I came across quite and interesting site survey this morning. The survey is based on a highly un-scientific study into your criminal mind. In the end the survey estimates how much you will be able to carry in a bank robbery. This is a pretty cool way to spend a couple minutes or so. Make sure you head to Bank Robbery Talent.
$3,696,390
Quiz brought to you by money.co.uk
A lot of people have been talking recently about Performancing Ads, John Chow, Problogger and Shoemoney to name a few. I totally understand the system they are trying to put in place, but is it actually going to work? For a long time people have been saying that Advertising marketplaces are the way forward, but I dont think that the type of marketplace that Performancing ads has will ever work.
Performancing ads simply will add a banner onto your site so that you can self-serve advertising, a full automated system. While at the same time they gather information about your traffic and user demographics. This is meant to automate the system so the publisher doesn’t have to worry about negotiating individual contracts or the advertiser doesn’t have to worry about having a 5 email exchange before they can purchase.
Advertisers will only purchase advertising in this way on sites that are already major players in their niches, solid brands or emerging sites. Thus, it has a very limited return for publishers. A great deal of smaller sites have joined Performancing Ads in the hope that they will sell more advertising.
Selling advertising in this method for small sites simply doesn’t work, because they don’t have the traffic or brand to actually sell. Smaller sites really need to band together in a particular niche and use the safety in numbers method, cause then they will have a much better chance of getting more top quality advertisers with their broader reach.
This method of self service is great for only a very limited few sites. Therefore, I’m sure that Performancing Ads will only be a fad and they will die off soon enough. The only way this platform can work successfully, is if they have a huge amount of publishers, then a marketplace which makes it very simple to purchase across 10 sites for example, while at the same time they increase their sales team.
Currently, Performancing Ads is a company that medium or small bloggers shouldn’t be taking seriously!
It has been a long time since I tried to get some direct feedback from our readers, so I thought I would send a shout out and see if anyone had any suggestions on what we should be doing here at Crenk.
Recently, we have been focusing on provide reviews, analysis, more information about specific web apps and more. Im looking for suggestions about how we can improve Crenk so that it can be a much better read!
Additionally, if anyone has any ideas about what services we could also add to Crenk, it would be great to hear your thoughts.
Example Ideas:
So if you have any ideas at all, it would be great to hear your feedback.
This morning I came across a very interesting new comparison website, Broadband Expert. The first thing I came across was the Broadband USB devices (mobile internet devices), which are affectionately know as dongles here in the UK. The site allows you to compare speed, download limits, monthly contracts, prices and even reviews from other users.
However, one of the downsides is that it only compares 3 of the UK mobile companies, 3, T-Mobile and Vodafone. It would have been nice to see all of the network sites in this list. Additionally, I would really like to see this done on a global scale and not just for the UK market.
This has always made me wonder, do these comparison type websites actually make decent money? Do they receive the majority of their revenues from direct display advertising on the site or is it mostly from affiliate earnings ever time some purchases a contract? I never actually thought they would work, but I do keep seeing tv advertisements for comparison websites like Confused.com. For example Confused.com keep quoting that they have 5 million people use their site for quotes last year, but this seems like a tiny amount. How can they be profitable from that amount of traffic? What are there revenue streams?
Just two days ago, www.feedheads.org was brought to my attention. There are plenty of RSS Reader sites out there, but Feedheads offers a different experience by not reinventing the wheel, but rather attaching itself to an already popular social site, Facebook.
At first glance Feedheads is nothing fancy. It almost reminded me of a Craigslist-like site which little to know aesthetics and a focus on information. Personally I don’t care what a site looks like as long as it’s informative and easy to find what I need, the bells and whistles are just icing. So don’t turn away from Feedheads until you’ve given it a try.
To log into the service you need a Facebook account, and you must allow Facebook to provide access to the site, but once you’ve gotten through the set-up you’re logged right into full access for Feedheads.
I admit at first glance I saw no need to really delve into it since there was no social aspect, but attaching to Facebook makes it very different from other RSS sites. From within the site you can introduce your contacts to stories, have them vote on their favorites and even have them join your networks. You’re given the opportunity to view the stories by three categories, “New”, “Top in 24 Hrs.”, and “7 Days”. A separate link will provide you with the days most popular tags, which is useful for a quick at-a-glance of the days topics.
If you’re a heavy Facebook user and you’re looking for new ways to make that your one stop shop for friends, news, and other information, give Feedheads a try. If you’re stuck on looks then perhaps looking elsewhere would be prudent, Feedheads is definitely for the purist.
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Wordpress has to be one of the most popular if not the most popular blogging software in the world today. Due to its popularity there are thousands of developers all over the world who are building plugins to add to the platform. Thus, I thought I would put together a short list of my favourite plugins, so here is my top 20.
It has been reported that Yahoo has been playing around with the look and feel of their Site Explorer. Most of the time Yahoo Site Explorer is only used by webmasters because it shows backlinks to any URL and also shows them in authority order (unlike google).
Today, we launched a new look and feel for Site Explorer (http://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com/new) that provides a more dynamic interface to accommodate future feature roll-outs. The new interface also includes a new Site Summary page to provide statistics for authenticated sites. On top of this, we’re also increasing the number of rules for Dynamic URL Rewriting that you can enter from 3 to 10.
I really wish Yahoo Site Explorer had a lot more features, kinda similar to Google Webmaster Tools. However, any really new and exciting features still havent arrived on Site Explorer. Do you have any suggestions on what they might want to add?
It’s that time of year again, and perhaps you or someone you know is headed back to school. For those of us who have been there done that, it’s only fair that we try to provide for those returning with the tools to get them ahead, to keep them on top of things.
