Elf Designs

More Changes for Google Members

efindlow — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:46:43 +0000

Beginning March 1, Google will start collecting and compiling more information from users who are signed into their Google accounts. If you use Google, Gmail, YouTube, Picasa, or even your Android smartphone (which is powered by Google), among other services, Google will be tracking what you do in order to provide a more streamlined and intuitive experience, according to Google. Although Google is touting this move as a way to help its users get more personalized and relevant information, some privacy advocates are arguing that Google is going too far. The fact that users will not be able to opt out of this service, and will have to cancel all of their Google accounts instead, is particularly troubling for some of Google’s critics.

Not all of Google’s services will be integrated; Google Books, Google Wallet, and the Chrome Internet browser will not be part of the integration, partly due to legal reasons. But if you are signed into Gmail and watch a video on YouTube or add an appointment to your Google Calendar, Google will know about it. This will help Google better tailor ads to your interests and refine search results on Google’s search engine. Is this Google’s way of trying to create a more unified social networking system, the way Facebook and Apple have done? We will have to see whether users embrace these changes or decide to leave Google’s services behind.

For more information on Google’s changing privacy policy, check out their site here

Cloud Storage: What are your options?

efindlow — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:32:34 +0000

With so much information being added to your computer, you may be worried about running out of space on your hard drive. You can invest in external hard drives or thumb drives, or store your information on CD-ROMs. But one of the most convenient ways to store your files and information is with cloud storage. Basically, you upload your data via the Internet to a remote data server (usually cloud storage providers use many servers to hold all of your information). Then you can easily access this data through any Internet access point. Cloud storage provides an easy way to keep track of your data when you’re travelling or away from home. It’s also a great way to store things like photos or music so that you have a backup in case something happens to your PC or laptop.

There are many, many cloud storage providers out there. Some of them are free services, others charge on a monthly or per-GB basis. Here are some of the major players in the cloud storage market:

Amazon Cloud Drive: This service offers you 5GB of free storage through Amazon. You can upload any files you like, although Amazon focuses on music, photos, and videos. Amazon also provides you with more storage space for a fee, and as a bonus allows you to store unlimited songs from the Amazon MP3 store if you pay for extra storage. This is a great service if you are also using Amazon’s MP3 store. You can access the Cloud Drive from up to 8 devices.
Dropbox: I’ve mentioned Dropbox in the past, and it’s still a great option for storage. The site gives you 2GB of storage space for free, with the option to upgrade to a Pro Account (50 GB for $9.99/month or 100GB for $19.99/month). One of the best things about Dropbox is that you can invite others to download files that you upload to your Dropbox. It’s a great way to share larger files that can’t be emailed of documents that need to go to a large group of people.
Windows Live SkyDrive: If you have a PC and use Window, you should have Windows Live on your computer. Windows Live SkyDrive is an extension of Windows Live, and offers a whopping 25GB of free online storage. Simply create folders or files on SkyDrive and you can access them from anywhere. In addition, with Microsoft Office 2010 you can now save Office files directly to SkyDrive, and you can also share these files with friends and colleagues.

Google+ Members Get New Search Options

efindlow — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 00:15:38 +0000

On January 10, Google rolled out new search features for Google+ members. Now you can search your Google+ circles, photos, posts and more in addition to Google’s regular search features. The update, called “Search plus Your World” allows members to search through information that is private and not accessible to everyone on the Web, making it easier to find search results that are relevant to you. The search results you receive will be clearly marked to differentiate authoritative results from your Google+ results. If you are searching for a person’s name, Google+ will automatically try to fill in your search with people who are in your circles, rather than assuming you are looking for someone with the same name whom you don’t know. You will also be able to follow people directly from your search results page, including “experts” in the field in which you are searching.

It seems like Google is trying very hard to draw Google+ members further into their social networking site. By seamlessly integrating Google+ into the incredibly popular Google search engine, Google is giving you more incentive to be a part of Google+ and hopefully getting you and your contacts to use the site more often. For a more detailed explanation of the new Google+ changes, check out this article on Mashable.

