Local Search Connects Business with Consumers » Motivation

Change can be Seen by Looking Backwards

admin — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:28:06 +0000

Outcomes are the result of every task or activity we have done up until the point we’ve achieved a result. The thing about change is we never see change as it’s happening. Because change is gradual, we only see it when we look back!

Make Everyday and AMAZING day!!

admin — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 02:57:06 +0000

When the Cardinals are called to elect a new Pope, they were provided room and board by the Vatican until a decision was made. One time, the process took three years! Immediately following that election, the Vatican implemented a new rule pertaining to room and board. Cardinals were advised that going forward the Vatican would provide a place to stay and three meals the first day, two meals the second day and one meal the third day. Since then, she said, a Pope has been elected within three days.

Perhaps it’s time to take a look at what we are rewarding at work and begin questioning whether those behaviors are in alignment with the results we expect to achieve. Now would be an excellent time to change that!

Spending Money: Experts Say You Can Make Money Online

admin — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 13:22:50 +0000

Fifteen billion smackers: That’s the value Microsoft recently slapped on Facebook when the computer giant invested $240 million for a 1.6% stake in Mark Zuckerberg’s online social-networking site.

You could seethe with envy — or you could chase your own fortune on the Web.

Some online businesses require only a few hundred dollars in equipment, while others demand significant hardware and perhaps even a warehouse. Some might make you rich; others might just cover beer money. And all involve various levels of time, capital and technological skill….Full story here

Steve Wozniak to the FCC: Keep the Internet Free

admin — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:30:20 +0000

To whom it may concern:

I have always loved humor and laughter. As a young engineer I got an impulse to start a Dial-a-Joke in the San Jose/San Francisco area. I was aware of such humor services in other countries, such as Australia. This idea came from my belief in laughter. I could scarcely believe that I was the first person to create such a simple service in my region. Why was I the first? This was 1972 and it was illegal in the U.S. to use your own telephone. It was illegal in the U.S. to use your own answering machine. Hence it also virtually impossible to buy or own such devices. We had a monopoly phone system in our country then.

Continue reading here.

The Top 10 Questions Tech Entrepreneurs Ask

admin — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 12:22:54 +0000

LawPivot is an online market for legal services. It’s a way for companies to confidentially obtain crowdsourced answers to their questions from lawyers and to also find lawyers to retain. Two lawyers with tech experience, Jay Mandal (formerly the lead mergers and acquisitions lawyer at Apple) and Nitin Gupta (formerly an intellectual property litigation lawyer at Townsend and Townsend and Crew) are the co-founders. In this post, I asked Nitin to answer the most common questions of high-tech entrepreneurs. Read more on this story here.

Facebook CEO Zuckerberg Agrees to Donate Fortune to Charities

admin — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 16:23:20 +0000

Well, if Mark Zuckerberg’s image wasn’t already bolstered enough by his recent appearance on 60 Minutes, today’s announcement might help polish it a bit more.

Zuckerberg is one of 17 of the latest billionaires to sign the Giving Pledge, a joint effort from Bill Gates and Warren Buffet to encourage wealthy individuals “to commit to giving the majority of their wealth to the philanthropic causes and charitable organizations of their choice either during their lifetime or after their death,” according to the organization’s web site. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news early Thursday morning. More on this story via this link.

How Google’s New eBookstore Might Save Indie Booksellers

admin — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 18:02:10 +0000

Advances in digital bookselling have usually pushed independent bookstores further and further out of the literary game. But Google’s new store is dealing them back in. Here’s how.

If you stroll on over to your corner bookstore this week and ask the person behind the counter about Google’s new ebookstore, which launches today, you probably won’t be greeted with the kind of teeth-gnashing that has accompanied other digital developments, like Amazon’s online bookstore or the advent of proprietary e-readers. Instead, you might actually be greeted with some excitement and delight. That’s because Google is taking a different approach to selling e-books than Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Rather than create a closed system that leaves others out in the cold, Google is actually partnering with independent bookstores to sell its wares–and share the profits. More on this story here.

The Highest Paying Work-from-home Jobs

admin — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 13:10:25 +0000

Technology is continuously opening up new opportunities for people who want to work from the comfort of their own home. Remote workers or Telecommuters as some others call them are finding and landing profitable jobs though it may not come as easy as it was, there are however some great options listed for each aspiring workers benefit. Read more on this link.

Are Those Yahoo Layoffs Starting To Roll Out Today?

admin — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 10:38:53 +0000

After we reported on rumors that Yahoo plans to cut as much as 20 percent of its workforce a few weeks ago, Yahoo called that number “misleading.” But layoffs do seem to be brewing, judging by the increasing number of tips we’ve been getting.

On November 23, one tipster wrote that layoffs would be “officially happening after Thanksgiving but before Xmas 2010.” Then yesterday, we started getting tips that the layoffs would begin today. Some product groups that seem to be targeted for cuts include Flickr and Yahoo Groups. More on this story here.

What Trolls Can Teach You About Reputation Management

admin — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:08:39 +0000

The Internet has replaced many of the most important aspects of business that were once either hidden or handled through traditional means. One would manage their reputation through the press, with television commercials, and by promoting word of mouth.

Today, people are learning more about businesses online than through any other media source and as a result, the “Trolls” now have something to say about it. More about this story here.

Windows Phone 7 Gets Jailbroken

admin — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 12:08:26 +0000

By Casey Chan

Windows Phone 7 is “finally” jailbroken! ChevronWP7, the unlocker tool, works with every WP7 phone and allows for the side loading of apps, the use of private APIs, and access to low level functionality. Basically, it unleashes your WP7 phone.

