Archive for the ‘Weblogs’ Category
Firms Get a Hand With Twitter, Facebook
From the WSJ
Sylvester Chisom began paying a consultant last summer to blog on Twitter, post status updates on Facebook and run marketing campaigns on both sites for his auto-detailing business.
He thinks the service, which costs $450 a month, is worth it. “It’s just better having somebody else dedicated to thinking of stuff to put up,” says Mr. Chisom, co-owner of Showroom Shine Express Detailing LLC in St. Louis.
Some small-business owners, overwhelmed by the time commitment required of marketing their products and services via social media, are hiring consultants to lend a hand. But the price of such support can vary widely based on the extent of work involved, and many entrepreneurs with already meager resources for marketing and advertising may need to think carefully before taking on the extra cost.
The start-up 3 Green Angels, for example, charges clients a $400 fee to organize Twitter parties — real-time discussions on specific topics. Everywhere LLC, another specialty firm in Atlanta, charges clients up to $20,000 to arrange three streaming video press conferences led by popular bloggers.
How to Go on the Offensive with Facebook
By Guy Kawasaki
A friend of mine conducted this informal poll about what a person should do if she were asked to show a male interviewer her Facebook page. Only 12% said they would agree. Thirty-three percent said they would walk out of the interview or refuse. Fifty-five percent said they would ask why and then decide.
It’s time to “face” two facts: First, most organizations are either already looking at candidates’ Facebook profiles, or they are going to start soon. Second, people who are worth hiring either have a social-networking profile on some service or will soon—indeed, recruiters may already think that a candidate who doesn’t have a profile is hiding something, disconnected, or clueless.
Given these two developments, the defensive advice that experts are pedaling to “be careful what you put on your Facebook profile because recruiters may look at it” is ass-backwards. Instead, you should assume that organizations are checking you out (in fact, I blogged about a more efficient way to do this here) and use this to your advantage.
That is, rather than cleanse profiles in order to escape rejection, enlightened candidates will use Facebook profiles to market themselves—perhaps even asking to show their Facebook profiles in interviews. Think about what companies are looking for: bright, diligent, honest, well-rounded, socially-responsible, green, and connected people. Now imagine that you were giving a tour of your Facebook profile to a recruiter. Would you be able to make these kinds of statements?
All the Apple Event Rumors – Gizmodo
By Jesus Diaz from Gizmodo
This Wednesday Apple is having an event titled It’s Only Rock and Roll, but we like it. I’m sucker for the Stones, but only rock and roll? Here is the complete guide to all the rumors and midnight ramblings:
Oliver Stone returns to Wall Street for a sequel – Jim Cramer will play a part
Last Tuesday afternoon, a black Cadillac Escalade arrived at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in Lower Manhattan, built in the 1920s to resemble the Renaissance-era palaces of Florence, Italy. From a rear seat stepped a man in a cashmere sweater and dark slacks.
‘This is where the money is,’ he said, borrowing the words of Willie Sutton, the Depression-era bank robber. ‘There is more gold here than anywhere in the world.’
This is familiar terrain for Mr. Stone: his father was a broker, and his 1987 film, ‘Wall Street,’ became emblematic of an era of excess the filmmaker thought was fading, but in fact was only beginning. Now he is here to make a sequel, to capture greed on celluloid all over again, set against the backdrop of the financial collapse that began with the fall of Bear Stearns.
In a meandering walk through the crooked streets of Manhattan’s financial district — it was a week before shooting of the sequel, titled ‘Wall Street 2,’ was scheduled to begin — Mr. Stone said he never expected high finance to serve again as a tableau for his storytelling.
‘I thought it was a bubble that was over,’ Mr. Stone said of the 1980s. ‘I thought those days were going to come to an end. The excess.’
Despite his own years of hard living and a peripatetic existence — he would be heading to Venice in a few days — Mr. Stone looked refreshed and, at 62, surprisingly young. His original film was a morality tale about greed and unvarnished ambition, and Mr. Stone’s own views on the excesses of capitalism were obvious. But the film and its famous lines — ‘Greed is good,’ ‘Money never sleeps’ — have had a cultural endurance that he never expected, and perhaps never desired.
