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Vinyl Destination episode 9

Tuesday, April 30, 2013 10:37:00 -700

VINYL DESTINATION I EPISODE 9 from DJ Jazzy Jeff on Vimeo.

In this week’s episode DJ Jazzy Jeff and his team go to Norway, Sweden, Ireland and Germany. This portion of the tour is all about discovery. They quickly find out that people in foreign countries do foreign things like watch porn in public lobbies or get Ruff Ryder tattoos on their pelvic area. Expect to see the never ending saga of Darnell and Skillz, some interesting facts about the Titanic and a surprise visit by a British pop star. Find out who in episode 9.

DJ Jazzy Jeff: Vinyl Destination Episode 8:: "Due, where's my laptop?"

Tuesday, April 16, 2013 11:10:00 -700

Episode 8 takes Jeff and the crew to cities in France, Russia and Norway. This segment of the tour is all about travel drama. Despite lost luggage, an emergency landing and a laptop left in Paris, Jeff and his crew still manage to keep it together. DJ Jazzy Jeff keeps the partying going in Paris, Moscow and Oslo.

Click here for Vinyl Destination episode 8.

AMIRacle -Im About It

Tuesday, March 26, 2013 14:40:00 -700

AMIRacle, the son of legendary turntablist and producer, DJ Jazzy Jeff, is back with another single I’m About It. This track reveals what music means to him and why he plans on doing it for the rest of his life. I’m About It is the second release to come from the 13 year old lyricist. In August AMIRacle gave us Think Back, a tribute to the many greats of Hip-Hop including his dad.

“AMIRacle is a super talented artist and I’m really excited to be working with him,” said DJ Jazzy Jeff. “He has such an old soul and his own style that sometimes I forget he’s my son.”

Produced by 3AM, I’m About It has a sound completely different from the light-hearted vibe of Think Back. Both songs are part of a bigger project AMIRacle is currently working on. Stay tuned for a video that includes I’m About It and his next single I Ain't Cocky.

Vinyl Destination Episode 6

Tuesday, March 19, 2013 11:45:00 -700

VINYL DESTINATION | Episode 6 from DJ Jazzy Jeff on Vimeo.

In this weeks episode, the tour continues in Qatar and Bahrain or as Skillz calls it “Boo-rain”. After taking us on a picturesque and musically fulfilling journey through the ins and outs of Asia, the crew heads to the Middle East. The team gets off to a rough start with flight delays and missing headphones, but all is well that ends with water sports and a royal invitation. Who could it be? Tunein to find out who invited Jeff to dinner and how the team managed to find a McDonalds look-alike that tastes like Burger King at the beginning of their adventures through the Middle East.

Vinyl Destination Episode 5

Tuesday, March 05, 2013 09:31:00 -700

In this weeks episode, the tour continues in Pattaya and Phuket. After experiencing beautiful beaches and the incredible sunsets of Thailand, the team is off to Japan with stops in Kyoto, Fukuokaand Tokyo! But somewhere along the way, a key member of the team goes missing. Where in the world is DJ Jazzy Jeff? No matter how hectic things get, one can never lose the headliner! Tune in to find out how the crew managed to lose DJ Jazzy Jeff during the final stretch of the Asia tour.

Vinyl Destination: Episode 3

Tuesday, February 05, 2013 11:48:00 -700

We’re back with another installment of DJ Jazzy Jeff’s Vinyl Destination series. In episode 3, DJ Jazzy Jeff and his team travel through the streets of Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia. InVinyl Destination: Episode 3, you’ll all get the opportunity to see one of the most beautiful, yet prestigious places to visit on the planet, while also exploring the life of those who live in these places. Please enjoy another 15 minutes with DJ Jazzy Jeff and his crew, as they continue to take us on a musical journey to some of the most remote places in the world. Also, stay tuned for the 4th episode, which will be released two weeks from today. Enjoy!

If you haven’t watched the first 2 episodes here they are below:

Vinyl Destination: Episode 1

Vinyl Destination: Episode 2

Tuesday, January 22, 2013 09:43:00 -700

VINYL DESTINATION | EPISODE 2 from DJ Jazzy Jeff on Vimeo.

To continue with DJ Jazzy Jeff’s Vinyl Destination series, here is the second installment, Vinyl Destination: Episode 2. In this episode DJ Jazzy Jeff and his team explore the streets and city life of Hong Kong. Please enjoy another 15 minutes of fun, music, and entertainment. Most importantly, we hope you all continue on this musical journey around the world with DJ Jazzy Jeff.

Please stay tuned for Vinyl Destination: Episode 3, which will be released two weeks from today.

Vinyl Destination: Episode 1

Tuesday, January 08, 2013 12:41:00 -700

VINYL DESTINATION | EPISODE 1 from DJ Jazzy Jeff on Vimeo.

A New Year signifies fresh starts and new beginnings. But it is also an opportunity for reflection on past experiences, opportunities and lessons learned that provide inspiration for the future.

Enter DJ Jazzy Jeff and his new web series Vinyl Destination.

In 2012, DJ Jazzy Jeff toured the world, literally. And he was able to capture the adventure on camera for everyone to see. Last week, DJ Jazzy Jeff released a preview of Vinyl Destination. Fans have respondedeagerly in anticipation of the start of the full series.

The first episode of Vinyl Destination airs today, and begins with Jeff's visit to Hong Kong during his Asian Tour. Subsequent episodes will air biweekly and cover over 50 cities in more than 20 countries across four continents. Viewers will share in the excitement that fans all over the globe enjoyed when their favorite DJ took the stage. Look out for appearances by legendary artists like Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Estelle, Rohan Marley and more.

"I am blessed to be able to travel the world and play music for people to enjoy," said Jeff. "So I thought it would be a great idea to record it this time so that I could take my fans along for the ride."

Filmed and edited by Cristopher Schafer of Virginia-based production company, Visually Inklined, Vinyl Destinationshows viewers what it is really like to be one of the world's busiest DJ’s. In addition to DJ Jazzy Jeff, Schafer and the rest of the Visually Inklined team have also worked with artists like The Roots and Travis Barker.

