Spactor is a media search engine that scans television, radio, Internet TV and podcasts to display results showing how often and when a particular term was used in a program.
Based in Germany, Spactor is built on MediaClipping’s technology that is used by businesses for PR and other purposes, giving stats on the use of certain terminology and names are used in media. Now the search functionality of MediaClipping is being offered as an engine for you to use. Type in your query and you’ll see video and audio results where your term has been used. Results can be emailed to a friend, and you can go to the original source link or play the media directly. It would be convenient if these results could also be bookmarked directly.
As video and audio search becomes increasingly necessary for online media sharing, this type of technology will become more commonplace and used for purposes outside of B2B necessities. Spactor is currently available for 75 German-speaking radio and television shows, and the company has plans for International expansion. Plugged and Vlingo are other companies that are utilizing speech recognition for search and other personal uses.
[via blognation]
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Travellers have the potential to bring much-needed supplies to underfunded non-profit organisations around the world
Travellers have the potential to bring much-needed supplies to underfunded non-profit organisations around the world, but usually they don’t learn about those needs until it’s too late to pack for them. StuffYourRucksack hopes to solve that problem by showing travellers--before they leave on their trips—how they could help out in a particular region.
The site was recently founded by BBC presenter Kate Humble, who recognized how often travellers end up thinking, ‘If only I had known!” She explains: “How many times have you been travelling and visited a school or community or local charity that you would love to help? The school needs books, or a map or pencils; an orphanage needs children's clothes or toys. All things that, if only you'd known, you could've stuffed in your rucksack. But once you get home you forget, or you've lost the address, or worry that whatever you send will be stolen before it even gets there.”
The concept is simple: local organisations around the globe can visit the site to register what they need, as can travellers who have been there and discovered the need first-hand. Travellers planning a trip can then search to see what they can bring along to help. There are no fees to be paid on either side, and a feedback section of the site allows for the exchange of tips and advice.
StuffYourRucksack is still in the process of getting off the ground, so there are no listings yet for many countries. One look at the listings that are there, though, shows how easy it could be to help. An Indian school for street children, for example, needs children’s clothing. An educational charity in Tanzania needs pencils and used mobile phones. Nice example of a grassroots initiative using the internet to help small-scale aid find its way around the world. Related: Family-to-family aid.
Website: www.stuffyourrucksack.com
Via-Springwise
The site was recently founded by BBC presenter Kate Humble, who recognized how often travellers end up thinking, ‘If only I had known!” She explains: “How many times have you been travelling and visited a school or community or local charity that you would love to help? The school needs books, or a map or pencils; an orphanage needs children's clothes or toys. All things that, if only you'd known, you could've stuffed in your rucksack. But once you get home you forget, or you've lost the address, or worry that whatever you send will be stolen before it even gets there.”
The concept is simple: local organisations around the globe can visit the site to register what they need, as can travellers who have been there and discovered the need first-hand. Travellers planning a trip can then search to see what they can bring along to help. There are no fees to be paid on either side, and a feedback section of the site allows for the exchange of tips and advice.
StuffYourRucksack is still in the process of getting off the ground, so there are no listings yet for many countries. One look at the listings that are there, though, shows how easy it could be to help. An Indian school for street children, for example, needs children’s clothing. An educational charity in Tanzania needs pencils and used mobile phones. Nice example of a grassroots initiative using the internet to help small-scale aid find its way around the world. Related: Family-to-family aid.
Website: www.stuffyourrucksack.com
Via-Springwise
Web Confrenceing Solutions
Persony provides advanced conferencing products such as the Persony Web Conferencing 2.0 solution. This web conference solution is flash, so you do not need to download it. You can conduct an online seminar, provide online training, and give a presentation with participants from any computer. Persony Web Conferencing 2.0 gives your company private labeling and hosting, have your customers assist a web conference at your site not someone else’s. Once you purchase Persony web conference software, you are done, there are no monthly fees to hassle you
Persony's patent-pending "smart-client" technology puts the intelligence of a collaborative application on the client side and uses standard Web servers to connect remote users. By leveraging the millions of Web servers and service providers in existence, Persony's solution can be deployed anywhere and at a fraction of the cost of other solutions. The smart-client approach is a disruptive technology that allows individuals and small businesses to afford applications that were once only available to larger corporations.
More at:http://www.persony.com/
Persony's patent-pending "smart-client" technology puts the intelligence of a collaborative application on the client side and uses standard Web servers to connect remote users. By leveraging the millions of Web servers and service providers in existence, Persony's solution can be deployed anywhere and at a fraction of the cost of other solutions. The smart-client approach is a disruptive technology that allows individuals and small businesses to afford applications that were once only available to larger corporations.
More at:http://www.persony.com/
Saturday, September 8, 2007
From A Simple Science Teacher To Becoming Millionaire
Five years ago, Steve Spangler was a science teacher outside Denver. These days, his educational toy company, Steve Spangler Science, employs nearly 30 people and he speaks to groups of science teachers across the country.
Mr. Spangler largely credits his blog for his success. Steve Spangler Science recorded more than $5 million in revenues last year.
"One of the secrets," says Mr. Spangler, "is to make sure you're writing headlines and content that are picked up by [content-sharing site] Digg.com and other bloggers."
He wasn't always a believer in blogs. It was after a video of Mr. Spangler demonstrating the explosive effects of dropping Mentos into Diet Coke spread across the Internet that he realized their power to help his business.
The Wall Street Journal spoke with Mr. Spangler about his blog's impact on his business.
WSJ: When did you realize it was time to update stevespanglerscience.com?
Mr. Spangler: I took the business online in 2002. Every small-business owner thinks as soon as you push the button, [customers will] come – but they don't. I remember a day in 2002 when we did $200 in sales – I was celebrating. We had some people coming to the site, but we weren't converting [into sales].
WSJ: So what did you do?
Mr. Spangler: I found a couple Web sites [that I liked] and they said "Netconcepts" on the bottom. So I contracted [the company] to redesign the Web site. I wanted to find somebody that wasn't in my industry, to not get the same old stuff. I liked what [the Netconcepts LLC founder Stephan Spencer] was saying about showing people you're the expert in that field by what you write. I found out how important it was to have more content, like our experiment library. People started visiting.
WSJ: What was your reaction when Netconcepts suggested you write a blog?
Mr. Spangler: I said, "I don't think I have anything to say." But I developed the blog. A lesson came when Insta-Snow [a powder that turns to snow when water is added] was featured as one of the month's top stupid products on Good Morning America. I thought I should refute it [in the blog], but [Mr. Spencer] said I should blog this as: "It's great to be stupid." So I said on the blog that in fact it was stupid that someone else hadn't thought of it… I watched sales skyrocket.
People didn't know my blog from anyone else's -- but they happened to pick up the headline: "It's Great to be Stupid."
WSJ: What was your next lesson about headlines?
Mr. Spangler: In Sept. 2005, I went on network television to demonstrate the Mentos Diet Coke experiment [where the candy is dropped into the bottle of soda, triggering a geyser]. I had done it before, but this time by accident the news anchor got soaked. She was wearing this beautiful St. John's outfit, and she was absolutely drenched. [The local NBC station] streamed the video, and the number of views on the site – 9news.com – hit an all time high. It went viral within a couple of weeks and ended up on VH1.
Lots of people grabbed the post from my blog. The headline was: News Anchor Gets Soaked; Mentos Experiment Sets New Record. It wasn't misleading, just tantalizing. Thank goodness I knew how to blog.
WSJ: How has your blog changed site traffic and sales?
Mr. Spangler: These days, the blog gets 15,000 to 20,000 unique visitors each day. Early on, if I got 200 or 300, I was ecstatic. I attribute 13% of overall sales online to the blog. People come in to us through the blog. They're searching on something, and the blog indexes so well on Google.
More at:http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/
Via-Startup Journal
Mr. Spangler largely credits his blog for his success. Steve Spangler Science recorded more than $5 million in revenues last year.
"One of the secrets," says Mr. Spangler, "is to make sure you're writing headlines and content that are picked up by [content-sharing site] Digg.com and other bloggers."
He wasn't always a believer in blogs. It was after a video of Mr. Spangler demonstrating the explosive effects of dropping Mentos into Diet Coke spread across the Internet that he realized their power to help his business.
The Wall Street Journal spoke with Mr. Spangler about his blog's impact on his business.
WSJ: When did you realize it was time to update stevespanglerscience.com?
Mr. Spangler: I took the business online in 2002. Every small-business owner thinks as soon as you push the button, [customers will] come – but they don't. I remember a day in 2002 when we did $200 in sales – I was celebrating. We had some people coming to the site, but we weren't converting [into sales].
WSJ: So what did you do?
Mr. Spangler: I found a couple Web sites [that I liked] and they said "Netconcepts" on the bottom. So I contracted [the company] to redesign the Web site. I wanted to find somebody that wasn't in my industry, to not get the same old stuff. I liked what [the Netconcepts LLC founder Stephan Spencer] was saying about showing people you're the expert in that field by what you write. I found out how important it was to have more content, like our experiment library. People started visiting.
WSJ: What was your reaction when Netconcepts suggested you write a blog?
Mr. Spangler: I said, "I don't think I have anything to say." But I developed the blog. A lesson came when Insta-Snow [a powder that turns to snow when water is added] was featured as one of the month's top stupid products on Good Morning America. I thought I should refute it [in the blog], but [Mr. Spencer] said I should blog this as: "It's great to be stupid." So I said on the blog that in fact it was stupid that someone else hadn't thought of it… I watched sales skyrocket.
People didn't know my blog from anyone else's -- but they happened to pick up the headline: "It's Great to be Stupid."
WSJ: What was your next lesson about headlines?
Mr. Spangler: In Sept. 2005, I went on network television to demonstrate the Mentos Diet Coke experiment [where the candy is dropped into the bottle of soda, triggering a geyser]. I had done it before, but this time by accident the news anchor got soaked. She was wearing this beautiful St. John's outfit, and she was absolutely drenched. [The local NBC station] streamed the video, and the number of views on the site – 9news.com – hit an all time high. It went viral within a couple of weeks and ended up on VH1.