The Mac OS X Snow Leopard Applications Blacklist
Applications that won’t open in Mac OS X Snow Leopard
- Aperture ver. 2.1.1 and earlier
- Keynote ver. 2.0.2 and earlier
- AirPort Admin Utility for Graphite and Snow ver. 4.2.5
- Parallels Desktop ver. 3.0
- VirusBarrier X4 ver. 10.4.4 and earlier
- SPSS 17 ver. 17.1
- Director MX 2004 ver. 10.2
- EyeTV ver. 3.0.0 to 3.1.0
- Ratatouille ver. 1.1
Applications moved to an ‘Incompatible Software’ folder during the installation of Mac OS X Snow Leopard
- Parallels Desktop, ver. 2.5 and earlier
- McAfee VirusScan, ver. 8.6
- Norton AntiVirus ver. 11.0
- Internet Cleanup 5 ver. 5.0.4
- Application Enhancer ver. 2.0.1 and earlier
- Unsanity
- AT&T Laptop Connect Card ver. 1.0.4, 1.0.5, 1.10.0
- launch2net ver, 2.13.0
- iWOW plug-in for iTunes ver. 2.0
- Missing Sync for Palm Sony CLIE Driver ver. 6.0.4
- TonePort UX8 Driver ver. 4.1.0
- ioHD Driver ver. 6.0.3
- Silicon Image SiI3132 Drivers ver. 1.5.16.0
(Via Gizmodo)
México, la mejor opción para invertir en AL: Santander
De El Economista
El mercado accionario mexicano es la mejor opción para invertir durante el resto del año en América Latina, por encima de Brasil y Chile, de acuerdo con Banco Santander en Estados Unidos.
En un reporte emitido este miércoles en Nueva York, Santander elevó la calificación de las acciones mexicanas, mientras que redujo las de sus antiguos mercados recomendados: Brasil y Chile.
El reporte señaló que una de las razones para elegir a México es que las valuaciones actuales del mercado accionario mexicano darán mayores retornos que las del chileno y el brasileño.
Conspiracy theory: Yellow Submarine iPod touch on 9/9/9
From The Apple Core
Apple will finally announce a partnership with The Beatles and its label, Apple Corps Ltd., at its media event that’s been rumored for September 9, 2009. At least that’s my theory.
Here’s why:
Microsoft Apologizes For Politically Incorrect Photoshopping
Microsoft has issued an apology via their corporate Twitter feed for what will surely go down as one of the worst photoshops of all-time.
Still, it’s hard not to feel for the guy in the photo having to tolerate this stupidity, so we have an equally horrible photoshop to help balance things out.
(Via Gizmodo)
Microsoft fired someone yesterday
I guess Microsoft realized what kind of mess they were getting into and changed the Polish site. They are now sharing the same picture of their U.S. counterpart.
(Via Microsoft Poland)
Lifestyles of the Chinese Rich
By Robert Frank from the WSJ
How does the typical rich family in China live their lives and spend their cash?
The folks at the Hurun Report, the Chinese wealth trackers and luxury publishers, have put out a ‘report’ on the new Chinese rich.
Bloomberg News
A chauffeur stands besides a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow car outside the Shanghri-la Hotel, in Shanghai.
It is unclear exactly what Hurun’s methodology is, or who they surveyed. Hurun says there are 8,800 billionaires in Beijing and 7,000 in Shangai–presumably ‘yuan’ billionaires. A yuan billion equates to about $150 million.
But as relayed in the China Daily newspaper, Hurun finds that the ‘typical rich family’ in China has a 43-year-old dad, 42-year-old mom and one 14-year-old child.
The report says the rich in Beijing need to spend at least 87 million yuan (or about $12.7 million) on property, cars and other luxury goods to be regarded as ‘one of the city’s new aristocrats.’ The bulk of their spending is on real estate, furnishings and fabrics, the report said.
The Chinese rich have at least three homes, often filled with porcelain and jade collections mixed with modern art. They spend more than $7,000 a year on piano lessons.
