In Depth Twitter Analysis Posted 7/6/2009 by TomB, Acct Mgr

A fantastic report released by Sysomos providing a in depth stats and reports. 

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	Hulu Desktop Posted 5/29/2009 by TomB, Acct Mgr

The popularity of watching Video and Television online is growing at a phenominal rate. Just ask the folks at Youtube.com or Hulu.com

This week, the folks at hulu released Hulu Desktop for Mac/PC.  Here is a brief summary from the Website at: http://www.hulu.com/labs/hulu-desktop

Hulu Desktop is a lean-back viewing experience for your personal computer. It features a sleek new look that's optimized for use with standard Windows Media Center remote controls or Apple remote controls, allowing you to navigate Hulu's entire library with just six buttons. For users without remotes, the application is keyboard and mouse-enabled. Hulu Desktop is a downloadable application and will work on PCs and Macs. It will initially launch as a beta product during which we plan to gather and incorporate user feedback to improve the service.

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	XBOX 360 Purchase Guide Posted 2/17/2009 by PeterB, .NET Prog.

Lincoln recently sent an email to his sister, who was looking for information regarding buying an XBOX 360.  He decided to do some research on the subject, and along with his own experience, he put together a pretty good list of things to taking into account when looking to buy this console.  Many people probably already know a good deal on this list, however if you are completely new to XBOX 360's and aren't quite sure what to get, the following may be a great start for you:

• There are a few “packages” of XBOXs, which I’ll cover below. The one you choose depends largely on how you plan to use the XBOX. If you plan playing games with other people online, you’ll need an XBOX live GOLD account, and probably a headset to talk to people. If you want to download movies or shows and watch them, you may want a larger hard drive to store stuff. (You can buy movies from XBOX Live, or if you have a NetFlix account you can access it through the service too – I’ve heard rave reviews about the Netflix deal.)
  

• Things you shouldn’t worry about:
• Every console comes with one wireless controller. You can buy more controllers for $50 retail each, and buy rechargeable battery packs if you want the convenience.
• You’ll see a lot of confusing stuff about XBOX “silver” and “gold” accounts, and how “this console includes a silver account” or “one month free gold account”…. Ignore all of that. Anyone can create a silver account for free whenever they want (even do it over the web), and that will let you send messages to friends, and make a profile. Whenever you want, you can upgrade to GOLD for one month free. That lets you play games and download some premium content. If you want to keep the GOLD account, it’s $60 bucks for a full year. You can pay with your credit card right over the XBOX (also you can opt to have it “remember” your credit card, for future purchases).
  

• Packages:
•  XBOX 360 “Elite” Console (retail $400)
• 120GB hard drive ($149 by itself)
• HDMI Cable included
• Headset included ($60 by itself)
• This is the big boy, and it’s actually a good deal for what you’re getting. If you have a TV with a HDMI input and plan on doing movie downloads and playing games online, you may want to consider this one. The cable will give you a better picture, and you can use the extra Hard Drive space for storing stuff. Also note that this package usually comes with 2 games – currently they have one with LEGO Indiana Jones and Kung Fu Panda. I played the demo of both of those and they were pretty fun.
• XBOX 360 “Pro” Console (retail $300)
• 60GB Hard drive (half the size of the Elite)
• HD AV cable (not HDMI) included
• Headset included ($60 by itself)
• This is what we bought when we got ours. It also comes with the same 2 games as the Elite. We’ve been happy with it for a while, but I will say that we’ve bought the HDMI cable since, and probably spent more cash on it. We also run out of Hard Drive space quite often. If I was to buy a system today, I would spring for the Elite. But, if you’re not planning on watching a lot of movies, consider this one. It’s totally legit.
• XBOX 360 “Arcade” Console (retail $200)
• 256 MB memory card (not 256GB hard drive!)
• HD AV cable (not HDMI) included
• No headset
• Avoid this lump of crap. The memory card is barely enough to store your saved games. You WILL end up buying a larger drive, and spending more money on it. Also in Microsoft’s effort to produce a lower cost alternative, they skimped on the hardware. People have complained about games not working, the system overheating and failing, and the fans being louder than the other models. I only listed this here so you would know what NOT to get.
  

