Are U Intuit?

Most companies these days are 'looking at' social media, but the reserve is real. It comes down to ROI and few people are thus far making compelling cases. 


Unless of course you are Barak Obama, whom I had written off before the Iowa caucus as a 'one day media wonder' since Hillary Clinton, had it all sewn up and what not. 


Hmmm.  I was wrong about that. 


So rather than taking a serious step in cow pasture material,  instead I draw you to an article written by Business Week's Reena Jana http://www.businessweek.com/bios/Reena_Jana.htm.
She outlines how Intuit is growing its business, getting greater traffic and reducing costs through the use of Socail Media. More companies are apt to follow. 

Pirate Bay Shuts Down

Geez, I knew Pirate Bay, the Bit Torrent monster was on its last legs, but it has finally pulled the plug.

No more peer-to-peer 'free movies' and such.

They had tried as subscription model, but that went bust. So there you have it. No more Pirate Bay.

Mininova, another large torrent machine is just about done too by the looks of things.

Is this the end of torrents?  Maybe. While software companies complained about the loss of revenue from people downloading their expensive software, how else were students and the underemployed to learn new computer skills? Software with price tags of $500-800 or more meant a lot of folks just had to do without or use the torrents. When they got new skills, they could use them, create wealth and yes buy the software.

There are of course a number of work-arounds available. GIMP is a great free-source alternative to Photoshop. And there are a number of ways you can turn MS Word documents into PDF's.  Even Adobe has an offering allowing you to do so through its Photoshop page. Used it once, and it worked, but haven't been back. Mind you, they make it hard for you to find.

So ends an era, but the market being what it is...a new and 'improved' one will take its place.

Chrome OS is Coming!

Google continues its march against the Microsoft Monster.

Just yesterday, Google announced it is working on a new browser that is also a new Chrome OS operating system in one!

Even the most powerful computers take about 45 seconds to load up when first turned on. Google's new browser/OS will take only two seconds or so. Wow. http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/releasing-chromium-os-open-source.html

Although the Chrome OS is still not ready for release (sometime next summer) boot-ups are already down to about 7 seconds. Google figures the peeps want fast fast fast access to the Net to do things that they do most: browse the Web and get E-mail.

How do they do this Rich?
The Operating system and browser will not be stored on your computer. They will be hosted in the 'cloud'. As long as it doesn't rain, you should be okay.

Twitter

Is now disponible en Francais.  Last month, Twitter was made disponible en Espaniol.

To get the French version, just push 'French' on your Twitter menu. Voila!.

Lotsa Google Items Today

Google Retailer Is Here!
Google has just come up with a Google retailer fast fast fast search engine that enables little as well as big peeps to sell their products and services online AND integrate it with Google Analytics. Pricing is dependent upon the number of items you sell.

The Analytics part of this means you can follow where your prospects and customers are going once they hit your site. So let's say, you have extra sweaters you are trying to sell, and getting no results, maybe putting them into the 75% off bin will move them? Either way,  you'll be able to track your sales, and presumably stock those items that are hot sellers too.

Included within the retail offering is the ability to up-sell. So if you sell say a red pair of shoes to a customer, you might also be able to entice them to buy a red pair of shoes.

Presumably, this same engine could be used by PR agencies or political candidates, who find someone is interested in healthcare, and may because of their age, also want to learn about diabetes management. Anyway, you get the idea. Kinda Kewl.

Google Dashboard
With all this information floating around, you may want to know just what Google knows about you. Okay fair enough! Just go to Google Dashboard, and be amazed/frightened!

Google Custom News
One of the reasons I use Netvibes is its ability to allow me to narrow in on subjects of interest including the use of widgets on topics.

Now Google News is moving in the same direction. As of today, you will be able to add your own categories on your personal Google News Page. So let's say you are interested in Marshall, WI Sports (and who isn't?) you will be able to add your own section and then have Google grab that information for you. It is I think rather like a News Alert system except better and perhaps broader in its scope.

Also, based on your results, you will be able to share your information with others who appreciate your interests and tastes.

Media Monitoring application? Maybe, but I'd want to see how it works before saying so.

Real Time Everything

This morning I came across an interesting piece at Mashable http://mashable.com/2009/10/29/real-time-web-trends/ about real-time trends. The author, suggests 1. Real-time collaboration 2. Real-time analytics 3. Real-time search 4. Real-time e-commerce are areas to watch.