Schafer was especially impacted by his unforgettable journey with DJ Jazzy Jeff.

"I've learned so much about music and its impact on people of all cultures while traveling and filming with DJ Jazzy Jeff," says Schafer of his experience working with Jeff.

Vinyl Destination is a must watch series for everyone. Even those not as familiar with DJ culture will be intrigued by the many facets of Jeff's voyage. Prepare to revel in the people, food, sights, culture and, most of all, the MUSIC.

Vinyl Destination (trailer)

Thursday, January 03, 2013 12:18:00 -700

VINYL DESTINATION from DJ Jazzy Jeff on Vimeo.

DJ Jazzy Jeff and Cristopher Schafer release the trailer to Vinyl Destination, which is a video web series that follows DJ Jazzy Jeff on his many travels around the globe during 2012. The trailer gives limited, but very inticing looks at whats to come for the series. You can find out more information on DJ Jazzy Jeff's Vinyl Destination on www.djjazzyjeff.com.

"Last Night A DJ Saved My Life and Made Millions Doing it" By Lynette C. Townes

Monday, December 03, 2012 11:54:00 -700

"Last night a DJ saved my life, and made millions doing it"

For decades, music lovers have traveled the world over to see their favorite musicians perform their most well known hits. Live shows give fans a chance to see their beloved artists up close and personal. Concertgoers sit or stand for upwards of two hours watching a performer cruise through entire catalogs of music.

But nowadays, people want variety. Attention spans have shortened. A struggling economy has created the need to stretch a dollar further. Instead of paying top dollar to see on artist, a music lover can pay a much lower entry fee to go to a nightclub or music venue to hear all of their favorite songs in one place.

“I have seen hundreds of live shows and spent thousands of dollars on tickets,” said Brianna Lopez, a 24-year-old freelance photographer. “I love seeing my favorite bands in concert, but going to a club to hear all of my favorite songs kind of like the best of both worlds.”

Enter the DJ.

In the last few years, DJs have become the new superstars. In 2004, the late Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein made headlines when he dated, and later proposed to, Nicole Richie. From that day on, DJ AM became a household name. Fans flocked to nightclubs to see DJ AM and, if they were lucky, a few other celebrities as well. Club owners and promoters took notice. They realized that booking a famous DJ meant the possibility that their famous friends would come out to party with them, resulting in invaluable publicity for their establishment.

Today, DJs are even bigger than ever. The 2012 GRAMMY Awards featured three of the biggest names in electronic dance music (EDM). And one of them, DJ Skrillex took home three awards.

Las Vegas has become a DJ capital of the world. Billboards that once boasted performances by the likes of Wayne Newton, Frank Sinatra and Barbara Streisand, have been replaced with Tiesto, DJ Pauly D and DJ Jazzy Jeff.

Jeffrey “DJ Jazzy Jeff” Townes is a fixture in the DJ scene. He started out as one half of the rap duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. Townes and his partner, now famously known as Will Smith, were the first hip-hop artists to win a GRAMMY Award. More than 25 years later, Townes is working harder than ever.

Townes said he is still amazed that he is able to make such a good living doing what he loves.

“As a DJ, I am extremely happy for my profession to finally get some notoriety, said Townes. “I never thought it would be to this level.”

Townes tours year round, playing music for fans all over the world. He is also a resident DJ at The Palms Hotel and Casino and Las Vegas and Dusk Nightclub in Caesar’s Palace in Atlantic City.

“If someone would have told me that I would be replacing famous acts in Vegas and doing festivals for 80,000 to 100,000 people, I would have told them they were lying,” said Townes.

And with the fame has definitely come the fortune.

In August, Forbes Magazine published a special report, “Cash Kings: The World’s Highest Paid DJs.” According to the report, EDM DJ Tiesto is the highest paid DJ, earning $22 million a year. The Dutch DJ earns an average gross of $250,000 per show according to Pollstar, a concert tour information provider. Even the lowest earning artist on the report, Avici, a newcomer to the DJ scene, enjoys $7 million in earnings.

Nicole Palumbo has watched the DJ industry evolve. She started her career as a sales manager for DJ equipment company, Numark. While at Numark, Palumbo interacted with the most influential DJ’s across all genres. She now works as a brand manager for some of her former clients.

“When I was a sales manager, I was able to see, firsthand the rise of the superstar DJ, said Palumbo. “Technology has allowed DJs to put on a show that is just as entertaining, if not more, than some of the biggest acts in the world.”

“I worked for a DJ that was at top of his game,” said Palumbo. “When the economy took a turn for the worse, the gap really widened between the middle market DJs and the big names.”

Palumbo also believes the success of the DJ industry led to the trend of other celebrities attempting to get in on the action.

“Celebrities were in these magazines partying, then one got the bright idea that they could be a DJ and get paid to party,” said Palumbo. “It became a novelty to book a celebrity to play in the club.”

Reality star Pauly D, drummer Questlove and singer Solange are but a few of the celebrities that have used their star power to fuel their DJ careers.

It is unsure how long this DJ craze will last. Right now, there is no evidence of an end in sight. Announcements have been made about upcoming DJ reality talent shows, similar to “American Idol”, in production. And the more awareness that is generated about the craft, one could argue that there is nowhere the DJ industry can go but up.

Lynette C. Townes

"AWW YEAH! Mac Miller Says DJ Jazzy Jeff Collaboration Project Is Coming In 2013 (VIDEO)"

Tuesday, November 27, 2012 16:56:00 -700

Mac Miller chats with 2 Dope Boyz to discuss the latest news on 92 til Infinity. A collaboration with DJ Jazzy Jeff that has been brewing for some time, Mac Miller confirms that the project will be released early next year. In the interview, Mac Miller also talks about his respect for DJ Jazzy Jeff and how he still remains one of the best perfromers and DJ's around. Check back later for further information on 92Til Infinity.