• Final notes:
• The XBOX Live arcade gives you access to TONS of old-school style games that are a lot of fun. You can often download them for free or for only 5 to 15 bucks. There are also lots of demos you can download and try out. When we got our XBOX, I spent the first 3 months just downloading free stuff and goofing around. Not only did this make the best use of my Live account, but it saved me from having to buy games at Best Buy for $60 a pop. I highly recommend just getting your GOLD Live account and seeing what you can do for free before buying any games.
• If you have any specific games in mind (Like ROCK BAND), consider the possible added cost of the guitars or extra equipment you might need before buying the system. Same thing if you’re looking to buy a specific game, since they can be pretty expensive when they are new.
• Once you decide what you want, if you’re not afraid to purchase online, I would recommend it. You can probably avoid around 10% of retailer mark-ups that way. I like simply checking Amazon.com for their lowest prices on “new” products. Don’t forget about the shipping charges when you’re comparing prices.

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	Think You can Hide at an Inauguration? Think Again! Posted 2/10/2009 by Matt, Acct Mgr

Whenever I think of national security, I think of wire tapping, the CIA and other sorts of high-tech spy games. One of the great things about this country is that the American public doesn't have to "see" national security in order for it to be there. Authorities can dig up any type of information about anyone of us they want in a split second.

I stumbled across this little bit of what I can only imagine is the latests and greatest photo capturing technology out there. Click on the link below to see for youself to see what was going on at last months Presidential Inauguration. The image below the link is where you start off. Once you click the link, use the navigation buttons on the upper right corner of the page to move around.

Link: http://gigapan.org/viewGigapanFullscreen.php?auth=033ef14483ee899496648c2b4b06233c



Now if technology like this is public, think about what isn't.

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	Still Spellbound by Ladera Resort in St. Lucia Posted 1/30/2009 by Michelle, Intern Mgr

When planning our honeymoon, my husband, Peter, and I were fairly open minded. Our main criteria: it had to be romantic, relaxing, and there had to be roomservice.  So when we decided on St. Lucia for our honeymoon, and started looking at accommodations.  We had heard alot about Sandals, and so we anticipated we would go there, but we continued looking to see what else was available.

So one day, I went to Peter's office to talk about the honeymoon plans, but he had to run to a meeting. Before he left he told me that he had several places open on his browser and asked that I take a look.  he also said that there was once place, Ladera, that looked really amazing, but that because mosquitos love me (they really do-it's kinda sickening), he didn't think the place was an option, but that I should look at the rest. So once he left, I sat down and looked through them, and didn't find too much that I was impressed with, until I went to the Ladera Resort page.  It was at that moment I decided that was where we were going- even if I had to wear bug spray to bed, and even if we could only afford 1 night, we HAD to go.

And so we did! But it turned out that we could afford 5 nights at Ladera in combination with 5 nights at Sandals Grande (St. Lucia).  We decided to do Ladera first, and I am SOOO glad. I could not have imagined a more restful place and a more romantic view to start our new life together.

But I'm skipping ahead a bit.  So once we booked the resort, I started getting a little concerned, so I started reading other visitors' reviews.  In retrospect, doing so never seems like a good idea. So as I read review after review, some good others terrible, I became really worried about the bad ones I read. But I prepared myself mentally, and bought 2 citronella candles and some bug spray, just incase.

Skipping ahead...

So we arrive at the Airport, and right there is a representative from Ladera with a sedan waiting for us. After standing in customs without ac, it was nice to be in the car with cool air.  The road to Ladera is full of tight turns, so I was so happy I had put on a Scopalomine patch for seasickness (I get carsick really easily).  The trip with the patch wasnt too bad.  When we arrived at Ladera, they greeted us with cool minty towels and this amazing juice drink. If I had gotten car-sick I'm sure it truly would have been helpful upon arrival, but regardless it was tasty and soothing.

Here is the "reception" area they brought us to:

So they explained the "all-inclusive" package we added on as extra to include meals (which also included roomservice), all alcoholic drinks, and even a spa treatment for each of us.  Then they took us to our room.  We go up a bunch of steps, the receptionist opens our door and we as we stepped in behind her, this is the first thing we saw:

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	Tips when Applying for a Job or Internship Posted 1/30/2009 by Michelle, Intern Mgr

Part of my job as the Internship Program Coordinator is to review the applications that come in for the Internship Program here at 352 Media Group.  Over the past couple semesters of reviewing applications I have noticed that on many applications there seem to be consistent issues that people have with their resumes and/or with completing applications.

