FloridaDigital

Go Ahead and Brag

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 23:55:59 +0000

No one likes a bragger. Let’s face it, when people brag it can make things uncomfortable, and you tend to want to stay away from people like that. Dictionary.com defines the verb brag as to boast or vaunt–not cool.

Take for instance one of my husband’s friends, we will call him James. James is a bragger. He talks constantly about how awesome he is at his job and about all of his praise that his boss gives him. James also loves to talk about money. Well, not just money in general but his money. I know more about his banks accounts and the money in them than I know about my own. It is annoying and pretty rude if you ask me.

What if I were to tell you though that there is a new social media site where bragging is actually acceptable? Does that sound like something that you would use or would it get to be too much to deal with? I tried it out, and as much as I do not like bragging, I have to say it is quite a unique tool on the internet.

It is Achoo. No, I did not sneeze, that is the name of the site. Basically you log in and get to bragging about things, mostly your work and job. It is great for SEO, content creators, freelancers, consultants, and more. The site says it is socially accepted bragging, and I guess that is why I am okay with it. You go into it knowing that people are going to boast about their work.

You can “Bless It,” which is similar to a “Like” on Facebook. You can also comment and share them too. It is still a pretty new site, but it is really a great idea.

So if you area narcissist, bragger, or someone who just wants to spread the word about how awesome you really are, go ahead and brag.

Electronic Cigarettes Cool and Clean

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:45:43 +0000

One of the geekiest trends on the planet right now is the use of electronic cigarettes — either to kick a real cigarette smoking habit, or just to look cool while getting a little kick from vaporized nicotine — a kick similar to that of having a cup of coffee. Vaping, as it is called by users, is a clean way to get the feel and taste of smoking without actually using tobacco at all. Another term in the e-cigarette community is their word for traditional cigarettes: analogs.

“I did used to smoke,” Jeremy Dell says with a sheepish smile. “I like Blu Cigs now and don’t use anything else. I haven’t had an analog in eight months and I don’t miss it. I don’t miss the smell, the expense, and the hassle.”

Lots of former smokers agree with Dell, and have enjoyed replacing their analogs with e-cigs. There are now several brands available in the United States. Although e-cigarettes are not evaluated by the FDA, their popularity has spread nonetheless, and many people who once considered themselves slaves to a tobacco habit have turned their backs on regular cigarettes with no problem.

Some people are not on board with the idea of electronic cigarettes because the use of nicotine in the cartridges still concerns them. The truth is, nicotine by itself is similar to caffeine in terms of its safety as a stimulant, and causes non of the health risks associated with traditional tobacco use. Many people still do not understand that the vapor produced by an electronic cigarette is merely water vapor containing no harmful chemicals — and therefore, there’s no second hand smoke to worry about.

“I just can’t believe they are safe,” said Linda Horrace. ”You’re still inhaling something, right? That can’t be good for the lungs.”

Linda doesn’t understand that the kind of vapor produced by Blu Cigs or other electronic cigarettes is free of chemicals, and is no different from people who sleep near vaporizers to help them breathe better. Electronic cigarettes are not only helping people in the same way as other nicotine replacement therapies — they are also attracting new users who choose not to buy the nicotine cartridges at all. They simply enjoy the flavor.

Many doctors have come out in support of e-cigs as a way of helping people to stop smoking tobacco, citing that the dangers of electronic cigarettes (if there even are any) are astronomically less than those involved in cigarette smoking.

Employers are also loving the benefits. Aspenstoragecenters.com says that less employees are taking smoke breaks, which has increased their productivity! It’s been great.

Maybe Electronic Cigarettes are the new millennium’s answer to pesky analogs.

Addicted to the Internet

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:03:44 +0000

I am not like most people. I am constantly connected to the outside world. My phone, my tablet, and my laptop are typically within an arm’s reach no matter where I happen to be. It is just so convenient for me to have all of these things on hand. Now, I know that there are other people like me who stay connected constantly, but there are some people who are worse off than I and these always connected people are. Some people are actually addicted to the internet.

Internet addiction is not officially recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, but it is being considered for it. It is a serious illness that should not be overlooked. I had a close friend who was addicted to television and directv in Washington, and unfortunately it was never cured and he is still watching it constantly. To know if you or someone you might be addicted to the internet, look for some of these more common symptoms:

Moodiness or depression due to withdrawal.
Too much usage that interferes with daily life.
Lying about how often usage is.
Refusing to sleep or perform other tasks to stay on the internet.

Find out more about this issue below.

Business Adoption of Tablets

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:42:39 +0000

The tablet era has been in full swing since Apple introduced the first iPad in April, 2010. Steve Jobs’ prediction that we had entered a post-PC era appears to have come true, because now, more consumers report desiring a tablet more than a laptop or other portable computing device. But the tablet revolution isn’t limited to individual consumers, as the infographic below seeks to break down for us. Businesses are swiftly adopting tablets for use by their employees for everyday tasks, making life easier and more portable than ever in corporate environments. Let’s take a look at how businesses are using tablets, and check out how the trend is expected to continue.

