Archive for May, 2008

In the name of “research”, I am sometimes obligated to give into temptation and take random quizzes to for example, find out “how much of a geek I am.” Apparently, I’m only 57% geek.

This didn’t seem too alarming until I realized that everything else that defined me would have to share the left over 43% of me: good & bad habits, my sense of humor (or lack of), where I work, the way I do the things I do, and why, etc… According to this estimate, I love machines so much, that every other quality about me, significant or insignificant, is less significant than technology. And what would be the ranking of someone like Robert Scroble? Assuming there is some logic to the rating, I think it’s safe to say that he would blow the 100% scale pretty easily.

It’s not so cool if a quiz that’s supposed to make me feel good, actually makes me look like a degenerate technophile who cares solely for the well being of his machines. The saddest thing about it is that geeks (the target audience) love quizzes like this, and some would even love to wear the “dysfunctional geek” badge on their sleeve with pride (I’ll confess, I vaguely remember trying to manipulate the results so I would rate a little higher).

Obviously that’s excessively unreal, but since you can’t exactly measure and quantify something as general, and vague as “geekiness” or “karma” with just 10 random questions, wouldn’t it be better to present a more believable estimate?

What about percentiles? Wouldn’t it be easier (and more fun and social) to compare people’s love for technology, and every piece of brand-spanking-new machines ever created (or their fear of same) to that of others? It would certainly be easier (for both the tongue and reputation) to boast of knowing more about technology than 75% of the population, rather than a vague “57% geek”, or the obscure “Total Geek” title.

Sure, at the end of the day, the quiz does the job: time died that day, and you’ll never see it again; but will I go back? Probably not, because it would be nice to have learned, or achieved something, even when procrastination reigns supreme, and time is being wasted (I personally prefer to think of it as research).

In lieu of painting an accurate picture, why not appeal to vanity, and paint the rosier option as the more likely scenario? After all, isn’t reality more accurately perception?

Interesting Extra: Did you know that the unit of geekiness is defined as a Zelda? Neither did I. While that sinks in, check out Wired’s Geekster Handbook for a primer on what it is to be “geek”.

“It’s possible to control the time I have available to me.” We’ve probably all heard this over and over again our whole lives, although sometimes it’s a little hard to fathom.

A few weeks ago, I decided to embark on “a ruthless crusade against wasting time”, and reclaim time as my own once again and you know, get things done (sound familiar?). The goal of course, is to find the best hacks, tips, and tricks, that’ll make things easier, and ultimately, save money by saving time.

At this point, I will acknowledge that I would probably be better off implementing a wildly successful path like GTD (Getting Things Done). My qualms with programs like that is the “shock and awe” approach they introduce where everything that existed previously has to be rebuilt from the ground up. I support change as much as the next guy, but it’s my experience that drastic surges are not sustainable.

I prefer the focused, gradual improvement method, coupled with a good dose of “rinse and repeat” (just replace application with habit). Implementing change on a small section at a time means it’s not the end of the world if one piece of the puzzle messes up, and your whole framework doesn’t have to collapse. It also means that corrections can be made quickly, without affecting very much else.

Moving on…
One of the first applications I came across when I set out on my quixotic quest is RescueTime and this weekend, I’m beginning to think it just might be working. For the last few weeks, I’ve taken a few minutes to tweak my profile and add tags properly, and basically bend it to my will as much as possible (read, “Try to figure it out”) whenever I receive the weekly update email. I’m gradually getting to the point where I’m beginning to see a pattern, and I’m slowly getting better at using it.

It let’s you do nifty things like tag your applications, and even view your Top 10 applications and websites:

….you can even compare 2 tags against the time spent on everything else:

….and you can even compare 2 tags against the time spent on everything else:

They also have a ton other stuff you can mix together so you can hack your life to perfection (like setup goals, and iGoogle integration)..

Apart from the usual suspects like Lifehacker, Wikihow, etc…, what’re your most useful (and favorite) sources of information?