(Source: Global Grind)

DJ Jazzy Jeff Presents The Block Party Vol 1

Monday, November 12, 2012 11:36:00 -700

This is a mix of the songs I grew up with listening to at the Block Parties in West Philly. This mix is dedicated to a few of the people that made that time special for me… James Jl Lassiter,Mike Young who were my block party crew ,Pearlie Lewis,Kenneth Adams & Mark Johnson who gave me the love to DJ. & 57th & Rodman St for letting me DJ my 1st Block Party. Shout Out to Disco Doc,E-Man Disco,Candyman Disco for the lasting memories! Enjoy

Please click here for Download.

-DJ Jazzy Jeff

Next Up, Kings of Code Development Festival

Monday, October 22, 2012 13:58:00 -700

Every year there are a slew of conferences and festivals that occur for the tech based folk who thrive off of these weekend retreats that strictly focus on technology and products of technology. For those who cant seem to keep up with the ever so changing list of events, thank The Next Web for releasing an article which lists and labels the next up and coming conferences and festivals around the world.

Next up is Kings of Code happening in Amsterdam from December the 1st until the 4th. Focusing on coding and new developments in technology, Kings of Code will consist of a Hack Battle, a conference featuring 18 speakers and of course workshops.

So for those who want to know more about Kings of Code and other conferences and festivals, please visit thenextweb.com.

(Source: The Next Web)

Containers For Kids

Wednesday, October 10, 2012 10:44:00 -700

Photo from Fast Coexist

Infinite Family, a non-profit from the U.S has partnered with The Launchpad Computer Labs to help link impoverished children in Africa with mentors from around the world.

Mentors and mentees speak via video for thirty minutes a week and while the mentors set up where ever they'd like, the children get to spend this time in the containers which provide: "solar-shaded roof canopies that keep the interior temperature comfortable, a wall of recycled bottles (also to moderate temperatures), windows placed for optimum access to sun and breezes for natural light and ventilation, and battery-powered storage banks that keep the power on during extreme weather events. The labs also feature laptops instead of desktops--the former uses less power and doesn’t create as much heat."

Launching for the first time in August in Alexandria, Infinite Family hopes to open a hundred more in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa within the next five years.

For more information please go to www.infinitefamily.org.

(Source: Fast Coexist)

Serato Icon Artist Series DJ Jazzy Jeff

Monday, October 08, 2012 10:13:00 -700

One of the few DJs that could be considered a household name, DJ Jazzy Jeff has worn a few different hats throughout his career. From DJing to producing and then all the way back to DJing, his enjoyment and passion for all things musical is obvious in his own reflection of his persona.

“Jazzy Jeff is a music lover, a DJ, a producer, songwriter, music collector, vinyl junkie, gadget fanatic and all around lover of life and happiness.”

Growing up in West Philadelphia, it was the summer afternoon block parties where Jeff gained his love for music and the happiness it could bring. He’s extremely proud of where he’s come from and it’s this pride that pushes him to be the best.

“I grew up in west Philly, Philadelphia has always been a hard town. You try as hard as you could to make people in your home town proud of you. Philly has put that fire inside of you, that you just always want to do a good job.

“You know, you kinda waited for those summer Saturdays that someone blocked the street off and you just pulled some big speakers out and some turntables and just played music for people.

“I remember looking at the guy playing music so passionate that I had someone hold my bike while I danced with a girl and I just wanted that kind affect on people.”

One of Jeff’s most recognizable and known roles, was ironically one he never enjoyed being known for. These days, he takes comfort in the knowledge that it’s not about how you know or where you heard about him, it’s all about the experience you take away from his shows.

“I used to not like the association with the television show and it wasn’t until a girl walked up to me and said… ‘I never knew you DJ’d'… you know, and I’m saying ‘wait a minute, it started with Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince’ making music.

“And it made me say from that day ‘I don’t care why you know, once I get you in that building my job is to convert you to a fan’.”

From DJing West Philly block parties, to producing platinum selling albums with Will Smith, it’s now DJing in Las Vegas and around the world where Jeff has been busy. Going back to where it all started. Coming full circle.

“Everybody comes to Las Vegas to have a good time. Right now I have a residency at The Palms. You can really get away with a lot in Vegas. You know, it kinda like I come out here to just lose all control over everything that I have, so you can sometimes push the envelope and play stuff that you may not normally play.

“I think DJ’s are producers and they don’t know it. You know, your job is to basically produce a night, or produce a two hour segment and make it enjoyable. We’re producers on the fly.

“I think the music industry sucks… It has never been set up to be… um… fair to the artist. Starting to DJ again kinda put so much stuff back in perspective. It was a very big change for me, and I couldn’t stop laughing cause it started with two turntables and a mixer, it was just me coming full circle.

(Source: DJ Jazzy Jeff)

How Much is Your Freelancing Worth?

Thursday, September 27, 2012 14:18:00 -700

Having a regular day to day job can be simple when finances are involved. You work for a certain amount of hours and get paid a certain amount of money for those hours that you've worked. But, what happens when your job as a freelancer requires a much more complicated pricing system. You have to base your prices on the client, the amount of work needed, what type of job it is, and how time consuming it could be.

Amber Leigh Turner shares a few tips on how to make pricing easier for freelancers. By describing what freelancing is, Turner first points out that everyones situation is different and therefore pricing can never be solidified in the world of freelancing.

Photo from The Next Web

"Every single freelancer’s situation is different

The glory and success with freelancing in general and the reason why it tends to be so attractive to many people is because it is a viable option of employment that caters to so many different types of people at different points in their lives and their careers.

Look at current job ads

One of the first places I looked when figuring out my pricing is current job ads for work that I wanted to do as a freelancer. I looked through the local job ads and found those that I met all the requirements for.

Chat with other freelancers in your field

If you have some close freelancer-friends in the field, who do similar work to yours in their freelancing, then you could possibly chat with them to find out their average hourly rate (or at least an idea of what their rate is)."

For more tips from Amber, please read "How to Price Your Freelance Services" on thenextweb.com.