He's right.

Sorta. Real-time collaboration would be a great thing, except if everything is done is real-time using the much touted, but as yet incomplete Google Wave, then where does the pondering and thoughtfulness come in. Just because you can do something NOW doesn't mean you should.

Real-time analytics and e-commerce are definitely coming. But just when...not so sure. As I mentioned in a previous post, the use of Twitter to power political campaigns is now available. Omniture, the largest web analytics firm recently sold was doing a pretty good job offering retailers same day results, but for some reason has stumbled leaving their customers waiting two, three, four days for results, which in Web speed is like a dog-year.

Which leaves, real-time search. Okay. I can see the application being used where say I am interested in getting the best deal on a certain widget or perhaps even a breaking news story (but wouldn't you just be glued to a streaming source anyway)?

Still with all this real-time, stuff, who has the time to use it?

Newspaper Circulation Crashes In US

A story in today's Wall Street Journal shows circulation at many of the largest U.S. newspapers slid sharply during the six months ended in September.

Weekday circulation for 379 dailies was down 10.6% over the same time the previous year. The sharpest falloff in a decade.

Where Are The Eyeballs Going?

The web obviously. I get most of my news these days from Google, and from Netvibes, and IGoogle. And of course Google Alerts on different subjects of interest.

And where does most of this content I cherish leak from?  Newspapers of course. And to a lesser degree to bloggers such as moi. While bloggers may have superior views missed by main-stream media, we don't necessarily have the scope of expertise, or time to offer in-depth reviews of issues of importance such as the decline of the US dollar, for example--which newspapers and specialty magazines can and presumably should offer.

So newspapers it seems to me are going to have to make a choice.

Newspapers Must Choose

Newspapers have to figure-out what they want to be when they grow-up.

Newspapers are trying to stave-off their dinosaur deaths by offering on-line 'newspapers' which rapidly change content, in a sense competing against their print versions. If for example a plane falls out of the sky, the newspaper on-line version should have constant updates during the day, and over-night meaning the print version is already 'beaten' by the time it lands on your door-step.

So why buy print?

Especially if the content is then sent to AP or Reuters? Which appears online at Google. Hmmm,

Profit From Content

• First thing...newspapers need to create new content all the time, and then charge good bucks for original stuff to companies like AP and Reuters. 
• Second, newspapers have got to integrate their web and paper-based operations more closely together from a revenue as well as content perspective. 
• Third, newspapers have got to make deals with local TV stations to embed video on their websites.

And with all this 'free' content online, newspapers are going to have to stop charging for access to their Websites. I mean really, what is the point of paying for an online subscription to the Wall Street Journal just to read about the newspaper circulation topic? Unless I am convinced I can only get information from that particular paper, I just don't see the point. 

Maybe I am wrong on that? 

And of course, the real point is what are the advertisers going to do, as newspapers are losing audience?

How low can ad rates go?

White House Goes Open Source

The White House has just re-launched its website, and is using the Open Source Content Management Sytstem Drupal. http://www.whitehouse.gov/

Very powerful in what it can do. A little surprising though walking away from .NET and all. No Christmas presents from Bill Gates, I would guess.

The New Twitter Deals & How Its Going To Change Political Campaigning

Twitter Gets Added to Google Search

Recently, Microsoft's search engine, BING.. (But Its Not Google) announced it was adding Twitter to its search capabilities.

NOW, Google is doing the same thing. So much for the big Microsoft coup as Google will also include tweets in all of its search results.

So What?

Here's what the Google Blog has to say: "We believe that our search results and user experience will greatly benefit from the inclusion of this up-to-the-minute data, and we look forward to having a product that showcases how tweets can make search better in the coming months. That way, the next time you search for something that can be aided by a real-time observation, say, snow conditions at your favorite ski resort, you’ll find tweets from other users who are there and sharing the latest and greatest information.”

How To Use This In Politics

I've fought campaigns and even ran one. In the dinosaur days. And the Internet as we know has changed everything.

During the past US Presidential election, I got every Barack Obama e-mail. I studied what the Democrats were doing, and how.

Essentially, in the 2009 Presidential race, the Obama team had people connected the way no one had done before. Instead of the old 'poll captain' methodology (even using 'the new' predictive dialing technology) for getting the vote out, they used Twitter as well as e-mail.

