Rick Demko

So, You Are Looking for a Few Good Apps

In the last week I noticed an influx of bloggers recommending Mobile Apps that they either use or are endorsed by.  So, I thought to myself, "Self, why do they get to have all the fun?"  I decided to make a short list of some of what I consider to be the barenessities.

Although I don't use an iPhone, I have a feeling most of you do, so the screen shots and descriptions are iPhone focused.  I personnally use all these on either my tablet or my Driod device.

According to a recent study by Flurry, consumers spent 81 minutes per day using mobile apps, compared to 74 minutes of web surfing.  Here’s where it gets even more interesting.  Social networking is one of two categories that dominate mobile app usage with 32% and games are responsible for 47%.

1)  Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring all your photos, docs and videos anywhere. After you install on your computer, any file you save to your Dropbox will automatically save to all your computers, your iPhone and iPad, and even the Dropbox website! With the Dropbox app, you can take everything that matters to you on the go.

2)  Flipboard is a fast, beautiful way to flip through the news, photos, videos and updates your friends are sharing on Facebook, Twitter, Google Reader, Flickr and Instagram. See your social media in a magazine layout that’s easy to scan and fun to read.

Catch up on the latest stories, videos and posts from popular publications and people such as National Geographic, The New Yorker, Wired, Rolling Stone, Oprah, Forbes,Robert Scoble, and Brain Pickings’ Maria Popova. Share articles and photos, comment on posts and like or favorite anything. Customize your Flipboard with sections created from your favorite news, people, blogs and topics.

3)  Get the most advanced Google search experience for your iPhone, now with Google Goggles, Voice Search and My Location.

4)  Compose and converse on the go. HootSuite for iOS is the perfect social media tool for Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare. Join the conversation from anywhere with HootSuite for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Simple, elegant and powerful, HootSuite allows you to send and schedule Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare updates, track click stats and set up tracking columns to monitor keywords, #hashtags and lists.

5)  With Instapaper you can save web pages for later offline reading, optimized for readability on your iPhone or iPod Touch’s screen. Great for long articles and blog posts that you find during the day and would like to read, but don’t have the time when you find them. Save with Instapaper and then read later when you’re commuting, in a meeting or waiting in line.

6)  Pandora Radio is your own free personalized radio now available to stream background music on your iPhone or iPad. Just start with the name of one of your favorite artists, songs or classical composers and Pandora will create a “station” that plays their music and more music like it.

7)  With Instagram you can pick from one of several gorgeous filtered effects or tilt-shift blur to breathe a new life into your mobile photos. Transform everyday moments into works of art you’ll want to share with friends and family.

8)  LinkedIn for iPhone puts your professional network just a touch away. Walk into any interview or client meeting with the ability to look up the details and connect with over 100 million professionals worldwide. Get the latest updates and messages from your network and keep them up-to-date with your status in real time.

9)  Follow your interests: instant updates from your friends, industry experts, favorite celebrities and what’s happening around the world. Get short bursts of timely information on the official Twitter app for iPhone.

10)  Facebook for iPhone makes it easy to stay connected and share information with friends. Use your iPhone to start a conversation with Facebook Chat, check your friends’ latest photos, status updates, look up a phone number or upload your own mobile photos to Facebook while on the go.

Because new apps are literally released on a daily basis, it’s nearly impossible for this to be a conclusive list.  I intended this to be just a quick introduction of some of my favorites.  But hopefully it’ll give you ideas about some apps you’d like to try.

I think it's also important to have an RSS reader (I use Feedler), location based apps (such as Foursquare and Yelp), and depending on your device some sort of todo list or note taking app.

Well, I believe those to be the basics and should get you started off pretty well.  I hope you’ll take a few moments at the end to share a few of your favorites, too.

Thank you to the Social Media Examiner for all the pictures and descriptions :-)

I Google+ circled, followed, liked, linked, bookmarked you, now what?

Instead of recreating the wheel, I had to pass on this entry from Pam Moore, the self proclaimed "Marketing Nut".  Great job Pam!

July 22, 2011 By Pam View Comments

Wow, is it me or is it starting to be more and more steps to follow someone.

We round em’ up in circles. We click the Facebook like, send and share buttons. We accept or invite them to LinkedIn.  And if they’re lucky we may even opt-in to their email list via their blog or website.

So now that we have spent half a morning circling, liking, following and plussing people what will we do with all those we liked, followed, plussed and circled yesterday? Or how about the 15 we did the same thing to the day before? And the day before. And the day before that?

A tweet, Google+, or Facebook post grabs our attention. Within seconds we get lost in never ever ending like land.

