06/28/2010

Ask the Answer Guy: Send Private Messages With Tweets

Category Ask The Answer Guy


Brent, I like sending Tweets but sometimes I have specific things to say to only a portion of my followers. I don't want to open another account, is there an easier way to do this?

I know a lot of people who use twitter and they have a similar problem. Although they broadcast their tweets to everyone, they only want a certain subset to receive some of their messages (e.g. clients or personal contacts). I have found this great tool, called Bccthis, which gives just the functionality you want. It has an intuitive interface that makes sending private messages simple.

Simply log into the Bccthis website and you'll find two boxes. One is for the tweet that you want to send. The other is for the private message you want to send. Then choose the recipients from your regular followers that you want to receive your extra message. After that, you and the people that you selected to receive your message can continue the conversation in a private thread. Try it here.

Posted by Joshua Shipman At 11:07 AM Location Culver City, CA | | Comments (2)

06/22/2010

It's Free! - TED Talk: How to Motivate Your Employees

Category It's Free!




What's the best way to motivate your employees? Most people would say bonuses, the logic being that people are motivated most by what gets deposited in the bank. Studies have shown that this isn't the case, that people are not driven most by their paychecks, but by other factors.

This neat video which adds animation to a TED talk by author Daniel Pink, is a discussion about the things that really matter to people at work. He explains how autonomy, purpose and mastery are what people really crave. His solution to rewarding top performers isn't bigger checks, it's letting them work on work they enjoy, without constant direction. He cites studies done with varying rewards and the open software movement as examples. For a more complete discussion, check out his book here.

For more "Ideas Worth Spreading" visit TED's website

Posted by Joshua Shipman At 9:16 AM Location El Segundo, CA | | Comments (0)

06/14/2010

Cool Stuff - Great New Phones With Unlimited Data

Category Cool Stuff

With AT&T eliminating their unlimited data plan, you might be thinking its time to switch to another carrier. All of the other major carriers still have unlimited data plans and they all have a great selection of new phones running Google's Android operating system. Android is rapidly gaining in market share, having recently surpassed the iPhone OS in market share. Because of this developers are increasingly working on apps for Android devices, rapidly closing the gap the iPhone had.

Verizon has a new phone from HTC, the Droid Incredible. Although not offering 4G speeds like Sprint's EVO, it still benefits from Verizon's large and reliable 3G network. You won't drop calls as often as on AT&T. The phone is very similar to the Nexus One which Google itself markets. It benefits from a similar fast processor and large screen. Since this isn't an iPhone you also have flash, albeit in a lite version.

Sprint has a brand new phone to compliment its brand new 4G network, the HTC EVO. Its large screen and blistering download speeds will have you leaving your iPhone in no time. Sprint also hasn't saturated its wireless and so has less motivation to cancel its unlimited plan like AT&T did. In addition you won't have to compete with as many users for limited network capacity like on the bigger networks. The EVO has a front facing camera as well, making video chatting and taking pictures of yourself easy.

Either of these two options will give you all the data you want, without having to pay per megabyte like on the iPhone.

Posted by Joshua Shipman At 9:13 AM Location Los Angeles CA | | Comments (0)

06/07/2010

Small Business IT Support Pasadena - Enable Telnet on Windows 7, Vista, Windows 2007 Server

Category Video Tutorials



Ben West from Dependable Computer Guys, Inc explains how to enable telnet on Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows 2007 Server or Windows 2010 Server. Dependable Computer Guys, Inc. does Small Business IT support for the Greater Los Angeles Area and Pasadena. To learn more visit dcgla.com/small-business-computer/it-support-pasadena.html

Posted by Joshua Shipman At 10:37 AM Location Pasadena, CA | | Comments (2)

06/04/2010

Security Corner - Removing Personal Information From Your Phone

Category Security Corner

Today's phones contain so much of our lives; we carry around email addresses, phone numbers, photos and passwords. When it's time to get rid of your phone don't let all of the information fall into the wrong hands. Recellular has compiled a library of handy guides to make sure that when you dispose of your phone, your information stays private. Just enter your phone's model and they will email you a guide on how to completely remove all personal data from your phone.

They also have information on how to donate your phone to a good cause. When buying a new smartphone for yourself why not donate your old phone to a well deserving charity, like the March of Dimes or Phones for Haiti? While your old phone might not have all the new features of the latest models, it can still make a big difference with one of the many charities Recellular can help you donate to.

Posted by Joshua Shipman At 1:43 PM Location El Segundo, CA | | Comments (4)