Technology Reviews | Internet Startups | Social Media

Websites as desktop applications are becoming and increasingly popular trend as WiFi and mobile internet increase their reach and user base.  Rather than connect to the internet and direct the browser to a specific website, the user can experience the website as a regular computer program.  Many times desktop versions allow users to broaden their experience through increased or new features.  I have chosen 5 websites of the tens of millions out there that I believe to be better experienced as a desktop application rather than through their actual website.  Feel free to add your favorites in the comment section.

eBay. The popular auction website’s desktop app allows for more targeted searches so that shoppers can find what they really want.  eBay’s desktop app also [click to continue...]

Sometimes people ask funny questions. Has anybody ever asked you which ring tone is the best one out there? Obviously, this is the kind of thing that no two people can completely agree on. Even finding a short list that matches your best friend’s could be a super challenge. So how do you decide what kind of ring tone you want to hear whenever someone calls you up and hits you with a text message? Truth be known, the decision is kind of a hard one for most people to make, since there is just such a huge volume of different options available to you.

On the one hand, you have a massive library of songs to choose from. Every kind of song that has been released over the past ten years or so has been made into a ring tone. And in a lot of cases, you can actually download a song and make it into a ring tone if you so desire. And if songs just are not your thing, you have millions and millions of options when it comes to different kinds of sound effects and spoken words. You can get Jenna Jameson to entice you to pick up, or you can get Stewie from Family Guy laughing with ever increasing hysteria — and a whole lot more possibilities.

Another question you will have to think through as far as the best ringtone goes is, how much are you willing to pay for it? Not all ring tones are created equal, and Free ringtones are not necessarily any worse than the kinds that you will have to pay for. As you go through all of the choices at your disposal, you will doubtless come across a whole bunch of ring tones that sound awesome. In the end, you may just need to pick a winner out of a hat.

Video games are just for the boys, and video games are for the nerds and not for the cool dudes. You cannot have average looking nerdy type characters playing hero roles in the games.  Video games cannot be played by girls, because girls are too dumb to play them smartly.  Why make video games for girls anyway, when most games are only played by boys and men? If someone did try to start a video game business, either making or selling video games for girls, then they will end up losing their business in under a year flat.

All the above statements are unfortunate misconceptions, or they are the personal views of a minority who haven’t come to terms with the popularity of video games among young girls. These people are totally oblivious to the fact that the gaming industry has already released quite a few video games for girls, and have a lot of releases coming up.  In addition, the notion that girls can’t or don’t play video games is like thinking, our grandmas didn’t have sex when they were young. C’mon, if girls couldn’t or didn’t play games, why are these video games selling like hot cakes?

The video gaming industry has realized the enormous potential the market holds for girl-centric video games. Some games for girls include dress up games and many other games like make-up games, costume games and so on. These games offer girls the chance to explore each one’s individual skills and creativity, and also the chance to channel those traits towards a common goal by sharing them with their co-players. Good online gaming companies offer interesting and cheap dress up games that can be played online, or downloaded onto computers, cellular phones and IPods.

Role playing games like dress games appeal to young girls, and the parents are only too happy to invest money on games such as these, as they feel these games are a healthy alternative to hard core video games, and also because these games do have an educative value to them. The misconceptions about video games are changing now, and the gaming industry is not the bastion of the boys alone, anymore. Who says video games should only be about violence, fast cars, muscular bodies, sexy women, guns and bullets?  They can be refined, pleasant, and educative like dress up games, as well.

For as long as “the news” has been around many have been claiming that it is too grim, dark, bad, and controversial.  I contest that we pattern the news after what matters most to us and that which we are afraid of, but I digress.  Occasionally a few bits of positive news will come from a seemingly bad event.  Or something truly remarkable and inspiring may unfold at the most spontaneous of times.  The iPhone’s latest “happy app”, SmileNews, is setting out to break through your dreary and negative news feeds and bringten your day with all the news that is good and great.

If you think that SmileNews is just another one of those “Hmm, I think I can make money with an iPhone app” applications, think again.  The SmileNews app seems to have been designed from a more scientific and psychological perspective.  SmileNews cites a University of Toronto study which claims that [click to continue...]

