eGadgets 101 » Online Tech Tips

Digg Stops New Registrations!

Admin — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 18:30:19 +0000

Digg has stopped new registrations. If you click the Join Digg link on Digg.com – your are informed that new Digg registrations are closed and the New Digg 4.0 is coming…

Instead you can leave your email address and they will notify you when you can login to the new Digg. It seems they are migrating data to the new Digg and if the new users keep coming in, it would be difficult to migrate.

You can also request an invite to the new Digg alpha and they will soon send you an invite. We recently joined our brand on Digg and you can follow our Digg profile and New Digg profile (if you have access) as we plan to get active on the new Digg in a big way. We have also installed Digg widgets and buttons for quick sharing and you can check them out.

In case you are still on old Digg, watch what’s in the new Digg.

Original article: Digg Stops New Registrations!
Copyright 2010. Quick Online Tips. All Rights Reserved.

Buy New Amazon Kindle WiFi for $135 Only [Video]

Admin — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 04:30:12 +0000

Amazon has upgraded the New Kindle wireless reading device making it smaller, lighter, and faster. The new Kindle features built-in Wi-Fi, 50% better contrast for sharper fonts and clearer text, more than double the storage capacity, a new graphite color option and more

Amazon Kindle is now available as a Wi-Fi + 3G free global 3G wireless for $189 no monthly bills or annual contracts. Amazon has also introduced a new Kindle Wi-Fi, a Wi-Fi only model for just $139.

The Kindle Store now boasts of over 630,000 books and Kindle has consistently been the #1 bestselling product sold on Amazon. The new Kindle and Kindle Wi-Fi are now available for pre-order at Amazon.

Original article: Buy New Amazon Kindle WiFi for $135 Only [Video]
Copyright 2010. Quick Online Tips. All Rights Reserved.

6 Tips to Become a Really Successful Freelance Copywriter

Admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:30:11 +0000

Guest post by Vern Marker.
Want to become a really successful Freelance Copywriter? If you want to bump your freelance copywriting career into high gear, here are a few tips.

Many people dream of becoming freelance writers of some sort, whether they long to be freelance copywriters, journalists, bloggers, or authors. But while the wannabes only dream about it, those who are committed to following their dreams find ways to make them a reality.

If youre serious about becoming a freelance writer, or youre already working as a freelance writer and you want to be more successful, you need to read the following article and take advantage of the tips that are offered here.

1. Write well

This one may seem obvious, but its basic to your successful freelance copywriting career: learn to write well. Make sure your prose is clear, easy to understand, and does the job that youve been paid to do.

Dont worry about impressing people with your artful handling of written language or your extensive vocabulary. Clarity and conciseness are more valuable for the purposes of copywriting. So, unless youre being paid by the word, dont be verbose!

2. Write about worthwhile topics

Write about things that are interesting! Again, this may seem like obvious advice, but youd be surprised at how many freelance writers lose track of this concept. Give people information that they actually want. Be sure to present it in a manner that will have the broadest possible appeal.

There are certain topics that people will return to again and such as tips for finding a better job, ways to get a home for the best possible price, techniques for saving money in your day to day life. Think about the things youre interested in learning about. Chances are youre not too different from most other people, so write about what youre interested in and youll probably have a saleable idea.

3. Look ahead and plan for the future

Plan ahead so that you can jump on topics that are most popular at certain times of the year. For example, pitch an idea on the history of Santa Claus in the fall, well before the Christmas season, or in early spring, start shopping around articles with summer and Fourth of July themes.

Remember that some topics are perennials; people are interested in them year after year. So, keep files of Halloween decorating ideas, or how-to topics like staging an outdoor barbecue party with a luau theme. Even though the Internet is a great resource, theres nothing wrong with keeping clipping files that you can use for reference.

4. Write what you know

Heres another seemingly obvious idea that many writers overlook in their desire to be trendy and jump on the latest news story or current trend. Write what you know. Thats something that everyone hears from their writing teachers in college, but its so true.If you have certain special knowledge, then share it. If youre an expert at repairing cars or sewing costumes, then use that knowledge to craft articles, blogs, and how-tos.

One of the major reasons people go on the Internet is to learn new things. If you have something of value to share with others, then by all means, take advantage of that in your writing. Your body of knowledge is one of the unique assets that you have to offer as a writer.