Lots of people grabbed the post from my blog. The headline was: News Anchor Gets Soaked; Mentos Experiment Sets New Record. It wasn't misleading, just tantalizing. Thank goodness I knew how to blog.
WSJ: How has your blog changed site traffic and sales?
Mr. Spangler: These days, the blog gets 15,000 to 20,000 unique visitors each day. Early on, if I got 200 or 300, I was ecstatic. I attribute 13% of overall sales online to the blog. People come in to us through the blog. They're searching on something, and the blog indexes so well on Google.
More at:http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/
Via-Startup Journal
Skillance has made the job search for freelancers a lot easier by putting the freelancer directly in touch with the interested party
The UK-based startup Skillance has made the job search for freelancers a lot easier by putting the freelancer directly in touch with the interested party. How does it work? First, determine what skills you have and want to market. The site ranges from the absurd to the professional, so if your talent is juggling Chihuahuas but you can also file tax returns really well, you’re in the right place. Then, create a user account complete with a name for and description of your service and your contact information, which will allow others interested in your skills to find you in a search. If you’re looking to hire someone, browse through the “skills required” section or run a keyword search. Registration and all of the site’s services are free. With Skillance people can turn to the web to get the best deal on a service they need. For example, if you want a website designed but cannot afford to pay a company 1000's of pounds or dollars, wouldn't you rather just go to a web designer directly who can charge you a fraction of the price? The same concept can be applied on any professional skill or service you require. Companies also look for skilled professionals so they can hire them for contractual purposes and short-term periods.
more at:http://www.skillance.com/
more at:http://www.skillance.com/
BuySellMy.com is not about fluff, useless services, or anything else. This site is about helping you sell your domains and websites
BuySellMy.com is not about fluff, useless services, or anything else. This site is about helping you sell your domains and websites.
BuySellMy.com sells off a site or two and acquire others. There are either sites offering services that charge a lot per domain and don't offer many helpful services, or they charge little with no helpful services. BuySellMy.com hopes to eliminate these issues.
BuySellMy.com is easily affordable by anyone, and we offer great services such as the ability to display images/screen shots of websites, statistics showing how many views your listings are receiving, and many more. Furthermore, it is by no means limited to beginning domain name traders. Experienced traders and website developers can also take advantage of this incredible promotion, with some potentially very large additions to their portfolios.
With good ".com"s being harder and harder to acquire, this move will surely make a few hundred savvy entrepreneurs seeking TLD's very happy.
More at:http://www.buysellmy.com/
BuySellMy.com sells off a site or two and acquire others. There are either sites offering services that charge a lot per domain and don't offer many helpful services, or they charge little with no helpful services. BuySellMy.com hopes to eliminate these issues.
BuySellMy.com is easily affordable by anyone, and we offer great services such as the ability to display images/screen shots of websites, statistics showing how many views your listings are receiving, and many more. Furthermore, it is by no means limited to beginning domain name traders. Experienced traders and website developers can also take advantage of this incredible promotion, with some potentially very large additions to their portfolios.
With good ".com"s being harder and harder to acquire, this move will surely make a few hundred savvy entrepreneurs seeking TLD's very happy.
More at:http://www.buysellmy.com/
Study Matrix is an online community for aspirants
Study Matrix is an online community for aspirants. A community of everyone who dream big and desire "clear" success. Study Matrix fosters focused collaboration, providing channels to communicate and share information related to your aspirations.
It is very useful and focused for realising our dreams.Let us say, an aspirant wants to become a Doctor. He joins an aspiration network, a community on StudyMatrix.com portal, with thousands of members, who share his aspirations of becoming a Doctor. The portal allows aspirants to engage, collaborate, learn, share and compete.StudyMatrix.com provides end to end and complete solution for today"s learners. The portal has implemented several relevant modules and gadgets that help in collaboration, competition, self-expression, engagement and self-development of aspirants who intent to succeed clearly.
More at:http://www.studymatrix.com/
It is very useful and focused for realising our dreams.Let us say, an aspirant wants to become a Doctor. He joins an aspiration network, a community on StudyMatrix.com portal, with thousands of members, who share his aspirations of becoming a Doctor. The portal allows aspirants to engage, collaborate, learn, share and compete.StudyMatrix.com provides end to end and complete solution for today"s learners. The portal has implemented several relevant modules and gadgets that help in collaboration, competition, self-expression, engagement and self-development of aspirants who intent to succeed clearly.
More at:http://www.studymatrix.com/
Job Board Reviews is your guide to the online world of careers and jobs
Job Board Reviews is your guide to the online world of careers and jobs. JobBoardReviews.com is designed to help job seekers, employers, staffing & recruiting professionals find the most targeted Job Boards for their professions and positions and share their experiences with others.Employers have wasted a lot of time and money posting open positions that are never seen and never filled. Job Board Reviews offers important information about job boards. The number of resumes, number of jobs, and traffic stats are some of the statistics available in an easy to navigate format, all in one place.
More at:http://www.jobboardreviews.com/
More at:http://www.jobboardreviews.com/
11870.com is a place for people to discover, keep track, and share their views on businesses and enterprises around the world
11870.com is a place for people to discover, keep track, and share their views on businesses and enterprises around the world through reviews, pictures, and videos.
11870 team has created a service which aims to make info super easy to find. 11870 users can index, track and share their opinions on business all over the world using pictures, reviews, and videos. Once you’ve signed up and have become an official 11870 member, you’ll get your own page to keep tabs on business, which you can keep private or share with everyone. The site also includes your regular socializing functions: messaging, friends, profiles, and personal stats.
more at:http://11870.com/
11870 team has created a service which aims to make info super easy to find. 11870 users can index, track and share their opinions on business all over the world using pictures, reviews, and videos. Once you’ve signed up and have become an official 11870 member, you’ll get your own page to keep tabs on business, which you can keep private or share with everyone. The site also includes your regular socializing functions: messaging, friends, profiles, and personal stats.
more at:http://11870.com/
Friday, September 7, 2007
More Than40 Ways To Access Your PC Remotely
There are lots of reasons why you’d want to access your PC remotely, and luckily there are also plenty of ways to do so. Crossloop is one of the simplest (it’s also free), but for those willing to venture further, you’ve got lots of options.
Excuse us while we get technical for a second. This list is divided into four main sections: VNC (Virtual Network Computing), NX, remote desktop and cross-protocol. If those terms mean nothing to you, you might want to skip to the “other” section for the most straightforward applications. That said, let’s begin....
Via- Mashable
More at:http://mashable.com/2007/09/07/remote-access/#more-10013
Excuse us while we get technical for a second. This list is divided into four main sections: VNC (Virtual Network Computing), NX, remote desktop and cross-protocol. If those terms mean nothing to you, you might want to skip to the “other” section for the most straightforward applications. That said, let’s begin....
Via- Mashable
More at:http://mashable.com/2007/09/07/remote-access/#more-10013
Gossip At Work Could Benefit Companies?
Companies may actually benefit from observing the ways employees gossip at work, according to a new survey.
As it turns out, gossiping by the water cooler may not be such a bad thing after all.
On the contrary, the way news travels around the office -- both formally and informally -- may help employers determine the best modes for corporate communication at their company, new research shows.
Almost two-thirds, or 64 percent, of office workers say that people in their office gossip about company news at some point, according to a survey by Steelcase, a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based office-services firm. And their sources are often pretty good -- 76 percent of respondents report that news they hear from co-workers is accurate always, usually, or some of the time.
According to Chris Congdon, manager of corporate marketing at Steelcase, every workplace has the designated people who help move information along. Congdon labels the office employees who know the scoop as the "hubs," and those who have the ability to grant access to people and information in the office as the "gatekeepers."
Knowing the communication habits of employees, and identifying the "hubs" and the "gatekeepers" of the office, can actually be useful information to managers, Congdon said. "When you know how information travels, you know the key people to tap into to get feedback -- the people who have their finger on the pulse, so to speak."
Not surprisingly, gossip is typically spread by the younger members of an organization -- only 9 percent of workers ages 18 to 24 say they keep company news quiet, compared to 48 percent of workers ages 55 to 64. According to Congden, the shift in the way news travels in the workplace is largely a result of changes in the corporate landscape as more and more baby boomers retire.
"Generation Yers are moving into the workforce in volumes and we are seeing huge changes in how corporate cultures work," Congden said. "This younger generation has very different expectations. They are looking for much more information from their organization and they want their workplace to be more nurturing."
"They are looking to move more rapidly, just like they move information more rapidly," Congden added. As long as managers don't assume that all news will be kept under wraps, the free flow of information can be a positive thing. "Wouldn't it be great if all information traveled at the rate of a rumor?"
According to the survey results, gossip is no longer just exchanged by the water cooler. In the Internet age, 10 percent of employees spread news through e-mail and on instant messenger. And 36 percent of respondents say they exchange information with co-workers in the office kitchen or break room, while 33 percent are bold enough to pass on gossip at a co-worker's desk.
For their part, companies are catching on -- with fewer meetings and more staff-wide e-mails. Eighty percent of respondents said that their company uses a consistent method of delivering news and announcements, with 59 percent who say that e-mail is the most popular mode of formal communication, according to the survey.
Via-INCMag
More at:http://www.inc.com/news/articles/200708/gossip.html
As it turns out, gossiping by the water cooler may not be such a bad thing after all.
On the contrary, the way news travels around the office -- both formally and informally -- may help employers determine the best modes for corporate communication at their company, new research shows.
Almost two-thirds, or 64 percent, of office workers say that people in their office gossip about company news at some point, according to a survey by Steelcase, a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based office-services firm. And their sources are often pretty good -- 76 percent of respondents report that news they hear from co-workers is accurate always, usually, or some of the time.
According to Chris Congdon, manager of corporate marketing at Steelcase, every workplace has the designated people who help move information along. Congdon labels the office employees who know the scoop as the "hubs," and those who have the ability to grant access to people and information in the office as the "gatekeepers."
Knowing the communication habits of employees, and identifying the "hubs" and the "gatekeepers" of the office, can actually be useful information to managers, Congdon said. "When you know how information travels, you know the key people to tap into to get feedback -- the people who have their finger on the pulse, so to speak."
