Schedule Your Tweets!

So by now, you're using Twitter as a Social Media Marketing tool for your business.  Right?  Instead of having to log into Twitter each day to put forth your wisdom/essence/daily special, you can figure it all out at the beginning of the week/month, write them all out and schedule when they will appear.  By doing them all at once, you will save serious time and energy.

There are many free online tools which help boost your social media productivity.  Additional features include managing more than one Twitter account, keyword searches, see who is mentioning you, and much more. 

If I can offer a comparison, it would be like using email but without Outlook -- so you wouldn't be connected to your calendar, contacts, notes, etc.  (AOL users, I'm talking to you!  More later.)

I've been using HootSuite, but there are many others as well: Tweet Later, Twittertise, Tweet Ahead.  And, if you're the kind of person who leaves no stone unturned, here's a list of more sites to check out.

Tablets: Yes, You Will Own One

Why is everyone so amped up about tablets?  What exactly is one to do with a tablet that they're not doing already?  Here's the short version:

Notebooks were about bringing the utility of a computer to a portable device.  Tablets are about bringing the utility if the internet to our "on the go" lifestyles.  Tablets will facilitate everything from interactive children's books to next generation newspapers.  The idea is that a tablet takes the portability of a smartphone and enhances the viewing capabilities.  Combine this with high speed wireless everywhere and an ever-growing (iPhone) app culture and you get a "game changing" device.   

Of course they will be expensive in their first generation ($250-$1000) depending on the features, but within 24 months they will be free with data contracts -- similar to cell phones.  This new hardware platform will have a huge influence on the publishing, education, entertainment and gaming industries.

Some really smart people have a lot to say about the iPad, here, here, here and here.  Well, the last one is clever rather than smart.

I'm giving you Cliffs' Notes!  Take advantage!  Seem knowledgeable.  Watch a short video example.  Impress your friends with your forward looking expertise.

WiLife: Security Camera for the Do-It-Yourselfers

I received a Logitech WiLife Digital Security System to review.  Essentially, these are digital video cameras that can be placed inside or outside and then connect via the electrical wiring in your home, to your computer.  You can also check on the status of what you're monitoring remotely -- when you're traveling, or even at work.  I'm not going to get into too many technical details.  There are many good reviews and I don't feel the need to reinvent the wheel.  If you are a gear head, check out the reviews here, here and here.
The main thing to note before buying this system is that there is a little hard work involved and there are a few technical issues to overcome.
First off: you have to think about where you want to put your camera.  Is there a power outlet nearby?  If not, you're going to have an ugly extension cord there.

Next: you should know that if your computer is asleep or off, the system won't work.  You won't be able to log in remotely.  Your computer must be on and the software program open for the system to work.
Also, if you are using home plug technology, you might have to forgo your current system in order to get WiLife to work.  (If you don't know about Home Plug, you're probably not already using it.  Don't sweat it.)  We use Home Plug and we had a lot of technical issues trying to get the WiLife to work.  Their tech support was unhelpful and could not direct us.  Eventually, we figured out that we just needed to unplug our current system and use theirs.  Not a long term solution for us.
But:  if you want a relatively inexpensive solution for a security cam, without having to hire a security company to install and monitor your house, this is a great solution.  You can use the system while you're at dinner or on vacation -- since your computer is on, you can just remotely log in and see what's going on at your house.  That's good for some peace of mind.
I have the outdoor camera and I'm amazed at how well the picture looks, even in very low light.  At first I thought the program froze, but then something moved and I realized I was looking at a live feed.
Really, just having a video camera set up outside is a good deterent.  If you're not into gadgets, you can look into the fake camera in the SkyMall magazine.  It's not hooked into anything, but you put a battery in it and it has a flashing red light -- as if it works.   Sometimes, a visual deterrent is all you really need.

BYOW: Free Wifi in Every Hotel!

I was just telecommuting online (webicommuting?) with my boss (project-based, GDI to the end!) who was on vacay. He was at a schnootzy hotel that had crap wifi: couldn't get a signal, had to keep moving around to find his bars. And that's with a $20 internet connection fee! Now, this is a very FANCY hotel. I guess no one really has to work if they go to that hotel, but my boss, he's got a great work ethic.

Now, if you can afford that hotel and you DEPEND on your Internet connection to help you stay productive, you really should look into getting your own, personal wifi bubble. OK, no, I haven't used it, but David Pogue has and you know that I love/trust/want-to-be-the-best-friend-of David Pogue.

Mr. Pogue explains it very well, but here it is in a nutshell: You pay anywhere from $30-$60/month and you get your own personal hot-spot that you can share with up to four other people (children with iPods, co-workers, etc.).

How is it different from a cellular modem? Well, first off, it doesn't have to be plugged in -- it's cordless, small and has rechargeable batteries (and works while it's being charged!) and secondly, you don't need to plug it into your laptop -- you don't even need a laptop at all! It's got a super strong battery that lasts 4 full hours of full use and 40 hours in sleep mode.

Why can't hotels just supply free wifi? Let me answer that question with another question: If you work on your vacation, is it really a vacation?