Rich men in Beijing drive Mercedes Benz R500 limos and usually are members of Yongfoo Elite, the popular Beijing club. Their wives belong to the Lan Club and wear Bulgari platinum and diamond watches when their drive their BMW sport cars.
‘During the past several years, the complexion of the rich in China has changed in many aspects,’ said Rupert Hoogewerf, founder and publisher of the Hurun Report. ‘Many of them say they want to be a sort of upper class, rather than only being rich.’
The conclusions sound more like a big ad for a European luxury magazine, rather than a profile of the uniquely Chinese rich. Perhaps that isn’t a coincidence for a luxury publisher supported in part by luxury advertisers.
But maybe in today’s globalized wealth culture and economy, the Chinese rich are increasingly indistinguishable from the America or European rich: buying the same Italian bags, driving the same German cars and frequent similar social clubs.
What do you think the new Chinese rich are really like?
(Via WSJ)
Reminds me of Yen (Shaobo Qin) in Ocean’s Thirteen representing Mr. Weng and having Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon) as his personal assistant.
Microsoft Needs To Hire Better, Less Racist Graphic Designers
(Via Gizmodo)
Holy cow. Is that a MacBook in this Microsoft website photo?
(Via Microsoft U.S.)
Seriously though, that is the least of their problems when it comes to the Polish version of this Microsoft photo.
(Via Microsoft Poland)
Where Apple Prints Money
That would be the Apple Store on 5th Avenue in New York City. Newmark Knight Frank Retail estimates it pulls in over $350 million in revenue a year, or about $35,000 per square foot for the 10,000 square foot space.
To put that in perspective, Tiffany & Co. says diamonds has sales of about $18,000 per square foot. In fact, it might be the highest grossing retailer on Fifth Ave. ever, according to an estimate by Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate.
$350 million. Kee-rist. Good luck touching that, Microsoft.
(Via Gizmodo)
Hedging Bets on Bank of America
From the New York Times
John A. Paulson and Sallie L. Krawcheck are staking a lot on the revival of Bank of America’s fortunes, Breakingviews.com writes. Mr. Paulson, the billionaire hedge fund manager, is now the bank’s fourth-largest shareholder.
Meanwhile, Ms. Krawcheck, Citigroup’s former wealth management and finance chief, has been brought in to run the bank’s asset management and Merrill Lynch brokerage businesses, making her a contender for the top job. She has also snapped up $1 million worth of shares.
These might seem like gambles. After all, Bank of America is hardly out of the woods. Its core operations are likely to continue losing money for the rest of the year. Takeovers that struck both at the height of the bull market and in the depths of the crisis either used up precious capital or revealed poor risk management — or both — and left the bank in need of $45 billion of taxpayer support. And the shenanigans surrounding year-end losses and bonuses at Merrill cost Kenneth D. Lewis the chairman’s role and his reputation.
Microsoft’s Ballmer on the iPhone two years ago
April 30, 2007
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on music, gaming
Q: People get passionate when Apple comes out with something new — the iPhone; of course, the iPod. Is that something that you’d want them to feel about Microsoft?
It’s sort of a funny question. Would I trade 96% of the market for 4% of the market? (Laughter.) I want to have products that appeal to everybody.
Now we’ll get a chance to go through this again in phones and music players. There’s no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance. It’s a $500 subsidized item. They may make a lot of money. But if you actually take a look at the 1.3 billion phones that get sold, I’d prefer to have our software in 60% or 70% or 80% of them, than I would to have 2% or 3%, which is what Apple might get.
9 Free Advertising Solutions – Free Advertising, Marketing on a Budget, Marketing Your Business
From Entrepreneur.com
When sales slump due to a slow economy, a business owner’s first inclination is often to cut the marketing budget. After all, one has fixed costs and cash flow can be irregular. But marketing should be the last activity you eliminate or you risk an even faster downward spiral. Advertising your business and attracting new customers should be an ongoing process, and there are many things you can do that cost absolutely nothing. In these times money might be tight but the need for revenue is continuous, here are just a few suggestions.
Become the expert
Submit articles related to your business to the local paper, trade journals and professional organization’s newsletters. Choose a topic that reflects your expertise on the subject and make sure your business is mentioned. You might also find a website that may be interested in letting you host a guest column. Whenever you get published, make copies and send them to all your current and potential customers.