Not surprisingly, gossip is typically spread by the younger members of an organization -- only 9 percent of workers ages 18 to 24 say they keep company news quiet, compared to 48 percent of workers ages 55 to 64. According to Congden, the shift in the way news travels in the workplace is largely a result of changes in the corporate landscape as more and more baby boomers retire.
"Generation Yers are moving into the workforce in volumes and we are seeing huge changes in how corporate cultures work," Congden said. "This younger generation has very different expectations. They are looking for much more information from their organization and they want their workplace to be more nurturing."
"They are looking to move more rapidly, just like they move information more rapidly," Congden added. As long as managers don't assume that all news will be kept under wraps, the free flow of information can be a positive thing. "Wouldn't it be great if all information traveled at the rate of a rumor?"
According to the survey results, gossip is no longer just exchanged by the water cooler. In the Internet age, 10 percent of employees spread news through e-mail and on instant messenger. And 36 percent of respondents say they exchange information with co-workers in the office kitchen or break room, while 33 percent are bold enough to pass on gossip at a co-worker's desk.
For their part, companies are catching on -- with fewer meetings and more staff-wide e-mails. Eighty percent of respondents said that their company uses a consistent method of delivering news and announcements, with 59 percent who say that e-mail is the most popular mode of formal communication, according to the survey.
Via-INCMag
More at:http://www.inc.com/news/articles/200708/gossip.html
How does a poor African-American girl from Mississippi,"Oprah Winfrey" Achieved This?
How does a poor African-American girl from Mississippi, dressed in overalls made from potato sacks, become the most powerful celebrity in the world and a billionaire to boot?
She talked her way out of the ghetto, it seems.
Oprah Winfrey, who was born Oprah in 1954 (a biblical name that was mispronounced ‘Oprah’), suffered a sad childhood corroded by extreme poverty, sexual abuse and a stillbirth aged 14. She somehow survived, empathy intact, to become host of America’s favourite talk-show, as well as succeeding as an actress, producer, publisher and charity worker.
Via stints on radio and a Nashville television station, Winfrey’s chatty charms brought her to Chicago in 1984 to host WSL-TV’s ailing talk show AM Chicago. Within months of her arrival the show had rocketed to top position in the Chicago ratings charts and soon became The Oprah Winfrey Show in an expanded hour-long format.
Going national in 1986, the programme rapidly became a forum for Winfrey to tackle issues close to her heart. Here was a rare thing: a talk-show host who could genuinely relate to human problems like fluctuating weight, drug addiction and miscarriage because she, too, had endured them – and overcome them. Winfrey has that rare appeal to the everyman (and even more so to the everywoman).
In 2000 Winfrey founded O, The Oprah Magazine, which has become one of today’s leading women’s mags, and has also set up film company Harpo. Oprah made her name as an actress in Spielberg’s The Colour Purple in 1985 and 13 years later starred in Harpo’s production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Beloved by Toni Morrison.
Her online ‘Book Club’ has become the largest book club in the world with 700,000 members, putting even Richard and Judy in the shade. And the presenter-cum-producer-cum-actor-cum-publisher still finds time to do plenty of charity work, including for the Angel Network, which has raised more than $35m for non-profit organisations around the world.
Her achievements are staggering, especially given the impediments of an abusive background and being a black female in a white male-dominated world. Her eponymous talk show has the highest ratings in US television history and Oprah was Forbes African American of the 20th century, the world’s only black female billionaire for three years running and the greatest black philanthropist in history according to Business Week.
Keep talking Oprah!
Three Great Oprah Moments
1988: After dieting for four months a slimmed-down Oprah appeared on stage dragging 67 pounds of fat on a wagon.
1993: she interviewed Michael Jackson for 90 minutes. In the fourth most watched TV event in American history and the most watched interview ever Jackson spoke for the first time about his changing skin tone and plastic surgery.
2005: In the first episode of the 19th season all 276 members of the audience received a free Pontiac car as part of a publicity stunt. However, many had to sell or forfeit their prize when it transpired that they had to pay as much as $7k tax.
Via-http://www.ubops.com/
She talked her way out of the ghetto, it seems.
Oprah Winfrey, who was born Oprah in 1954 (a biblical name that was mispronounced ‘Oprah’), suffered a sad childhood corroded by extreme poverty, sexual abuse and a stillbirth aged 14. She somehow survived, empathy intact, to become host of America’s favourite talk-show, as well as succeeding as an actress, producer, publisher and charity worker.
Via stints on radio and a Nashville television station, Winfrey’s chatty charms brought her to Chicago in 1984 to host WSL-TV’s ailing talk show AM Chicago. Within months of her arrival the show had rocketed to top position in the Chicago ratings charts and soon became The Oprah Winfrey Show in an expanded hour-long format.
Going national in 1986, the programme rapidly became a forum for Winfrey to tackle issues close to her heart. Here was a rare thing: a talk-show host who could genuinely relate to human problems like fluctuating weight, drug addiction and miscarriage because she, too, had endured them – and overcome them. Winfrey has that rare appeal to the everyman (and even more so to the everywoman).
In 2000 Winfrey founded O, The Oprah Magazine, which has become one of today’s leading women’s mags, and has also set up film company Harpo. Oprah made her name as an actress in Spielberg’s The Colour Purple in 1985 and 13 years later starred in Harpo’s production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Beloved by Toni Morrison.
Her online ‘Book Club’ has become the largest book club in the world with 700,000 members, putting even Richard and Judy in the shade. And the presenter-cum-producer-cum-actor-cum-publisher still finds time to do plenty of charity work, including for the Angel Network, which has raised more than $35m for non-profit organisations around the world.
Her achievements are staggering, especially given the impediments of an abusive background and being a black female in a white male-dominated world. Her eponymous talk show has the highest ratings in US television history and Oprah was Forbes African American of the 20th century, the world’s only black female billionaire for three years running and the greatest black philanthropist in history according to Business Week.
Keep talking Oprah!
Three Great Oprah Moments
1988: After dieting for four months a slimmed-down Oprah appeared on stage dragging 67 pounds of fat on a wagon.
1993: she interviewed Michael Jackson for 90 minutes. In the fourth most watched TV event in American history and the most watched interview ever Jackson spoke for the first time about his changing skin tone and plastic surgery.
2005: In the first episode of the 19th season all 276 members of the audience received a free Pontiac car as part of a publicity stunt. However, many had to sell or forfeit their prize when it transpired that they had to pay as much as $7k tax.
Via-http://www.ubops.com/
Premium Suppliers is a directory of Chinese suppliers who have achieved international certification for systems and/or products.
Premium Suppliers was born out of frustration with other current product and supplier databases that are currently available. It is almost impossible to find any certified suppliers and products without spending hours of searching. So they have made our database of Premium Suppliers starting and ending with certified products and suppliers. No more weeding through the endless lists of unqualified factories. Now you can find all the best suppliers at your finger tips.Premium Suppliers is a directory of Chinese suppliers who have achieved international certification for systems and/or products. This means, for example, if you want to find a supplier making your product with ISO certification or UL safety certification then this would be the best place to find it. Once a suitable supplier is found the first question most buyers will have is: Is this a reputable supplier? Since there are real, unedited supplier reviews written by real buyers there are great references either for or against using a particular supplier. This advice can save buyers thousands of dollars in samples, freight etc. and months of time trying to qualify suppliers. It is also a great forum for suppliers who have spent thousands of dollars getting their facilities or products certified, but are not able to reach the buyers who are looking for them.
More at:http://www.premiumsuppliers.com/
More at:http://www.premiumsuppliers.com/
SportsFananza creates one forum for the sports fan to voice their opinion about sports
SportsFananza creates one forum for the sports fan to voice their opinion about sports. Sports fans across the country can discuss an upcoming game, the team the hate or an important upcoming rivalry game. Also, SportsFananza allows any user to post text messages anytime. For example, a sports fan could be at the game and sending a text message to the site voicing how horrible their team is playing.
Sports fans can post videos about trade rumors, upcoming drafts of players, free agency or player personnel moves made by a team's front office. Using SportsFananza.com is simple and membership is free. Once you register, you can upload and post videos discusses any sports issue on your mind for other fans, players or team management to view. You can also browse, comment and respond to other fan videos.
More at:http://www.sportsfananza.com/
Sports fans can post videos about trade rumors, upcoming drafts of players, free agency or player personnel moves made by a team's front office. Using SportsFananza.com is simple and membership is free. Once you register, you can upload and post videos discusses any sports issue on your mind for other fans, players or team management to view. You can also browse, comment and respond to other fan videos.
More at:http://www.sportsfananza.com/
FreeRateSearch.com is the first online mortgage search engine that allows home shoppers to instantly compare mortgage rates from multiple lenders
Their model is completely different than current online mortgage shopping sites that baits consumers to turn over their personal information to be sold to multiple lenders just to learn what rates are available. Even then, they don’t know whether the rate they are quoted by the loan officer is the best available rate. Since we search lender rate sheets, shoppers can be assured they are seeing what a broker would see. At FreeRateSearch.com, we don't believe consumers really want to talk to five lenders. They just want to find the best rates, and now they can do that in moments.FreeRateSearch.com allows consumers to find the best rate for their next mortgage. It’s like seeing the dealer invoice for your next mortgage. FreeRateSearch.com monitors rates for both conforming (prime credit) and non-prime loan programs from numerous lenders, and searches thousands of program variables to provide custom quotes for consumers to compare. Rates are updated daily.
More at:http://www.freeratesearch.com/
More at:http://www.freeratesearch.com/
First-Move.net takes the dating game and turns it on its head
First-Move.net takes the dating game and turns it on its head. Instead of sitting in front of your PC searching for the latest virtual (or not) partner the site allows you to create a profile but then keeps it secret from the public. Registered members can then purchase personalized 'dating cards' and hand them out to people they meet in real life. The dating cards contains a username and pass key which allows the recipient of the card access to the members profile. The cards are made from high quality plastic (credit card) style and are a stylish why to break the ice, especially for those with luck of confidence.It’s unique; anything that helps someone 'break the ice' as they say has got to be good. Better than handing out a mobile number on a screwed up post-it note that's for sure.
