January 5, 2009

Daily Search Coverage & Link Finds: January 5, 2009
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Daily Search Coverage:

Google's help area might not be too helpful. Google warns of social media schemes. Google's date format might not be UK friendly. Do you like video thumbnails? Do you alphabetize your meta tags. Google and Baidu get slapped by China. Googlers give tons of money to Obama's inauguration.

Search Engine Roundtable Topics:

  1. Have a Question For Google? Using Google's New Discussion Area Might Not Help
  2. Google Warns About Social Media "Schemes" in SEO Guide
  3. Google & Date Formats : US vs UK Date Formats
  4. Poll: Do You Like Video Thumbnails Near Google Search Results?
  5. Newbie Thread of Week: Alphabetized META Tags

Search Engine Land Topics:

  1. Google & Baidu Fail China's Pornography Test, May Lead To Penalties
  2. Top Googlers Donate $150,000 To Obama's Inauguration

Daily Link Finds:

Daily Link Finds GraphicThis is the January 5th, issue of a daily post that will contain links to commentary of the posts over at the Search Engine Roundtable. All links I find throughout the day that ad some commentary to the posts written over at the Search Engine Roundtable, will be in the Daily Link Finds. The purpose is two fold: (1) To help people find discussion around our articles and (2) To thank people for linking to us. How do I find these links? Only one way, via a Google Blog Search link command, so make sure that (1) you are in Google Blog Search and (2) link to us.

Daily Link Finds for January 5th, 2009:

Posted at 1:51 PM in Daily Link Finds , Daily Search Coverage | TrackBacks (0) | Speak

January 5, 2009

Perfect iPhone App for the Toilet: Fluke - Random App Finder
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iPhone Fluke AppOver the weekend, our latest app was released. This app is named fluke - random iPhone app finder. In short, it will show you a random app each time you shake the phone.

I consider this app to be the perfect app for the toilet.

I know, I know, I am very against using your phone in a public bathroom, very against it. But honestly, there are tons of people who do it. So instead of yapping away on your phone and disturbing the guy or gal next to you in the other stall, use this app. It is quiet, easy to use, fun and you can strike gold with it.

You basically shake it, it finds a random app, and you can either click over to the App Store from it, email it, or look at your history of what you saw. In addition, you can filter what you want to see (i.e. free apps in the lifestyle and entertainment categories), if you so please.

You can get the app for free at rustybrick.com/iphone/fluke/get/.

Posted at 9:46 AM in | TrackBacks (0)

January 5, 2009

Mazol Tov To Sister-in-Law & New Brother-in-Law
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brother in lawsRemember when I wrote, It's Official: I'm The Short Stumpy One? Yea, the story about my wife's sister getting engaged? Well, last night they got married. The wedding was extremely nice. Awesome food, awesome ambiance, awesome music, awesome everything.

Mazol Tov to my sister-in-law and officially new brother-in-law (excluding all names here)!

Here is a picture someone took of me and my wife walking down the aisle. I won't tell you who took the picture, but it does make me look like we are running really fast down the aisle.

Walking Down at Wedding - Really Fast

No, I did not run down the aisle.

Posted at 9:33 AM in Family | TrackBacks (0)

January 2, 2009

How Badly Did You Want a Nintendo Wii?
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Video of 50 kids and their reaction to getting the Wii. Via CrunchGear.

Posted at 11:20 AM in | TrackBacks (0)

January 2, 2009

Daily Search Coverage & Link Finds: January 2, 2009
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Daily Search Coverage:

Got the New Years day logos covered for you. Live Search crawls JavaScript. Google loves subdomain wildcards. Google shifts being noticed. Content Ads stinks. Microsoft to layoff 15,000 workers. Activate the bells on Google Mobile. Make sure to check out my last video.

Search Engine Roundtable Topics:

  1. Happy '09 New Years From Search Industry: Logos from Google, Yahoo, AOL, Live, Ask & Others
  2. Live Search Begins Crawling JavaScript with MSNBot-Media
  3. Google's Wildcard Subdomain Handling Issues?
  4. Major Google Search Results Changes, January 2009
  5. MSN adCenter's Content Ads Showing Horrible Click Through Rates?
  6. Video Recap of Weekly Search Buzz :: New Years 2009

Search Engine Land Topics:

  1. Report: Microsoft To Lay Off 15,000 Workers
  2. 2009 New Years Day Logos from Google & Others
  3. Activate The "Bells and Whistles" On Google's iPhone Mobile App

Daily Link Finds:

Daily Link Finds GraphicThis is the January 2nd, issue of a daily post that will contain links to commentary of the posts over at the Search Engine Roundtable. All links I find throughout the day that ad some commentary to the posts written over at the Search Engine Roundtable, will be in the Daily Link Finds. The purpose is two fold: (1) To help people find discussion around our articles and (2) To thank people for linking to us. How do I find these links? Only one way, via a Google Blog Search link command, so make sure that (1) you are in Google Blog Search and (2) link to us.

Daily Link Finds for January 2nd, 2009:

Posted at 11:13 AM in Daily Link Finds , Daily Search Coverage | TrackBacks (0) | Speak

January 1, 2009

My 2009 Search Predictions, Kind Of...
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I spoke with Virginia Nussey from BruceClay.com on their SEM Synergy show about some of what I thought stood out in 2008 and what we might expect in 2009. Seems like I am not on until about half way in the show.