Xing Adds Google Maps for Visual Representation of Your Contacts
“Both Xing and LinkedIn have been layering in more and more social and resource-oriented features into their professional networking sites, for the purpose of providing more helpful information about a personal contact list in an immediate fashion. The latest move by Xing is the inclusion of Google maps, which displays your friends’ designated location.

Mobile Social Networks To See Sky High Ad Revenues By 2012?
“If you were to believe mobile social networks about their advertising predictions, they will by 2012 be raking in between $28 to $52 billion dollars in ad revenue. Given that normal online ad revenue only broke $27 billion for the first time in 2007, and with predicted drops in ad budgets due to the economic recession, the mobile predictions seem a bit hard to swallow.”

Six Impossible Things You Can Do To Improve Your Blog
“This week, I’m proposing to you, six impossible things that will make your blog more interesting, more appealing, or just that little important bit more popular.”

When Will Facebook Be Ready For Business?
“For awhile we’ve been pushing the idea of Facebook evolving to support business social networking alongside the “social” social networking. But in order for that to work, the site needs to find a way to shed its image as a beacon of college hooliganism — Facebook is a place to post party pictures, not product pitches. But even so, the appeal of leveraging Facebook’s social graph for business is too good to pass up. As we’ve noted in the past, there are already huge business networks on Facebook — 30,000 Microsoft employees, 8,500 Googlers, etc. Those relationships are ripe for exploiting for business networking, but there is a prevailing feeling that that’s not what Facebook is for.”

No Facebook?  No Thanks.  No Job.
“Stop the press! It would appear that modern man, if given the choice between the lure of monetary gain or the comfort of online communication would rather pass over the former if the latter is not also included.

1. 15 stunning motion typography videos

One of my favorites: V for Vendetta in Kinetic Typography

Note 1: Some of the videos contain French of the bawdy kind so some of the videos aren’t for the soft at heart

Note 2: Pulp Fiction in Kinetic Typography is another great vid (although you should keep the previous note in mind)

2. From Typographica: Favorite Typefaces of 2007 (a.ka. the Oscars of Typography)

3. Does Olicana remind you of Benjamin Franklin. Or is it just me?

4. Another great example of typography in motion (well worth the download if typography is your cup of tea)

5. If you ever want to have some real fun with typography (like designing your own font, for example), this interview with Jos Buivenga is a great place to start (this wiki from Typophile is also a good starting point)

6. Characteristics of Type on the Web from the Web Style Guide

[SociaList] Social Networking News Blurbs (May 8, 2008)

Apparently, “everyone is talking about mobile social networking” with eMarketer forecasting that “mobile social networking will grow from 82 million users in 2007 to over 800 million worldwide by 2012.” Social networking isn’t only about mobile, though, and certainly isn’t just for fun. Enterprise social networking is all the rage and Rachel Happe, IDC’s research manager for digital business economy, explains that “the technology is popular because companies are discovering the use of applications spawned by the popularity of Facebook and Myspace have business benefits.” “The study, which predicts the market could reach $2 billion by 2012, includes any software often deployed as a service paid for by enterprises to enable communities, either internal or external, such as KickApps, Passenger and hi5.”

We’ve written and posted headlines previously about the HR ramifications of social networking and social media and how more and more employers are using the social sphere to mine potentially harmful personal data about job prospects.  Well, apparently more employers are trying to take a more positive approach as Brian Singh, Managing Director of ZINC Research explains: “while the platform presents many opportunities and cost efficiencies for marketing and information, it is its strength in connection and engagement that can be used to attract and retain talent and build a vibrant company culture.  Why shut down access when you can leverage your best assets - your employees.”

Want to recession proof your life?  Social networking may be the answer.  “Online social networking is not only for socializing, but can be used for career building. The career building is enabled by creating an online presence to showcase skills, and extended by creating networks of online (and offline or “live”) connections. These connections can be very helpful in finding out about job opportunities or companies that will be hiring.” Just don’t get carried away and start spamming: “In a recent six-month period, Cloudmark tracked a 300 percent increase in spam on a large social networking site that it works with. Also, at several major social networking sites, about one-third of new accounts created are fraudulent, designed for spam and other attacks, the company said.