Growing your skills and your business

efindlow — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:31:15 +0000

Its the new year and we all have new goals set both personal and business, if you are wanting to improve your skill set for your online business, check out this special offer from the Launch coach, tips on email list building and launching products online…specially priced as donations only.

I have purchased and found them to be useful tools for your online business..

Does colour make a difference

efindlow — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 01:41:55 +0000

If you are in the selling game, and think its all about your pitch and sales technique, then you may or may not realise that there are other influencers at work and Colour is a big factor.

This is a handy infographic - easy to see at a glance

Say Goodbye to Real Estate Agents!

MJ — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:34:42 +0000

A couple of months ago, I was involved in witnessing how the purchase of a condo went and what it entailed. I had to deal with a Real Estate, which was standard procedure for anyone involved in the home buying process. Although there are pros and cons to going with a Real Estate Agent, the fact is the business of selling homes is changing. This can undoubtedly be attributed to the presence of the Internet. What used to be impossible to obtain without the help of an agent is now available with the click of a mouse. A myriad of information is now available online.
Home appraisal values, for example, used to only be available to individuals within the real-estate industry. This has changed. Sites now have access to private databases, making instant estimates of a property’s value available and obtainable to virtually anyone interested. Additionally, Zoocasa has partnered with a major property valuation company and has made the availability of local market information available to anyone possible. Individuals can enter any address in the country and by the provision of details (ie. number of bedrooms and/or baths), individuals can get an instant price estimate. This is great for homeowners as well, as it provides a realistic indication of the value of their home.
This industry will evolve online. As it does, more services will be available. Zoocasa’s appraisal site (where “Zoopraisals” are available), for example, helps consumers with specific portions of a deal. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the evolution of this industry online is that sites such as Zoocasa don’t charge for appraisals. Rather, it makes money by what the internet does best – ads! It charges real estate agents fees to have their ads pop up along with the data.
The presence of websites like these represents the weakening position of real estate agents, which is great news for any potential buyer. After all, can you really justify paying your agent commission, which often costs about 5% of the value of the home?

The Internet of Things

MJ — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 23:41:09 +0000

Technology has evolved at an exceptional speed. Nowadays, a car is more than just a vehicle, it’s an intricate computer system, controlling things like the audio-visual system or the rear-facing camera that assists with reversing. Lost are the days where OnStar was the only roadside-assistance service. Now with virtually any smartphone a myriad of functions can be performed. The automobile has now, more than ever, been integrated with the Internet. This is just one example of how an idea, which has been around for over a decade, is becoming reality. The Internet of Things is finally becoming real!
The Internet of Things, first discussed in 1999, represents the idea that Internet connectivity might spread beyond the devices we’ve traditionally used, such as computers, laptops, and now smartphones. Objects are becoming more interactive and are communicating with the Internet. It is interesting to see this concept get manifested in both high-tech ways and simple ways. Even more interesting is society’s willingness to adapt and accept these ways. More and more individuals are shopping online and we will continue to see an increase in the number of individuals using NFC/Google Wallet to pay for things. If you don’t believe me, think of the following examples:

Existing networks – wireless networks and wi-fi-enabled devices are extremely common. We can see the use of these networks through the increase in tablet and cell phone usage. In addition, the Nike+ running shoe, for example, contains a sensor that sends information about your running pace to your Apple iPod.
Scanned codes – QR codes have grown in popularity and can be frequently seen in stores, on billboards, or through advertisements. QR codes link a real thing to the information world and virtually any object can have a distinct code.
NFC (near-field communications) – provides ways for devices, such as a smartphone, to wirelessly read information from a tag on an object, just by being in close proximity. This unleashes an endless way to track inventory or to provide individuals with ways to learn about a product. NFC technology is also turning smartphones into virtual wallets.

Weekly Clicks – Oct. 22

MJ — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:26:41 +0000

This week’s edition of the Weekly Clicks features social network aimed at teens, mobile puzzles, LinkedIn expands, standards for 3D, and a way to print facebook pictures. Enjoy!

Taking Public Transportation? No Need for Change!
On Wednesday, New Jersey’s public transportation agency announced its partnership with Google to bring Google’s Wallet payment system to their customers. Riders on some of New Jersey’s Transit trains and buses now have the ability to pay for their trips using their phones. This is the first major transit system in the US using Google Wallet.