5. Practice good work ethics

Be businesslike in how you approach your work. You may be working at home but that doesnt mean that you should have the TV on while youre working. TV is only a distraction, a way of wasting time. Keep it off. Its probably OK to have the radio or CD player on if youre playing music, but its not a good idea to listen to talk radio since that may distract you from what youre doing and make you lose focus.

And just because youre at home, it doesnt mean that you should be doing housework like washing the dishes or doing laundry. Stay focused on your writing tasks for the time you allot to them. You can do that other stuff later.

6. Consistency is key

Finally, be consistent in your work habits. You dont have to write every day, but you do need to write a certain amount every week. Try to establish regular work hours when you can get the most done, say after everyone else has left the house to go to work or school, or if you live alone, at the same time every day.

Famous author Jack London only wrote two pages a day, but he wrote every day, and as a result, he was able to write dozens of novels and hundreds of short stories and articles in his all-too-brief life.

So, if you want to be a successful freelancer, follow these writing tips and think of other ways to increase your output by working, not harder, but smarter. If you can show your editors and clients that youre fast, reliable, and can consistently produce quality work, then theres no limit to the success you can enjoy as a freelance writer.

Vern Marker is proficient on a variety of topics including copywriting and SEO. He uses his knowledge to give expert advice on a new Q&A site YoExpert. You can also write guest posts and share your copyrighting ideas.

Original article: 6 Tips to Become a Really Successful Freelance Copywriter
Copyright 2010. Quick Online Tips. All Rights Reserved.

Beware of Rogue Facebook Apps [Video]

Admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:30:12 +0000

Rogue Facebook apps are targeting innocent Facebook users to disclose personal information to provide access to view shocking videos. Since this so called ‘Facebook worm’ changes the status page of affected Facebook users, it is spreading virally across Facebook. So beware of Facebook scams.

Don’t click untrusted links on Facebook status messages on your friends Wall.

I am shocked!!! The teacher nearly kild this boy: http://bit.ly/aWeBMl – Worldwide scandal!

Graham Cluley from Sophos has created a cool video explaining how these Facebook apps work to steal your Facebook personal details, and how you can completely remove them.

Don’t click on any link on Facebook you don’t trust. And if any Facebook app asks for authorization to perform various tasks, allow only if you absolutely trust the app to properly use your data.

Facebook is great for social networking, but be aware of how Facebook scams and bad Facebook apps work. Join our Facebook page to stay updated about Facebook scams and share this with your friends.

Original article: Beware of Rogue Facebook Apps [Video]
Copyright 2010. Quick Online Tips. All Rights Reserved.

New Apple Multi-Touch Magic Trackpad

Admin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:30:13 +0000

Apple has launched the new Magic Trackpad, the first Multi-Touch trackpad for your Mac desktop computer. The hardware grip mouse as we know it just got obsolete.

Apple Magic Trackpad

Apple Magic Trackpad is powered by the same Multi-Touch technology on the MacBook Pro and supports the same full set of gestures like swiping, scrolling, clicking, rotating, pinching etc … and the entire surface is a button that clicks. It has 80 percent more area than the Macbook Pro trackpad and claims to be the largest Multi-Touch trackpad made by Apple.

Magic Trackpad connects to your Mac via Bluetooth wireless technology. Since it is made with the same aluminum design as the Apple Wireless Keyboard, and has the same angle and height – the two can be placed perfectly together. Magic Trackpad detects periods of inactivity, and its equipped with an on/off switch, which helps to save battery life.

Apple Magic Trackpad is available for sale at the Apple Store for $69 with free shipping … and it is the end of the old mouse you used for so long.

Original article: New Apple Multi-Touch Magic Trackpad
Copyright 2010. Quick Online Tips. All Rights Reserved.

Buy Vegetables to Earn Free Farm Cash on Farmville

Admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:30:20 +0000

What is the best way to earn Free Farm Cash on Farmville to play on the Farmville Facebook game. Buy some fresh vegetables from Green Giant and get free Farm Cash!

FarmvilleFree Farm Cash

Green Giant Fresh is giving away Free Farm Cash in an on-pack promotion with Farmville, the popular social media game on Facebook. Select packs of Green Giant Fresh vegetables carry Farmville sticker which can be redeemed for 5 Free Farm Cash; with a limit of 3 redemptions per user.