Today with both of the two largest search engines now using Twitter, the 140 character communications tool Twitter could be a two-way conversation between the HQ/state organizers with the folks actually banging on doors or making those Get Out The Vote calls.

And the information could be sent back to HQ in real time!

Wow! That means decisions could be made by organizers at both the state and national level in hours or even minutes.

Let's say you are an organizer at the state level. A poll is showing weakness.

You have a choice: You can spend money and time to bolster your results, or withdraw and put resources where they have a better chance of paying off. And you can make that kind of decision faster than poop coming out a duck's butt.

The penny drops (to use another metaphor).

Real time searchable Twittering perhaps even encrypted on a private network...would be very hard to beat for any campaign team less than up-to-speed on the newest uses for Twitter.

Sure Enough...New Box Deals

After going through the steps to upgrade from XP to Windows 7, I figured it would just be easier to buy a new computer.

Sure enough. Tiger Direct (my favorite provider) has a quad core with 4 Gigs of Ram for $499 and FREE Windows 7. If you have the money and the need (most companies according to the President of Intel are still working with machines that are now hitting ten years old and still running XP) then the option looks pretty good.

No doubt, there will be some pretty super deals coming up as we all ramp-up to Christmas.

So maybe Windows 7 is in our future after-all.

Upgrading From XP to Windows 7

THE SIMPLE UPGRADE...NOT!

Why get Windows 7? Well...the User Interface, takes one more bold step toward making a Windows machine look and feel like a MAC. Howse that for an explanation?

That said, why can't anything be simple anymore? 

I was hoping that well...to upgrade from XP to Windows 7, I'd just buy a Home Edition of the software, pop in a disc and then listen to my old trusty work-horse machine whir and click away while I watched a Bonanza re-run. 

Wrong!

IS YOUR CURRENT COMPUTER COMPATIBLE?

First boys and girls, here's what I would suggest: go to Microsoft to find out if your old machine is compatible with Windows 7.  If you have a newer machine, you should be okay. Especially if your newer machine runs on 64 bit rather than 32 bit. To find out please go to:   http://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibility/windows-7/en-us/default.aspx

There is a compatibility program you can download that will look at your machine and tell you what will work and what perhaps won't work. Drivers for your printer and sound card for example, may need to be updated. 

But that ain't all. 

Once you make the choice to upgrade, Microsoft has a pleasant lady in a pleasant video tutorial telling us how there are four million steps to take before you reach Windows 7 enlightenment.  

ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES

And here's why:  First you'll need to take all your files and copy them either to an external HD or a buncha CD's.  Then, you will need to install 7 onto your machine. And then...copy your files back to your machine. 

And then (if these 'And then's' were shoes dropping, it would sound like an earthquake), you will need to re-install ALL your programs MANUALLY. Yikes. 

In my case, I have a couple of sound editor programs. Free ones: Audacity, and Acid Express, and let's see other useful programs like CCleaner and Defraggler, and....I'll have to download them all again. 

So make a list of the programs you have, and then get ready for the great re-load. 

GOOD-BYE OUTLOOK EXPRESS

One thing you might want to keep in mind: Outlook Express is gone forever. 

Instead, you will have the choice of going to another e-mail software (like Thunderbird for example) or Microsoft's newest e-mail offering called, Windows Live Mail. 

Looks interesting because it allows you to get mail from your ISP as well as configure it to give you all your mail from Hotmail (anybody still use that?), Yahoo, GMail, and whatever else mail there is out there. You don't have to buy Windows 7 to use Windows Live Mail. It will work on XP, but I admit I haven't taken that leap of faith yet. 

TWO HOURS AT LEAST...TO UPGRADE

So, if upgrading to Windows 7 from XP is in your future, get some sleep the night before, take a few extra Happyzack, and get ready for some 'interesting times' as the old Chinese proverb suggests. 

Or just go out and buy a new computer. Which is probably what Microsoft, and all its partners would want you to do anyway. 

Geesh.

Obama Attacking Fox News Is Nuts

The White House has clearly determined they have nothing to lose in attacking Fox News as a tool of the Republican Party.

Fine. Maybe they are right.

Where they are wrong is refusing to appear on Fox News programs. It smacks of 'censorship' of...only playing with the boys and gurls in the sandbox who think the way we think.

Big mistake. Fundamental mistake.

And here's what its done so far: Fox News ratings have soared 20 percent since the White House began playing Russian Roulette with all the chambers full.

Welcome!