FYI, I did a huge write up at the Search Engine Roundtable on this. I wasn't really prepared for the questions Virginia asked me, but I was prepared in my Search Engine Roundtable write up.

Posted at 1:26 PM in SEO Tips | TrackBacks (0)

December 31, 2008

Who's Praying With the iPhone Siddur?
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Remember I talked about the social release of the iPhone Siddur? Well, it was finally approved yesterday and the map feature is working. The below screen shot shows who is actively using the iPhone Siddur across the world. Note, this screen shot was from yesterday and many folks have yet to update to 3.0 and thus it would not map all the users (plus people can turn it off).

iPhone Siddur Maps

I hope to post a new screen capture or maybe a live embedded Google Map, with this data, but in the future to show a real look at who is praying with the iPhone Siddur around the world.

It would be my goal to have at least one person using it every minute of the day, except for Shabbos.

Posted at 12:27 PM in Religion | TrackBacks (0)

December 31, 2008

Daily Search Coverage & Link Finds: December 31, 2008
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Daily Search Coverage:

Toolbar PageRank has been updated. AdWords requiring two logins. Google tries Lively, one last time. Child Care site showing porn suggestion. Google got a product ideas engine. Google pushing fat ads. Danny smacks down Microsoft. Do tough SEO? Google's Mayer may be leaving Google? Google Product Search gains momentum.

Search Engine Roundtable Topics:

  1. Google Confirms PageRank Update (New Years 2009)
  2. Google AdWords Requiring Some Advertisers to Login Twice
  3. Google Webmaster Helps Tries Live Lively Event, Before Lively Shuts Down
  4. Search For Child Day Care Site & Google Suggests Porn Site
  5. Google Recommends Product Ideas for Your Google Mobile Suggestions
  6. Google AdSense Now Pushing Fat Ads: Is this Offensive?
  7. Danny Sullivan Gives Microsoft The Hard Truth
  8. Tough SEO: SEO For Sites You Don't Manage & Leftover SEO

Search Engine Land Topics:

  1. Rumor: Marissa Mayer, Google's 19th Employee, To Leave
  2. Google's Product Search Gaining & A Look At Google's Top Services

Daily Link Finds:

Daily Link Finds GraphicThis is the December 31st, issue of a daily post that will contain links to commentary of the posts over at the Search Engine Roundtable. All links I find throughout the day that ad some commentary to the posts written over at the Search Engine Roundtable, will be in the Daily Link Finds. The purpose is two fold: (1) To help people find discussion around our articles and (2) To thank people for linking to us. How do I find these links? Only one way, via a Google Blog Search link command, so make sure that (1) you are in Google Blog Search and (2) link to us.

Daily Link Finds for December 31st, 2008:

Posted at 12:22 PM in Daily Link Finds , Daily Search Coverage | TrackBacks (0) | Speak

December 31, 2008

My Verizon Phone Saga
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vonage screwedThis blog post is mostly so I remember what happened when. But it might be some what comical to you.

On 12/11 a guy named John Leveroni convinced me that he would save me money by switching me back to Verizon from my current provider of business telephone service. After having all the paper work and contracts written out, I was confident I would be saving money. The thing is, I wasn't sure if this was Verizon or a Verizon reseller. So I asked him, and he said, he is from Verizon.

Turns out he lied. He is an authorized Verizon reseller but he works at a place called One Source, that resells this stuff for Verizon. But why should I care, I got a signed contract?

Well, it turned out that the plan I was signed up for was not the plan he told me he can put me on. It turned out, it had less features at the same or more expensive price. So I said, fine - I got a contract, Ill tell Verizon.

I call Verizon last week and they tell me, that since it was not a Verizon rep, they cannot honor it. All they can do is put in a complaint and then sign me up for a different plan. I was frustrated but was convinced by a Verizon rep that a different plan would get me everything I wanted at the right price.

So Kim Scott at the 631 Verizon business office switched me to a new plan. She gave me the confirmation number for the new plan and promised to keep me up to date. I haven't heard back, so I called back today to follow up.

Guess, what, the confirmation number is not in the system and no such order was placed. Even worse, the pricing she gave me for this plan is twice as much as she told me. Oh, and it only comes with the DSL package, which I don't need, but this is the first time I am hearing this.

So I was told to speak with her manager, name is Michael at 890-1309. I called, he is on vacation until Monday, after New Years. So I left him a message.

I'll give them until Monday and if I don't hear back, I will try to switch back to my previous provider.

What a waste of time!

Posted at 11:15 AM in RustyBrick | TrackBacks (0)

December 31, 2008

Gonna Be a Bad Winter?
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WinterThe snow is really coming down now. I think about five inches is expected in Suffern, where I am right now. When I got to work, it was a clear sky - so when RBers started walking in complaining about the snow, I was shocked.

I have a feeling it is going to be a snowy winter. I certainly hope not. But that is my gut. Honestly, a snowy winter on top of a recessionary time, doesn't make me happy - but what can I do.

I told the RBers that if we get stuck here, at the office, for New Years, at least we got our iPhone New Years horns to keep us entertained. :)

Here is to a warm winter! :)

And Happy New Year!

Posted at 9:38 AM in Weather | TrackBacks (0)