(Source: thenextweb)

Apple Addresses iPhone 5 rumors Today

Wednesday, September 12, 2012 10:27:00 -700

There have been a slew of rumors floating around about Apple releasing an iPhone 5. With much speculation and an awful amount of doubts and debates on the consumers end, Apple is set to announce the iPhone 5 at a press conference in San Francisco today. CEO Tim Cook is presumed to be the one revealing the new features details of the phone. The Conference begins at 1 pm Eastern time. You can watch the conference on www.theverge.com.

(Source: The Verge)

Avoid the Common PR Mistakes

Wednesday, September 05, 2012 10:41:00 -700

Photo from PR Daily

Have you ever pitched a new music release to a food journalist? Or what about sending attachments and photos that are too large for the receiver to open? Amanda Marsh from PR Daily shares "7 Common PR sins to Avoid.

"1. Know thy reporter. Make an effort to reach out to reporters and know what exactly they’re looking for in regard to sources and story ideas. If one specifically covers transportation issues, don’t send him a press release on the hottest new lipstick. This may seem like an obvious request, but you don’t know how many irrelevant pitches (and follow-up “Are you going to report on this?” e-mails) I receive daily.

3. Include pertinent media. If you have a great photo or video related to a pitch or press release, send it in the original e-mail (preferably linked, as per No. 2). It will save us both time in trying to get everything we need for a story.

5. Keep it simple. Stick with basic file types when sending images or documents. Not all e-mail clients, word processors and smartphones accept all document types. One increasingly used format is Microsoft’s *.docx file, a standard in Microsoft Office 2007 and above. If your recipient has a version of Word that came out before 2007, he may have to download additional software or use a conversion tool to read the file. Not everyone has updated software or a current smartphone, so it’s best to stick with the more commonly used *.doc file or a PDF."

For all "7 Common PR sins to Avoid" click here.

LRG & Complex Present "Life Colors" by DJ Jazzy Jeff

Wednesday, August 29, 2012 11:59:00 -700

LRG and Complex team with DJ Jazzy Jeff for Life Colors. A mix meshing the differences between color and music to prove that music deserves no separation and neither does color. The hour long mix includes songs form today, the 90's and even some early 80's pop classics, which surely incorporate the differences as well as the similarities.

You can download Life Colors on www.l-r-g.com or www.complexmusic.com.

Get the Best out of Blogging

Monday, August 27, 2012 11:14:00 -700

Who doesn't have a blog these days? From high school storytellers to high profile businesses, blogs have demanded the attention of almost everyone everywhere. But the big question is what are they used for? Blogs can be used for almost anything, but typically they are created to transport information and ideas. Over the past 5 years blogs have dominated the cyber world creating outlets for people and business increasing product sales and overall traffic.

Corey Eridon gives us "12 Things You Should Be Using Your Blog For (besides blogging)", which is a list of ideas and tips that will help boost traffic.

photo from Hubspot

1) Solicit Content From High-Profile Sites

If that caveat about still having to create blog content was, indeed, a total bummer, this tip should strike your fancy. Instead of writing content yourself, solicit it from big names and high profile sites

6) Update the Content of Popular Old Posts

We're not done making it rain with old blog posts yet! Take a look at those old posts that performed really well -- you can go right into your blog analytics to check things like number of views and inbound links per post. Could any of those use an update? It might be high time you brush the dirt off of those oldies but goodies, give them a quick makeover, and re-debut them. It's quick work, and the topic has already proven to be a hit with your readers.

8) Make it Social

If you haven't already, spend some time optimizing your blog for social media; the success of your blog depends on it. Your blog should have social sharing buttons, as well as social follow buttons so you can simultaneously expand your social reach and the reach of your blog content.

For all 12 things please read "12 Things You Should be Using Your Blog for (besides Blogging)" by Corey Eridon.

(Source: HubSpot)

What Marketers Look for in Social Media

Monday, August 20, 2012 16:51:00 -700

Ever wondered which social media sites marketers prefer to use? Annual SEOmoz Industry Survey released an info-graphic on the usage of social media sites by marketers in which 87.7% prefer Facebook. According to the info-graphic, Facebook is used first followed behind Twitter and Google+. The info-graphic also includes a list and the percentages of the analytics marketers look for in social media management.

For the full artilce please read "New Data Reveals How Marketers Use Social Media {Infographic}" by Anum Hussain.

What Journalists Want, What Pr pros Deliver

Monday, August 13, 2012 10:32:00 -700

New studies show that reporters and journalists prefer videos attached to the press releases they receive from PR pros. However, according to an article ( Infographic: 75 percent of reporters want videos in press releases) on PR Daily, only 43% of publicists include videos in their press releases although 75% of journalists and reporters want them. "Also, adding images, graphics and video to a press release can increase views by as much as 77 percent, but more than half (54 percent) of PR pros don't have the resources to produce them." PRESSfeed releases an info-graphic labeling the many variations between PR pros and journalists.

(Source: PR Daily)

Creators say Colorful Gambling App was not meant for Children

Thursday, August 09, 2012 10:49:00 -700

Im sure many of you have heard the news already, even though, for now, it only applies to people in the UK, but Facebook releases a real gambling app. The big topic of discussion, however, is the child friendly artwork which accompanies the apps, which has critics raving. According to an article on Forbes, Gamesys, the creator of the app, states that it wasn't their intention to attract children and declare there will be strong age regulations and policies for those under the age of 18.

"But it’s legal and regulated here in the United Kingdom. Facebook reportedly said that it chose to launch a real-cash gambling app in the U.K. because of the country’s “a mature and very well-regulated gambling market.” Which means it’s probably not worried that kids will be attracted to the colorful creatures in its new game."

For more information on Facebook's new gambling app, please read "Facebook Gambling App With Fluffy Creators Definitely Not Aimed At Kids" by Parmy Olson.

(Source: Forbes)

Be PR, Be Prodcutive

Monday, August 06, 2012 15:11:00 -700

PR work can be overwhelming at times. From client request, pitching, and meetings, PR work can prove to be a hassle. So how do you maintain your sanity, while also getting the job done? What do you do to remain productive in a field that changes like the hours on a clock? Carm Lyman gives us "5 Tips to boost PR productivity (and maintain your sanity)." Below are a few tips that will surely point you in the right direction of staying pro-active and productive.