More at:http://www.first-move.net/
More at:http://www.first-move.net/
Focusrent.com is a marketplace exclusively dedicated to renting
Focusrent.com is a marketplace exclusively dedicated to renting. On Focusrent.com you can rent what you need, where you need and in a very easy and quick way.You’ll find a listing of ads entered by qualifies companies which operate in renting market. You can choose among more than 100 categories of items, without paying any commission or fee and without doing any registration. Viewing the listings, in fact, is completely free. Furthermore, ads are ordered according to the distance from your city, so that you can firstly view those of companies which are closer you and, this way, can better meet your needs. After having chosen the ads which appears interesting, you can contact the company, ask for more detailed information on line or leave you records in order to be contacted by the company.
More at:http://www.focusrent.com/
More at:http://www.focusrent.com/
Boys To Men Gifts has taken gift giving to a new level with their on-line experiences
Boys To Men Gifts has taken gift giving to a new level with their on-line experiences, offering the gift buyer more options for the male that has everything, like driving a Ferrari 360 Spider for the weekend or a Personal Chef to cook all his meals for the week.This site helps both the gift giver and receiver by importing unique gifts from around the world, and making it possible to purchase experiences on-line, offering clients creative male gift solutions for all ages of the male gender. They have realized that teens were among the most difficult to find gifts for, and that dressing up clothes for boys were hard to find. Men are also getting bored of the same unimaginative gifts every year. Boystomengifts.com has addressed these problems and has many more creative ideas from unusual baby shower to corporate gifts.
More at:http://www.boystomengifts.com/
More at:http://www.boystomengifts.com/
Thursday, September 6, 2007
New Vcs
Dopplr lets you share your future travel plans with a group of trusted fellow travelers whom you have chosen
Dopplr is an online travel plans private social network, in my own words. You are able to share your future travel plans with a group of trusted fellow travelers whom you have chosen.
Dopplr also reminds you of friends and colleagues who live in the cities you are planning to visit. You can use the service with your PC and mobile phone.
Currently the Dopplr service is invitation only. Once invited by an existing member you will be able to invite others to join Dopplr and share your travels.
They Raised:Not disclosed amount..
More at:http://www.dopplr.com/
Dopplr is an online travel plans private social network, in my own words. You are able to share your future travel plans with a group of trusted fellow travelers whom you have chosen.
Dopplr also reminds you of friends and colleagues who live in the cities you are planning to visit. You can use the service with your PC and mobile phone.
Currently the Dopplr service is invitation only. Once invited by an existing member you will be able to invite others to join Dopplr and share your travels.
They Raised:Not disclosed amount..
More at:http://www.dopplr.com/
For Your Budget Planning
This site offers a different service in the way that it presents its data, focusing on the future instead of the minute details of everyday. It really gets you to see easily what your budget is very quickly. There is not much to distract you on the site, so you can easily see the information that’s important to you.It’s helpful for when you want to view the money you’ll be making and spending long term. With this information, you can decide when and if you can take a vacation, or if you can afford that new jacket. Based on your income and expected monthly expenses, it tracks how your money will be flowing over time, so that you can see if you need to save up, or have a bit of cushion to play with. You can also add in your daily costs and savings to keep track of it all, and you can check out how your spending and earning patterns are going compared to others from your same demographic. It’s a useful site for if you want to really get a picture of the future of your income and expenses.
More at:http://www.budgetedge.com/
More at:http://www.budgetedge.com/
restaurantdiary.com, a booking management system that will give you your money back if your restaurant doesn't increase revenue with their online ways
restaurantdiary.com, a booking management system that will give you your money back if your restaurant doesn't increase revenue with their online system. It is a web-based 'smart booking system' that maximizes utilization of tables through a customized booking system. All of your bookings are managed through the central system, whether they are walk-in, online or phone bookings. Staff then operates the restaurant through this hub and everyone from staff, to owner and to the customer benefits. The service can even be used for outside 3rd party reservation systems and its web interface system can be integrated to a restaurant's web site. The site charges a monthly booking fee.Commission free restaurant reservation system with Full Customer Relationship Management.
More at:http://www.restaurantdiary.com/
More at:http://www.restaurantdiary.com/
ConvertTube is a service that will let you convert and download an online video by simply providing the URL.
ConvertTube is a service that will let you convert and download an online video by simply providing the URL.
The options for file conversion let you convert for Windows, Macs, Flash files, audio only, iPhone, iPod, PSP or mobile. Once the conversion is complete, you can download the file to your computer and have your way with it. The name of the service and the icon imply that the service is specifically for YouTube videos, and I think that’s the point. While this isn’t stated anywhere on the site, I tried videos from other online sources that do allow for video download, and found that only YouTube videos will be converted for this service.
Oh, did I mention the site is for sale? You can buy it direct for just under $14,000.
More at:http://converttube.com/
Via-Mash
The options for file conversion let you convert for Windows, Macs, Flash files, audio only, iPhone, iPod, PSP or mobile. Once the conversion is complete, you can download the file to your computer and have your way with it. The name of the service and the icon imply that the service is specifically for YouTube videos, and I think that’s the point. While this isn’t stated anywhere on the site, I tried videos from other online sources that do allow for video download, and found that only YouTube videos will be converted for this service.
Oh, did I mention the site is for sale? You can buy it direct for just under $14,000.
More at:http://converttube.com/
Via-Mash
Air-Savings.com is a certified organization that specializes in designing comfortable and affordable travel packages tailor-made to your requirements
With international travel taking off in a big way, there aren't that many big name sites that cater to the international travelers. Air-savings.com hopes to pick up on that and build their own client base with more international travelers.
Air-Savings.com is a certified organization that specializes in designing comfortable and affordable travel packages tailor-made to your requirements. Their services are not limited to just airfares, they also provide excellent car rentals, hotels, vacation packages, cruises, group travel, corporate travel, and a bunch of other travel related services. Air-Savings.com is a group of dedicated travel professionals, who have spent years in the travel industry. They keep up to speed with the trends in the travel industry by constantly upgrading their knowledge and technology. They offer published, as well as private airfares to India, Kenya, Dubai, and The Philippines. This site also offers car, hotel, cruise and vacation packages.
More at:http://www.air-savings.com/
Air-Savings.com is a certified organization that specializes in designing comfortable and affordable travel packages tailor-made to your requirements. Their services are not limited to just airfares, they also provide excellent car rentals, hotels, vacation packages, cruises, group travel, corporate travel, and a bunch of other travel related services. Air-Savings.com is a group of dedicated travel professionals, who have spent years in the travel industry. They keep up to speed with the trends in the travel industry by constantly upgrading their knowledge and technology. They offer published, as well as private airfares to India, Kenya, Dubai, and The Philippines. This site also offers car, hotel, cruise and vacation packages.
More at:http://www.air-savings.com/
RedHotFranchises.com allows prospective entrepreneurs to browse through hundreds of the most popular, most profitable, and most interesting franchises
RedHotFranchises.com allows prospective entrepreneurs to browse through hundreds of the most popular, most profitable, and most interesting franchises easily and quickly. With a few clicks info will be speeding its way to the future business owner.Prospective business owners can get info on franchise fees, start-up costs, royalties, and even earnings claims. Visitors to the site can search by industry or investment level. The site hosts a dynamic franchise articles section, a franchise news section and even a franchise contest.RedHotFranchises.com allows leads to be filtered by investment level and geography. Leads are routed in real time and prospects are required to complete all fields resulting in a better qualified lead. Multiple feature opportunities include anchor positions, rotating banners, article sponsored links, and featured franchise section.
More at:http://www.redhotfranchises.com/
More at:http://www.redhotfranchises.com/
At LifeOnTop, they are committed to all things luxury; discerning themselves from others by providing both national and regional guides
At LifeOnTop, they are committed to all things luxury; discerning themselves from others by providing both national and regional guides. So no matter where our readers reside, LifeOnTop’s dedication to all things affluent, guarantees uncompromised refinement and piques passion for the posh. In order to provide a more targeted offering to their readers they are maintaining high standards in the content delivered by staying on target with the topics that readers really care about.
All you will find on this website is luxury.There aren’t over there many sites that offer this service. LifeOnTop.com provides tons of material for the ones that love luxury.
More at:http://www.lifeontop.com/
All you will find on this website is luxury.There aren’t over there many sites that offer this service. LifeOnTop.com provides tons of material for the ones that love luxury.
More at:http://www.lifeontop.com/
Get Paid For Your Content
Triond is a comprehensive publishing service that enables users to publish quality content of any type while maximizing its revenue-generating potential.
The Triond vision is to support quality user-generated content online by allowing authors to earn royalties for publishing their work on the Web.Triond is a middleman company that links your submitted content to buys who visit their site or the sites of their affiliates. Content creators including artists, writers, audio/video producers, etc. register an account, submit their work to triond.com and once it is approved Triond posts it on the site they deem most appropriate, either on their networks or an affiliate’s network. From then on, you will receive 50% of the monthly ad revenue generated by your content. Monthly payments will be sent by check, Western Union money transfer, or directly to your PayPal account. The coolest part of this site is the wide variety of content they accept. Accepted content includes content in any subject, any language, writing, videos, pictures, podcasts, original recorded mucis, and the list goes on.
More at:http://www.triond.com/
The Triond vision is to support quality user-generated content online by allowing authors to earn royalties for publishing their work on the Web.Triond is a middleman company that links your submitted content to buys who visit their site or the sites of their affiliates. Content creators including artists, writers, audio/video producers, etc. register an account, submit their work to triond.com and once it is approved Triond posts it on the site they deem most appropriate, either on their networks or an affiliate’s network. From then on, you will receive 50% of the monthly ad revenue generated by your content. Monthly payments will be sent by check, Western Union money transfer, or directly to your PayPal account. The coolest part of this site is the wide variety of content they accept. Accepted content includes content in any subject, any language, writing, videos, pictures, podcasts, original recorded mucis, and the list goes on.