Hoping for a Standard for 3D Effects
Adobe recently proposed a new set of CSS-based tools in hopes that it will become a standard on the web. CSS Shaders will bring high-quality cinematic effects to the web without the need for plugins, such as Flash. CSS Shaders would allow developers to apply cinema-style filter effects to any HTML content with ease. This includes: grayscale to color transitions, animated shadows, photo-realistic warping and other mainstays of the 3D animation world.

LinkedIn’s Reach
On Thursday, LinkedIn Corp. launched its online professional networking service in Japanese. This represents the first Asian language platform for the company.

Have you Heard of Keek?
Canadian-based Keek, who recently received $5.5-million in financing, describes itself as a YouTube and Twitter hybrid. It allows users to send out a 36-second short video message (or “keek”) easily captured on web cameras and smartphones to people in their network.

Do You Have Kids That Enjoy Puzzles?
If you have kids, you may want to check out Fashionbuddha’s line of Piece Me Puzzle apps. The first is Piece Me Birds and the second is Piece Me Circus. Each one features seven simple puzzles. They stand out because of artistic detail and work contained within each puzzle. Puzzles within Piece Me Birds were created by Portland artist Amy Ruppel, and Piece Me Circus puzzles features artwork by Alberto Cerriteño. Additionally, each app provides you with a short bio page about the artist.

Kodak Will Print your Pictures for FREE
Kodak is running an offer to help turn your Facebook pictures into printed pictures you can hold in your hand. The contest itself is pretty standard fare: Like Kodak’s Facebook page and get a voucher for 20 free prints of your Facebook images.

The Evolution of Voice Assistants

MJ — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:17:03 +0000

Siri for the iPhone 4S may be the primary reason why many are upgrading to the newest iPhone. If you don’t have the latest iPhone, don’t worry, as virtual assistants are not limited to the iPhone 4S. If you have another Smartphone, you may want to check out the following:

Vlingo (Android & iOs, free) can do numerous tasks, such as: sending texts and emails, voice dial, search the web, find local businesses, get directions, update Facebook and Twitter, check in to Foursquare, etc. An InCar edition is available for hands-free voice command while driving.
Iris (Android, Free, Beta) currently only responds to questions, whether fact-based (conversions, sports or history facts, etc) or personal (When asked if it wants chips, the reply is “No, chips make me fat”).
Speaktoit (Android, Free) can perform numerous actions, including, but not limited to: opening apps, updating Facebook and Twitter, getting directions and local weather, etc.
DragonGo! (iOs, Free) offers a huge range of voice-activated features, such as downloading apps, searching for books, locating local businesses and upcoming events, retrieving directions, sports scores and local weather. It is integrated with a number of websites, so you can command it to “Yahoo Sports for Kobe Bryant.”
VoiceActions ($4.99, iOs) can send text messages and emails, answer questions (both factual and conversational), request to play music by a certain artist, launch and search various browsers, get directions, set reminders, translate between English and French, as well as making calls.

The Latest Interest Network

MJ — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:58:18 +0000

UberMedia has a fresh take on Social Networks with it’s latest project Chime.In. Chime combines Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit to create what UberMedia CEO Bill Gross calls an “interest network”. Like other social networks, Chime.in lets users share content with others. It has a newsfeed, profile pages and a system for following other users. The social network doesn’t have status updates, though. Instead it has “chimes,” which are a cross between a Facebook status update and a blog post. A chime displays a headline, the first few sentences of a chime, a piece of multimedia (an image, a video, etc.), a profile picture, interest tags and options for liking, commenting and sharing.

One of the most intriguing features is that users have control over their profiles, including the advertising and sponsors that run on the page. Users can include their own ads on the page and keep 100% of the revenue, or they can let UberMedia sell ads for their page and split the revenue 50-50. Gross believes that control over revenue makes Chime.in more appealing to publishers that want to monetize themselves in social media.

There are so many social networks available today, so it will be interesting to see how well Chime.In does. The revenue sharing could be the one feature that sets it apart however. Only time will tell.