"1. Plan your week, and beyond. Think through the coming week. In addition to writing down what needs to get done, list other tasks that can be completed, because clients or your boss always appreciate your accomplishing more than you promise.

3. Take occasional breaks. Get up from your chair once in a while. Walk away from the computer. Head outside for two minutes. It’s that simple. The point is to give yourself a breather and clear your head, especially if you’re managing multiple accounts and tasks. If you end up not needing that extra “unexpected” time allocated in No. 2 (above), use it to take a five-minute break before getting back to your work. You’ll be amazed at how even a small break can lead to hours of focused, productive work. "

"The key is to be proactive, plan accordingly, and think long-term."

For all 5 tips please read "5 Tips to boost PR productivity (and maintain sanity)."

Source: (PR Daily)

The Obama Campaign Goes Mobile

Tuesday, July 31, 2012 10:30:00 -700

The Obama campaign recently launched Obama for America which is an app providing people with information on the election and other factors that will play a major role in this upcoming election. Everything relating to the election from volunteer services to events, Obama for America is designed for those who already support the president. Although only available to iOS users, its stated that they are working to get the app available to Android users as well.

For more information on Obama for America, please read "Obama Campaign Launches iOS app to Support Re-Election Effort" by Wired's Alexandra Chang.

(Source: wired)

Microsoft Chooses 11 for its Start-up Sanctum in India

Friday, July 27, 2012 15:19:00 -700

Microsoft releases the names of the 11 startups that were chosen out of 200 to occupy its new sanctum in Bangalore, India. Targeting start ups that focus on technology and social media, the start-ups will be given a space to develop their ideas and businesses, renowned mentors and leaders in global business and technology as well as an Azure credit.

"He also stated the three primary aims of this program:

To drive innovation and entrepreneurship from India.
Help transform big bold ideas into realities.
Help build a few major startups that will show the way for others to follow."

For more information on the start up's that were chosen to occupy this space, please read 'Today, Microsoft Opened its new Azure Accelerator in Bangalore, India- and we were there" by Abhimanyu Ghoshal.

(Source: thenextweb)

Airports and the Diseases they May Spread

Tuesday, July 24, 2012 20:05:00 -700

Millions of people travel and most of them do it via air plane. But do we ever stop to think about the the other people who've been in the same exact places as us? Sitting in the same seats, touching the same arm rest. Or what about the hundreds of thousands of people from hundreds of different places who walk in and out of the same terminals as you? Well according to an article on Fast Company, "Infographic: Which Airports Are Most Likely to Spread a Pandemic?," U.S airports play a major role in the spreading of pandemics. Take a look below.

(Source: FastCompany)

Glomper, The new Social Media Go to?

Thursday, July 12, 2012 16:54:00 -700

As if we didn't have enough already, Glomper a new social media network hits the market offering a service a little different from the rest. Glomper is designed for people to connect with their friends during free time. The app is available on Android and iOS and syncs with Facebook and Twitter as well.

"First up, you search for plans that others have posted, and then check-in to events created through the app. And if you have no specific plans, well, that’s fine too – users can also list themselves as ‘available’, without specifying a particular course of action."

For more information on Glomper read "Glomper free time:" by Paul Sawers from The Next Web.

LinkedIn and Twitter Part Ways

Friday, July 06, 2012 12:14:00 -700

Recently Twitter and LinkedIn have ceased all ties. Due to Twitters need to remain focused on the essential tools that will increase consumption, Twitter decided to release LinkedIn from its partnership. According to Hubspot, "This essentially means that LinkedIn doesn't make the cut for that consistent set of tools, and LinkedIn users can no longer automatically sync their tweets to publish on LinkedIn."

"How Does This Affect Your LinkedIn-Twitter Posting?

Even though all users do not set their Twitter updates to automatically appear on LinkedIn, many use the hashtags LinkedIn provides to post selected tweets.

How Does This Change Your Marketing?

With the previous LinkedIn-Twitter partnernship, any post that was uploaded to LinkedIn (whether on your personal profile or company page) automatically hyperlinked Twitter handles and hashtags. When users clicked on that Twitter handle or hashtag in LinkedIn, they were automatically sent to that Twitter profile or Twitter search with tweets using that hashtag."

(Source: Hubspot)

"Serato with DJ Jazzy Jeff"

Monday, July 02, 2012 10:16:00 -700

Last week Serato released a brief photo recap of DJ Jazzy Jeff. They caught up with him at his home and in Las Vegas where Jeff spun at Palms Pool for Ditch Fridays, and Rain Nightclub. Check out the photos below.

"This month, the Serato team has been on the road, filming and photographing our mate Jazzy Jeff, as part of his upcoming Icon story later this year. Check out some of the photos so far, taken at The Palms, Casino Resort in Las Vegas for Ditch Fridays and also at his home:"

Hootsuite Presents the World's Largest Webinar

Monday, June 25, 2012 10:36:00 -700

Hootsuite is preparing to host the world's largest webinar on Thursday July 12, 2012 at 10 AM. Collaborating with marketing company HubSpot, the world's largest webinar's objective is to teach a variety of people and companies how to properly market their brand. However in order to successfully host the world's largest webinar, Hootsuite needs people like you to participate my registering here.

Their objective is to:

"How you might be thinking of things differently than your customers
How to make marketing decisions based on real data
Ways to leverage your channels for most visibility
How to beat the competition using inbound marketing"

Source: Hootsuite

Techweek Conference & Expo

Monday, June 18, 2012 10:47:00 -700

This Friday (June 22) will be the start of this years Techweek Conference & Expo. The conference will be taking place in Chicago and ending on the 26th, which will give attendees five days to explore, exchange and learn about tech innovations based in the Chicago and midwest region. Attendees will be given the opportunity to attend workshops, lectures, and demonstrations such as "Think: Innovations & Solutions, Learn: New New Business Methodologies, Grow: Later Stage & Exits" and a more.