 
The biggest problem that I have noticed is not including your contact information.  Now, looking over my old resume, I didn't have all of my contact information on there, in particular I felt it was unnecessary to include my address on my resume.  I felt that as a woman who (at the time) lived alone, that I should be very careful with disclosing information to that effect.  While the sentiment was appropriate, being on the other end, it is frustrating when any of the contact information is missing on a resume/application  (phone, email, physical address).  I have had people apply to the program, and leave me without any means of contacting them! So always include your contact information so that I (the reviewer) can contact you through my preferred method.

Another big issue, is not paying attention to information, whether it's the directions on filling out the application form, or a description of the program track.  I have had people apply for every track through our online application system because they were unsure what the different tracks meant (marketing, project management, programming and design).  So instead of asking, they simply applied for all of them.  This is one of the most irritating errors our applicants make, mostly because it's often obvious which track they should be applying for when you consider their resume, but the applicant failed to make the effort to ASK someone about the tracks and which they were best suited for, causing more work on my end as I try to contact them for clarification.  While that doesn't seem like a big deal- having to call a person to get clarification- when you have to do it 20 times, it becomes a real issue.

Here are some other things to consider to improve your application/resume:

• Doble chek yor spellin
  
• Explain your experience in light of the position you are applying for.  If you are looking for a management job, be sure to highlight those experiences where you have had some type of leadership/managerial role.
• Create a cover letter!!! It may seem like a pain, and chances are the reviewer won't want to spend a lot of time reading it, but it definitely makes an applicant stand out, and moreover, gives you the opportunity to explain your experiences in a way that will mean something to the reviewer. For instance, if you have been a lifeguard since High School, and you're looking for a design position, you could talk about how the differently colored bathing suits gave you an appreciation for color and pattern. Ok, so that may be a little extreme, but do some reading on how to write a cover letter and "get 'er done!"

Other things to consider beyond the application:

• When you apply for something and you provide your contact information, be sure you check those forms of contact frequently for correspondence, whether it's checking your email, your snail mail, or keeping up with your voicemails.
• When someone says they want to interview you, get excited! There's nothing less rewarding than interviewing someone who is non-chalant about the whole thing.
  
• If you are on social networking sites, be sure you check to be sure your profile and the pictures you have or are tagged in are G-rated, or otherwise suited to the job you are applying for, because, it's sad, but interviewers DO CHECK FACEBOOK AND MYSPACE!
• If you are coming to an interview, obviously be prepared, but BE ON TIME! If you are going to a new area of town, go there before your interview on a different day so you can be sure where it is.
  
• DO NOT rely on mapquest or google maps to get you there on the day of, as they can be wrong, and they certainly have been wrong in the case of finding our office.
  
• Regardless of if you know where you are going or not, be sure you allow for enough time to get there and to be at least 15 minutes early.  Prompt people make interviewers happy, especially me.  Late people make interviewers irritiated, and you don't want to start your interview that way.  
• Take into consideration traffic flow.  If you have an interview first thing in the morning, around lunch or between 4-6 expect delays and plan appropriately, giving yourself plenty of time to get there and STILL be early.  Think about your route and also consider school zones where you  may only be able to go 15 mph.
  
• If you are going to be late to an interview, call while you are on the way to let the interviewer know you are still coming and your ETA (estimated time of arrival).

Granted, every person who reviews applications and who does interviews will have different preferences in their applicants, but there are certainly pitfalls to avoid.  If you really want the position, show it through paying attention to details, responding promptly to correspondence, going the extra step, being on time and being excited about the position you are applying for!

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	Alternative FTP solution-- getdropbox.com Posted 1/1/2009 by Declan, Acct Mgr

Sometimes I have clients that need to send me large files, and this can be quite a difficult situation, because the files are too big for email and the client does not have their own FTP server .  Our support team on occasion set up FTP accounts so clients can send us large files. This takes a small amount of time to set up, and also assumes that the client has FTP software to upload the files to our servers.

I came across https://www.getdropbox.com/ a few months ago, and I am very impressed. I have two different computers in my office, Laptop (pc) for normal everyday work, and a desktop (iMac) for testing client websites in a Mac environment and general personal use. When I need to send files from one machine to the other, either I have to email or put them on a memory stick, this was a bit of a pain until now.

If you need a solution like this, go to www.getdropbox.com download the software and set it up on your machine. You can download the software on a second machine and use the same login as you did on the first install, and this will synchronize both drop boxes. Once you are set up you will have the ability to drag and drop files into the Dropbox folder. There is a public folder “\dropbox\My Dropbox\Public” which will allow you to share files with computers that are not synchronized to your account.

Best of all the software is free and you get a 2 GB quota, but you can upgrade to 50GB for $99 a year or $9.99 a month.

