Buffer allows you to schedule tweets for release at certain times of the day so you don’t flood your followers at any point.  It was great if you were browsing the web and working at a computer.  However, if you were working or reading on your iphone or ipad, it was not as easy to schedule and manage your buffered tweets from those devices.

Where to get it - App Store.

Do you use buffer or any similar tweet scheduling service?   Please share in the comments.

Lance

If the computer breaks, the network won’t connect or a cell phone is acting funny, the family calls me. I’ve worked in and around technology development for nearly 20 years. I’m a tech, information and football fanatic with a short attention span who is always trying out new things and sharing information about them with others. In my “free” time, I enjoy drawing, photography, writing, watching anime and spending time with my family. Follow me on Twitter | Facebook

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Image via CrunchBase

We’ve prepared these “Cheat Sheets” to help you understand it is no secret in our society, mobile devices are more pervasive than computers and it is time for you to develop a mobile marketing strategy for your business. To help you make the leap to considering and implementing a mobile-friendly website for your business, we have prepared mobile device usage facts, mobile website facts and benefits and a mobile website “Getting Started” checklist.

Consumer Mobile Device Usage FACTS

• Consumers are using their mobile devices to access the Internet more than ever before – and it’s expected to grow at astonishing rates over the next 12 months and beyond.

• There are approximately 4 BILLION mobile subscribers across the world.

• Most mobile device users keep their phones within arm’s reach over 90 percent of waking hours.

• Nielsen predicts that smart phones will account for nearly half of worldwide mobile sales by 2013. This is a clear indication of how much more the Internet will be accessed via mobile devices.

• Americans today are spending an average of three hours per day on the Internet from their mobile devices.

• Over the past few years, the shipment of mobile handsets has grown 16% annually – reaching 400 million sold in the last quarter of 2010. Mobile device companies sold a total of 1.39 billion units in 2010.
  

  Image via Wikipedia

• Approximately 30% of U.S. mobile phone users have a smartphone according to Nielson. This number is expected to grow to approximately 43% by 2015 according to eMarketer.

• In 2009, approximately half a BILLION people went online using their mobile device. This number is expected to double within the next 5 years.

• By 2014, mobile Internet usage is expected to exceed desktop Internet usage.

• According to Nielson, 70% of mobile users plan to upgrade to 4G service within the next year so they can have faster Internet speed while using their mobile devices.

• According to founder and CEO of Amazon.com, Jeff Bezos, customers around the world have ordered more than $1 BILLION U.S. dollars from Amazon.com using a mobile device.

• Gartner also predicts that by 2014, more people will access the internet from their mobile devices than from their PC desktops.

• According to Facebook official statistics from January 2011, more than 200 million users (out of over 600 million Facebook users) access Facebook using their mobile devices; also, mobile Facebook users are twice as active as non-mobile users.

• More than 200 million YouTube views occur on mobile devices every day.

• 86% of mobile Internet usage happens while the users are watching TV.

• Mobile marketing methods have proven to be effective in acquiring new customers, providing service to existing customers, and driving repeat business through relationship-building.

• When combined with other marketing methods, mobile marketing has proven to increase conversion rates.

• Studies show that as time goes on, people will prefer to deal with technology over human interaction.

Mobile Website FACTS & BENEFITS

• Studies show that current mobile web-user experiences are dissatisfied when it comes to viewing and navigating websites. Websites that have not been optimized for mobile viewing are too cluttered and negatively impact the visitor’s ability to locate information.

• Traditional websites are designed to be viewed on a computer screen instead of a mobile device. This means that most regular websites are not compatible with mobile devices.

• More and more people are using their mobile devices to access the Internet while on the go. In fact, one-third of the world’s population use their mobile devices to perform Internet searches.

• One-half of all Internet searches for LOCAL products and services are performed from mobile devices.

• Gartner reports that approximately 96 million mobile searches performed in 2009 were by those looking for a “location –based” (LOCAL) service. This number is expected to grow to more than 526 million searches by 2012.

• Mobile-friendly websites receive higher mobile search engine rankings.

• Mobile-friendly websites have higher speed, making the visitor experience more pleasurable.

• Mobile-friendly websites attract both “new” and “repeat” customers by giving your business “instant mobile marketability” when your visitors land on your mobile site with all of the important business information clearly and easily accessible.