More at:http://www.triond.com/
Pay Per Sale And Earn Cash With Blogkits.com
Blogkits.com is the best way to earn money on a blog is NOT pay-per-click, but rather pay per sale. Bloggers who sign up for Blogkits.com agree to have ads from various sectors located somewhere on their blog. If a blog reader clicks through to the ad’s site and makes a purchase, the blogger earns a 10% commission. The ads chosen for a specific blog are relevant to the intended audience and should therefore bring in some money for the blogger. To sign up Blogkits.com requires all the usual information plus a social security number.This seems like a good option for bloggers who are desperate for some extra cash however I am skeptical of how much money will actually be accumulated. Blogkits.com acts as the middleman and after stores report the commission then Blogkits.com sends the money. It is a long line of transfers. However, if a blogger gets lucky with a good ad during Christmas shopping time they could really make some big bucks.
More at:http://www.blogkits.com/
More at:http://www.blogkits.com/
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Rate Your Financial Advisor
Imagine having the ability to search for a financial advisor and to read how that advisor is rated by current and past clients. You are able to decide whether to engage an advisor or firm before you even interview them. By the same token, advisors and firms will no longer be able to make unethical recommendations, churn client accounts and, after investing the client's money, simply not service the client because they've already received payment. Moreover, you can continually monitor your advisor, watch how they are servicing their other clients and discern whether any of those clients have concerns with the advisor's services (and why).
Financialjoe is a place to rank and rate financial advisors. You simply register, post and rank the info about your advisor, and browse through other rankings. You can also read the blog and/or the forum, which has some good links. I think most of us have experienced the tough choices in investing our precious dollars and sought out the advice of a financial advisor. But usually we remain fearful and skeptical of their advice, because different investments benefit them personally in different ways. How do we know they are not steering us in the wrong direction? How do we know they are not charging us too many fees? This site helps the consumer level the playing field and hold advisors accountable. It is also a great place to find a highly ranked investor.
More at:http://financialjoe.com/
Financialjoe is a place to rank and rate financial advisors. You simply register, post and rank the info about your advisor, and browse through other rankings. You can also read the blog and/or the forum, which has some good links. I think most of us have experienced the tough choices in investing our precious dollars and sought out the advice of a financial advisor. But usually we remain fearful and skeptical of their advice, because different investments benefit them personally in different ways. How do we know they are not steering us in the wrong direction? How do we know they are not charging us too many fees? This site helps the consumer level the playing field and hold advisors accountable. It is also a great place to find a highly ranked investor.
More at:http://financialjoe.com/
Bing Bong Tables As A Big Business Opportunities
Adam Wasserman, 25, left his job with a mortgage company and sank a big chunk of his savings into a Los Angeles warehouse where he builds portable beer-pong tables that start at $99 apiece. Many of his customers are recent graduates. "When you move into a new place, you need the basics: a TV, fridge and a beer-pong table," he says.
Juan Aycart, a 27-year-old South Orange, N.J., graphic designer, recently paid $150 for a portable beer-pong table from Bing Bong Inc. of Philadelphia. "I'm not invited to parties anymore, my beer-pong table is," says Mr. Aycart.
In 2005, brewing giant Anheuser-Busch Cos. sponsored tournaments across the country in a promotion called Bud Pong. But the company abandoned the game after media reports suggested it promoted binge drinking.
Stepping into the breach were Billy Gaines and Duncan Carroll, Carnegie Mellon University grads who in 2004 developed Web site bpong.com and a multiplayer online beer-pong game. Last year they played host to the first World Series of Beer Pong. "Those who dislike parties, pong, music, girls, trash-talking, and gambling need not apply," the tournament's official Web site says. The tournament this year attracted nearly 500 pongers to Mesquite, Nev., for a four-day tournament and $20,000 in prize money raised by charging $550 entry fees. Mr. Gaines, a 26-year-old Chicago lawyer, says he and Mr. Carroll, a 26-year-old graphic designer, haven't taken profits from the tournament yet. For now, they say they are building their brand by buying tables, balls and cups and reselling them emblazoned with their tournament logo.
The World Series and local leagues and tournaments have helped increase the market for beer-pong gear. Since Penn State University grads Tom Schmidt, 29, and Matt Brady, 30, started Bing Bong three years ago, they estimate they have sold more than 10,000 beer-pong tables. The 7- or 8-foot aluminum tables are collapsible, folding up into a briefcase. They say they expect $1 million in revenue this year. They sell to college students, recent grads and bars, which "are now accepting the game," Mr. Schmidt says, as something that increases sales.
More at:http://www.bingbongtables.com/
Juan Aycart, a 27-year-old South Orange, N.J., graphic designer, recently paid $150 for a portable beer-pong table from Bing Bong Inc. of Philadelphia. "I'm not invited to parties anymore, my beer-pong table is," says Mr. Aycart.
In 2005, brewing giant Anheuser-Busch Cos. sponsored tournaments across the country in a promotion called Bud Pong. But the company abandoned the game after media reports suggested it promoted binge drinking.
Stepping into the breach were Billy Gaines and Duncan Carroll, Carnegie Mellon University grads who in 2004 developed Web site bpong.com and a multiplayer online beer-pong game. Last year they played host to the first World Series of Beer Pong. "Those who dislike parties, pong, music, girls, trash-talking, and gambling need not apply," the tournament's official Web site says. The tournament this year attracted nearly 500 pongers to Mesquite, Nev., for a four-day tournament and $20,000 in prize money raised by charging $550 entry fees. Mr. Gaines, a 26-year-old Chicago lawyer, says he and Mr. Carroll, a 26-year-old graphic designer, haven't taken profits from the tournament yet. For now, they say they are building their brand by buying tables, balls and cups and reselling them emblazoned with their tournament logo.
The World Series and local leagues and tournaments have helped increase the market for beer-pong gear. Since Penn State University grads Tom Schmidt, 29, and Matt Brady, 30, started Bing Bong three years ago, they estimate they have sold more than 10,000 beer-pong tables. The 7- or 8-foot aluminum tables are collapsible, folding up into a briefcase. They say they expect $1 million in revenue this year. They sell to college students, recent grads and bars, which "are now accepting the game," Mr. Schmidt says, as something that increases sales.
More at:http://www.bingbongtables.com/
SaleHoo to be the most informative and comprehensive wholesale directory available.
They've created SaleHoo to be the most informative and comprehensive wholesale directory available. Not only does SaleHoo have suppliers for virtually every any product or brand name you can think of, but we take particular attention to insure that our information is reliable and current, so you're not purchasing information that is three years out of date!
SaleHoo gives you access to Product suppliers you won't find anywhere else as well as clothing, electronics, everyday goods and big ticket items, super-cheap no-name brands and top-label products at unbelievable prices. And every supplier is thoroughly reviewed, so you get no nasty surprises.
More at:http://www.salehoo.com/
SaleHoo gives you access to Product suppliers you won't find anywhere else as well as clothing, electronics, everyday goods and big ticket items, super-cheap no-name brands and top-label products at unbelievable prices. And every supplier is thoroughly reviewed, so you get no nasty surprises.
More at:http://www.salehoo.com/
Manage Your Project Online
ProWorkflow was developed after the founder needed a solution for his own business. Since then we've talked to many other co's and continuously improved the tool. It's becoming a really solid solution now with a heap of flexibility built in. Companies can easily tailor the solution to their particular project and workflow requirements.
ProWorkflow uses smart screens to show assigned projects and allow staff to easily track their time. Management can easily view top-down reporting and progress. The solution is easy to use, powerful and has been designed for small to medium creative & tech business. The functionality within ProWorkflow has been developed through customer feedback; therefore the system delivers what the majority of users require within small to medium businesses. The solution is easy to implement and has a professional, intuitive interface. ProWorkflow has an affordable price of $15 per user (staff) per month on subscription (code is available).
More at:http://www.proworkflow.com/
ProWorkflow uses smart screens to show assigned projects and allow staff to easily track their time. Management can easily view top-down reporting and progress. The solution is easy to use, powerful and has been designed for small to medium creative & tech business. The functionality within ProWorkflow has been developed through customer feedback; therefore the system delivers what the majority of users require within small to medium businesses. The solution is easy to implement and has a professional, intuitive interface. ProWorkflow has an affordable price of $15 per user (staff) per month on subscription (code is available).
More at:http://www.proworkflow.com/
Startup Schwag will make this much easier for you if you are unable to go to the many conferences in Silicon Valley
Startup Schwag is a web2.0 startup schwag tshirt of the month club. It’s based on a simple, wonderful idea recently abandoned by RubyRed Labs in San Francisco: Valley Schwag. They shipped Silicon Valley schwag to subscribers every month. In April 2007, they stopped shwagging.
Startup Schwag was launched in early September 2007 to fill the void left by Valley Schwag’s departure. I like schwag. I know I’m not alone. I wear logo shirts, event shirts, like they were band t-shirts. I get strange looks wearing my del.icio.us shirt around people who don’t know what it means. I don’t care. It’s web culture.
Startup Schwag will make this much easier for you if you are unable to go to the many conferences in Silicon Valley. They promise to offer a new shirt each month that carries the logo of different web 2.0 sites. For $14.95 per month, you can subscribe to get a new logo shirt delivered to your door. They may be offering buttons, stickers, and other various schwag, but currently only the t-shirts are a definite so as to make sure that they can sustain the site. So if you are looking for some web 2.0 schwag to show just how much time you spend surfing the latest sites on the net, subscribe now and get this month’s first shirt displaying TechCrunch’s logo, among other surprises.
More at:http://www.startupschwag.com/
Startup Schwag was launched in early September 2007 to fill the void left by Valley Schwag’s departure. I like schwag. I know I’m not alone. I wear logo shirts, event shirts, like they were band t-shirts. I get strange looks wearing my del.icio.us shirt around people who don’t know what it means. I don’t care. It’s web culture.
Startup Schwag will make this much easier for you if you are unable to go to the many conferences in Silicon Valley. They promise to offer a new shirt each month that carries the logo of different web 2.0 sites. For $14.95 per month, you can subscribe to get a new logo shirt delivered to your door. They may be offering buttons, stickers, and other various schwag, but currently only the t-shirts are a definite so as to make sure that they can sustain the site. So if you are looking for some web 2.0 schwag to show just how much time you spend surfing the latest sites on the net, subscribe now and get this month’s first shirt displaying TechCrunch’s logo, among other surprises.