But why do we like! Why do we circle? Do we really like them? Or do we circle them so they will circle us?

Our time is our greatest asset. Even the moments you spend roundin’ up peeps via clicks, like and circles should be spent wisely!

Do more than circle, like & follow.  Are you reading what you like? Do you know or even like the person you circled? Or are you simply circling them because everyone else is?

The real question is who likes you? Who follows you? Who knows you? Who likes you? Who is inspired by you? Are you being put in the acquaintances or the “gotta read” circles?

To truly succeed in social media we need to do more spend our days roundin’ folks up in circles. We need to focus on developing real conversations that are relevant and provide value.

Don’t get lost in the circle, plus and numbers game!

At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter who is in your circles. What matters is the people you know in your circles and the people who know you. What circles are you in? Who knows you?

Do tell me, what Google+ circles are you in?

7 Tips to Maximize Your Circles, Likes, Follows & More!

1. Don’t just follow for numbers. Look past following numbers, Klout scores, Peer Index rankings and number of circles. Look into the eyes and hearts of your community. Focus on how many people you genuinely connect with versus how many people you have on your lists.

2. Organize your following. Take the time to organize your lists, circles and likes. If you are new to social media you will be happy you did this at the beginning. I am one who didn’t and am now paying the price.

3. Prioritize where you spend your time. Don’t let yourself run off on some wild goose chase every morning.

4.  Keep a weekly double click list. These are the peeps you want to engage with. Take the time to visit and comment on the blogs that interest you. Interact and engage with them on Facebook or Twitter. Comment and talk with them on Google+.

5. Show the social love. If you focus on giving first and helping others succeed your success will come organically. Check out this article I wrote a while back on 26 Tips to Show the Social Love.

6. Don’t be afraid to purge. Schedule time every now and then to clean house. Don’t be afraid to unlike, unfollow, uncircle and unsubscribe if it gives you more space, more time to connect with people in a real way.

7.  Keep weekly thankful list. Focus in on a few people each week. You know, the ones who make you feel good. Let them know. Engage with them a bit more than you usually do. Help them achieve their objectives. Nurture your relationships in both a personal and professional way.

 

Thoughts?

Is your time spent circling, liking and roundin’ up peeps into your community delivering a return on investment in life and business? How do you organize your social house? How do you prioritize your time? Do you think some folks are getting too hung up in the circle, like and follow games?

 

First the primitive Razor, then the Segway, now the Yikebike?

Urban Freedom

What do you do when being conventional doesn't make sense?  You invent an alternative, and thats exactly what Grant Ryan decided to do.  The Yikebike is what I will call an urban environment fast transportation device.  Although it travels about the same speed as a golf cart here in the Sates, the average speed for a car in London is about 10 miles an hour.. So technically the Yikebike is faster than a Ferrari.

The Yikebike, truly brakes the mold of the standard riding position for a bike.  As Ryan sees it, there really is no reason for a person on a bike to ride leaning so far forward.  The Yikebike has a very upright riding position which provides better visibility for the rider and for other traffic.  A cross between a bike and a scooter really, this bike has an electric motor and fully equipped with headlights and turn signals to help navigate the streets.  Surprisingly it's extremely stable and can conquer turns at very step banks.  I can see it now, Yikebike freestyle riding in the X-games!

Watch this video the Discovery Channel produced:  www.yikebike.com/design/video-gallery/yikebike-discovery-channel 

Although the Yikebike is not yet available in theUS, specifications should be:

· Speed: 15.5miles per hour (25 km/hour)

· Range: 6.2miles (10 km)

· Weight: 22lb (10 kg)

· RiderWeight: 220 lb maximum (100 kg)

· RiderHeight: 5'4" minimum to 6'4" maximum (163 to 193 cm)

· Price:approx. USD $3,425 excl. shipping, taxes and duty

· Frame:Carbon Fiber composite

· Drive:Electric chainless

· Brakes:Electric anti-skid, regen

· Battery:Lithium Ion LiFePO4 - 40 minutes charge

· Fold size:Super compact 1.5 cubic feet (43 litres)

· Front Wheel:20” hubless

· Lights:Built in LEDs

For more information and the ability to place a deposit to owen a Yikebike: www.yikebike.com/

What's Wrong with a DVR for my Car?

With all the fancy radio controls on my steering wheel I’m beginning to wish one was a record button. 

I drive 32,000 miles a year in the Saint Louis area, which typically means that I’m listening to a whole lot of AM talk radio.  I’ve grown accustomed to using my Digital Video Recorder (DVR) to catch up on television shows that I miss and watch them on my own time, when can I start doing the same thing in my car. 