• Can be viewed anytime and anywhere mobile cell phone coverage is available.  Due to the massive amount of Internet-enabled mobile devices across the world, this means your website can easily be exposed to many millions of people.

• Makes it easier for “On-the-go” visitors to easily find your business and contact you with one-click calling, one-click email, and instant directions. This eliminates the need for your customers to take “extra steps” in order to contact or visit your business.

• When users are successful in finding what they need while visiting a mobile website, they’re more likely to come back.   When mobile users land on a website that is all distorted, they quickly exit and make a mental note never to return.

• Have the advantage of coming up higher in search engine results for local searches performed on mobile devices. This means that when people search for your type of product or service using their mobile device, you can show up higher in the results just because you have a mobile website.

• Gives you the advantage over your competitors; most of which are not even leveraging the powerful benefits of mobile marketing.

• It is easy to track your mobile success with free reporting and analytic tools available with most mobile platforms. Simply track your visitors and make improvements where necessary.

• Integrating social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube with your mobile website is simple and will help boost your profits even more.

                       Mobile Website “Getting Started” Checklist

                       Ready to get your own mobile-friendly website?

1. Decide what enhancements you want to provide with your mobile website.

• Easy access to your phone number and one-click calling.
• Easy access to your email address and one-click emailing.
• Easy access to your product information.
• Easy access to directions and a map to your establishment.
• Easily accessible through higher search engine rankings

• Retrieve Information Only
• Make Purchases
• Redeem Coupons
• Opt-in to Your List

3. Decide on the content for your mobile site. Keep the amount of graphics and content to a minimum as mobile devices navigate well the less content there is.

4. Decide on a mobile platform or method to create a mobile-friendly website for your business.

• You could purchase programs to help you create your own mobile website or you could hire a professional to do it for you.
• Design your mobile site to be very clean and simple. Only provide relevant content and information that is easy to access.
• Keep it simple – your visitors will appreciate it! Mobile users don’t care about the look and style of your website.
• Create a mobile site that enhances your visitors’ experience instead of distracting them.
• People who access websites from their mobile devices are usually looking for one specific piece of information and then leave.
• Make sure that all of your pertinent information is easily visible on your mobile website. This includes your phone number, address, directions, map, menu, contact capture forms, etc.

5. Track and measure your progress. Test various types of campaigns to drive traffic to your website. Use SMS/Text messaging and QR codes. Be sure to view the analytics of your mobile website to see how many views and conversions you are getting. No matter how many visitors you’re getting, at least you’ll know that they are finding what they need now that you have a mobile website.

If you would like more information about creating a mobile-friendly website for your business, give me a call at (925) 309-4888.

Related articles

• 7 Reasons why your Auto Dealership needs a mobile website in 2012 (slideshare.net)
• Mobile Ready Websites (centexmobilemarketing.com)

Dan

Dan has 25 years of experience in information technology (IT) services sales, marketing, and enterprise account management. He holds a degree in business administration from Miami University, a Master's in Public Administration from the University of Southern California and Masters Certificate in Internet Marketing from the University of San Francisco. Dan is also a certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach. Dan's passion is for cloud computing, Internet marketing, social media marketing, and mobile marketing.

I feel that the iPad is the perfect platform for textbooks. Let’s look at this from a financial standpoint, and from the standpoint of having the most up to date information.  Schools will no longer have to purchase physical text books that tend to cost more than their digital counterparts. So the school districts will be saving money in the long run. In addition, Steve Jobs mentioned in his biography that the textbooks would be free with the iPads. Now that might, or might not come to fruition, only time will tell.

If you remember back to when you where in K-12 you generally had textbooks that were out of date when it came to certain subjects. Think of how convenient it would be to simply download an update to your textbook, and not feel like your learning something that is five to ten years old. This is something that happens now with eBooks. If a correction needs to be made; you receive a notification and then an update is performed.

One other key point I didn’t mention was that now kids will only need to carry an iPad instead of three to four heavy books. My daughter is in the fifth grade and she carries at least five to eight pounds of books in her backpack. With textbooks on an iPad she would no longer need to haul around that extra weight.

What do you think Apple will announce?  An update to iTunes U? Textbooks for the iPad?  Let us know what you thinks Apple will be announcing in the comments below.

