Wednesday, April 30, 2008

iGoogle Themes

Last year Google introduced iGoogle, an addition to the Google Web site that allows customization, thereby creating an individual homepage for each user. You can login to your personalized page via the iGoogle top right menu on the Google homepage.

Not only do you get to use the predefined gadgets, but you can add your customized RSS feeds or create your own gadgets via the Web developer tools.

Today I noticed that Google was featuring theme images for the iGoogle homepage. It got me intrigued and I starting browsing the many themes available. Thus far I had been using the beach theme which changes it looks depending on the weather and time of the day. However, there are many other themes available. You can even give it a world and create your own themes. I haven't experimented yet, but hopefully I will be giving it a whirl soon.

The bottom line is that Google chooses to keep improving every product, first came iGoogle, then came Google Tabs, followed by Google Themes, now iGoogle social networking via design your own themes, user rating, user comments and FAQ. This company knows how to get things going and keep going. Google guys, forget American Idol, you are my new idols.

Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

Digg This Del.icio.us Slashdot

posted by Death is Forever at 9:50 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

Friday, April 11, 2008

Instant Information

The Web is designed as an avenue for providing and finding information, yet many media companies insist on holding back on their content until after their publication is released to the market.

This is a fatal mistake, folks who read periodicals are not the folks tuned in to the Web. A once a month read is not bad, but what about the media junkies who just can't get enough, how do you deliver to that audience?

Some companies don't even bother to put their content online, while others drop 20 to 30 articles onto their site typically on a random fashion and without any organization. To most publishers, their Web site is but an after thought, designed to serve as an advertisement to drive subscriptions for the periodical. Other simply place news and press release items, but leave their readers hanging with original content living strictly on the print pages.

The bottom line is that in today's world the business and money is online. Publishers can save millions of dollars by turning their periodical into digital editions first. That is, release the content to the site as it comes in. Use the print medium as a place to publish the most important stories/articles. Showcase a variety of product and product release, while driving the reader to the site to see a list of all items. Use the medium as a way to sum up the news for the month, but the site as a way to keep the reader vested and interested in checking that site often to see the goings on of the profession.

The reader benefits because:

1. they can reach all the content instantly on the Web site
2. Monitor the RSS feed in their favorite rss reader
3. Get a weekly newsletter with all new content via email.
4. Get a monthly filtered view via print.


The Publisher benefits because:
1. More viewers to their Web publications
2. More viewers means a higher CPM for their Ads
3. A inherited CMS (Content Management System) for their Print Publication
4. A better staffed editorial team that is cross trained for Print and Online
5. Less crunch time, since the articles are pre-edited.

and many more benefits. Now go on and designed a great site with proper navigation.

Labels: , , , , ,

Digg This Del.icio.us Slashdot

posted by Death is Forever at 9:47 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Taste or captivating an audience - where do you draw the line

I currently subscribe to many RSS feeds. I find that this is the only way to stay current and up to date on a world where we have less and less time while getting inform more and more.

One of the feeds I subscribe to is Reuters "oddly enough", I find this feed quite interesting as it depicts the unusual and yet real side of humanity. You will be amazed to find out what people do on a daily basis.

Reuters - don't get hook designHowever, today I was surprise to read a story about the latest anti-smoking campaign, this time in the United Kingdom. I always found the anti-smoking TV ads in US television a bit distasteful yet effective as they always captivate you, again mostly because of the poor taste. The UK ad shows people with a fish hook through them in quite a grotesque manner. The message "don't get hooked" being delivered with a note regarding the number of cigarettes smoked by an individual annually.

Thought the government said it believed people would not be seriously offended by the ads as the intention was to protect people from the harmful effects of smoking; this ad, attracted one of the highest numbers of complaints the advertising standards watchdog has ever received. Nearly 800 complaints were made about a series of poster, TV, newspaper and Internet ads which many felt were offensive and distressing, particularly to children.

The bottom line is that although this ad campaign turned to be very effective and got more exposure due to the controversial factors involved, sometimes you have to consider the audience and that you may be causing damage. In this case, I agree with many in that it can cause serious mental damage to children, especially since this were posted on billboards, TV ads, and many magazines accessible to minors. Someone ought to start drawing the line for marketeers and ad agencies, one thing is freedom of speech and we all love to have the right, but another is to cause mental anguish to others.

Labels: , ,

Digg This Del.icio.us Slashdot

posted by Death is Forever at 10:09 PM 0 Comments Links to this post