More at:http://www.startupschwag.com/
Cosmodex is a revolutionary new search engine that will help you save thousands of dollars a month in your net advertising budget
Cosmodex provides free, targeted web traffic to owners and affiliates of websites, personal home pages, webmasters, and bloggers. Simply register to Cosmodex begin using the search engine and get free web traffic.Cosmodex is a revolutionary new search engine that will help you save thousands of dollars a month in your net advertising budget and promote your site for free. The Cosmodex system is extraordinarily easy to use: simply search or surf through the websites in our search engine database and, in doing so, earn Points that automatically send Targeted Traffic to your desired website. Unlike other web traffic driving systems, with Cosmodex you receive real targeted traffic for the Points you earn--your Points turn directly into live, targeted website traffic.
More at:http://www.cosmodex.com/
More at:http://www.cosmodex.com/
Mobile Marketing
Their proprietary system provides real estate agents and brokers with a new marketing tool that manages leads and sends property information directly to clients on their mobile devices
MLScodes.com enables home buyers to receive property information via text messaging. Buyers call a local number from the comfort of their cars or while standing in front of the home for sale and enter in the property MLS code. Within seconds, they receive a reply including property information and the agent's contact information. When interested, the buyer can request a callback from the agent, a property brochure via email, or schedule a showing. The agent receives qualified leads and closes more sales, more profitably.
More at:http://www.mlscodes.com/
MLScodes.com enables home buyers to receive property information via text messaging. Buyers call a local number from the comfort of their cars or while standing in front of the home for sale and enter in the property MLS code. Within seconds, they receive a reply including property information and the agent's contact information. When interested, the buyer can request a callback from the agent, a property brochure via email, or schedule a showing. The agent receives qualified leads and closes more sales, more profitably.
More at:http://www.mlscodes.com/
Internet Job Fairs
Their site offers a lot of features and benefits for both job seekers and employers. For job seekers, theirr service/site allows them to interview from anywhere, even from their desk at their current job. They can attend a fair for a city they may be moving to and they can save themselves the hassle of driving anywhere regardless of where they live. Job seekers are also able to talk with multiple employers at the same time through our exclusive chat program.All you have to do is log on to eJobFairs.net on the date and time of our job fair in your city and interview live from your computer. This service is free for job seekers and costs employers less than half of what traditional job fairs cost, while at the same time providing them the opportunity for more interviews.
more at:http://ejobfairs.net/
more at:http://ejobfairs.net/
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Hotels Combined is a unique free tool that searches multiple hotel reservation websites simultaneously to help you find the lowest rate instantly
Hotels Combined is a unique free tool that searches multiple hotel reservation websites simultaneously to help you find the lowest rate instantly.
They eliminate the need to search major websites one by one in order to compare prices and availability. Our free service is an amazing time and money saver.
They comb all the online hotel reservation sites to find you the best rates for the time and place you prefer. You can even refine your search to tell them the star ratings you want the hotel to have, or the max/min price range. It is quite a deal and totally free (not to mention available in 9 different languages and currencies!). The only downside, if there is one, is that you cannot make a hotel reservation directly through this site. When you find the deal you want, you link to the hotel reservation site it came from and make the reservation there. Hotels Combined makes money by collecting a fee from each of these hotel reservation sites. And apparently there are quite a few (over 30), as the site brags about how their system searches over 600,000 hotel deals including over 2 million consumer reviews and 2.4 million hotel pictures and hotel descriptions.
More at:http://www.hotelscombined.com/
They eliminate the need to search major websites one by one in order to compare prices and availability. Our free service is an amazing time and money saver.
They comb all the online hotel reservation sites to find you the best rates for the time and place you prefer. You can even refine your search to tell them the star ratings you want the hotel to have, or the max/min price range. It is quite a deal and totally free (not to mention available in 9 different languages and currencies!). The only downside, if there is one, is that you cannot make a hotel reservation directly through this site. When you find the deal you want, you link to the hotel reservation site it came from and make the reservation there. Hotels Combined makes money by collecting a fee from each of these hotel reservation sites. And apparently there are quite a few (over 30), as the site brags about how their system searches over 600,000 hotel deals including over 2 million consumer reviews and 2.4 million hotel pictures and hotel descriptions.
More at:http://www.hotelscombined.com/
Fast Pitch is a one-stop shop for professionals to network and market their business
Fast Pitch is a one-stop shop for professionals to network and market their business. Empowered by members across the world, Fast Pitch has become the premier destination for professionals who want to connect and share business related content.
It has a bit of PRWeb.com, a bit of Linkedin.com, and quite a bit of their own. Some of the most important features that they boast are, that members can create a highly interactive profile that includes video, podcasts, logos, headshots and more... Additionally, users can post and distribute press releases to other members, promote blog articles within the network, advertise events, and, of course make connections, which is the main purpose of this site. Members can also localize their experience on the site and attend offline Fast Pitch! events facilitated by a select group of members in most major U.S. cities.
More at:http://www.fastpitchnetworking.com/
It has a bit of PRWeb.com, a bit of Linkedin.com, and quite a bit of their own. Some of the most important features that they boast are, that members can create a highly interactive profile that includes video, podcasts, logos, headshots and more... Additionally, users can post and distribute press releases to other members, promote blog articles within the network, advertise events, and, of course make connections, which is the main purpose of this site. Members can also localize their experience on the site and attend offline Fast Pitch! events facilitated by a select group of members in most major U.S. cities.
More at:http://www.fastpitchnetworking.com/
Icantrack.com is an online tracking and monitoring platform for System Integrators and Device manufacturers to package their solutions
icantrack will reduce the amount of investment required towards deploying a tracking application and make it available to the smallest of companies.Also icantrack will be a good use of because the application uses some smart electronics which make the on site deployments extremely fast. For example on the RFID tracking side icantrack uses mobile connected readers which can be deployed anywhere on the globe and use the icantracks online app for tracking.
Icantrack.com is an online tracking and monitoring platform for System Integrators and Device manufacturers to package their solutions around icantracks.com tracking and monitoring application suite. Why time, assets or staff need to be tracked? There are many reasons for it. High value items are subject to theft, risk and liability is associated with such losses, insurance premiums are function of such losses, there is an inefficient use of assets or underutilisation of staff, the ability to service items which need to be regularly maintained and time lost is money lost for many professionals because of unbilled time.
more at:https://www.icantrack.com/
Icantrack.com is an online tracking and monitoring platform for System Integrators and Device manufacturers to package their solutions around icantracks.com tracking and monitoring application suite. Why time, assets or staff need to be tracked? There are many reasons for it. High value items are subject to theft, risk and liability is associated with such losses, insurance premiums are function of such losses, there is an inefficient use of assets or underutilisation of staff, the ability to service items which need to be regularly maintained and time lost is money lost for many professionals because of unbilled time.
more at:https://www.icantrack.com/
Fundraising "Anyone with a valid Pay Pal account email can register their events on FundRaisera.com and have funds sent directly to their account"
Fundraising is not an easy task to do it involves persuasion, heart, and a lot of phone calls. This website won’t change any of that but it will make the money collecting process very simple. Anyone with a valid Pay Pal account email can register their events on FundRaisera.com and have funds sent directly to their account. The one who registers is the sponsor of the event who must invite at least 2 co-sponsors. Potential donors are contacted with invitations sent by either the sponsor, co-sponsors, or contributors. However, invites can only be sent to known friends or relatives. If invites are rejected by unknown recipients the event and account will be terminated. This is a very smart idea to uphold the success and trust of FundRaisera.com. Currently, political fundraising is very popular on the site but sponsors can also fund raise for personal, non-profit, church, school, and sports events. There are strict privacy and security guidelines that ensure the safety of funds and events.
more at :http://www.fundraisera.com/
more at :http://www.fundraisera.com/
ClearCheckbook For Tracking "Your All Purchase And Deposits"
ClearCheckbook was originally created by Brandon O'Brien in June 2005 as an alternative to using excel to keep track of all my purchases and deposits. When I first created the program I didn't have any intention of releasing it as a site for others to use because it was pretty tailored to my needs. I wanted something simple that I could add my purchases and deposits to and also track my credit card purchases.
What's great about ClearCheckbook is that it's very simple and straight forward. This is the ideal way for high school or college aged people to learn how to manage their money. The reason I say high school or college aged is that they don't have as many finances to track as adults do and all the programs geared towards adults have an overabundance of useless features that someone who doesn't have a lot of finances would never use and just cause confusion.The best facet of ClearCheckbook is that the site is not cluttered with options and text you don’t need. Programs such as Quicken and Microsoft Money bombard the client with too many intimidating financial features while other sites charge high fees. ClearCheckbook is free and also help users create spending lists, set up bill reminders, and will import any existing records into the new format. Checkbot is the cherry on this sundae offering users who are out shopping to text an SMS (for free) to their account with the money spent.
More at:http://www.clearcheckbook.com/
What's great about ClearCheckbook is that it's very simple and straight forward. This is the ideal way for high school or college aged people to learn how to manage their money. The reason I say high school or college aged is that they don't have as many finances to track as adults do and all the programs geared towards adults have an overabundance of useless features that someone who doesn't have a lot of finances would never use and just cause confusion.The best facet of ClearCheckbook is that the site is not cluttered with options and text you don’t need. Programs such as Quicken and Microsoft Money bombard the client with too many intimidating financial features while other sites charge high fees. ClearCheckbook is free and also help users create spending lists, set up bill reminders, and will import any existing records into the new format. Checkbot is the cherry on this sundae offering users who are out shopping to text an SMS (for free) to their account with the money spent.
More at:http://www.clearcheckbook.com/
How To Increase Revenue From Cellular Phones Users
innerActive Smart Media is a software technology company that provides innovative ad-funded mobile advertising solution for mobile operators, portals, advertisers and digital content providers. innerActive's platform enables scalable and dynamic product placement solutions for rich media mobile content as well as digital coupons management, according to the users' profile and interaction with the content.
The company technology enhancing mobile operators, portals and digital content provider abilities to use a new creative business model in order to increase revenue from cellular phones users. innerActive's platform enables scalable and dynamic product placement solutions for rich media mobile content as well as digital coupon management according to the user's profile and consumption behaviors.