Find stores near you which sell select Green Giant Fresh produce with FarmVille promotion stickers. Participating stores currently include Target Stores (with Fresh Produce), United Supermarkets, Hen House, Price Chopper, Wal-Mart, Winn-Dixie, Sweetbay and Aldi.

Original article: Buy Vegetables to Earn Free Farm Cash on Farmville
Copyright 2010. Quick Online Tips. All Rights Reserved.

4 Great Ways to Get More Interaction on Your Blog

Admin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:30:15 +0000

Guest post by Eric Woolf.
There are a lot of bloggers out there that write great content and even if they get a decent amount of traffic, some of them don’t seem to have a lot of interaction with their readers.

On top of that, some of them might discover your site from the search engines and never come back again, even if they liked it. Seriously, they could have forgotten your URL or website name. Your goal is to grow as much as possible with your current traffic.

There are many different ways to get more traffic to your blog or website, but why not establish a better connection with your current readers from the start. Master this and then you can work on getting more unique visitors later on. So listed below are some ways to accomplish this and brand your website or blog:

1. Email Opt-in Newsletter Form

One of my favorite suggestions is to display an email opt in newsletter form on your site. If youre using a WordPress blog platform, then you can place it in a widget on the side. In order to get an opt in form, you will need to sign up for a email service such as Aweber, Constant Contact, along with multiple others out there.

Another tip is to choose a newsletter form that is eye popping and has a good call to action. Then once you got a large list of email subscribers, you can easily email them about a new post that you made. This is more direct than having them subscribe to an RSS feed because the message is sent straight to their email address.

RSS feed subscriptions can also be powerful and should be used along with email newsletters. Also, RSS is free so don’t forget to display a RSS feed on the site as well.

2.Subscribe to Comments Plugin

Another favorite tip is to use a free plugin called “Subscribe to Comments” for WordPress. Quick Online Tips uses this itself as shown on the bottom of the comments section and all they have to do is check the box. This allows readers to get email notifications after they submit a comment.

That way they don’t have to keep checking up on the blog to see if someone answered their question. They just get an email that shows any comments placed after them and it gets more exposure to your blog so they are more likely to reply to the conversation. It gets them coming back to your blog.

3. Social Media

This has been discussed before, but you sometimes need to do more than the average person does. Instead of posting to social media sites and expect people to start following you, go out and read other peoples information and leave comments.

You should look for targeted and similar subject areas. For an example, in Facebook you can do a search for your topic and register on a fan or group page. Sometimes there are thousands of people registered on one fan page. By interacting with a large fan page and leaving a link to your site in the signature can help get people to notice you.

4. Conversation with Readers

My last tip is to actually interact with your readers on the blog. Write a sentence or two at the end of your blog post telling them how much you would appreciate a comment or tell them to ask a question. Then come back and reply back to their questions or ask them questions.

Usually having them ask questions will help lead you to more blog post ideas because some people start to become stuck with new ideas to write about. So this can be a big helper to keep you blog fresh with ideas and the readers will be more eager to come back for the whole post.

So I hope this has helped and if you implement these tips you will see your blog grow. With that said, please leave me a comment or any question that you might have. I appreciate any comments or if you have a tip, leave it in the comment section. Thanks

This is a guest post by writer Eric Woolf from the Pixels and Dots web design team. You can leave comments here or check out their Pixels and Dots blog. You can also write guest articles and share your blogging tips.

Original article: 4 Great Ways to Get More Interaction on Your Blog
Copyright 2010. Quick Online Tips. All Rights Reserved.

7 Key Steps to Starting a Small Business Online TODAY!

Admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:30:12 +0000

Guest post by Jo Barnes.
So, youve been hearing that starting a small business online can bring in a nice income. You’ve heard how the internet can help make dreams come true for small business owners and average Joes.

You want to join the bandwagon, but keep putting it off, always coming up with excuses on why you dont have the time or the money right now.
STOP PROCRASTINATING!

The great thing about starting a small business online is that little to no money is required. And, since you can work at home on your computer, you can set your own hours. Although it is imperative that this is treated as a business and not a hobby, you can still be flexible with the amount of time you put in.