For more information on this years Techweek Conference & Expo please visit techweek.com/conference.

DJ Jazzy Jeff and Mick Boogie release Summertime 3

Tuesday, June 12, 2012 09:38:00 -700

DJ Jazzy Jeff and Mick Boogie finally release their Summertime 3 mix-tape. With an abundance of songs and a very distinctive selection of artist and music, 51 tracks to be exact, Summertime 3 also gives us a Summertime remix with The Fresh Prince himself, which was quite the surprise. However you can download the mix-tape for free here.

Wordpress Giving More to Work with

Friday, June 08, 2012 13:38:00 -700

According to a Wordpress stat sheet, Wordpress services over 74 million websites which are typically operated by a hosting company or by the individual themselves. Wordpress is now offering its users the ability of controlling multiple website outlets with Infinite Wordpress which, couldn't have come at a much better time with more and more people using the service then ever before. Furthermore Infinite Wordpress gives those who self-host their websites the ability to operate, organize, and control all of your Wordpress sites via one server.

"Infinite WordPress features one-click updates for WP, plugins and themes, plugin and theme management (bulk install and bulk activate & deactivate) and instant backups all under a single master login."

For more information on Infinite Wordpress please read "Infinte Wordpress lets you manage unlimited self-hosted sites from a single admin panel" by Harrison Weber of The Next Web.

Giving Back w/ Technology

Monday, June 04, 2012 11:41:00 -700

You might have seen the commercials where a little boy tells us that every time we purchase a laptop, a child in an unprivileged part of the world gets one too for free. In these parts of the world where proper education is scarce, Little Pim teams with One Laptop per Child in an effort to teach these unprivileged children English.

"The initiative could help to blur the line between work and fun and lead to future opportunities for kids in an ever-increasingly global economy where English is the lingua franca of many multinational groups and companies."

Cricket Wireless gets iPhone

Thursday, May 31, 2012 15:16:00 -700

Who would have ever thought that Apple would release its services to a provider like Cricket. Only emerging in 1999, Cricket services over 7 million Americas. Providing contract free services and plans as low as 55$ a month for unlimited usage, Cricket somewhat deserves a high end phone such as Apple's iPhone, that would keep its customers happy and coming back for more.

"On June 22, it will thus become the first pre-paid carrier in the country to offer the iPhone to customers who opt for its no-contract, $55 per month ‘unlimited’ voice, text and data plan for smartphones."

For more information please read " Cricket first pre-paid US carrier to offe iPhone; on $55/month unlimited plan, starting June 22" by Robin Wauters.

(Source: The Next Web)

DJ JAZZY JEFF x WILL SMITH x JADEN SMITH x WILLOW SMITH x MEN IN BLACK 3 PREMIERE

Tuesday, May 29, 2012 10:36:00 -700

Thanks to Christopher Scaffer for this great visual of the MIB 3 premiere, which took place in New York on May 23, 2012.

MIB 3 Premiere @ The Ziegfeld Theatre in NY

Thursday, May 24, 2012 14:32:00 -700

MIB 3 is finally here. The premiere took place yesterday in NYC at the Zeigfeld Theatre following an after party at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, which was accompanied by live performances from DJ Jazzy Jeff, Will Smith, and Pitbull whose single, "Back in Time" is featured in the film. The all day event gave the people of New York City the opportunity to experience a few elements from the film including "agents" touching down in specific areas of the city so people could take pictures with them. There was also a display of gadgets and aliens and also MIB related activities for children at a few local children's museums.

Here are a few photos from the event. For more photos please visit DJ Jazzy Jeffs Facebook fan page.

Just a Touch of A Finger

Monday, May 21, 2012 11:01:00 -700

Before you go on and on about the ends and outs of technology and how its taking over the world, take a long hard look at this. A startup called Leap Motion introduces Leap. A finger activated system that allows you to control your computer with you hands. Instead of using a mouse or a keyboard, the small aluminum box that will be ready for pre-sale on Monday starting at a very competitive price at $69.99.

"The Leap creates a four cubic feet interactive space around it, where it can detect finger, hand, and arm movements. Depending on the program connected to the Leap, you can create drawings, zoom in and out of maps in Google Earth, play touch-based games, or interact with 3-D models with the device and you fingers."

For more information on Leap read "Not Magic, motion control: The Leap controls your computer with a flick of a finger" by Sarah Mitroff.

Dosage - S.W.A.G/ Which Way (Official Music Video)

Tuesday, May 15, 2012 17:25:00 -700

Dosage releases a video to the third and fourth tracks ("SWAG" & "Which Way") from his 3D11 mixtape released in December of 2011. Directed and edited by Brian "B. Kyle" Atkins, the video brings Dosage's hard hitting and unequivocal lyrics to life. SWAG" and "Which Way" were immediately favored by Dosage's fans. Beginning with a soft lyrical cry for understanding, and ending in a fast-paced mockery of the industry, this video is the perfect complement.

(Source: 3DLOOK4DALOGO)

Techie Gifts for Mother's Day

Thursday, May 10, 2012 13:31:00 -700

Mothers day is about that one special person who has brought you in to this world. That person that has nourished and loved us since our birth. Right? The typical Mother's Day gift consist of some flowers, dinner, some jewelry, or maybe even silence. However some of us have mothers who have fell in to this new profound world of technology and because of this, some might want something else for that special day. Core contributor Dak of Wired.com gives us a list of tech savvy gifts our Mothers might enjoy instead of the normal flowers and a necklace. Here are a few items Dak lists that might find their way to your mothers heart.

"BiKN Device

This device turns mom’s iPhone into a personal tracking device. After setting up the app and smart tags to the people or things she doesn’t want to lose, the BiKN will alert her if they get to far away."

"Mophie Pack Plus iPhone Case

The Mophie Juice Pack Plus iPhone Case has a built in battery that adds 8 hours of talk time or 7 hours of web browsing to your iPhone 4 or 4S and is perfect for day-trips with the kids this summer."