If you hold a black Amex, perhaps you may want to ensure you’re just as much of a VIP online as you are (or want to be) off.  If this is the case, here’s how to crack the world’s VIP social networking websites

“Client is always King”
(Except when that’s not profitable)

There’s an interesting thing that occurs in the world of business. A business or consultant being respected/liked/popular/and otherwise showered with sales in the form of cash and cookies despite that they practice the opposite of “customer-first-always.” Plenty of angry or controversial business owners have existed in time, from the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld (who was based on a real person), to that stuck up restaurant down the road, to the hip club that only lets the beautiful in, with no remorse for those turned away. Yet human nature wants what you can’t have. Whether it’s getting on the VIP list or buying a limited edition model that costs a zillion more than it’s worth, human nature hungers for the chase; craves for the affection; longs for recognition. When a business doesn’t offer this first hand, and sometimes even takes the opposite approach, the person doesn’t know how to feel. Bewildered and confused, they find themselves in some way admiring the audacity of the business and wanting to be accepted and on the “VIP list” more than ever. In a way, it’s like otherwise normal adults are reduced to envious teenagers behaving out of a basic need to be accepted and as a result of peer pressure as opposed to common sense.

If you’ve tried polishing the edges of your business and it just isn’t remarkable and growth just isn’t occurring, maybe it’s time to roughen it up a bit, maybe start turning people down, ruffling some feathers, maybe even saying some controversial statements on your blog. As long as it’s authentic, it just may work. Or it may blow up in your face and cost you customers. Only one way to find out.

Have you ever been forced to live “month-to-month”? If you’re like many (most) Americans, chances are this phrase resonates with you. You’re used to living on the financial edge at times and if you aren’t currently there, you’ve probably either been there, or will be there, at some point during your life.

In the context of business, living month-to-month can be a scary thing. Despite whether it’s 2 or 30 employees counting on you for their paychecks and livelihood, the anxiety of tip-toeing financial disaster can be overwhelming. Yet, for many entrepreneurs, if you decide that you don’t want to go the route of borrowing, living month to month is a reality that has to be faced.

It’s certainly easier (and many times recommended) to borrow capital to finance growth. Whether it’s venture capital money, angel investments, a private loan, your personal credit cards, or perhaps from family or friends with deep pockets,, many entrepreneurs “borrow for bliss”, hoping money will solve all of their immediate problems. And to be fair, many times it can in fact propel you to the next level; helping to buy equipment needed to be a more efficient or profitable company or simply to make the deal.

But, all too often, the results are negative. Sometimes money changes the way in which a company is run, prompting normally sane business owners to go from tight to liberal with their cash overnight. With borrowed money comes debt. With debt comes responsibility. And with responsibility comes lost freedom. If you have no other way to fund an idea besides borrowing, you’ve done your homework , crunched the numbers and feel as if there are no other options, by all means, go for it. Know what you’re getting yourself into and don’t make the mistake of under-selling your idea because you lack capital, but by all means raise the funds if that’s what it takes.

On the other hand, if your business is progressing well naturally and you haven’t had to borrow, it may be best to keep it up. Sure, it may take longer and your dream of being an overnight celebrity after a $100M round of venture capital may not come true, but push the ego aside for a minute and hear me out! Businesses and organizations based on good ideas and the framework of a solid team will grow naturally if you let them evolve. Oftentimes, the companies that are built naturally have the most culture, the most profitability, and the best reputations.

My advice: don’t sell yourself short whether you borrow money or not. And understand two key points:

1. Nothing in life is free. If you’re borrowing money, the lender wants a return. This return can come via lost freedom (having to answer to ___________), future profit, future acclaim (maybe your Uncle Tom says, “Thanks to me you’re successful!”), etc…
2. If others are willing to invest in it, think twice about getting investments. Why? Because they are investing for a return. And if you have something good enough that they trust enough to lend, you’re better off thinking twice about how you can earn the return instead of them.

