Google Wave is an online tool that lets people communicate via video, instant messaging and wiki style editing, or as Google describes it “how e-mail would look if it were invented today”.
Google Wave is designed to transform the way we communicate online, and the developer behind it has described it as a ‘communication and collaboration tool’
Check out the video below to see what it is all about.
Are you a business owner trying to figure out the whole blogging thing? Have you been wondering if it’s worth your time and effort to create a blog for your own business? By the end of this article, you’ll understand the many benefits and will be better able to decide if blogging is right for you.
Let’s start with a quick definition, just so we are all on the same page. A blog is simply a content-management system that allows you to publish information onto the Internet, quickly and easily. New information is typically added in reverse-chronological format, so that the most recent posts are always up top. The blogging program does most of the technical stuff for you.
That’s about as far as I’ll go into the technical definition. You’ll learn more about the inner workings if and when you decide to start a blog for your business. This purpose of this article is to give you some good reasons to make that decision. So without further ado…
1. Easy Publishing Tool
Type your post for the day. Add some hyperlinks or images with the click of your mouse. Hit the “publish” button. You’ve just updated your blog with new information, and it’s live on the Internet. Once you install the program, it really is this easy to use.
2. Search Engine Visibility
Starting a blog will not magically propel you to the top of the search engine ranks, as many people seem to believe. But with that being said, a blog has certain benefits that help with search rankings. It’s easy to publish new content for one thing, and this is key to online visibility. Also, blogs are text-rich and cleanly coded right “out of the box,” so the search engines have an easy time crawling through them and finding new information.
3. Expertise / Authority
If you as the business owner can demonstrate your expertise within your industry, people will be more inclined to purchase your products or services. By publishing quality information on a regular basis, you can more easily establish such authority. In other words, you can use blogging to position yourself as a “thought leader” in your industry.
4. Makes Your Website Sticky
Who wants to revisit a website that never updates its content? Not me. This is another area where a business blog can benefit you. If you have a wealth of useful content on your website, and that content gets updated regularly, your visitors will stick around longer. This increases the chance they will contact you, purchase from you, subscribe to your newsletter, etc.
5. Potential for Conversation
Most blogging programs come with a comment feature built in. At the bottom of each post, readers can leave comments in a box provided for that purpose. So instead of the one-way communication of a traditional website (where I talk and you listen), you now have a two-way conversation taking place. You can probably see the business-building potential of this.
6. Potential for Leads
Can you generate leads and inquiries through a blog? Sure you can. We just talked about the two-way conversations that often takes place. When people fill out that comment form, they usually include their email address. There’s a lead source right there. People will also feel like they know you after reading your blog for a while, so they’ll be more inclined to contact you directly.
7. Return Visits
Blogging programs make it easy for people to stay in touch. For example, your visitors / readers can simply subscribe to your blog’s syndication feed to receive future updates automatically. There are also programs available that can convert your posts into an email newsletter format. That way, people can sign up to receive future posts just like signing up for any other e-newsletter. It’s a handy tool that can keep people coming back over and over again.
8. Versatility / Multipurpose
I already mentioned how you can use a certain type of “plugin” to allow readers to subscribe. In reality, there is a mind-boggling array of plugins available that can do all sorts of neat things. How you use your business blog is limited only by your imagination. Use it as a news add-on to your existing website, or use it as a full-featured website with pages in addition to posts.
9. Encourages Trust
Let’s face it. Consumers naturally distrust unfamiliar companies. And who can blame them? People hear the word “corporate” and think of Enron-like characters plotting schemes that screw the little guy while lining their own pockets. It’s a harsh reality, but a reality nonetheless.
How does a blog fit into this? Well, it makes you seem like a person instead of a company, for one thing. It shows you’re not afraid to step into the spotlight and speak with people about your business and your products. This is one of the reasons people like Bill Marriott (of the hotel chain) have started blogs in recent years.
10. Dare I Say Fun?
Do you enjoy sharing information about topics you know well? Do you like to write? Are you interested in web technologies and seeing your words published live on the Internet? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, there’s a good chance you will truly enjoy blogging. Who knows … you may even become addicted.
Source : Bandon Cornett ( http://ezinearticles.com/?id=1376600 )
HP today announced the launch of its first virtual serious game on IT security, which is designed to educate small businesses and entrepreneurs on the best ways to protect their data and intellectual assets from unwanted intrusion.
“Accelerate Security” is a fun, practical way to raise awareness about everyday security threats and how best to tackle them. The game covers a range of common security issues such as virus attacks, identity theft and data back-up, to help small business and small office (SBSO) users make security and protection part of their ongoing business activities.
Players assume the role of Nicole Fernandez, the owner of a small events management company with a growing client base. Players must help Nicole launch a successful fashion show and win a new client, whilst avoiding any security threats. Over two game days with four 10 minute scenes each, players must tackle a range of business tasks and purchase relevant security software, such as firewalls and anti-virus products.
HP worked with the Micro-Enterprise Acceleration Institute (MEA-I), an international, non-profit organization that facilitates access and knowledge of IT among micro-enterprises, to develop the game after customer surveys among SBSOs highlighted a lack of awareness and understanding of how to effectively secure their information.
“Many small businesses today have neither the time nor the money to spend on in-house IT personnel, expensive consultants or heavy security infrastructures” said Charl Snyman, vice president and general manager, Commercial Products, Personal Systems Group, HP EMEA. “‘Accelerate Security’ is a quick, easy and entertaining way for them to educate themselves on the need for secure business operations.”
A recent report by independent market research company MSI for McAfee, Inc., “Does Size Matter: The Security Challenge of the SMB” revealed that small businesses fail to allocate an appropriate amount of time and resources to security and mistakenly believe themselves to be too small to pose a target for cybercriminals.
“We work with many small business owners and users who are aware that security breaches can damage their finances, competitiveness and reputation but are unsure how to protect either themselves, their employees or their customers,” said Didier Philippe, President, Micro-Enterprise Acceleration Institute (MEA-I). “‘Accelerate Security’ helps them integrate basic security procedures and products into their day-to-day activities.”
“Accelerate Security” is available free of charge at http://game.mea-i.org or www.knowledge-city.net. The game is available immediately in English, with plans for other languages, including French, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian, to follow by the first quarter of 2009.
Whenever I want to get something (pictures, files, spreadsheets) from one computer to another, I just email ‘em to myself. BUT… I don’t hit “send”.
Say what?. Yep, the secret to fast file and photo transfers is NOT a thumb drive…
Instead, just use a web-based email program!
We’ve all got one. Most of us use more than one. (Think Gmail, Yahoo Mail, etc.)
I do this all the time to get files from my laptop computer to my desktop computer or vice versa. Continue reading »