It’s easy to jailbreak too:

Read the rest of the story…

Who’s Afraid of Apple, Google, Facebook?

admin — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 19:07:36 +0000

GIGAOM November 26, 2010, 6:11PM EST

Timothy Wu says we should be alarmed by the monopoly powers accumulated by Apple, Google, Facebook, Amazon, Skype, Twitter, Apple, and eBay. Why he’s wrong

By Mathew Ingram

Timothy Wu, the Columbia University law professor who coined the term “net neutrality,” is not someone to be dismissed lightly, especially when it comes to communications and media trends. In his recent book The Master Switch: The Rise and Fall of Information Empires—and in a related piece in The Wall Street Journal—Wu argues that just as AT&T was a monopoly during an earlier phase of communications history, companies such as Google, Facebook, and Apple now hold what he calls “information monopolies” that could be just as damaging to our society.

Does he present a convincing case that this is true?

Read the rest of the story…

Simple Survival Tips for Accommodating Holiday Houseguests (without losing your senses)

admin — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:46:22 +0000

Whether you like it or not, you cannot get rid of household guests especially these coming holidays. Your in-laws, relatives, friends or anyone within your relationship circle can be one.

Although it may not be that very helping especially with today’s current economic situation, you just have to face the fact that these people are part of your life no matter what and you have to treat them as your guests and be at your best for them despite your differences.

These times can be stressful though as it may not be that budget-friendly having extra guests at home and/or when you have certain differences with your in-laws which is something that is hard to console and you’re just doing your part just because you love your better-half and you don’t want to disappoint him.

To make things easier for you even before things get out of control, here are some of the things that could be done to successfully survive your household guest experience without losing your senses.

Set Expectations

If a certain guest gets in with suitcases, let them know that you have some limitations and that you have sets of rules for them to follow like for instance, using your car, consuming water and AC and even watching TV. Give them options as well.

Offer suggestions to break the ice. Sometimes, people get bored with each other so when monotony comes in, chances are, conflicts and differences arise.

Ask for Help

Doing some tasks all by yourself can be hard when you’re in a group of people in the same house especially when the tasks involve cleaning up the mess after a holiday get together. It cannot be wrong at all to ask for help. Whether it is making dinner, shopping for groceries, walking the dog or cutting the lawn, guests would generally appreciate taking part in something because they would want to be useful at some point.

If you happen to feel stressed out because of budget concerns, speaking up would help. It may not be beyond your knowing why your guests intend to stay at your house instead at a hotel. Figure out what you can spend then think of some suggestions that you can give to your guests without giving an impression that you are unwelcoming.

It can be hard to be straightforward however, setting limits on the length of stay or suggesting a hotel is an option rather than saying yes than being a passive-aggressive host.

Be understanding and sensitive of your guests

You may not feel at ease most of the time when there are other people inside your house however, as a host, doing your part of securing your house from fragile items like glasses is your responsibility especially when there are kids staying along with your guests.

Though it’s their parent’s responsibility to watch over them, being a host and as a responsible house-owner, doing them a favor wouldn’t hurt.

Suppose we reverse the situation and you’re the one who’s visiting a relative or a friend, here’s what you’re supposed to act in order to leave a good impression.

1. Showing up unannounced is a big no. People generally would like to know who’s coming over and staying if possible. Planned visits are good but cancellations need to be informed.

2. Don’t make yourself at home despite having told to do so. Be respectful and tacky especially when using household equipments and consuming water, electricity and other household stuff.

3. Do your share. Nobody likes a spoiled and lazy guest. Help whenever your can. Little acts of help matter.

4. Be clean and considerate. Always clean up after yourself.

5. Show gratitude. Before, during and after any visit. Give them a gift or some thank notes to show your appreciation.

Google Fashion Shopping Site Makes Debut

admin — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 14:09:08 +0000

CRITICAL APPRAISAL

By CATHY HORYN

Published: November 17, 2010

YOU know how remote and strange the fashion world is when you go to Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. For one thing, employees are zipping around the sprawling campus on scooters and bicycles, so that pretty much eliminates platform shoes and minis. And for another, there are way too many snack stations at Google. Fashionistas are funny about food.

Read the rest of the story…

Microsoft: Half of mobile searches have a local intent

admin — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:20:15 +0000

BizReport : Mobile Marketing : November 15, 2010

Microsoft’s internal analysis of their mobile search query data has thrown up an interesting, yet not entirely surprising, fact about the search behavior of mobile users.

by Helen Leggatt

You’re ambling around town when suddenly you crave Chinese dumplings. You whip out your phone and after a couple of local searches you’re well on your way to getting your fix.

A similar scenario plays out day after day as mobile users refer to their devices for local information – information that will help them navigate their immediate environment and solve their real-time needs and wants.

It’s not surprising, then, to read of recent data from Microsoft that shows over half (53%) of mobile searches on Bing have a local intent.
Hence the development of ads that, quite literally, guide consumers from “search to store”. Such ads, including Google’s Expandable Map ads, appear both on the mobile web and in apps and, when clicked, provide the user with directions to a store.

“Mobile user demand for information that can be acted on in the real world, in real-time is, well, very real,” writes Search Engine Land’s Greg Sterling, who uncovered the data in a recent chat with Bing’s Director of Search, Stefan Weitz.

“That’s what this Microsoft stat reflects. If that’s not an argument for mobile advertising in general and mobile search in particular, I don’t know what is.”

Read the rest of the story…