Thanks for visiting. This post is offered on October 19, 2009

This is probably among the first sidewiki posts you have seen. I try to make it my business to know and use tools that add value to you, and well...to me as well.

I'm all about telling stories. Helping people communicate, motivate and sell using a variety of media, strategies and tactics.

I prefer to work on retainer for project work, but do also offer my services on a freelance basis.

in reference to: Richard Fallis Virtual Communications Assistance (view on Google Sidewiki)

Obama's Problem With The Nobel

By now, you have heard that President Obama, has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. 


Problem was and is, he was nominated without his knowledge, and the award was based on his work during the first 12 days in office. 


Hmmm.  


So, anyway, he's accepting the prize--knocking off 202 other contenders, who presumably have worked more than a dozen days toward getting us to stop killing one-another. So far, Mr. Obama has said he doesn't deserve the Nobel, but he'll take it anyway, because it is a sign for all who love peace and so on. 


In an Email I received today from Jon Vogel, President of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, I was told " The reaction from Rush Limbaughand others on the right-wing lunatic fringe? More cheerleading for America's failure. Rush even went so far as saying he agreed with the Taliban on this decision!"


From there, I was urged by Mr. Vogel to send the President a note of congratulations.

Now wait a minute! First, Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer, so why the heck do Democrats rise to the bait?  Every time Rush sneezes, Democrats run for the tissue afraid they are going to catch something. Ignore the guy. 

And as for sending a note of congrats to the President. Uh...look, with the President even admitting he doesn't deserve the Nobel, maybe the Dems should just well...smile, and take a pass at throwing political rocks.  When they bounce back, you can lose an eye that way! 


In my view, the President should have gratefully acknowledged the award, and asked the Nobel committee to find someone more worthy.  That would have been a classy thing to do, and also would have saved him from the scorn of lefties in his party who want the US out of both Afgahnistan and Iraq yesterday, and the Limbaughites who would attack the President even if he ended world hunger and bought everybody on the planet a pack of Bazooka Joe Bubble gum.


Bad tactics on the President's part.

When Social Media Sucks

There is a gal, whom I am certain is a wonderful human being, who is splashing her ads in a variety of Linked In sites that have nothing to do with buying or selling cars.

The latest is an ad inviting folks to the Ewald Chevy Buick Halloween fest in Milwaukee.

Great!

My response? In my 'comments' I've taught people how to buy cars below invoice, taking all the hold-back and getting great deals on the cars they are trading. Hmmm....not sure if that is what Ewald Chevy Buick intended as part of its social media campaigns.



All these 'spam' ads have done is infuriate. I will never buy a Chevy or Buick from Ewald motors in Milwaukee as a result.  What's soon going to become evident to people who use 'push marketing' is that social media is a two-way street. It can blow-up in your face when applied indifferently or incompetently.

Office 2010...here's how they're gonna get you to buy it.

Office 2010...Resistance Is Futile

Microsoft knows its biggest competitor to its new office release is its own installed base. I'm still running Office 2003, and when I want something fancy dancy, I'll click on Open Office. And who knows what Google is going to come up with through its new cloud-based software?

Buy Or Die

So according to today's MS Engineering blog on Office 2010, here's how they're gonna get you and who knows? maybe even me to buy this stuff.

When you are buying a new box, Office 2010 will come pre-loaded (think MS Works) including a new Product Key Card. This will enable you to use the new offering, and also entice you to consider an upgrade to the more robust versions to include: Office Home & Student 2010, Office Home & Business 2010, or Office Professional 2010.

The MS blog adds: "An added bonus: The card’s packaging is smaller than the full package (DVD) product, and is eco/retail-friendly....As part of Office 2010 software that will be pre-loaded by the PC manufacturers on their PCs, we’re introducing Microsoft Office Starter 2010. Office Starter 2010 is a reduced-functionality, advertising-supported version of Office 2010, available exclusively on new PCs. Office Starter 2010 will provide new PC owners with immediate exposure to the Office 2010 experience on new PCs right out of the box.
.
Office Starter 2010 will include Office Word Starter 2010 and Office Excel Starter 2010, with the basic functionality for creating, viewing and editing documents. Office Starter 2010 will replace Microsoft Works, offering a consistent Office user experience, such as the Ribbon, with a simple path to upgrade to a fully-featured version of Office 2010 directly from within the product.