Gerard Lagana

I'm a husband, dad of two great kids, and I have a passion for Apple products. I got my first Mac in 2005, and I haven't looked back. I like the simplicity of the Mac, and how does the motto go, oh yeah, It just works. I think that's the great thing about Macs how the hardware and software work harmoniously together. I've also been in the IT industry for over fourteen years. I've worked with everything from Windows computers to Mac computers. I can say I thoroughly enjoy working with Macs. I can also be found on Twitter, where I continue to geek out on Apple products.

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But wait, is that built in iOS functionality?  Nope.  If you had your laptop you could have controlled it with Remote (through iTunes) but you wanted to carry only the minimum stuff.  What to do now?

Enter Tango Remote.

The version I found and used this year is 5.0.23 and it’s a universal app (meaning you buy it once and it’ll run on iPhone, iPod touch and iPad).  I hadn’t read anything about it previously but I took the plunge and made the purchase.  In this instance, I depended on the iTunes rating system to help me make the choice.  Out of 27 reviews on the current version, it rated 4 stars so it seemed legit.  I bought it on the iPhone and the iPad, waited for them to load.  I made sure I was on the same wi-fi network with both devices.  Then I plugged the iPad to the stereo and launched Tango Remote.  I found my playlist and fired up the app on the iPhone.  It recognized the iPad immediately.  I selected the same playlist and started playing the media.  No issues. As the night went on, I was able to stop, start, skip and change the music at will.

Ratings

Productivity value – 4.5/5

I was able to perform nearly all needed functions without a hitch.  I would have liked to have seen the ability to switch between video playback, if showing a music video and showing a cover when playing a song.  Otherwise, top notch.  AND, not only does it look at your music play lists, it allows you to play all your media on your device including any movies, TV shows,  iTunes University, videos from your camera roll – amazing.

Ease of use 4/5

Extremely easy to use – no issue just downloading on the 2 devices, making sure they were on the same network and running it.  I read that Bluetooth was also an option but did not try it.  I would like it if there was an option to have videos remember their playback position, or at least make it optional.

Likelihood of usage 5/5

This was great – I had no issues and will certainly use it again.  This app will be granted a permanent home on my already cramped 32 GB iPad and my iPhone.

Graphics and Sound 4/5

Graphics are simple and effective.  I’m not rating this high because of the artistic value – I’m rating it this high because I could easily find everything I needed without a bunch of distracting colors or blinking lights.  Everything seemed to “just work” for me.  This includes different layouts for the iPad and the iPhone.  They used the larger screen space on the iPad effectively and made the iPhone version more compact as one would expect.

Overall  – 4.4/5

Great application – the price is more than what I normally want to pay for an app but I have NO regrets on this one.

Where to get it

The App Store 

How much is it

I paid 4.99 but it looks like it goes on sale pretty often.  Again, even at this price, I’m happy.

tap playlist to see the playlists on your device (iPad screen shot)

select individual songs from playlist (iPad screen shot)

different menu options let you select from all the playable content (iPad screen shot)

set a password if needed (iPad screen shot)

iPad playlist control from the iPhone (iPhone screen shot)

you can view all the iPad media from the iPhone (iPhone screen shot)

Lance

If the computer breaks, the network won’t connect or a cell phone is acting funny, the family calls me. I’ve worked in and around technology development for nearly 20 years. I’m a tech, information and football fanatic with a short attention span who is always trying out new things and sharing information about them with others. In my “free” time, I enjoy drawing, photography, writing, watching anime and spending time with my family. Follow me on Twitter | Facebook

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Check out the following video showing two guys (that love their respective smartphones) as they begin to battle it out over which device actually is best.

What’s key to note is that the functionality mentioned is standard of the HTC, but has to be purchased through the App Store for the iPhone.

Does this send you running to the T-Mobile store with cash in hand?

[video via]

James Hicks

James is the Founder and Chief Technologist of HicksNewMedia, a technology consulting and digital publishing firm providing effective and relevant solutions to individuals and businesses looking to utilize all things on the interweb. Follow him on Twitter | about.me | Facebook | Google+

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Title Page

This is no Tiger Woods golf with all the great graphics and in-depth game play but in my 15 minute tryout, I was pretty entertained.  Basically you’re a little stick guy and you play golf – the controls are simple, you adjust the angle of your shot then you control the power by tapping the go! Button.  You tap once to start a little green gauge then one again to stop it.  Depending on where you want the ball to go, you either want the gauge to be full or only partially filled.

