There are a variety of different applications out there to use with Twitter. You have: TwitterBerry (Twitter for the Blackberry), Twitterific (Twitter for the iPhone), TwitterFox (Twitter for Firefox). Each of these can be very beneficial depending on what your specific needs might be with the phone or browser you are using. One thing we all have in common, however, is the fact that we are using a computer. So how do you better manage your tweets when you are using Twitter on your desktop or notebook PC? The answer is TweetDeck.
TweetDeck is the most efficient way that I have found to utilize Twitter. Simply put, it breaks all tweets down into managable pieces. It’s column view and sorting functionality make it much easier to know who is following you, replying to your tweets, or sending you a direct message. TweetDeck does require Adobe Air to run, but once this is installed your Twittering experience will be a breeze. TweetDeck will ensure that you stay up to date with the people you want to follow, while making it easy to see who is following/replying to your tweets. With TweetDeck you are sure to increase your Twitter Grader score in no time!
The Blackberry Storm finally arrived today via FedEx priority delivery. While I was unable to pick one up the day it was released, I am not going to complain as Verizon offered an instant $50 rebate instead of having to go through the whole mail-in process. I was able to get the phone, a silicone case, a screen protector and car charger all for $202 with a new 2 year contract. This makes the Blackberry Storm a very cost effective purchase.
Having spent some time with the Blackberry Storm today, I can say that so far I am very pleased with the purchase. The functionality of the phone definitely takes some time for adjustment, but I love the clickable screen. It is so nice to hover over something, see what you are going to click before it is registered, then be able to make your selection. The setup was pretty easy as I was able to move all contacts, personal email accounts and media over in under an hour. If you are planning to get this phone, you will want to make sure to install the Blackberry Desktop Manager as there are several device updates already available.
I will admit there are a few areas where the iPhone is much better. The text messaging on the Blackberry Storm, while easier than most phones to manage is not as aesthetically pleasing as the iPhones layout. Then of course there are the applications. The Blackberry Storm does come with a few applications available, including a Facebook app. I really like the Facebook app, but other applications such as Google Maps and Twitterberry are not optimal for frequent users. I imagine Blackberry will roll out some updates for these in the near future. I was able to find a cool site with high-quality home screen images for the Blackberry Storm.
Overall, the Blackberry Storm is a high-quality Smartphone. While it may not be as fashionable as the iPhone and does lack some of the nice features that will come with time…all of the basic functionality that has made Blackberry so successful in the past is there. I am unsure at this point how it is going to compete with the iPhone, but do know that I can’t wait to see what applications Blackberry is going to release in March of 09.
The Gmail design update is very welcomed as many people have unofficially tried to take the initiative on their own to spice up the previously very plain design. There are over 30 new themes to pick from so everyone is sure to find something they will like. There are even seasonal themes that change automatically as the season changes throughout the year or a weather theme that rains on your email. How cool is that? This offers yet another reason for Gmail to stay in Beta…LOL
The SearchWiki integration with Google allows you to edit and customize your search results, but only after you have logged into your Google account. You may add notes and comments to each search result for future reference. This new feature also gives you the ability to promote and remove certain search results depending on if you find the information helpful. The promotions, deletions and comments of search results will not affect other individual’s search experience but will enable your results to be easily managed.
Leave a comment and let me know what you think about these 2 new Google updates!
Well good news for us Verizon customers, the Blackberry Storm comes out tomorrow- Friday, November 21st, 2008. While this phone is not getting near the media coverage the iPhone got, it is still making a buzz in the technology community. There are tons of head to head comparisons between the Blackberry Storm and the iPhone. People that like the new touch screen technology and people that hate it, people that swear Apple’s app store will ensure its continued dominance and people that can’t wait for Blackberry to open their app store in 2009. It’s hard to tell what to think at this point until the phone is actually released, but an iPhone tempted Verizon customer that has waited this long can only hope it was worth the wait. Tomorrow we will see…
Quantom of Solace, the latest James Bond film was released on November 14th. I had the opportunity to check out this movie on opening night to see if it lived up to the James Bond standard.
There were several things I noticed about the whole movie experience. Maybe I just have not been to the movies in a long time, but it was amusing to see new signs with “no text messaging” in addition to the “silence your cell phone” standard announcement you get prior to the movie starting.
I also heard a group of people talking about Twitter in casual conversation. One person said, “why should I get on Twitter?” and “does everyone really need to know what I’m doing at all times?” Twitter is much more than that, but this post is about the Bond movie, so I will cover Twitter in a separate post.
Okay, so the movie itself is your typical James Bond action flick. Tons of chase scenes, fancy cars, Bond girls, and of course all of the useful technology gadgets. Sony Ericsson did a great job of promoting their new phone throughout the entire movie and in all other marketing leading up the film. Daniel Craig plays a great James Bond character in my opinion. He is very intense, and always seems to defy those above him, including Moneypenny. The storyline jumps around a bit, but hey, at this point they have to be running out of plots for James Bond films. Overall, this is a the action packed film it promises to be, though not as good as Casino Royale. All Bond lovers should still check it out if you haven’t already.
Okay, so this particular blog entry does not have a whole lot to do with most of my others- but hey, that is what a blog is all about!
Over the weekend we had the opportunity to go on a real ghost hunt. I have been a fan of the TV show Ghost Hunters on SciFi for awhile now and this was a chance to put our skills to the test.
The location we checked out was the Kaske Home located in Munster, Indiana. This historic home is said to be haunted by Wilhelmina Kaske who passed away in the front upstairs bedroom in 1949. Her shadow is often seen in the window and her whispers are sometimes heard in the bedroom. As always, there are some videos with my post- but this time you have to do a little bit of work for them. Trust me, it’s worth checking out!
Turn up your speaker volume, pay close attention and click on each link to view the YouTube Video:
Customer service is very important to every business. Many businesses claim their biggest strength is their customer service, but is it really?
Mike’s Express Carwash is a perfect example of a business providing great customer service. Every employee I have interacted with has made a sincere effort to provide plus one service. Whether it is always asking me if I want the latest special, encouraging me to complete an online survery for a free wash, or just asking how my day is going- the employees all seem to get it. A little extra effort, really goes a long way!
Mikes' Carwash
Check out my vlog above on their latest promotion at www.talktomikes.com. You will need a valid receipt to get beyond the home page, so do yourself a favor and go get your car washed at Mike’s. If you take a few minutes, your next one will be free!
When you think about all of the different types of cell phones out there, 2 really come to mind- iPhone and Blackberry. Blackberry is set to release its newest module, The Blackberry Storm sometime in November. This poses the question on everyone’s mind: Will the Blackberry Storm be the iPhone killer?
Halloween night and time to check out the live Ghost Hunters broadcast on SciFi! This broadcast began LIVE at 7:00 pm and ran straight through until 2:00 am. The site of this year’s Halloween ghost hunt was Fort Delaware in Delaware City, Delaware. The crew had to take several trips over on a large barge ship in order to transport all equipment necessary to make this live broadcast happen.
Several social interactive tools were used during this event. There was a live broadcast during the show streaming directly on SciFi’s home page which had been redesigned just for this live show that encourages those of us watching at home to participate. Check out the video above for a closer look at the interactive tools featured on the SciFi Web site Halloween night.
There were several instances where the video and audio feeds seemed to struggle, but this is bound to happen when you are streaming video live over the Internet from a fort in the middle of nowhere. Overall, this was a very cool live event and definitely demonstrates how far TAPS has come since some of their earlier episodes.
Posted by derekmcclain 