Click To Run
And there will also be a 'click to run' version for people like me. We'll be able to download the Office Starter product and run it alongside our existing Office install--2003 or 2007 and decide whether the new offering is worth it.  I kinda like this, because in the past, when downloading new Microsoft stuff, I was frightened that it might-block out my use of my trusty and perhaps dusty version(s).

Beta Coming This Year
Microsoft says it will have a beta of Office 2010 later this year and will invite people to become familiar with Office 2010, and then of course 'easily upgrade to a full version' when you're ready to buy. To find out more information about Office 2010 visitwww.microsoft.com/office2010.

Great! I guess.

New FTC Rules On Blogging

The US Federal Trade Commission has come out with some new rules to protect us. Finally. Just about time. 


See, these folks are concerned that what they call 'material connections' --me getting paid to mention in a blog the crisp sweet bite that just rocks when you take that first sip of Coca-cola on a hot summer day, without mentioning I was getting paid or enjoying free products like a McDonald's Big Mac that can't be beat when you are just sooo hungry, and its raining and don't want to have to make supper. 


I mean, if I mention the great taste of Miller Light, that is so 'drinkable, not to heavy. Not too light. Just right!' well...the FTC figures you would want to know that I have disclosed my 'material connection' right? And what goes better with Miller lite than Hostess Ketchup potato chips!? 


These guys/gals/mutants at the FTC think they 'own' the Internet the way they say, 'own' the airwaves. Well they don't. And besides, there's this thing called the First Amendment. Say what you want whenever you want. It is that freedom thing that Americans seem to be all over for some weird reason. 


Well, I'm all tired out writing this. I'm going downstairs to make myself a new Jiffy Peanut butter sandwich. Nothing like Jiffy! And of course, I'll have some Tetley English tea. Almost as good as the Canadian brand of Red Rose tea--which is just so yummy!









  

Apple's New IPAD Tablet Computer

Microsoft is expected to launch its new 'pad computer' in several months. What I have seen of it is very kewl. Basically, a two screen gizmo that allows you to add items and move them from one screen to the other. Like a real 'write with a pen' notepad, except better.

According to Jeremy Horwitz at ilounge.com, Apple's long-awaited tablet will be unveiled toward the end of January. The Apple tablet will apparently run on the iphone OS and will offer a 10.7 inch screen. 

Apple is expected to lag behind Microsoft in terms of release dates, with folks like you and me being able to purchase the ipad sometime in the spring.

I'd like to see both-side-by side.

E-books...what's the impact?

Came across another tree-conserver today. It is called 'Smashwords'.

Smashwords.com lets authors publish e-books in a variety of different formats. 


You start with MS Word, and Smashwords converts the content into nine different formats (including PDF) that can be read by different e-book readers like Amazon's Kindle and the Sony Reader.


And it is the "authors and publishers retain full control over how their works are published, sampled, priced and sold. If an author wants to charge one dollar or ten thousand dollars, or give it away for free, they have that freedom," says the website.


The company is what...less than a year-old and already has three-thousand titles which may be purchased among a growing list of established companies, such as Barnes & Noble, where you can purchase Smashwords books online.


Okay, this all very kewl and everything. It means the publishers who won't/can't take a chance on 'new' authors are going to see their pile of unopened manuscripts diminish on their desks. Why send your manuscript to 'Shyster, Meister and Feister' when you can publish on your own? Lulu.com is another option that has been around for a while that provides the ability to self-publish in hard-print or e-books.


So if you are a book publisher, you really need to get on this e-book thang fast. Otherwise you will be consigned to selling your old old titles in ever small quantities while the market walks away.  


All of that said,  I like paper. I prefer it. BUT I will as a consumer only buy real books when the book is very very special. Otherwise, I will succumb to the e-book. Easier, faster, cheaper (or should be), but it also means I may want to figure out which portable reader option is best for me. Kindle or Sony Reader? 


Christmas is approaching!

What this Is About

As a communications guy, I've seen a lot of change. I'm old enough to remember having to explain what the Internet was. Fortunately, Al Gore was around to help out. 

The big thing of course is now Social Media. Which is great, and a pain for communicators who are trying to hit ever more fragmented markets. Just how long is the long tail anyway?  How long is a piece of string?

So I'll be posting about innovative new uses of strategy, tactics and technology---how we as communications specialists are spreading the good word(s).

I trust some of what I write will be of interest. 

Thanks

Rich Fallis