Using your fingers you can zoom in and out of each map to review the terrain, account for any obstacles and determine the best shot path.

Along the way, you unlock different types of power ups – I only made it through the first round and earned a ‘stickyball’ which sticks to stuff.

Entertainment value  3.9/5

I can’t say I’m aching to play again, but I probably will.

Ease of Use 4.5/5

The game is very easy to use.  Since you do not have to hammer on the buttons or look away from the screen while you’re tapping, the controls are very easy.

Likelihood of replay 4/5

As I mentioned, I’ll probably play it again.

Graphics and Sound 3/5

For a ‘stickman’ game, I don’t expect a lot so even though I scored this relatively low –– I was not disappointed.  There was no music during the main game play but during the selection screens there’s an old-school-video-game-sounding track that plays in the back ground.  I imagine that would get annoying over time but you can turn down your volume or, I think, shut off the music.

Overall 3.85/5

If you’re not looking for fancy graphics, this game seems like a good fit for a golf or gaming fan.  I have not yet tried the multiplayer but that seems to be a nice added touch too.

Where to get it

itunes link

How much is it

The cost of this app seems to vary quite a bit – as of this writing it’s $0.99

Game Play

Hey I hit a hole in one!

I earned a new 'special ball'

In game tip system, nice touch

Lance

If the computer breaks, the network won’t connect or a cell phone is acting funny, the family calls me. I’ve worked in and around technology development for nearly 20 years. I’m a tech, information and football fanatic with a short attention span who is always trying out new things and sharing information about them with others. In my “free” time, I enjoy drawing, photography, writing, watching anime and spending time with my family. Follow me on Twitter | Facebook

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Image by turtlemom4bacon via Flickr

There are a lot of online storage and services being offered to the public these days.  And frankly, at times it can be confusing.  What with offerings of 5GB free here, or 25GB  free there.  How does the average person know what to choose from, or how do they make the right decision?  The old adage more is better might be deceiving to some when it comes to online storage or services.

A good example is Microsoft’s SkyDrive which offers 25GB of online storage for new customers; while Apple is offering 5GB of online storage through their iCloud service.  In addition, both of these companies are offering these capacities for free.  So you would say to yourself, “This is a no brainer, Microsoft has the better offering.”  That is where you would be mistaken.  Microsoft is offering you 25GB of online storage, and that’s it, just storage.  You are basically getting a hard drive in the Cloud.  While with Apple’s iCloud service you are receiving Cloud services, in addition to a hard drive in the Cloud.

Image by BasBoerman via Flickr

Let me explain.  With iCloud all “Your purchased music, apps, books, and TV shows, as well as your Photo Stream, don’t count against your free storage.”  So basically you are receiving more than 25GB of online storage in addition to the 5GB of free storage being offered to you by Apple.  In a sense Apple is doing what Amazon has done with their Cloud initiative.  Any media you purchase on Amazon does not count toward the amount of storage that they are offering for free.  Which I believe is 5GB as well, I might be wrong, but I believe that is the limit on a free account.

Now if you simply want online storage; then, Microsoft’s SkyDrive is the way to go.  You have your 25GB hard drive in the Cloud, and your data is accessible to you wherever you are.  This includes music, documents, photos, and videos.  However, if your media is what is important to you, and you already have content with Apple or even Amazon; then the 25GB of SkyDrive might seem more like 5GB in the long run.

Gerard Lagana

I'm a husband, dad of two great kids, and I have a passion for Apple products. I got my first Mac in 2005, and I haven't looked back. I like the simplicity of the Mac, and how does the motto go, oh yeah, It just works. I think that's the great thing about Macs how the hardware and software work harmoniously together. I've also been in the IT industry for over fourteen years. I've worked with everything from Windows computers to Mac computers. I can say I thoroughly enjoy working with Macs. I can also be found on Twitter, where I continue to geek out on Apple products.

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From apps that merely took advantage of integrated camera and allowed for filters to be used for image manipulation. To apps that take mobile video blogging to a whole new and exciting level.

One app that falls into that second category is Viddy. At its core, Viddy is a mobile social video application that enables users to shoot, beautify and share 15-second video clips using visual effects pre-bundled into easy to use and apply production packages (think Instagram for video…).