I’m not talking about books, or rulers, or fancy computers, heck most universities and colleges tie that into their tuition now-a-days, but the little things that make life just a little easier.
Well if you’re reading this tech site, then you’re a Geek. No worries, Geek is the new chic, so embrace it. Thanks to sites like ThinkGeek, the geek in all of us can find something to make us a little happier, if not geekier.
Here are the Top 10 Geek Gifts for the back-to-schooler!
1. Neverlate 7-Day Alarm Clock: Never be late again for your class, your meeting, or your exam. This alarm clock actually lets you set seven different wake up times to provide you the maximum amount of sleep you can get without forgetting to change the time like other standard alarm clocks. If anything’s been cancelled, no worries, just turn that alarm for that day off without affecting the other presets. Give it a try, you might actually find yourself showing up on time…just don’t make it a habit!
2. Utili-Key 6-in-1 Tool: So now-a-days most people don’t feel comfortable carrying around their utility knives, but the tools on there were so useful. You need something economical, compact, but provides all the same usability. The Utili-Key is just such a tool that is small enough to fit onto a standard key chain ring. Provides a small serrated blade, various screwdriver sizes, and a bottle opener. You never know when something like this could come in handy.
3. Original Ring Thing: How many times have you been caught with a bottle and no bottle opener? It’s happened to all of us, and rather than risk breaking the bottle against a corner or using your teeth to pop the top, wouldn’t it be nice to have something on you that you would have worn anyways? It’s possible with this ring that acts as a bottle opener as well. Come to the rescue of yourself and your buddies with this amazing fashion meets functionality piece.
4. Marshmallow Shooter: Who knows why we do the things we do in high school and especially college? Perhaps it’s all the studying resulting in mind overload. Nevertheless pick up this little item and let the good times roll. Whether you’re having marshmallow shooting competitions, shooting into your friend’s mouth, or just feeding yourself, this device puts your hands out of business. Eating marshmallow with your hands is the old, the Marshmallow shooter is the new. Enjoy!
5. Keep out of Direct Sunlight: So the common myth about geeks and computer nerds is that we’re all pasty colored and nocturnal fearing the real world and life in general. Well buck the system guys and gals with this tongue-in-cheek shirt that declares that you are well aware of the rumor and defying the norm. Why not let what you wear make a statement?
6. STFU University Hoodie: Do you ever have those days where school spirit just seems a little overwhelming and maybe even a little fake? You know the whole cheerleaders, spirit squad, furry costumed mascot and everyone shouting “RA! RA! RA!”? Well on those days show your support for STFUniversity. If you have to ask don’t buy. For of us that know STFU very well, doesn’t it make your lives a little easier to share that spirit with others, if not a little quieter? See you at the next rally!
7. Procrastination: What else do I have to say? A lot of us lived by this mantra in college, at least in our first two years or so. Sure we may have buckled down to wrap up our degrees and prepare for the real world, but really, how many of us really dropped this habit? For those of us who still languish in the land of procrastination, support it by placing this poster up and be proud!
8. Case o’Bawls: With all the energy drinks on the market it’s hard to find one that really fuels you for those long nights on World of Warcraft, or perhaps that late DnD mission. Well if you’ve done either, then you know Bawls. Boot your roommate out and make Bawls your friend. These cases will fuel your late night binges and entertainment romps when you start to feel weary.
9. Shower Shock Caffeinated Soap: So you got the 7-day alarm clock thing going for ya, but being up and being awake are two different things. Don’t wait 10 min. for that coffee to brew! Jump into the shower and blast your senses wide awake with caffeinated soap! This completely safe to use soap has been featured on CNET, TechTV, Good Morning America, and other media outlets. Work up a good lather and let your body soak up the go-juice.
Photo Credit, all photos provided by ThinkGeek
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A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to have the guys over at Sumo Lounge send me an email and ask for us to test out their new Sumo Omni.
After receiving our samples we of course had a really tough week of testing and found that the products were amazing. Currently, they are sitting pride of place in our group headquarters and all the guys seem to be really enjoying them.
The bags themselves seem to be a lot more comfortable than normal bean bags, maybe it has something to do with the types beans in the bags. One of the best things is that the fabric used is great for taking outside. The exterior material seems to be fully washable and will mix great with outdoor weather, plus inflammable (which is always a good thing).
I have been thinking about making the office into a Google type headquarters with just giant inflatable balls and pillows everywhere. However, even if this doesn’t happen, I’m sure that the Sumo Omni Lounges will be the center of our office for some time to come.
I must also high commend Andrew from Sumo Lounge on a great promotional strategy. I think more product orientated companies should be sending samples to bloggers to generate some buzz. If anyone else is wanting to send some products to us to sample, we would be happy to provide a review!
Fire Eagle, a Yahoo property, has opened up its doors from beta to public use. After spending some lengthy time in development and beta, Fire Eagle looks to answer the question…Where Are You?
For starters do not mistake Fire Eagle for another social network, it is not. Fire Eagle works in conjunction with a variety of other social networks with new additions being worked on daily. This enhancement allows users of specific networks to know where you are, provided you update. Fire Eagle takes the address, location, or name of the place you are at and creates a map that others can see.
I have attached Fire Eagle to work with BrightKite and so far it’s been amazing. I’ve set up alerts to notify me when my friends are nearby, and I can always look at maps to see where my friends are worldwide, a very nice effect. Of course this app is made even more useful by allowing you input your location from your mobile device.
It’s great to set up impromptu meetings, a quick happy hour with friends in the neighborhood, or finding directions to where your friend is waiting for you.
Fire Eagle works with the following applications:
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