Often I’m drawn in by a particular segment or sometimes simply an interaction between the show’s host and a caller.  I haven’t kept a log, but I’m sure that I could save a lot of gas money if I could record a segment and continue on when I get back into my car instead of sitting in my running vehicle while I wait for my interest to conclude.

Another frustration which is done intentionally by my favorite stations to keep me listening are the use of ticklers..  Sometimes I am extremely intrigued by an interview coming up and I’d much rather listen to and fast forward through it on my old time!  If I had a similar button on my steering wheel as my remote at home, I could automatically go back some segment of time in case I missed something, like the portion of the traffic report that I might actually need.

I know there are so many distractions in our vehicles already.  Doesn’t it make sense to give us the technology that would allow concentration to stay on obeying traffic laws rather than trying to quickly memorize, or even worse attempt to write down, a phone number.  While listening I could have been distracted by my cell phone or what if I had someone in my car that decided to be obnoxiously loud just as the most important point was made.  Rewind sounds like a dream to me!

There just has to be something out there I can use, I’d assume it’s not called a DVR but what about a DRR, Digital Radio Recorder?  I know that XM and Sirius have some of the features I require, but I’m talking about local real time talk radio.  Well, after a little research, I’ve found that I’m not alone and GM has already put the idea into action and has begun including the Pause and Play features in some of their vehicles.

I don’t believe it’s quite there yet, but it is certainly a start with the Chevrolet Equinox, Buick LaCrosse, GMC Terrain and Cadillac SRX as well as the Cadillac CTS Jukebox and Navigation radio. “Basically, the feature allows you to hear something on your radio, mash pause when you get to your destination, and hop back in to hear the rest. This is also handy if you receive a call right in the middle of a heated debate on your favorite talk radio show. You know if we're talking about you.”

Currently, the feature only has enough memory to store up to 20 minutes of audio for play back at a later time. It's also scheduled to come to the new Buick Regal and Chevrolet Cruze in due time, but there's no mention of a longer buffer time in the future. Now, if only there were an easy way to transport missed clips from the radio to your iPod as you step out of the car for work, we could really see this taking off.

Sorry, All I Have Is Plastic

I remember when Nextel came out with an attachment for a cell phone that had a magnetic card reader on its side to accept transactions for mobile business sites.  I thought that was pretty cutting edge.  Jack Dorsey, native St. Louisian and co-founder or Twitter, found a smilar frustration that I have often had around a pool table.  How do you accept a payment from someone when they happen to have a greenback deficiency?  You find an easy way to accept plastic, and Jack's solution to the dilemma and his newest company is called Square. 

 

With the availability of Square’s device, just about anyone can be a merchant, that is, anyone with an iPhone or iPod Touch, at least for now. The store owner simply plugs it into the audio input jack of his mobile phone, and he can now start accepting credit card payments. Buyers, on the other hand, can then swipe their credit or debit cards through the ‘Square’ device, which will transfer the payment information into an application on the iPhone.  Square uses a magnetic-strip reader that plugs into the iPhone’s headphone port. All users of the app need to do is swipe the card, punch in the amount and have the customer sign right on the phone. After the transaction is complete a receipt is sent via email.

 

“…We wanted to allow people to very easily and quickly, within 10 seconds, be able to accept these plastic devices as payment,” said Dorsey.

If this device goes into mainstream, it will do away with the prohibitive costs businesses find with credit card processing. For instance, the credit card payment terminal alone can easily cost about $1,000, compared to Square, which runs on a $299 mobile gadget.

In the past there have been several offerings for those who want to use their iPhone to charge one of their customers credit card but they require you to punch in the card’s entire number.

I want one just so I can avoid friends saying, "I don't have any cash, I'll get you next time."  Rob Dyrdek went so far as to install an ATM in his basment next to his pool table at his home in Hollywood.  I think I would rather invest in one of these little Square devices so I could take it with me.
 

The new companies website is

 https://squareup.com/

                                         

Background - In February 2009, Jim McKelvey wasn’t able to sell a piece of his glass art because he couldn’t accept a credit card as payment. Even though a majority of payments has moved to plastic cards, accepting payments from cards is still difficult, requiring long applications, expensive hardware, and an overly complex experience. Square was born a few days later right next to the old San Francisco US Mint.

Today the Square team is focused on bringing immediacy, transparency, and approachability to the world of payments: an inherently social interaction each of us participates in daily. We’re starting with a limited beta and rolling out to everyone in early 2010.

It's no secret, I am a bit old school...