It’s only been 6 months since their public launch, but they’re creating a ton of positive buzz with folks looking to create and share quick videos with their mobile phones. What is separating Viddy from the wide selection of other video apps available is that social sharing is built into the framework of the app. Obviously there’s Facebook and Twitter sharing, but included as well are Tumblr, YouTube, Foursquare and embed codes for integration into a personal website. Sounds simple, sounds like common sense, but the fact that Viddy has embed capability puts them on the front screen of my iPhone as a serious go to app! Below is a quick video I shot using Viddy to demonstrate:

At BlogWorld Expo LA, I sat down with Chris Ovitz, Chief Evangelist and SVP of Business Development, and talked about the app – where it started, where it is now, and where they plan to take it in the near term.

The vision and foundation for Viddy started in Venice, Ca under the direction of JJ Aguhob and Brett O’Brien. They’ve assembled a stellar team of folks passionate about 1 thing – helping people create, publish and share awesome personal video through their mobile devices. Today the app is only on the iPhone and iPod Touch, but they are actively working on an Android version as well as an iPad app – the iPad app may be a universal extension of the current app or it may be released as a pro version.

There are cool production packs that are available to add a a bit of flare and personalization to your videos as well. Ranging from options like Solarize, Red, Exposed, Retro, Glam, Black & White, Crystal, Hued, Vintage, Junkd, & 3D for the basics. There are also branded/partner production packs including: Snoop Dogg, Incubus, & now the Muppets (perfect timing to have a pack for the Muppets as there is a new film coming out…)

I’m a big gamification and social interaction evangelist. I believe that Viddy has brought that functionality into their video creation and sharing app seamlessly.

My recommendation – go get it today. The app is in the Apple App Store here.

I’m always looking for new friends – you can follow my adventures on Viddy here.

Follow Viddy on their website | Facebook | Twitter

James Hicks

James is the Founder and Chief Technologist of HicksNewMedia, a technology consulting and digital publishing firm providing effective and relevant solutions to individuals and businesses looking to utilize all things on the interweb. Follow him on Twitter | about.me | Facebook | Google+

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The developers of 4Siri.com, a new dedicated website for Siri and the iPhone 4S say that people using Siri are hungry for an easy-to-use online guide, and that stimulated them to create this sharply focused new website, which was officially launched today after several weeks of intensive development. It is free and available to all.

“We have gone all out to create a one-stop reservoir of information about Siri’s features and her sassy personality, along with multi-faceted information about the iPhone 4S,” said the website’s developer, Jodi Dery. “The home page of 4Siri.com provides direct access to 2 featured videos, Apple’s official Siri website, iPhone 4S FAQ, Tips & Tricks, 25 additional articles and, most important, a comprehensive database of more than 300 Siri answers, conveniently divided into 3 categories — funniest, cool and naughty questions.”

Dery went on to state, “4Siri.com features a novel Q&A format that displays Siri’s answers only to questions selected by the visitor, thus minimizing the need to navigate through many pages to find what you are looking for. Our site also provides an easy method for users to submit screenshots of newly discovered Siri answers, each of which will be verified before being added to the site.”

“Last but not least,” Dery added, “we also provide a one-stop iPhone 4S accessory shop – managed by Amazon – featuring over 200 iPhone 4S accessories, each of which has a 4 or 5 star rating by Amazon customers. And that shop is organized into 12 categories to facilitate finding the right accessory for every iPhone 4S need. All of these highly rated accessories are available directly from Amazon at their usual low prices, and all orders will be fulfilled by Amazon with their usual super-fast delivery.”

James Hicks

James is the Founder and Chief Technologist of HicksNewMedia, a technology consulting and digital publishing firm providing effective and relevant solutions to individuals and businesses looking to utilize all things on the interweb. Follow him on Twitter | about.me | Facebook | Google+

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Using an iPhone 4S, Twilio, and an Insteon thermostat/appliance along with some serious coding, Chris is able to control appliances and his home thermostat via his mobile phone.

Check out all the great details on Chris’ personal blog here.

To keep up with Chris’ professional work, follow him at his consulting and software company, MakeRocketGoNow.com.

James Hicks

James is the Founder and Chief Technologist of HicksNewMedia, a technology consulting and digital publishing firm providing effective and relevant solutions to individuals and businesses looking to utilize all things on the interweb. Follow him on Twitter | about.me | Facebook | Google+

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