For other cool Mother's Day gifts, please read "Mother's Day for the Techie" by Dak.

(Source: Wired.com)

Major PR Mistakes by Major Companies

Saturday, May 05, 2012 18:12:00 -700

An article titled "11 Major Public Relations Mistakes" by Scot Gerber on The Next Web, gave weekend readers some very valuable information on some of the biggest PR hiccups from the worlds largest corporations. Gerber gathered comments from eleven young entrepreneurs who voiced what happened and how to improve from it.

(Source: The Next Web)

Imagine no Internet for a Year

Wednesday, May 02, 2012 13:32:00 -700

Imagine abandoning the internet for a year. Who would you talk too? How will you survive an innovation which has become a sole part of everyone's living. Ask Paul Miller from the Verge who announced " At midnight tonight I will leave the internet. I'm abandoning one of my "top 5" technological innovations of all time for a little peace and quiet."As odd and ironic as it might sound, Paul is actually aiming for positivity as he claims that the internet consumes more than 12 hours of his daily life. "Now I want to see the internet at a distance. By separating myself from the constant connectivity, I can see which aspects are truly valuable, which are distractions for me, and which parts are corrupting my very soul. "

In "I'm Leaving the Internet for a Year," Paul gives us his reasons for abandoning the internet for a year by giving specifics and listing what he's going to do before he goes.

(Source: The Verge)

Remix Associate, Brianna Lopez Interviews TDE's Ab-Soul

Monday, April 30, 2012 12:02:00 -700

(Source: 3DLOOK4DALOGO)

Pay Your TGI Friday's Tab via Friday's

Monday, April 30, 2012 10:06:00 -700

(Photo: VentureBeat)

Who'd ever thought that going out to eat would be this easy? Well thanks to TGI Friday's and an app called Friday's, customers can now pay their tabs via their mobile devices.

"Here’s how it works: Customers who click to open a tab in the app are presented with a five-digit code to show to their server. The server matches the code on the restaurant’s point-of-sale system to tie the tabs together. The app user then orders with the server as usual, but can follow her tab on her phone and choose to pay at her leisure. Transactions are processed using credit card info saved inside the application."

(Source: VentureBeat)

"Salute the Spin Doctors!: DJ Jazzy Jeff Reminds Us Why the World Needs DJs…and His Signature Pro-

Wednesday, April 25, 2012 11:13:00 -700

(Source: AllHipHop)

"The Rebirth of Chicago Cool"

Tuesday, April 24, 2012 10:35:00 -700

The nightlife of Chicago drastically changes due to one man's dream. Joe Russo, a club creator, introduced the Chicago nightlife to racial diversity as his two very successful venues, Sinibar and Funky Buddha Lounge gave people a place to go where music and enjoyment were the two key elements and not the color of your skin. Occurring in the mid 1990's Russo takes us on an incredible journey which ends in pure success and appearances by some of Hip-Hops most praised MC's and DJ's.

(Soure: KoneeRok)

"CRATE DIGGERS": DJ JAZZY JEFF TALKS MEETING WILL SMITH, SKIPPING LUNCH TO BUY RECORDS

Friday, April 20, 2012 09:22:00 -700

FuseTV takes a journey in to the home of DJ Jazzy Jeff. Digging through his collection of vinyl and speaking about the start of his collection, DJ Jazzy Jeff shares some importatnt moments, which got him where he is today.

"Fuse gives you an unprecedented look at a legend's collection with the stories behind some of his favorite records. "Doing it this long and saying you're obsessed with [records] is you coming to grips with it," said Jeff. "You've always been obsessed with; you just said you weren't. It's just accepting who you are and this is what you do.""

(Source:FuseTV)

Top Universities Offering Free Courses Online w/ Coursera.org

Wednesday, April 18, 2012 08:47:00 -700

Some say the internet has brought laziness, and media frenzy to the forefront and a few other negative things, but now some can say that the internet has brought them a free education and its called Coursera. Professors Daphne Koller and Andrew Ng from Stanford university first experimented online learning tools back in the fall of 2011. Now funded with $16 million dollars and partnered with Princeton University, the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University, 37 courses on the graduate-level and undergraduate are now being offered for free.

"Features on Coursera include:

Lecture concepts broken down into 10-15 minute video chunks that enable students to learn in bite-sized pieces and use a trajectory personalized to their interests and needs.
Frequent interactive quizzes embedded in lecture videos that increase retention of material.
Sophisticated auto-graded exercises that give students instant feedback and enable mastery-based learning.
A global learning community that facilitates discussions among international students."

For the entire article and how Coursera could potentially be something for you please read "Coursera Raises $16 Million To Bring Free Online Education to Millions" by Courtney Boyd Myers.

(Source: The Next Web)

Who Knew: College and Wikipedia

Monday, April 16, 2012 10:35:00 -700

There was once a time where students weren't allowed to quote or source information from Wikipedia. Now wikipedia is asking college students to do the work for them. It's called the Wikipedia Education program and its geared to boosting content, including more foreign-language content and event giving students credit for doing so.

"with a Wikipedia Ambassadors Program recruiting both in-person and online “ambassadors” to serve as evangelists for Wikipedia inside the academy. Ambassadors are experienced Wikipedia editors who are expected to train professors and academics on Wikipedia article construction, format, tagging, and community etiquette."

For the full article please read "Wikipedia Goes to College" by Neal Ungerleider.

(Source: FastCompany)

A Conference Guide

Friday, April 13, 2012 13:31:00 -700

Conferences are active all year round and there are things attendees should know in order to take full advantage of what's being offered. According to Rachel Sprung of Hubspot "most of these chances are lost in the chaos of an event and the post-conference wrap-up. " Conferences are fun, educational and exciting and with thousands of outside factors adding to the chaos, the purpose can sometimes get lost and those seeking specific outcomes might not receive them. Here Rachel gives us attendee tips on how to make the best out of a conference.

"1) Meet everyone you can.