Thus, I dont have the time is just a way of trying to excuse your own slacking. I don’t mean to sound harsh, but you could start this business with just an hour a day!

So, here are the 7 key steps to starting a small business online:

1. Pick a niche

Thats right. The best place to begin is always with your own personal interests. Is there a particular subject in which you have a lot of knowledge? Do you have any hobbies? What about your talents?

Make a list of all the things you have a passion for or at least a general interest in. Do research to find out if there is a market for any of them. Chances are, there will be. There is a market for just about everything, although some markets are much more popular than others.

2. Create a domain name

Even if you dont have your website built yet, you should still create a domain name. Some businesses register a large number of them at once in order to protect their brand name. You dont have to do this just yet, since youre just beginning.

What you should do is create a domain name with popular keywords in your niche. If, for instance, you decided to start selling dolls, then make your domain name something like: www.dolls-4-sell.info or www.buy-dolls-online.net. It needs to be something that is both easy to remember and creative.

3. Get your website or blog together

Most online businesses have both. However, you dont want to undertake a whole lot at once. All you need to do for now is create your own spot on the world wide web. You dont have to create a large website just yet. Just register your own domain name.

If you dont know anything about website design, you can get started with a blog. They are free and straightforward. You can have the blog directed to your domain URL if you choose the right hosting company. Trust me, creating a blog is a lot easier than you think and can actually take about 5 minutes of your time and without a whole lot of technical skills.

4. Choose a good hosting company

The importance of this step is often underestimated by many beginners. You can check to see if your internet service provider offers hosting. If so, make sure the hosting offers everything you need for getting your website up and running. If you create a blog, youll need to find a hosting company that will let you register a domain name for it.

There are many hosting companies that work with WordPress, for example. Make sure you pick a reputable hosting company recommended by others and stay away from free hosting unless it’s someone you know and trust. The last thing you want is to be merrily marketing your site only to find out it’s down for days at a time, because the hosting company isn’t very reliable!

5. Sign up for a merchants account

Even if youre not going to be selling your own items, you still need to setup some sort of payment processing account. PayPal is the most popular, although some people dont consider it to be the most professional. For starting out though it is absolutely fine.

As you grow you may want to look at a total shopping cart solution, but you don’t need to be worrying about that in the early days. Just get paypal up and running so you’ve got it ready for your first sale!

6. Educate yourself on traffic generation

In order to create a business the one thing you need oodles of, is customers! Do not be fooled into thinking you can put a website out there and loads of people are going to magically turn up to have a look at it, sign up to it or buy from it.

Many people starting an online business are scared off by the technical skills required, this is not the case. The basic engine of your business is the easy part, the hard work comes in driving traffic to your site. So be prepared to put in the work needed to learn how to drive traffic to your site and then….

7. Take ACTION!!!

ALWAYS DO SOMETHING! If youre sitting in front of your computer, you need to be working on your online business. The aforementioned key steps to starting a small business are only the beginning. In order to actually make money, you need to WORK for it!

Go For It!!!!! (And Never Give Up)

Guest Article written by Jo Barnes. If you want to discover Jo’s No 1 Secret to Making Money Online then download her fantastic interviews with top internet marketing guys in the world right now at startyourbusinesssmartly.com/freevideos (she will also show you exactly how to create your blog in 5 minutes as per Step 3!) Image credits to Ed Yourdon under CC license. You can also write articles here and share your small business tips.

TweetMeme Pro Retweet Buttons Starting $1000/yr

Admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:30:11 +0000

If your blog uses Tweetmeme retweet buttons, you can now upgrade to TweetMeme Pro Retweet Buttons starting at $1000 per year and get a long list of features you always wanted.

TweetMeme Pro Benefits

So what are the cool features in Tweetmeme Pro?

Up to 10 UTM tracking codes within the button
Customisation on the design of the button
Customisation on the design of the pop-up box
Dedicated servers to ensure high reliability and performance

This includes some cool features already in the standard button

The best user + publisher Retweet experience
100% accurate Retweet counts
URL Shortener Support (includingbit.ly Pro)
Web, RSS, Email and Mobile support
Support for HashTags + Whitespace
International language support

TweetMeme Pro Pricing

Tweetmeme Pro has 3 types of pricing dependent on the number of buttons your site displays per day (= page views x buttons per page).

