending a conference or dinner party and seeing a bunch of pictures from various viewpoints. Conceptually, it sounds great. Unfortunately, it never really took off.
I recall trying to get friends on board, but it was too complicated and it didn't work well. I remember seeing pictures from people in Las Vegas. But wait, I'm in North Carolina.
Eventually, I simply uninstalled Color.
Today, the New York Times reports that Color is partnering with Facebook and plans to offer users a unique way to connect live.
This is how it works:
So, there you have it. A mobile application that encourages Facebook web users to watch your live broadcast from the mobile device. According to the article, Color will work on the iPhone and Android devices using either 3G or Wi-Fi. Also, it's a broadcast tool intended for large audiences. If you're looking for a one-on-one video stream, Skype or FaceTime may be for you.
What do you think? Would you use it? Does it sound exciting? Tell me what you think in the comment section below.
Earlier today, during the keynote speech at Facebook's F8 conference, Mark Zuckerberg announced a new idea. Instead of simply posting pictures, videos, links, and updates, why not tell a story, your life story.
That is the plan behind Facebook's Timeline profile. Over the next few weeks, Facebook will start rolling out to users the ability to share their most memorable moments in a way that better describes who you are.
Imagine cataloging your life in pictures, quotes, and video. What would that look like? What if you sprinkled in sounds from your favorite song or snippets from your favorite movie? Would it help to capture the essence of you?
With an easy to navigate timeline, friends, family, and even acquaintances can scroll through the years of your life. For a more immediate review, simply click on the year and go from there.
From what I saw on screen, it looks good. It may take a lot of work to customize the timeline to my tastes, but it definitely has potential.
If this sounds like something you would be interested in trying out, come join the many of us who have already requested access to the new feature. Click here to Sign Up!
Still not convinced? Take a few moments to check out this video. Once you do, let me know what you think in the comment section below.
Tonight, September 22, 2011, Google partners with Fox News to host another GOP Presidential Debate. The topics for discussion will include immigration reform, health care, foreign aid, and social security. The debate is set to begin at 9 p.m. (EST), but check in at 8:30 p.m. for the pre-debate show.
One of the most tedious parts of capturing video is having to edit them. Through a recently launched service known as Magisto, YouTube created a partnership that offers you an easy way to create interesting videos without the fuss.
According to Magisto's blog, users can now visit YouTube.com/create to start creating. All it takes is a video, title, and a soundtrack. Like magic, Magisto creates an amazing clip that you can automatically share on YouTube.
As one who creates video from time to time, it appears to be a neat tool to impress my friends and family. As of this article, I haven't used the service but it's nice to know that such a tool exists.
If you would like to get more details on the new service, check out this video. If you happen to make a video with Magisto, let me know.
On the Official Gmail Blog, the mobile team announced three new options for Gmail users: Multiple sign-in, mobile-specific signature, and vacation auto-responder.
Multiple Sign-In
As seen in the image below, users accessing their email through the mobile web page can now sign into multiple accounts. Once signed in, simply click on the account switcher near the bottom of the page and select the desired account.
Mobile-Specific Signature
Similar to a desktop email signature, users can now attach a mobile-specific signature that communicates to readers that you were on your mobile device while writing the message.
To activate, simply click on the gear tool under the menu view. From this area, users can easily toggle the on/off switch and update the signature message.
Vacation Auto-Responder
The last update from the mobile team is the vacation auto-responder. Just as the name suggests, this option allows you to turn on, schedule, and create the message for the auto-responder.
Pandora, the Internet Radio service, announced on their blog a number of new features, which include Simplified Station Creation, Discovery of Music with Friends, Improved Control, and Unlimited Listening.
Simplified Station Creation - Enhanced auto-complete choices and personalized suggestions make creating new stations and discovering new music or comedy more intuitive and personal.
Discovery of Music with Friends - Enhanced listener profiles and a new music feed offer a centralized place to find, like and comment on what friends and like-minded listeners are discovering and enjoying on Pandora. The music feed will roll out slowly over the course of the coming days. In addition to the prominent new "share" button, stations now have their own URLs, making it super easy for listeners to share favorite stations via Twitter, Facebook, or email.
Improved Control - Prominent and ubiquitous access to familiar player control buttons including Play, Pause, Thumbs-Up and Thumbs-Down icons helps listeners to easily personalize their music and comedy stations. A new shuffle feature also allows listeners to shuffle any collection of stations to add variety to their listening experience. Enhanced Artist Information - An option to learn more about the music, find lyrics, read artists' biographies and expand the album art size.
Unlimited listening - We've removed the 40 hours listening cap - you can now listen as much as you want for free.
It has been a while since I've last used Pandora, but some of these changes, like unlimited listening, may cause me to think twice about my decision. One question that I have concerns the mobile application. Does the unlimited listening extend to mobile?
Have you had an opportunity to view the new site? What do you think? Let me know in the comment section below.
In addition to what feels like a whirlwind of changes, Facebook rolls out yet another set of updates. This time, the changes are happening on public pages.
As seen in the picture above, Facebook stops automatic updates. The message reads:
Changes to How You Share Content on Your Page
We want you to connect with your fans in the most effective ways possible. That's why as of September 30th you'll no longer be able to automatically import posts from your website to your page notes. The best way to get people to interact with your content is to give them insight into the links you share on your Wall by adding personal comments and responding to feedback from fans.
We're focused on creating even better tools for pages - look for announcements soon.
While Facebook may take away your right to import blog posts via RSS, the company offers a new feature. The new feature is called, "Friend Activity (1+)." Hmmm, very Google +1 like.
According to the information bubble, on this new tab "people can see how their friends are interacting with your Page on Facebook."
When clicked, it shows what my friends are doing on this page and filters out everything else. That's cool.
With all of these changes, the next few days should be pretty exciting. What will Google do next? What else might we see at the upcoming F8 Conference?
Last night, I wrote about the upcoming changes to Facebook's news feed. At the time, I hadn't received the new features.
This morning, after logging in for the first time, I noticed three information boxes had graced my page. In this article, I would like to share those information bubbles with you and offer any additional thoughts.
At the very top of the page, I see the following:
The graphic reads:
All Your News is Now in One Place
Top stories since your last visit are at the top
Each top story is marked with a blue corner
Recent stories are below, in the order they were posted
The advantage, as I see it, is that users can finally see both Top Stories and Recent Stories in the same feed. Before this change, you may recall that we had to click a link in order to see one or the other. This is definitely more convenient.
One thing that I would like to see is how Facebook decides which stories are considered Top Stories. Is there a way to control who and what stories make it into this area?
The other feature, located on the right-hand side of the page, is the Friend Ticker. From the look of things, it is constantly moving. When I place my cursor over a friend's post, I get the entire update with the ability to comment, like, and share.
Out of the recent changes, I'm most excited about this one. For one, I can quickly see what's going on, comment, and move on without leaving the page. Neat-o!
At this point, the changes are still so new that I haven't had time to develop a strong opinion about them. However, looking at many of the recent comments made on Facebook, some people do. In the comment section below, I would love to know what you think about Facebook's new changes. Do you love them, hate them, or simply have no clue? Whatever your thoughts, leave me a comment below.