As far as companies using tablets goes, Apple has the clear and present lead. With thousands more apps in its app store than are available for Android, and a reliable and familiar interface, the iPad is leading the pack with a wide margin. Other tablets just aren’t stacking up at this time. A good home security team or even a small local bank will want the most reliable harHere is how businesses are using tablet technology now:

Amazon Kindle Fire

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:21:42 +0000

Have you been wondering whether iPad has anything to fear from next month’s Kindle Fire? At only $199, perhaps you have considered buying one for someone as a Christmas gift, and maybe one for yourself as well. But so far, Kindle Fire hasn’t made it into any stores, and people are anxious to get their hands on this exciting new Android tablet sooner, rather than later. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t until a week or so ago that anyone even had any actual video footage to put online of the device in use. Thankfully, the fellow in the video below has a great demo video that gives us perhaps the best look to date of anyone using the Kindle Fire in a practical, everyman sort of way.

With the rise in popularity of Android as a tablet and mobile OS, having a Kindle Fire would be a great addition for many households, especially those with adt home security which offers smart phone apps for managing some its services. Android has a more open app store than the iTunes app store, but that can be seen as a bug instead of a feature. What we do know is that the Kindle Fire will use a special form of Android (which has not been revealed) and its very own Silk web browser.

What If Web Browsers Were Celebrities?

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 17:27:01 +0000

You know that old saying, “different strokes for different folks?” Well if you think about it, that is definitely the case for pretty much everything. Not all people like to eat the same foods or watch the same television shows as other people do. It just makes sense that all things in life come with options. When you have choices you can find the things that you prefer, and that makes for a happier and more convenient life all around. The same thing holds true for the electronics that are used too. You know like the type of vehicle tracking systems or web browsers that people use. Not everyone likes to use the internet the same way, and that’s cool with me. In fact I have three different browsers on my computer so I will never get tired of the same old thing.

Now, I’m not going to go into to detail comparing and contrasting all of the web browsers out there, because as you may already know Internet Explorer is still the most used browser proving that people really wouldn’t care if I told them Chrome was better overall. I do have something fun to share with you about different browsers though. It is comparing web browsers to celebrities. I like the comparisons and I think they are pretty accurate and funny.

Teens, and Cell Phone Use

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 16:46:08 +0000

Teens are on top of all things digital, from selecting the best dish packages to utilizing advanced features on all of todays most popular smart phones. Teens know their technology. The way they use technology, however, might be a little less obvious to those of us who grew up a generation or two before them. In China, when texting became all the rage, most Americans were still just trying to find affordable cell phone plans, or were using Trac Phones with pay as you go, talk-only plans. Texting and data coverage in the States was poor to nonexistent at best, and eventually when things finally evolved, it was the teens who warmly embraced texting as their main means of communication. The outgrowth of texting’s popularity in America began with teens.

So, how are teens using their cell phones? The infographic below paints a picture of cell phone feature use by the teenagers, whether they text or talk while driving, and how many teens have ever received inappropriate images via MMS on their phones. Interesting stuff, and we hope you enjoy reading it. Click on the graphic to see it in all it’s glory.

CNet’s Top Viral Video Ads

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:09:29 +0000

The world loves viral video. There’s something compelling about an amusing bit of footage that catches on in a big way, prompting millions of people all over the planet to share the happiness. For marketers, viral video is a goldmine waiting to be tapped. The problem is, no one can predict whether any kind of video ad will go viral, and despite all the best laid plans, the jury is still out as to what leads people to send-send-send certain viral videos around. For some reason, these video ads become, for at least a short moment in time, so deeply entrenched in our culture that imagining the current world without them is nearly impossible. In fact, your “wittiness” could be judged on whether you have seen this or that viral video. And people really want to know what you think of them when they pass them along. Viral sharing has become one of America’s great pass times.

Let’s take a look at this video from Cnet, about (you guessed it) the top viral video ads:

i Television: Netflix or Hulu?

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:47:56 +0000

More and more options have opened up in the past 5 years for online television viewing. Many people have even “cut the cord” at home, severing relationships with their traditional television providers like Time Warner Cable and Comcast, and even direct television offerings that have been popular for the better part of a decade. Services such as Netflix and Hulu that offer apps for viewing i television (basically, Internet television.)

Below is an infographic showing who is using Netflix and who is using Hulu, and how they are using them.

Facebook Users And Privacy: Do They Care?

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:14:02 +0000

Do Face book users care about their privacy? Well sure, everyone does. But some people care more than others, and the truth of the matter is, Facebook has one of the slackest set of options for controlling the privacy of users’ personal information. There are almost no options to keep certain information available only to limited “friends,” since Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t like the idea of organizing and categorizing friends into segregated groups. Not good for Face book and privacy.That’s nice, Mark, that you don’t like that — but many social networkers would actually prefer some level of control over their sensitive data (see Google+). Let’s use an analogy comparing your social media places online with real life neighborhoods: people in neighborhoods may like and trust their immediate neighbors, and even partially trust those in outlying areas of town, but smart people still install alarm home security systems to protect themselves from unwanted visitors breaking in and stealing their personal belongings, right?

At any rate, could it be that Face book users really don’t care about their privacy online, or is it just that, up until now with Google+, there was no viable alternative for social networkers that might allow them more control over their privacy? Below, an infographic attempts to tell all about Facebook users and what makes them tick. Facebook and privacy don’t go together.