Get to know Google Plus

Here's an excerpt from a review I did on the Complete Idiot's Guide to Google+. If you're tired of Facebook and want to step up to a productive social media tool - give Google+ a try.

The language of social media has moved beyond 'friends' and 'posts' and 'like' to a time-wasting mess resembling a dorm room during Finals week.
There must be a better way.  With Google’s move into social media with Google+ I think we finaly have a way to manage the mess.

Here's a look at The Complete Idiot's Guide to Google+ by Michael Miller. We now can sort, manage, and grow our social media presence with Circles, Streams, and Hangouts in Google+. Add in video conferencing, a layout you can tweak, and ability to publish across all social media, and Google+ starts to look like the answer. And, its free.

You're probably thinking if Google+ was completely intuitive we wouldn't need an Idiot's Guide, but it is the quickest way to see the logic of Google+ so you can get started.

Not quite a year old, Google+ is differentiated by the ability to segregate friends into “circles” where you can follow messages, posts, photos, video sharing, even email and instant messaging. But what goes on in a circle stays in a circle. So when you’re at work, looking for the photo of a product concept, you don’t have to scroll through hundreds of friend’s photos to find it. The integration of Gmail and Google search is also a time-saver.

 Unlike Facebook, which is stuffed with updates on kids, pets, and coworkers all mixed together, in this CIG Google+ book, you'll see the ability to post to circles is well  explained by Miller. You’ll see that when you create a post you can choose to send it to specific circles, such as ‘family’ or extended circles that includes friends of friends. Go further and make a post public and it will appear on your Google+ profile, to any visitor, even if they are not in your circles.Or, you can choose to post to 'specific contacts’ to quickly communicate the same information to people in different circles.


Read the rest of this review and feel free to comment at http://open.salon.com/blog/helen_gallagher/2012/02/19/book_review_the_complete_idiots_guide_to_google

It's 2012: Is your protection software updated?

Protecting your computer from malicious spyware and viruses remains critically important. Make sure you have protection software running and that it does two things: 1. updates itself to be aware of new viruses and spyware, 2. runs a periodic report and cleans up the problems.

I use TrendMicro.com (a question I'm often asked) and here's the report for January. It protects every web link and email I receive, but also runs this month end report:

Computer Clarity makes news

Thanks to Glenview Lantern journalist, Alan P. Henry, Computer Clarity has enjoyed a moment in the spotlight.
the article appeared in Glenview, Wilmette and Winnetka.

 

http://www.winnetkacurrent.com/Articles-News-c-2012-01-11-234710.114133-An-assertive-approach-to-technology.html

Bing is the 2nd highest-ranking search engine. Do you use it yet?

I wrote a blog post here a few months ago entitled "Why I Bing," at this link.

I can't take credit for its subsequent success, but I'm happy to report today that it has become the second highest-ranking search tool, right after Google.

If you want to learn more, or see what you're missing, go to bing.com. It offers more focused search results, indexed along the left side of your screen. Google searches return a lot of junk because results are based on popularity of searched terms, among other complex algorithms.

Instead of Google's plain white screen, Bing features a beautiful photo each day - an interesting way to gear up for research.

Here is a USA Today article with the full details, in an article entitled "Microsoft eclipses Yahoo in U.S. search."

Perhaps the move to Bing.com will grow, now that Google is in trouble for "enhancing" its search results by providing what might be too much information, raising concerns over privacy and antitrust issues. Full article is here.

A Social Media Rabbit ??? Holiday Gift Idea

Just in time for the holidays -- here's a social media rabbit from the clever Karotz Store...

Add it to your internet connection and it reads your email and social media updates aloud, play online music, and is even a webcam.

Don't laugh Take a look at Karotz Store:  You know you want one!

Visit Laptop Magazine for more holiday gifts for geeks.

Make money from your old tech gear

Getting new gadgets has become as common at the Holidays as the tradition of buying someone a sweater or new gloves.
There's never been a bigger variety of tech equipment, gadgets, and smartphones.

If you want the latest and greatest, you might be glad to know there are resources where you can recycle or get paid cash for trading in your old equipment.

Staples.com works with Gazelle to let you sell your used electronics. Details are here.

Google the phrase 'get cash for used electronics' for lots more resources to see your used equipment; printers, computers, disks, phones, cameras and more.

Want more blog traffic? Think "Keywords"

Keywords are the grabbers that search engines sort and rank. Your blog topics should fit popular keywords, depending on your foucs. whether science, dieting, philosophy, or celebrities, your keywords help your blog rise in the search engine rankings.

Google, long known for their algorithms, has just made a sweeping improvement. The result for you is better exposure. One of the sites I follow, FreelanceSwitch.com, reports:

"This freshness change will impact 35% of searches. What will happen is when a user types a phrase into the Google search engine the most recent content will be returned first. Google has always attempted to provide searchers with the latest results, but their old algorithm methods had an impact of approximately 17.5% in the past."

So, if you want more blog readers, post more and know the words and phrases people use when find information similar to yours.
You'll have higher search rankings now, so use it to your advantage.

Okay, here's a sample:  If you want to learn more about social media, especially social media for beginners, jump over to Amazon and purchase "Blog Power & Social Media Handbook" the social media how-to, available in softcover for $12.