More at:http://www.inner-active.com/
The company technology enhancing mobile operators, portals and digital content provider abilities to use a new creative business model in order to increase revenue from cellular phones users. innerActive's platform enables scalable and dynamic product placement solutions for rich media mobile content as well as digital coupon management according to the user's profile and consumption behaviors.
More at:http://www.inner-active.com/
FusedWorld is an international real estate advertising portal which connects property seekers and buyers world-wide
FusedWorld is an international real estate advertising portal which connects property seekers and buyers world-wide. We facilitate listing and advertising of any type of property anywhere in the world, whether it be luxurious villas, simple bungalows, houses, flats, condos, apartments, vacation properties, timeshares, offices, or even land parcels.This site focuses on real estate all over the world. Browsing the site is free, and no registration is necessary. Additionally, property seekers can customize number formats as well as preferred units. All owner contact info is also provided gratis. Property owners, agents, and managers are given free support, unlimited listings with an unlimited number of pictures, videos, and other media, statistics and reports of how many people have seen their listings, and links to their own website to generate even more traffic (all for a rather inexpensive fee). So far, FusedWorld has 12,030 properties for sale and 1,727 for rent.
More at:http://www.fusedworld.com/
More at:http://www.fusedworld.com/
Monday, September 3, 2007
What's In The Name?
A clever or humorous business name is enough to make one in four people take a closer look, according to new research.
Small business insurer More Th>n conducted a poll to find the most catchy and creative business name in the UK, and the resulting effects clever names had on potential customers.
Three-quarters of those surveyed admitted to being influenced by a catchy name, while 58% said it would make them remember the business.
“Our research confirms what the UK’s most creative business owners already knew – that the right business name can offer a real advantage in the battle for customers,” said Mike Bowman, head of insurance at More Th>n Business.
“With over 400,000 new start-ups each year, it is becoming increasingly difficult for business owners to settle on a catchy yet original name, but the research shows that it’s definitely worth putting in the time and effort to get the right name.
“High street shops across Britain have built a tradition for creative, catchy names, so the number and quality of entries we received was no surprise.”
More Th>n awarded the title of most creative British business name to Aisle Alter Hymn, a wedding shop for gay and lesbian couples in South Shields.
Other businesses in the top ten included Battersea Cods Home, a fish and chip shop, Mr Bit, window cleaners, and Vinyl Resting Place, a secondhand record shop.
Via-Startups Uk
Small business insurer More Th>n conducted a poll to find the most catchy and creative business name in the UK, and the resulting effects clever names had on potential customers.
Three-quarters of those surveyed admitted to being influenced by a catchy name, while 58% said it would make them remember the business.
“Our research confirms what the UK’s most creative business owners already knew – that the right business name can offer a real advantage in the battle for customers,” said Mike Bowman, head of insurance at More Th>n Business.
“With over 400,000 new start-ups each year, it is becoming increasingly difficult for business owners to settle on a catchy yet original name, but the research shows that it’s definitely worth putting in the time and effort to get the right name.
“High street shops across Britain have built a tradition for creative, catchy names, so the number and quality of entries we received was no surprise.”
More Th>n awarded the title of most creative British business name to Aisle Alter Hymn, a wedding shop for gay and lesbian couples in South Shields.
Other businesses in the top ten included Battersea Cods Home, a fish and chip shop, Mr Bit, window cleaners, and Vinyl Resting Place, a secondhand record shop.
Via-Startups Uk
2007 Leadership in Venture Capital - One Day Event
2007 Leadership in Venture Capital - One Day Event
Location:
New York City
Address:
New York, New York 10022
USA View Map search google maps
From: September 5, 2007 @ 08:00:00 AM to: September 5, 2007 @ 06:00:00 PM
Organizer: Argyle Executive Forum
Email contact: Lucas J. Gochanour
Tel: 646.839.0027
Fax:
Conference description:
Argyle Executive Forum is pleased to present its 2007 Leadership in Venture Capital. The event, to take place in Manhattan, will bring together 135–150 CEOs & Board members of public and private large cap and mid cap corporations, complementary areas of executive leadership (CFOs & COOs), members of the endowment, foundation, and family office community, select advisory firms, and select founders / senior managing partners of investment firms.
This event is by invitation only, and an invitation code is required. If you did not receive an invitation but would like to inquire about attendance, please visit http://www.execforum.net/Forms/at_rq.html
Location:
New York City
Address:
New York, New York 10022
USA View Map search google maps
From: September 5, 2007 @ 08:00:00 AM to: September 5, 2007 @ 06:00:00 PM
Organizer: Argyle Executive Forum
Email contact: Lucas J. Gochanour
Tel: 646.839.0027
Fax:
Conference description:
Argyle Executive Forum is pleased to present its 2007 Leadership in Venture Capital. The event, to take place in Manhattan, will bring together 135–150 CEOs & Board members of public and private large cap and mid cap corporations, complementary areas of executive leadership (CFOs & COOs), members of the endowment, foundation, and family office community, select advisory firms, and select founders / senior managing partners of investment firms.
This event is by invitation only, and an invitation code is required. If you did not receive an invitation but would like to inquire about attendance, please visit http://www.execforum.net/Forms/at_rq.html
Young Social Entrepreneurs Contest
Global Young Social Entrepreneurs' Competition, deadline extended to 9 Sept
The most famous social entrepreneur today is 2006 Nobel prize winner Mohammad Yunus. Less famous, but equally inspirational are young up-coming social entrepreneurs – over 500 have so far applied under the Global Young Social Entrepreneurs’ Competition 2007 and more are doing so every day.
Young women and men that have latched onto the vision of changing the world through business: business with a social or ecological twist. Given the tremendous interest, Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) is extending the Competition deadline to 9 September 2007. The Competition is supported by GKP members UN Development Programme (UNDP), Microsoft, International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
54% of the world population is aged below 25 years old. Many of these youths – in developing and developed countries alike – are motivated by a job that helps make the world a better place, yet also earns them a living. Enter the young social entrepreneurs of our time.
These young and up-coming social entrepreneurs from all around the globe are in good company – for example the company of Mohammad Yunus, the most prominent social entrepreneur these days who received the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his pioneering microfinance social business in Bangladesh (Grameen Bank). But high-profile social entrepreneurs have also made their entry into the World Economic Forum and taken top places in awards programmes such as the World Challenge 2006. They all testify to the increased interest in the concept of social business over the last years, resulting in the coining of the term ‘social enterprise’.
What exactly is a social enterprise? Mohammad Yunus in his Nobel Lecture said: “Let us suppose an entrepreneur, instead of having a single source of motivation (such as, maximizing profit), now has two sources of motivation, which are mutually exclusive, but equally compelling − a) maximization of profit and b) doing good to people and the world.”
Rinalia Abdul Rahim, Executive Director of the GKP Secretariat, says: “The quality of applications received to date indicates that there are a lot of ingenious, innovative young entrepreneurs who are contributing towards a better future with new business models. With our support, they can go a long way”. All submissions are viewable by the public.
The Competition is part of GKP’s ongoing programme in the area of youth-led social enterprises. It is fully web-based and open to applicants worldwide until the (extended) closing on 9 September 2007. 100 winners selected by an international online jury will be announced on 20 October 2007.
The winners receive more than just sponsorship to attend the dedicated Young Social Entrepreneurs’ Forum, 11-13 December 2007, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia. In true entrepreneurial spirit, they are presented with the unique opportunity to potentially secure funding, networking, mentoring and knowledge for themselves – key areas in which young social entrepreneurs need support, especially in their early years.
10 of the winners will pitch for secure funding in real-time sessions. All 100 winners will meet various funding organisations, mentors, experts, potential partners or the media; be part of a crowd of innovative and motivated young social entrepreneurs; network and showcase with the 2000 participants of the larger GKP Event on the Future (GK3) – of which the Forum is a special highlight.
The Competition is supported by GKP members UN Development Programme (UNDP), Microsoft, International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
How to apply?
Apply online:http://www.globalknowledge.org/ysef07/index.cfm?&menuid=7
Application criteria:http://www.globalknowledge.org/ysef07/index.cfm?&menuid=11&parentid=7
Deadline: 9 September 2007
The most famous social entrepreneur today is 2006 Nobel prize winner Mohammad Yunus. Less famous, but equally inspirational are young up-coming social entrepreneurs – over 500 have so far applied under the Global Young Social Entrepreneurs’ Competition 2007 and more are doing so every day.
Young women and men that have latched onto the vision of changing the world through business: business with a social or ecological twist. Given the tremendous interest, Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) is extending the Competition deadline to 9 September 2007. The Competition is supported by GKP members UN Development Programme (UNDP), Microsoft, International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
54% of the world population is aged below 25 years old. Many of these youths – in developing and developed countries alike – are motivated by a job that helps make the world a better place, yet also earns them a living. Enter the young social entrepreneurs of our time.
These young and up-coming social entrepreneurs from all around the globe are in good company – for example the company of Mohammad Yunus, the most prominent social entrepreneur these days who received the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his pioneering microfinance social business in Bangladesh (Grameen Bank). But high-profile social entrepreneurs have also made their entry into the World Economic Forum and taken top places in awards programmes such as the World Challenge 2006. They all testify to the increased interest in the concept of social business over the last years, resulting in the coining of the term ‘social enterprise’.
What exactly is a social enterprise? Mohammad Yunus in his Nobel Lecture said: “Let us suppose an entrepreneur, instead of having a single source of motivation (such as, maximizing profit), now has two sources of motivation, which are mutually exclusive, but equally compelling − a) maximization of profit and b) doing good to people and the world.”
Rinalia Abdul Rahim, Executive Director of the GKP Secretariat, says: “The quality of applications received to date indicates that there are a lot of ingenious, innovative young entrepreneurs who are contributing towards a better future with new business models. With our support, they can go a long way”. All submissions are viewable by the public.
The Competition is part of GKP’s ongoing programme in the area of youth-led social enterprises. It is fully web-based and open to applicants worldwide until the (extended) closing on 9 September 2007. 100 winners selected by an international online jury will be announced on 20 October 2007.
The winners receive more than just sponsorship to attend the dedicated Young Social Entrepreneurs’ Forum, 11-13 December 2007, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia. In true entrepreneurial spirit, they are presented with the unique opportunity to potentially secure funding, networking, mentoring and knowledge for themselves – key areas in which young social entrepreneurs need support, especially in their early years.