Additionally, don’t try to be big just for the sake of it. Look at 37Signals.

Long gone are the days of boring mass-market charities and impersonal giving catered towards older white males. Web 2.0 has arrived and it has dramatically changed the face of online charity. The Internet makes it possible for virtually any social player to have a voice and a method of raising money. Web 2.0 has impacted charitable giving in powerful ways, from politics to AIDS research.

Top charitable causes in the web 2.0 fray incorporate social media and social networking to help spread viral ideas, facilitate community around causes, and involve users in their charity and message. A few of my favorites include:

• Kiva
• Good2Gether
• Yahoo! for Good
• DoTheRightThing.com
• DonorsChoose.org
• RonPaul2008.com
• Change.org

How non-profits are using social networking to raise money and awareness
“Online social networks used to be just gathering places for friends and long-lost acquaintances. Then the marketers arrived, followed by politicians and job recruiters, all looking to tap into a growing mass of young people who are spending much of their time on the Web. Now, non-profit organizations are testing ways to raise money through these networks, betting that the Internet’s viral nature will open fresh avenues for fundraising and marketing.”

• Geography finds its place online with geo-social networking sites
  “They’re called points of interest and can range from favourite outlet malls and good fishing spots to golf courses where Tiger Woods won a PGA tour championship. Others include Tim Hortons locations, Salvation Army Thrift Stores, historic cemeteries and hot-air balloon festivals. Geography is becoming a part of social networking on the Internet as websites focus on places that connect people, and as GPS technology becomes more common among consumers.”
• LinkedIn Prepares for Lucrative Push Into Europe
  “LinkedIn is building up its European operations in order to carve out a larger piece of the social-networking pie. The professional social-networking site is stretching outside the U.S., building its targeted advertising program as well as selling its recently launched product for job recruiters, said Kevin Eyres, LinkedIn’s managing director for Europe.”
• How non-profits are using social networking to raise money and awareness
  “Online social networks used to be just gathering places for friends and long-lost acquaintances. Then the marketers arrived, followed by politicians and job recruiters, all looking to tap into a growing mass of young people who are spending much of their time on the Web. Now, non-profit organizations are testing ways to raise money through these networks, betting that the Internet’s viral nature will open fresh avenues for fundraising and marketing.”
• Half will join social network sites
  “A study into the rise of the internet phenomenon showed that Britain has the highest membership in Europe of sites such as MySpace and Facebook. At least 9.6 million Britons use these sites, with participation levels expected to rise to 27.1 million by 2012. The report by Datamonitor, the independent market analyst, expects Britain to see the strongest growth in numbers in Europe over the next five years. Although the trend is being driven by the young, many older people have proved keen to embrace social networking.”
• Strong Uptake of On-deck and Off-deck Mobile Social Networking Services
  “The concept of mobile social networking is fast catching on in the U.S., as all tier-I and tier-II operators now offer social networking applications. Support from mobile operators expects to directly impact application discoverability, provide marketing support, and drive growth in the U.S. mobile social networking markets.”

In no particular order:

1. One of the most attractive things about the Internet for me is the fact that I can read about 12 different subjects at once without cracking several books open. Add an element of randomness (using user-generated content), and my dreams have finally come true: Stumbleupon (Warning: Crucial Productivity Killer)

2. The Internet really is del.icio.us

3. Not only can you stumble on new stuff, but you can also talk about it in real time with others: Me.dium (Serious Productivity Killer. Consider yourself warned)

4. Everything should have a soundtrack: Musicovery

5. Discover and share: Yoono (very simple on the surface, but dig a little deeper to uncover more of its features. It’ll be worth the time)

6. If it’s really that precious, why don’t you share it? Email This!

7. Get smarter. Read reddit (not Digg. Another Serious Productivity Killer)

8. Write it all down with Google Notebook