In today's businesses we use a vast variety of technologies to make us more productive, more efficient, and hopefully keep us more secure.  We all use technology such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software to remember conversations and to help us keep in touch with our clients.  We use the Contact features in our Outlook to sync with our cell phones so we never have to risk loosing a phone number.  Many of us have our Smart Phones configured so the information is constantly updates with Exchange at the office or beamed wirelessly to our service providers.  I can't be the only one that misses the feel of a rotary handset wedged between my shoulder and my ear while I create a new document with my rollerball ink pen.

At last, I found the product for those of us that remain!  This little dandy plugs into our tiny little computers we call cell phones and gives us the feel of picking up a real rotary handset!  It even comes in nine different colors and provides additional features such as reduced background noise and greatly reduces radiation.  How can we lose!

https://www.yubz.com/eng/prod_mobile.php

Specializing in Microsoft products, at my office we love to showcase productivity software including Unified Communications.  I have to admit I really enjoy being able to use OCS to see if someone is available to talk or receive an instant message.  I think it's very useful to be able to quickly call someone by clicking on their name to begin a conference call.  I really do like that my voice mail and my email arrive in the same inbox giving me total hands free use of my Outlook mail box while driving to my next meeting.  But I also like having a handset on my desk!

Thank you YUBZ!!

New Technologies That Will Change Everything

A quick thank you to my dad for pointing me to an interesting article on msn.com!  Possibly a little foreshadowing of what in store for us in the near future in the ways of technology, the article picks out 15 new advancements but I decided to highlight two of the least 'geeky' below:

Google's desktop OS

In case you haven't noticed, Google now has its well-funded mitts on just about every aspect of computing. From Web browsers to cell phones, soon you'll be able to spend all day in the Googleverse and never have to leave. Will Google make the jump to building its own PC operating system next?

What is it? It's everything, or so it seems. Google Checkout provides an alternative to PayPal. Street View is well on its way to taking a picture of every house on every street in the United States. And the fun is just starting: Google's early-beta Chrome browser earned a 1 percent market share in the first 24 hours of its existence. Android, Google's cell phone operating system, is hitting handsets as you read this, becoming the first credible challenger to the iPhone among sophisticated customers.

When is it coming? Though Google seems to have covered everything, many observers believe that logically it will next attempt to attack one very big part of the software market: the operating system.

The Chrome browser is the first toe Google has dipped into these waters. While a browser is how users interact with most of Google's products, making the underlying operating system somewhat irrelevant, Chrome nevertheless needs an OS to operate.

To make Microsoft irrelevant, though, Google would have to work its way through a minefield of device drivers, and even then the result wouldn't be a good solution for people who have specialized application needs, particularly most business users. But a simple Google OS -- perhaps one that's basically a customized Linux distribution -- combined with cheap hardware could be something that changes the PC landscape in ways that smaller players who have toyed with open-source OSs so far haven't been quite able to do.

Check back in 2011, and take a look at the not-affiliated-with-Google gOS, thinkgos, in the meantime.

Gesture-based remote control

We love our mice, really we do. Sometimes, however, such as when we're sitting on the couch watching a DVD on a laptop, or when we're working across the room from an MP3-playing PC, it just isn't convenient to drag a hockey puck and click on what we want. Attempts to replace the venerable mouse -- whether with voice recognition or brain-wave scanners -- have invariably failed. But an alternative is emerging.

What is it? Compared with the intricacies of voice recognition, gesture recognition is a fairly simple idea that is only now making its way into consumer electronics. The idea is to employ a camera (such as a laptop's webcam) to watch the user and react to the person's hand signals. Holding your palm out flat would indicate "stop," for example, if you're playing a movie or a song. And waving a fist around in the air could double as a pointing system: You would just move your fist to the right to move the pointer right, and so on.

When is it coming? Gesture recognition systems are creeping onto the market now. Toshiba, a pioneer in this market, has at least one product out that supports an early version of the technology: the Qosmio G55 laptop, which can recognize gestures to control multimedia playback. The company is also experimenting with a TV version of the technology, which would watch for hand signals via a small camera atop the set. Based on my tests, though, the accuracy of these systems still needs a lot of work.

Gesture recognition is a neat way to pause the DVD on your laptop, but it probably remains a way off from being sophisticated enough for broad adoption. All the same, its successful development would excite tons of interest from the "can't find the remote" crowd. Expect to see gesture recognition technology make some great strides over the next few years, with inroads into mainstream markets by 2012.

For the full list fell free:
http://tech.msn.com/products/articlepcw.aspx?cp-documentid=12391140