10 of the winners will pitch for secure funding in real-time sessions. All 100 winners will meet various funding organisations, mentors, experts, potential partners or the media; be part of a crowd of innovative and motivated young social entrepreneurs; network and showcase with the 2000 participants of the larger GKP Event on the Future (GK3) – of which the Forum is a special highlight.
The Competition is supported by GKP members UN Development Programme (UNDP), Microsoft, International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
How to apply?
Apply online:http://www.globalknowledge.org/ysef07/index.cfm?&menuid=7
Application criteria:http://www.globalknowledge.org/ysef07/index.cfm?&menuid=11&parentid=7
Deadline: 9 September 2007
M&A Summit
On the back of 9%+ GDP growth, ever-bullish capital markets and unshackling of regulatory restrictions, Indian entrepreneurs are looking outwards like never before in their goal to create truly global businesses. And M&A is proving to be a popular tool in this pursuit.
The ever increasing number and size of overseas companies being acquired clearly demonstrates India Inc’s rising confidence and vigor to plant its flags around the globe. However, amidst all the euphoria surrounding global acquisitions, there are several key questions that need effective addressing to ensure that such deals create long term value.
Questions like
Are cross-border acquisitions the latest seasonal fad?
What type of company is ready for such a deal?
Can SMEs play this cross-border game?
Identifying targets: Look East or West?
What are the pitfalls to watch out for – political, regulatory and cultural?
Can uncertainty concerning the rupee throw a spanner into the works?
What are the key red flags that due diligence should look out for in such deals?
How can key management talent be retained post acquisition?
What are the financing options available?
Who Should Attend?
Top executives from companies across industries like IT, Auto Components, Pharmaceuticals, etc.
Private Equity, Venture Capital and other investors
Service Providers including Investment Banks, Consulting Firms, Law Firms, Risk Consultants, Rating Agencies, Academics/Researchers, Media
For Registration:http://www.ventureintelligence.in/MAS07-Registration-Form.doc
The ever increasing number and size of overseas companies being acquired clearly demonstrates India Inc’s rising confidence and vigor to plant its flags around the globe. However, amidst all the euphoria surrounding global acquisitions, there are several key questions that need effective addressing to ensure that such deals create long term value.
Questions like
Are cross-border acquisitions the latest seasonal fad?
What type of company is ready for such a deal?
Can SMEs play this cross-border game?
Identifying targets: Look East or West?
What are the pitfalls to watch out for – political, regulatory and cultural?
Can uncertainty concerning the rupee throw a spanner into the works?
What are the key red flags that due diligence should look out for in such deals?
How can key management talent be retained post acquisition?
What are the financing options available?
Who Should Attend?
Top executives from companies across industries like IT, Auto Components, Pharmaceuticals, etc.
Private Equity, Venture Capital and other investors
Service Providers including Investment Banks, Consulting Firms, Law Firms, Risk Consultants, Rating Agencies, Academics/Researchers, Media
For Registration:http://www.ventureintelligence.in/MAS07-Registration-Form.doc
Elephants Business
Darwin pointed out that if you take one pair of breeding elephants and make some conservative estimates about their fertility, you would have more than 15 million elephants in less than 500 years (if none of them died an early death.)*
It's pretty clear it doesn't work that way. Perfect viral growth, even slow viral growth, rarely happens. If it did, we'd have an elephant problem.
The same thing happens with your idea. If one person told four and the cycle repeated itself for a few generations, everyone would know about it. But they don't. It tails off. One person often tells zero. Or people hear about it but forget.
Real viral growth comes from one of a few likely paths:
Someone sneezes your idea with amplification. They show up on Oprah, or you have $100 million to spend on ads. Great work if you can get it...
The idea spreads with fidelity. One person really does tell four, and there's not a lot of leakage. Starbucks worked this way, largely because the chain grew at just the right rate and kept its character as it did.
The idea is particularly 'viral' (using a popular understanding of the word.) One typical person doesn't tell four, she tells 400. This is the blogger effect--lots of small amplifiers, working in unison.
The idea lives a very long time and spreads slowly. In our rapid-fire world, this one is pretty rare.
It's possible to combine some of these tactics. When a political candidate starts out, for example, it's almost certainly with a grassroots approach, but then, perhaps, once enthusiasm picks up, he or she shows up on TV. You can organize around this and plan for it, but you certainly can't guarantee it.
Here's the big news: it doesn't matter much how many elephants you start with. In other words, big launches don't necessarily scale. What matters is how fertile your elephants are (number of babies per generation) and how long they live. If Darwin's elephants managed to squeeze in just one more generation, they end up with 30 million.
[Via - Seth Godin]
It's pretty clear it doesn't work that way. Perfect viral growth, even slow viral growth, rarely happens. If it did, we'd have an elephant problem.
The same thing happens with your idea. If one person told four and the cycle repeated itself for a few generations, everyone would know about it. But they don't. It tails off. One person often tells zero. Or people hear about it but forget.
Real viral growth comes from one of a few likely paths:
Someone sneezes your idea with amplification. They show up on Oprah, or you have $100 million to spend on ads. Great work if you can get it...
The idea spreads with fidelity. One person really does tell four, and there's not a lot of leakage. Starbucks worked this way, largely because the chain grew at just the right rate and kept its character as it did.
The idea is particularly 'viral' (using a popular understanding of the word.) One typical person doesn't tell four, she tells 400. This is the blogger effect--lots of small amplifiers, working in unison.
The idea lives a very long time and spreads slowly. In our rapid-fire world, this one is pretty rare.
It's possible to combine some of these tactics. When a political candidate starts out, for example, it's almost certainly with a grassroots approach, but then, perhaps, once enthusiasm picks up, he or she shows up on TV. You can organize around this and plan for it, but you certainly can't guarantee it.
Here's the big news: it doesn't matter much how many elephants you start with. In other words, big launches don't necessarily scale. What matters is how fertile your elephants are (number of babies per generation) and how long they live. If Darwin's elephants managed to squeeze in just one more generation, they end up with 30 million.
[Via - Seth Godin]
G-Pay
Google patent has come to light related to mobile payments. The so-called “GPay” patent doesn’t propose a direct Paypal competitor, however: instead, it covers a text message-based payments system. The patent was filed on February 28, 2006 and published on August 30, 2007. Google already holds a patent for a cross-platform micropayments system.
Google’s Eric Schmidt said back in March 2006 that GPay is “not made to compete with PayPal or to replace existing peer to peer payment systems but that it’s meant to be a new solution to a new problem.” However, that occurred right as Paypal launched its own mobile payments service, and it’s possible that Schmidt refers to the entire Google payments system (including Google Checkout) as GPay, not just this latest patent application.
Regardless, the patent covers:
A computer-implemented method of effectuating an electronic on-line payment includes receiving at a computer server system a text message from a payor containing a payment request representing a payment amount sent by a payor device operating independently of the computer server system, determining a payment amount associated with the text message and debiting a payor account for an amount corresponding to the amount of the payment request, and crediting an account of a payee that is independent of the computer server system.
I think it’s generous to say this isn’t a Paypal competitor, since Paypal is clearly keen to dominate mobile payments. We’ll wait and see what product, if any, materializes from the patent.
[via SEO by the SEA via Seoptimise]
Google’s Eric Schmidt said back in March 2006 that GPay is “not made to compete with PayPal or to replace existing peer to peer payment systems but that it’s meant to be a new solution to a new problem.” However, that occurred right as Paypal launched its own mobile payments service, and it’s possible that Schmidt refers to the entire Google payments system (including Google Checkout) as GPay, not just this latest patent application.
Regardless, the patent covers:
A computer-implemented method of effectuating an electronic on-line payment includes receiving at a computer server system a text message from a payor containing a payment request representing a payment amount sent by a payor device operating independently of the computer server system, determining a payment amount associated with the text message and debiting a payor account for an amount corresponding to the amount of the payment request, and crediting an account of a payee that is independent of the computer server system.
I think it’s generous to say this isn’t a Paypal competitor, since Paypal is clearly keen to dominate mobile payments. We’ll wait and see what product, if any, materializes from the patent.
[via SEO by the SEA via Seoptimise]
QuickInsert plugs into your existing website to protect and sell content
QuickInsert plugs into your existing website to protect and sell content - no programming necessary! Simply copy your content, documents, or images into QuickInsert and paste the provided line of Javascript code onto your site. Users can register, pay, or surf your content on your site without visiting ours. That's it; you can forget headaches and focus on building a user community.
You can set your website so that users must pay, which you do using Paypal or Google Checkout. QuickInsert protects your membership content so that non-users cannot see it. Creating an account is easy, simply insert your account information, then your website URL, then sync with the website. QuickInsert is free and easy to use giving you access to all the tools you need for user management, editing your sites content and establishing subscriptions to your site.
More at:https://www.quickinsert.com/
You can set your website so that users must pay, which you do using Paypal or Google Checkout. QuickInsert protects your membership content so that non-users cannot see it. Creating an account is easy, simply insert your account information, then your website URL, then sync with the website. QuickInsert is free and easy to use giving you access to all the tools you need for user management, editing your sites content and establishing subscriptions to your site.
More at:https://www.quickinsert.com/
Managing your digital assets is made easy with Fluxiom
With Fluxiom you can tag all types of files and documents, or put a group of files in one archive and upload them at once. You can brand your Fluxiom account by personalizing its appearance. You can also receive updates of content that interests you, by joining the global RSS feed which is continuously updated when new files are added or updated. You can also do a metadata search by color, author, resolution, etc. Managing your digital assets is made easy with Fluxiom.
fluxiom makes it easy to organize and share your digital assets within your company, your colleagues and friends. Manage any kind of file like corporate media assets, marketing materials, product folders, contracts, images, text documents, logos or artwork – you name it.
More at:http://www.fluxiom.com/
fluxiom makes it easy to organize and share your digital assets within your company, your colleagues and friends. Manage any kind of file like corporate media assets, marketing materials, product folders, contracts, images, text documents, logos or artwork – you name it.
More at:http://www.fluxiom.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)