The reason I ask this question is that I just enjoyed a nice three day weekend, pretty much away from the computer. This AM, opening up my Google reader, I see over 900 blog posts and over fifty of them are in the voiceover category.

What is it we think we all have to say? And I include me in there too.

It’s a vicious circle, mind you. You should have a blog to be an active participant in social media (and SEO/SEM) and everybody has the right to share whatever they like. Equally true, we can all subscribe and unsubscribe to any blog at any time (except this blog, you can check in anytime you like, but you can never leave).

With all this content, what are we all contributing to? And how many people are not just reading (Feedburner +) but understanding? Are we communicating or are we just spewing? Because more important to social media than the tool (a blog) is the content…saying something of relevance.

A blog writer has to assume that their posts resonate with someone if they have even one subscriber (and by the way, not for nothing, I mean it when I say thank you for subscribing). But when I think about 900 posts over three days multiplied times content on radio, television, newspaper, Facebook et al multiplied times international content….my head literally spins a bit.

Today I will hit “mark all as read” on my Google Reader very often and likely erase some quality content that I cannot make room for. I must move on.

Am I simply oversubscribed or overwhelmed? Have these thoughts ever occurred to you? How do you deal with all this communication, all this noise? Do you tune in more or totally tune out? Any tricks you care to share?

Tags: blogs, commentary, facebook, google, internet, newspapers, technology by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Some software products developed for computers mandatory – an operating system like Windows lets your computer do stuff.

Other stuff isn’t mandatory but helpful and there’s stuff that’s sorta helpful but cool.

You’ll have to decide where the free download “Fences” falls for you. The premise is that Fences organizes and hides all the icons on your desktop until you want them. They’re invisible until you double click the desktop at which top they magically appear, organized in the format that you customize to your own needs.

Helpful? Maybe. Cool, oh I think so but then I’m still amazed when somebody pulls a quarter out of my ear…my standards aren’t always as high as others. I’m using it and I think its fun (and no, I get no spiff for the endorsement.)

What so you think? Mandatory, helpful or cool?

Tags: commentary, internet, technology by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Peter K. O'Connell's Twitter account (audioconnell) was graded 96 out of 100!

So I was cruising through my tweets scanning if anything interesting was going on when I came across a tweet on something called TweetGrader.

Gasp, you exclaim, another Twitter app; they’re like McDonalds – over a billion served!

Yeah yeah blah blah, there’s even a Twitter app store (like the Apple app store only its not).

But that’s my grade up there on my virtual refrigerator. A score of 96 out of 100 for my twittering. Evidentally out of the 4,903,743 people twittering our mindlessness for all to read, I rank 193,671.

I am evidently aces at this mindlessness stuff.

Clearly I have found my calling, every guidance counselor would agree.

Further, it told me “We could not find any areas of concern with this twitter account. Tweet on!”

And so I shall but I shant flaunt my “waaaay better than you” grade in your face because that wouldn’t be nice.

Tags: social media, social networking, technology, twitter by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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This is how it was…

Microsoft makes software like Office , it has a web browser, Internet Explorer and an operating system for PC’s called Windows. Their tools are primarily for PC use (i.e. not Macs) and are widely popular. Microsoft is not a fan of Google.

Apple makes computers (Macs) that really artsy people like graphic designers enjoy. Their computers are usually more expensive than most. It has had really funny and effective commercials comparing Macs to PC’s with PC users coming across (quite pointedly) as nerd-like and not cool.

Google does search and sells ads on those search pages. They are ginormous.

That was then, this is now.

Microsoft’s MSN search engine (which was never very popular) changed its name to Bing and has just partnered with Yahoo (#2 behind Google in search) to merge its search engine sales and content. Microsoft has also been in a pitched advertising battle with Apple explaining that PC users like their computers to work well and be inexpensive and ‘if you’re calling PC users nerds, we out number you significantly and can kick your whiny designer butts with or without our pocket protectors’.

Google has developed both a fast growing web browser (Chrome) and an operating system – both targeted at Microsoft – and a new phone (the Android/G-phone) to take on Apple’s i-phone as well as a new Google voice application for the i-phone…which Apple summarily will not release at present, causing all sorts of legal wrangling including the resignation of Google’s CEO from Apple’s Board of Directors.

Apple has blown the roof off mobile communication with the i-phone and has gotten the attention of PC users who are digging the Apple style. Apple will cause a major shake-up when they decide which phone providers will get to use the i-phone going forward (AT&T has an exclusive i-phone agreement currently but that is up for renewal- Verizon and maybe Sprint are chomping at the bit to be included going forward). Apple doesn’t like Google anymore (see above paragraph). Apple and Microsoft’s feud goes back many years.

Change is good. Watching the technology chess game that is unfolding among these digital giants is fascinating.

They will not be ignored and they will not be pigeon-holed.

We shouldn’t in our businesses either. Get out of your comfort zone today.

Tags: commentary, internet, marketing, technology by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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There were a couple of tweets today (and if you don’t know what that means, head straight to social media dungeon) that referenced password security. Most of us have to have a password to get us into easily two dozen sites.

But some folks are kind of lazy about it OR as I have found, some folks just don’t put that much thought in passwords and that, sincerely, is a bad thing

So for whatever its worth, here is an amalgamation of ideas for creating a really good password for your system. Nothing I suppose is foolproof but you should at least make the effort to lock your doors more securely within your online home.

> You have to use more than six (6) characters in your password and many folks say try eight (8). I saw I guy I know once type about four (4) characters in for a password; he and I had a chat about that!

> Use upper AND lowercase within your password

> You know those characters on the keyboard above the numbers? Integrate them into your password. An example might be if you had an “s” in your password, substitute the “$”. Or just include the symbol randomly…whatever works for your memory best

> One rule of thumb that I thought was pretty smart was do not use a word you can find in a dictionary as a password, it’s too easy for bad guys to run their software that rips through basic password options like that stuff much like a hot knife through butter

> Don’t use other easily remembered stuff like license plates, mother’s maiden name or pet names – the sort of password verification Q&A stuff that we’ve all filled out on sites in case we forget our passwords

> Stay on a regular schedule of changing passwords- doesn’t matter if you change the whole thing or only part of it. But do NOT write it down or share it with anyone

> You also shouldn’t save your passsword in any files on your computer (such as an email)

Now, there are many more qualified folks than me to give you insight into all this but these are some of the tricks I’ve learned. I hope they help you stay safe.

Tags: internet, technology by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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If your business in any way involves advertising, marketing or social media, this is worth a look.

Whether or not you agree or disagree with the plight of media portrayed in this clip, I was very impressed with the time, effort and talent put forth.

Just to save you a bit of time, after you hear the chorus once, you can zip past it cause its the same lyrics and graphics each time.

I’d tell you to enjoy it but some folks who are living this right now may not completely enjoy this as it may cut a bit close to home.

Tags: advertising, branding, commentary, commercials, facebook, google, marketing, media, newspapers, radio, social media, technology by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
Comments Off on “the year media died” – way creative!