A list of FAQ’s can be seen here -- https://www.getdropbox.com/faq

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	NXE Avatars on the Web Posted 12/9/2008 by Linc, Designer

I can never seem to find an appropriate category for my posts. We don't have one for "Games"? I'll have to make some calls about that.

Anyways, I just signed up for an Xbox Live account last night (finally) and set up my avatar in the New Xbox Experience (NXE). The NXE avatar system is very similar to the Wii's Miis. You can choose your facial features and clothes, skin color and so on, and then play games with your avatar. There are some detailed articles out there comparing the two systems, like this one by Matt Casamassina of IGN (http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/932/932455p1.html). Basically you'll find the NXE avatars to be more realistic and hip, while the Miis are more customizable, but highly stylised caricatures.

Another item that sets the NXE avatars apart is the ability to view your avatar online. I thought this was awesome:

If you have an NXE avatar, go ahead and find your own picture at http://avatar.xboxlive.com/avatar/yourgamertag/avatar-body.png (replacing "yourgamertag" with your gamer tag).The picture even has a transparent background, so you can place your avatar in whatever background you prefer.

You also have access to your gamertag photo. This is great for blog profiles or forum signatures. Microsoft welcomes you to deep link these avatar pics, so whenever you update your avatar, all the pictures will be updated as well. (Find this one at http://avatar.xboxlive.com/avatar/yourgamertag/avatarpic-l.png or http://avatar.xboxlive.com/avatar/yourgamertag/avatarpic-s.png, for large or small versions.)

Microsoft also exposes other Xbox live data like high scores on your favorite games. For example, here's my gamercard, which is still at zero because I'm apparently terrible at video games:

Personally, I love extensions like this. Suddenly it's not just your video game avatar, but your online persona. This is just one more way Microsoft is connecting the gaming experience to the web, and I hope to see even more of this type of thing in the future.

By the way, you only need a free Windows Live account and access to an Xbox in order to create one of these avatars, so give it a try!

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	352 Media achieves board membership for the JITC Posted 11/25/2008 by TomB, Acct Mgr

I am pleased to announce that I have earned a spot as 1 of 12 committee board members to help shape the future of the JITC and represent 352 Media Group's vision, passion and fantastic services we provide.

About the JITC:

The Jacksonville Information Technology Council of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce is a forum for information technology professionals to exchange information, explore new ideas, develop partnerships, educate the IT community and contribute to the success of our members.

The JITC's initiatives include:

·Developing a closer relationship with Cornerstone to highlight the strength of technology and the technology work source in Jacksonville

·Creating a clearing house for IT organizations to come together and increase the strengths and relationships within the IT community

Members include IT related and non-related business owners, IT Directors, IT staffing personnel and others who have a keen interest in technology.

The Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce is the 2^nd largest chamber in the nation with over 5,000 active members in the First Coast area.

This year the JITC currently has 120 active members that meet on a monthly basis and projected to double in 2009.

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	Happy Holiday Glamour Shots Posted 11/6/2008 by PeterB, .NET Prog.

So as discussed in my previous post "Peter Brownstein as a Ghoul thanks to Scream Team", I stated that I would make an effort to put up some pictures of myself without the halloween costume.  By doing so, people who do not know me can get an idea of what I look like and compare it to the latex mask.

I was going to look for some pictures on my computer, but it turns out that as a company, we have recently taken pictures for our holiday card.  This year's idea was to take fun glamour shots of everyone in the company and use each one on the cover the holiday card.  Well as you can imagine, everyone had a lot of fun taking over-the-top glamour shots as many props and costumes were thrown around.  Unfortunately, I got tied up in work and was not able to make it to the shoot.  So after everyone had left, I got another camera and with some help, I was able to get many pictures for the holiday card.  Since I was not sure what I wanted to do, I decided to use all of the left over props and take as many as I could.  This way our marketing department had plenty to work with.  Well, as you can imagine, they will only be using one and thus I have many ridiculous images of myself which I can now post here for your viewing pleasure.

So enjoy the pics and feel free to laugh and make fun of them as much as you like.  Also, if anyone has any opinions on what they believe is the most ridiculous, let me know.  Keep in mind that we will be manipulating the images, so the magic looking one could have an orb floating above my hand with doves bursting out of the background.  If there is a popular one then  I will see if I can get it on the holiday card for this year.  

As for the rest of the other employee glamour shots...well you will have to wait until after the holidays.  I will say that a good majority of them are brilliant.

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