Month: September 2011

Google to replace credit cards with Google Wallet

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Google has developed an application which could revolutionize the way we shop. No need of taking out and signing credit card slips, all you need to do is tap the phone at the register and you are done!

At present the free Google app runs only on Sprint’s Google Nexus S phone which uses Google’s Andriod software since it is one of the very few phones equipped with a special Near Fields Communication (NFC) chip which is required for Google Wallet. In future the feature will be available in many other phones.

The Mastercard network has NFC readers installed with over 150,000 merchants nationwide such as as New York City taxis, Sports Authority, Foot Locker and many more and are hoping to add Bloomingdale’s, Subway and Macy’s in the near future. Google has future plans to tie up with Mastercard to combine the two services.

With Google Wallet, you tap your phone instead of swiping the credit card. The phone acts as the credit card. At the moment the only card Wallet can impersonate is the Citibank Mastercard but Google is confident that in the near future more credit card companies and banks will work together with Google Wallet.

Fours Things to Avoid So Your Twitter Account Isn’t Closed

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You’ve been having a great run so far with your Twitter marketing campaign, but what if your account were shut down, right out of the blue, and with no prior warning? Yikes! Such circumstances certainly spell terrible news, yet they are still an all-too-familiar experience for a growing number of Twitter users, and most especially among the marketing set. The niceties and not-so-niceties of this profession are fraught with particularly explosive components in terms of things that can catch the gaze of alert, eagle-eyed censoring/quality-control authorities. Start up your creativity so that you can continue to make use of these components, but in ways that will not get you in trouble.

More specifically, the accounts of marketers are more prone to being closed because they are the group of individuals most likely to do such thing as: (1) post duplicate updates, (2) put up links with no additional (personal) information, and (3) start following or unfollowing at massive paces. A fourth tweeting behavior that will get you in trouble (read: get your account suspended) is not abiding by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act — but the perils of this last faux pas are more equitably distributed among the Twitter populations. Either way, you don’t want to be caught violating any part of this long treatise that was ever so neatly typed up back in the depths of 1998.

So what is it about marketers’ profession that sets them up so patly for a censoring spree from the powers-that-be of internet sociability? For starters, it’s that singular profession’s demands for massive outreach. Staying truly connected is tough, everybody knows that, but marketers don’t just want to connect with loads of people — marketers also want to engage these people in ways that make them willing to spend money or effort on the cause the marketer is most currently championing. It’s certainly a tough order, but these are not folks who easily back away from a challenge.

If you’re in marketing, use Twitter, and don’t want to end up with a lost account, keep in mind the four points made above. You’re ingenuity is the limit when it comes to social media outreach, but don’t overstep any legally established lines.

Los Angeles Computer Networking For Your Company

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The amount of internet technology that is present in today’s society is honestly astounding. One of the biggest emerging fields of the past decade is IT consulting, the practice of hiring companies to come into your own company to perform tech related jobs while not actually hiring and managing them for full time positions. Los Angeles IT consulting is one of the biggest hot spots for this type of trade, as is any big city. There are large numbers of companies that need network support Orange County but fortunately there are a number of great companies that would love to come to the rescue.

There are lots of different jobs around the office that an IT consultant might be able to assist with. One example is making sure the computer network in the office is both secure and working. This helps for inter-office communication and functions such as printing and sharing files.

Some IT companies even have a web design section and are available to create graphics, logos, web pages, web systems, and newsletter applications for your company. Not only do IT consultants help with in-office activities, they have a great deal of impact on the marketing of a company as well.

If you happen to be in the Los Angeles area you might try a Google search of “Los Angeles computer networking” to see what companies are available in your area. There is a good chance that they will all have multiple ratings that will assist your company in your choice.

Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship, Applications Available Now

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Are you thinking about pursuing a teaching career? Do you want to continue your education toward a master’s degree? If you’re like many Americans, you may be hesitant to change careers due to the current economy. You may also be worried about pursuing a master’s due to the hefty price tag attached to the degree. However, there are several great scholarships and fellowship programs that may help ease the transition into teaching jobs and the financial burden of going back to school for your master’s.

If you have a background in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM fields) you can apply online for the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship. This unique fellowship includes a $30,000 stipend toward a master’s degree program at one of seventeen select universities throughout the mid-west, including Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. The program accepts applicants from current undergraduates, recent college graduates, midcareer professionals, and retirees who have been employed in, or majored in, STEM fields.

Winners of the fellowship program will have the opportunity to enroll in a full-time master’s program with a focus on students in high-poverty urban or rural schools. The program consists of a combination of intense coursework and “clinical” training, professional development and hands-on experience in urban or rural schools three to give days per week.

Improved Commercial Visibility with Twitter

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There’s no doubt that Twitter is on the up-and-up and will remain that way for some time to come; it’s simply become rather entrenched in people’s online and offline lives. If you want to join in but are unsure of how to get started — or keep going — you can hire a service like that offered by iClimber to fix any Twitter woes. iClimber can open a Twitter account for you, if you’re still without one, and create the twitterings (posts or tweets) that will generate buzz for your business. Welcome to the brave new world of Twitter marketing.

A well-managed Twitter account is an excellent tool for building an engaged constituency of brand followers. If it works for the politicians it can work for you. The service offered by iClimber can get you 40 to 150 monthly Twitter postings (you can ask them about the posting frequency most beneficial to your business) about industry news and links to your website and press releases. Your Twitter account will promote your business and name to new customers and increase the flow of visitors to your site. Start using Twitter to improve your search engine ranking and overall brand visibility.