Be a great public speaker
Professional meeting planners are always looking for presenters and workshop leaders for conferences. Research contact names in the Directory of Meeting Planners or start with your local Chamber of Commerce or Rotary Club. If, like most people, you dread the thought of public speaking, join your local Toastmasters [http://www.toastmasters.org/] club; this is also a great way to meet potential customers. When you do get the opportunity to make a presentation, be sure to collect business cards for a drawing to win a book or other prize related to your business.
Rumored Apple event roulette wheel lands on September 9 – Ars Technica
From Ars Technica
Ever since the launch of the original iPod, Apple has scheduled a special press event for music-related products right around the time the young’uns head back to school. The same is expected for this year, and All Things D has taken a gamble on September 9 based on information from an inside source.
On September 9, the company plans to announce music-only items and not talk about the fabled tablet, the source says. It will take place in San Francisco (though the writeup says ‘most likely at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, where it has occurred in years past,’ but this is not entirely true—2007’s music event was held at Moscone but last year, it was scheduled at Yerba Buena because of a conflict at Moscone). ‘Our sources insist it will not involve any discussion whatsoever of the tablet that Apple is reportedly developing,’ wrote All Things D’s John Paczkowski.
Rumors have been ramping up about the tablet in recent weeks, but most Apple watchers don’t expect it to be released (or even announced, in some cases) until 2010. I, for one, will not be surprised in the least if it turns out that Apple only discusses iPod touches and nanos at this September’s music event. The company has always strictly adhered to iPods for the music event and announced other products at later dates. As usual, we’ll keep you informed if we find out more about this event, but for now, I’m banking on September 9.
(Via Ars Technica)
Steve Jobs is Back To His Old Tricks
From Gizmodo
What can we conclude from this photo, shot Tuesday, August 11? One, Steve Jobs is back driving himself to work, and two, he still hasn’t given up parking in handicapped spots. Maybe now he’s there legally?
(Via Gizmodo)
Independent Filmmakers Distribute on Their Own
From the New York Times
Quentin Tarantino never had to go through this.
When “The Age of Stupid,” a climate change movie, “opens” across the United States in September, it will play on some 400 screens in a one-night event, with a video performance by Thom Yorke of Radiohead, all paid for by the filmmakers themselves and their backers. In Britain, meanwhile, the film has been showing via an Internet service that lets anyone pay to license a copy, set up a screening and keep the profit.
The glory days of independent film, when hot young directors like Steven Soderbergh and Mr. Tarantino had studio executives tangled in fierce bidding wars at Sundance and other celebrity-studded festivals, are now barely a speck in the rearview mirror. And something new, something much odder, has taken their place.
Here is how it used to work: aspiring filmmakers playing the cool auteur in hopes of attracting the eye of a Hollywood power broker.
An Insider On the Apple Tablet
I never fully believed the Apple tablet was real beyond dreams, until I heard these words over my phone: “Hey, it’s [redacted]. I may or may not have sat in some Apple meetings for the tablet.”
I was driving, and swerved a little bit, even though both hands were on the wheel. Someone honked at me.
“What was that?”
They repeated themselves.
I switched on Bluetooth and pulled over to the side of the road to hear the story. You see, earlier in the day I’d given my phone number out to someone who sent me a cryptic email wanting to talk Apple. This must have been them. (Later on I verified to a high level of certainty that they were in the position to have access to the information and after talking to them for over an hour, I believe them to the same level of certainty.)
Apple Keynote Event Scheduled for Early September?
From MacRumors
MediaMemo reports on claims from music industry sources that Apple is planning a keynote event for the week of September 7th.
Time to get the rumor mill kicked into high gear: Multiple music industry sources say Apple executives have told them the company is planning one of its famed keynote events for the week of Sept. 7.
But in true Apple fashion, the company has been noncommittal about the exact date of the event and what it will be showing off.
Given the apparent inside information held by media executives, the report suggest that the event may highlight Apple’s rumored ‘Cocktail’ iTunes album enhancements.