The main thing that separates current handleheld personal digital recorders from the handheld recorders of yesteryear, is the absence of cassette tapes.  Handheld recorders have also significantly progressed design-wise as well.  The large, fat, and clunky old recorders have become smaller, sleeker, thinner.  As a matter of fact, digital recorders have gone James Bond and now even come in pens and watches.

Personal digital recorders might be the single most self explanatory piece of technology.  When the user wants to record audio, they simply press the record button and then press stop at the appropriate time.  Digital recorders can usually play the audio back as long as the device contains a built in speaker.  Newer recorders are capable of holding up to 80 hours of audio footage.  The audio is stored on an SD card and can be transferred to a computer via the SD card or by using a USB cable. [click to continue...]

In times of an unstable economy and job uncertainty, it is more important than ever to take advantage of discounts and deals. With the rise of people searching for ways to save money, many people are discovering the website dailydeals.com. This site works exactly as it sounds like it would. Almost every day a post is made featuring an item, food coupon, or offer at incredible savings. It could be everything from a buy-one-get-one coupon for a popular restaurant to percentages off on clothing items. There are countless deals being featured every few days ranging in a variety of subjects.

One of the most popular categories people search for when looking for discounts is coupons for eating out. While many people are cutting down on spending in the recession, there are still a large handful of people that continue to visit restaurants and treat themselves to nice meals from time to time. Occasionally dailydeals.com features exceptional discounts on restaurants that many people are interested in.

Another highly searched category on this site is travel deals. Years ago, many people would simply choose a hotel based on its location and amenities instead of taking the time to shop around for the best deals. Today, many hotels are choosing to offer great offers on their unused rooms, along with airlines promoting special discounts on airfare.

Routinely checking Daily Deals will give a consumer a large selection of different offers, ranging in category and price. It is important that an individual is aware that the deals typically expire in a matter of days so they will need to make a habit of checking the site and purchasing the ones that interest them. With such a large range in offers from clothing and electronic gadget discounts to discounts on hotel rooms, there is sure to be a discount that appeals to just about anybody.

I was listening to a friend talk a week ago about how much he hated online social networking.  I asked if he wouldn’t mind writing down his thoughts so that I could publish them here.  He gladly obliged, and so here they are for you to read.  Feel free to openly agree or disagree, I look forward to the discussion that follows.

It used to be that the term “social networking” was defined as the activity of social interaction in a personal and intimate setting.  Social networking played a big part one getting where they wanted to go, and getting what they wanted to get.  Social networking was a valuable time where people interacted and got to know each other on a more personal level.

Social Networking has a new face now.  Say social networking in public and 9.9 out of 10 people’s minds will immediately shoot off in the direction of the internet and popular sites like MySpace, FaceBook, bebo, Hi5 – the list really is endless.   Due to these new trends and fads, social networking has turned into an informal and sloppy system of constant communication.  Intimate and personal interaction has been traded for whole lives being exposed online.  Rather than using social networking as a way to promote oneself, we have all seen the stories of how “social networking” has ruined people’s reputations and lives.  Personal meetings have been traded for [click to continue...]

Niche social network baron Matt Heaton (creator of ActiveRain) is back with a niche social network for amateur athletes and sports teams. Born from a Heaton’s own personal experience as an amateur athlete looking for more interaction with others, Timu.com seeks to solve the problems and inadequacies of the other larger social networks in relation to how they deal with amateur athletes and sports teams.

In Thier Own Words.

Timu is a social networking platform specifically built to solve the communications problems encountered by athletes, sports teams and their fans.

Timu seems to take the notion that simplicity is excellence.  Thier social network offering is easily navigable and not in the least bit overwhelming to the newcomer.  For the interested bystander, a public news stream is available broadcasting the latest [click to continue...]

A number of websites make use of incentive programs to entice members to join and participate.  Gather.com shells out points redeemable for giftcards, as do MyPoints, Scour.com, KiwiBox and FreeRide.com.  Websites like BigCrumbs, FatWallet, bing.com/cashback, and Dubli Shopping all offer percentage rebates and cash back for shopping, and still other websites bring in members by allowing them to earn entries into daily and monthly jackpot drawings (i.e. iWon.com).  It is no secret that people love to get something for nothing as this is the primary motivating factor in bringing in new membership, but one has to wonder why websites offer incentives in the first place.  Surely they wouldn’t do it just as a kind service.  These websites primary goal is to make money, so why give it away?

Differentiation. Each business strives to have a point of [click to continue...]