I know that some of you are working where ever you can get online- Borders, Starbucks, the Airport, sheez, even at Micky Dees. Here are Ten Tips to protect yourself while surfing on public hotspots.
August 28, 2006
August 24, 2006
Store it – Online
So I have a penchant for saving everything and I do many everything on my desktop. I have emails from from people I dont’t even talk to anymore from 5 years ago. Its that bad. So as I try to reclaim my laptop and organize my files, I have found myself wanting to get some storage for my e-baggage. Now for those of you are working on your side project at your job, (oh, and I know that’s a lot of you) online storage is really the best way to save those files.
Here’s a review of some of the ones I like
Box.net
Really the easiest and the most visually pleasing. The features include public and private sharing which is great for all of you start-up types. Plus you can access your files from any computer and any device with mobile access. This is clearly where you get the most bang for your buck.
- 1GB free
- 5GB for $4.99
- 10GB- $9.99
iStorage
iStorage is a bit more pricey than the others, but since its backed by Iomega, a company with a strong reputation, it may be worth checking out.
- 1 GB – $5.99
- 5GB – $19.99
Here is a list of free file storage options – many of these have tons of ads and require you to have account activity every so few days.
Here is a comparison chart from Techcrunch that list features of some top sites.
Others to consider:
AllMydata - you have to share some of data space which seemed a little cumbersome to me
esnips – Very popular with the artsy types
August 17, 2006
THE BIG WEB 2.O List
Seth has done it again by providing a simple list that has a big impact. Find a list of the top 835 Web 2.0 companies ranked by traffic. There are some surprising winners and losers.We all knew that MySpace would still rule as King, but what is surprising are the sites that have either jumped way up or sadly way down. In the last 6 months, Prosper and Linkedin, jumped up triple digits in the amount of traffic that they saw. Now was that marketing or better functionality? It would be interesting to see what fueled that traffic growth.
One good site that has jumped up the list is prosper, a peer-to-peer lending site, which moved up by 302 positions. Impressive. What is more impressive, is that this is not another photo sharing service. This is actually a revolutionary and yet tribal way to connect people. In the bricks and mortar world, I would be hard pressed to fork over a few grand to a complete stranger so that they can build up their back porch or pay off their credit cards. Hard pressed is not even the word, I would laugh. Hard. But with the power of connecting people in this virtual world of ours, it is happening everyday. People are using peer to peer lending to form online co-ops and to give loans to budding entrepreneurs in Kenya. To learn more about this trend, check it out over at Springwise.
August 16, 2006
Hello My name is . . .
When most of us go into a networking event or a conference, we slap our name-tag on with the usual basics” John Smith,XYZ Company”. Two hours into the conference, the name tag is curling at the edges and your name is probably smudged due to that martini spill. But According to Scott, we are missing a huge opportunity. In fact, he has made a name for himself by wearing a name-tag everyday 24/7 since 2000. He is also an expert on making a name for yourself whether its your voice-mail or your name badge. Read more >>>.
August 14, 2006
Easy Money
Okay Okay, maybe not easy money, but it is way to make money that is easier than say, going to work at the factory, or pretending to work on a report at your cube. You are going to have work on it a bit. So what am I talking about? I am talking about Affiliate marketing, or plainly known as though ads that you see on the top of peoples blogs or thosse landing pages that turn out to be a bunch of links.
Affiliate Marketing is HUGE. Maybe I am the only one who was not aware of it, but I think that Affiliate Marketing is now just starting to come the public forefront. Of course this means that there is probably a lot of competition, which mean more work on your part, but there is still room. Jeremry PAlmer ,who is right now, the poster child for this trend, only started 2 years ago. I ran across this great article that breaks it down to you plain and simple on how to get started. And because I am in a happy mood, here is a ton of resources to get you started:
August 9, 2006
Tapping Uncle Sam
One of the ways that small businesses gain momentum is through the use of government contracts. Often a lot of small business rely solely on the government as their client. Imagine the government needs for everything from pencils to weight loss counselors. Piqued your interest. Here is a good guide to all things goverment contracts.
August 3, 2006
Not your Mother’s Afghan
If you have been notcing the influx of craft magazine at the bookstore or do-it-yourself shows on TV, well then you are not alone. Welcome to the new age of craft. No longer, is crafting left to the grandmothers of the world. Crafting is being embraced by the young, the old, the rocker, the women, and the men. What is interesting is that there is an emergence of the crafty entrepreneur. New sites like Etsy and Indiefinds are allowing small designers to reach big audiences
Etsy
Crafty Entrepreneur Websites:
August 2, 2006
Maybe its not all about web 2.0
I must admit I am absolutely fascinated about web 2.0 and the possibilities. I am not a techie, I don’t work at a start-up, nor am I really an early adopter of technology, but what I can appreciate is when things make my life easier, faster, or simpler. What is coming out in the marketplace right now is creating another Internet boom. But its different than the insanity of creating an e-commerce site and adding a dot-com at the end of your business name- trash.com, dirtydiaper.com, etc.
No, the products are about the users, making things accessible, easier, faster, better. Its about respecting the customer instead of insulting ones’ intelligence. More importantly,though, the products and services that are emerging are removing barriers of entry for the entrepreneur, artist, or freelancer. Companies like 37 Signals and Jotspot are creating some phenomenal, affordable software. Someone does not have to spend100 million on a Superbowl ad to get attention nor do you have to have an office to set up shop.
But, I don’t want to jump on the Web 2.0 junkie bandwagon. At the end of the day, these innovations are tools that are making aspects of our jobs easier. Those of us who can leverage these tools will definetely be better off for it. But I think as the business media gains traction with reporting on Web 2.0 companies, companies that start offline who are doing great things may be ignored. I ran across this interview about 37 Signals by Rex Hammock to be so on point.
August 1, 2006
A New Chain Gang
I may be a little late on the networking bandwagon, as I have a barely used Myspace page and my friends on friendster are unfortunately the most boring people on the planet. But oddly enough,linkedin has a little promise for me. since I am a young professional, my network is oddly similar to the people I see at the club on Friday night. But with linkedin I have actually been able to connect with people with far deeper expertise and reach, and that is a very good thing. So in that spirit I decided to trick out my Linkedin profile, thanks to the tips by Sacred Cow Dung. I must say that my extended network increased by 500 in 2 days, now if that is not an endorsement I don’t know what is.
July 31, 2006
Getting schooled 2.0 style
It is getting close to that time where parents and kids alike will bum-rush the Targets and Walmarts of the world to load up on pens, folders, and markers. In the last few years, more and more laptops, printers, palm pilots, and digital cameras have made there way into the back-to-school shopping cart. And there is good reason this year, as one teacher, located here in GA, is using wikis, blogs, and podcasts to teach her students. On her blog, you will see the very innovative way she is using these technologies in the classroom. A quick browse onto her school’s wiki and you see some pretty sophistical podcasts from her students on key political issues. These kids are doing things that a Strong majority of the adult population is not even aware of. I imagine that this is also a pretty viable market for those who want to consult on emerging technologies in the education marketplace, the door seems wide open.