Basic - $1000 per year / Up to 500,000 buttons served per day
Pro - $2000 per year / Up to 2,000,000 buttons served per day
Enterprise - $5000 per year / Unlimited buttons served per day

The pricing is really steep. We also run 2 Tweetmeme buttons per page and 1 button on our feed. If we opt for the Tweetmeme pro, based on our traffic stats, then we would have to pay $1000 per year, which comes to just under $100 per month.

Tweetmeme claims to serve 700M buttons per day on around 250,000 sites; and are already serving 80 million Pro buttons daily on superbig sites.I think the free Tweetmeme retweet buttons works just fine for us. I hope they don’t ruin the service to prompt people to upgrade….

5 Great Ways to Create the Best Internet Business In the World!

Admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:30:25 +0000

Guest post by Jo Barnes.
Want to create the Best Internet Business in the World? The Carlsberg Group official website claims that it is probably the best website in the world! But what is the best website in the world? What would it have on it? For that matter, what would be the best internet business in the world?

Boy, wouldnt we all love to know. Imagine how much money the owner of the best website would make!These are the types of questions that you need to ask yourself when starting an online business.

If you want probably the best internet business in the world, here is what you need to offer on your site:

1. Offer Massive Value

Value. You must provide your visitors with value. Not only will they share your site with others through Twitter, Facebook, Stumbled Upon, Digg, forums, etc, but they will feel valued, will come to trust you, will know that you will always give more than you get and will become lifetime customers.

Remember its always easier to market to a current customer than find a new one! Also, a site with a lot of value ranks highly in Google. Google loves sites with tons of unique, quality content!

2. Ensure Your Content is Unique and of Good Quality

Quality Content. Everybody always says to include quality content on a site, but what exactly does it mean? The problem that many new internet marketers face is creating unique content that nobody has ever seen before. This is especially true for saturated markets, such as the weight loss and relationship niches.

What you need to do is try to create articles, ebooks, videos, etc, consisting of fresh ideas. Try introducing some brand new ideas to the niche! Also, be yourself, there is nothing more unique than YOU! So, as you come across other ideas and systems already out there, put it into your own words or voice and make it unique to you!

3. Have a Good Looking Website

Great layout. Of course, the best website in the world would have a nice layout. Now, you dont want to go overboard with the graphics too many of them will only crash peoples browsers. Choose a professional, yet inviting web template, and create a site with easy navigation.Make sure everything is interlinked appropriately to make it easy for visitors to get around.

Also make sure you include call to actions on each page. Let your visitor know what it is you want them to do. Give them a guiding hand through your site, making it easy for them to a) find what it is theyre looking for and b) find what it is you want them to find.

4. The Customers Always Right!

Top-notch customer service. If youre going to be selling products or offering services, you need to make it easy for visitors to contact you. Give potential customers at least two or three different ways of getting a hold of you (email, phone, address) and make sure you answer all questions and comments in a timely manner.

Always be friendly and supportive with your responses. If youre too busy to deal with all your customer contact, outsource this hugely important role to a reputable virtual assistant. They are worth their weight in gold!

4. Make it Easy to Buy From You

Easy payment process. Want to sell something? Make it easy for people to do so. You would not believe the amount of sites that make it so hard to buy you give up mid order!

Provide them with a few different methods of paying. Make the shopping cart easy to use and understand. If you want to be an affiliate, only sign up with companies that offer an easy-to-use shopping cart. Also, make sure that the delivery process goes smoothly.

5. The Purpose of Business – To Create and Keep a Customer!

Good customer relationship management (CRM). Getting customers is one thing, keeping them is another thing entirely. Always keep track of your customers and follow-up after every order. Handle all feedback in a professional, yet friendly manner.

If they agree to join your mailing list, send out regular updates on all the latest deals and make them feel part of something. There is nothing better for creating raving fans out of your customers, than making them feel a valuable part of your community.

If you can do all of this, then probably you just might create the best internet business in the world!

Here, have a toast and celebrate!

Guest Article written by Jo Barnes. If you want to discover Jo’s No 1 Secret to Making Money Online then download her fantastic interviews with top internet marketing guys in the world right now at startyourbusinesssmartly.com/freevideos. You can also write guest articles and share your internet marketing ideas.