When people think about attending an event, one of the first things they think of is the networking possibilities. And for good reason! You could meet a future co-worker, boss, mentor, or just a plain ol' smart person there.

2) Get exposure to other companies.

It isn't enough just to hear executives at companies speak; you should network with the companies who are similar to you. In fact, sometimes it is more helpful to talk to people who have the same positions in other companies than to talk to head honchos or speakers.

3) Learn how to improve your business from the speakers.

Conference sessions, especially those that present case studies, offer fantastic, actionable ideas about how to improve your business

4) Make the lessons you learn actionable.

It's easy to waste money on events if you don't have a goal in mind about what you want to achieve from your attendance.

For more tips on how to gain the most from conferences please read "Getting the Most From Live Event: A Guide for Attendees, Hosts and Participants" by Rachel Sprung.

(Soure: Hubspot)

CTxTV Presents: DJ Jazzy Jeff x Pro-Keds

Monday, April 09, 2012 10:31:00 -700

Last week was the release of DJ Jazzy Jeff's Pro-Ked shoe. At the release and signing at West 147 NYC DJ Jazzy Jeff's son, Cory Townes along with Grime Collective released a very home-felt video of what took place during the signing. DJ Jazzy Jeff interacting with fans, Biz Markie on the 1's & 2'sand everyone just having a reallygood time.

“This past week was a special one for me and my family. Not only did I start the #TurnUpTour aka the “Road To 25″ towards my 25th birthday this upcoming Wednesday, but I had a chance to go to New York with my father for the release of his shoe collaboration with Pro-Keds. We had a chance to head to West 147 NYC for the in-store event, where Biz Markie provided the sounds, I had a chance to meet and talk to sneaker king Chi McBride, and share this special moment with my father. Shout out to the guys over at Grime Collective for the choppage, and I hope you enjoy.”

Cory Townes

(Source: Corytownes.com)

Virgin America x DJ Jazzy Jeff

Thursday, April 05, 2012 15:30:00 -700

A star studded event took place here in Philadelphia last night as Richard Branson celebrated Virgin America's newest flight route with DJ Jazzy Jeff and his wife Lynette Townes along with Terrence Howard, Amber Rose, The Roots and a few others. A brief recap by Christopher Schafer gives viewers a great overview of what went on. DJ Jazzy Jeff had everyone on the dance floor and from the looks of things everyone enjoyed themselves.

Virgin America x DJ Jazzy Jeff from DJ Jazzy Jeff on Vimeo.

"Philly fun With Virgin America & Richard Branson"

Thursday, April 05, 2012 09:14:00 -700

"Philly fun with Virgin America & Richard Branson

By Greg Rose Apr. 5, 2012

Virgin America and Richard Branson touched down in Philadelphia celebrate Virgin's newest flight route.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter, actors Seth Green and Terrence Howard, plus music stars Wiz Khalifa, The Roots and Amber Rose were all in attendance to celebrate the new Virgin America flights.

Virgin America is the first U.S. airline to launch new service at PHL in eight years, with nonstop flights from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) now flying and flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) as of April 10th.

The "tailgate on the tarmac" celebration, with Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter and Virgin Group Founder Richard Branson, saw Philly's own DJ Jazzy Jeff entertaining the guests. Richard Branson got involved in the fun by taking part in a Livestream interview and playing matchmaker via Twitter.

Watch live streaming video from whatstrending at livestream.com

"Philadelphia is a vibrant, world class city that deserves more airline competition,” said Virgin America President and Chief Executive Officer David Cush. "In addition to bringing low fare competition to routes previously only served nonstop by legacy carriers, we believe our unique service will be a welcome change for Philadelphians tired of the typical domestic airline cattle car."

"This is a great day for Philadelphia and our Airport," said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. "We are thrilled that travelers in our region now have convenient access to Virgin America’s award-winning service. This new service to the West Coast will stimulate our regional economy and give travelers more choices. It’s a pleasure to welcome Virgin America to our Airport family, and I congratulate this fine airline for recognizing the value of doing business with our great city."

In honour of its newest route, Virgin America this week launches a “Liberating” network-wide fare sale. Go to Virgin America to book tickets, see more photos from the Philadelphia launch and find out more.

By GregRose. Senior Content & Marketing Executive, Virgin Group Digital. Tweets @greglrose

(Source: virgin.com)

Twitter Gets Artful

Friday, March 30, 2012 14:24:00 -700

Twitter has recently put out the "we are hiring" sign in an effort to gain artful insight from Europe's point of view. Tony Wang, Twitter's General Manager from the UK is hoping to see bigger and better use of Twitter by television. By incorporating more creative and artful use of Twitter the consumer and television will end up with greater results. Wang lists three examples that could potentially make TV use of Twitter more artful:

"Offering a different perspective of the on-screen action: For example, at last year’s Oscars ceremony, co-host James Franco shared backstage videos and images (and even a video of him walking onstage, from his perspective) via the #oscarsrealtime hashtag.
Parallel storylines – giving characters in TV shows online ‘lives’ via Twitter accounts that continue the story between episodes and seasons.
Using Twitter for realtime reactions data, Fox News tracked audience reaction to the Republican presidential candidate debates using #dodge and #answer hashtags, which allowed near real-time stats on audience perception to be generated."

For the entire article and more information on Twitter in Europe please read "http://thenextweb.com/mipcube/2012/03/30/twitters-hiring-from-europes-tv-industry-as-it-pushes-for-more-artful-media-engagement/#mce_temp_url#."

(Source: The Next Web)

A Lift in Content

Tuesday, March 27, 2012 10:35:00 -700

Its not a surprise that we are constantly surrounded by content which either boost or turns us away from certain areas of marketing. Content is the main source for marketing because its what lures people in. In today's society it's almost impossible not to come across content that is a representation of a product, person or place. SocialMouths released an infographic from BlueGlass Interactive titled "The Content Marketing Explosion."

(Source: SocialMouths)

Mac Miller Discusses New Project with DJ Jazzy Jeff

Friday, March 23, 2012 10:27:00 -700

During last weeks SXSW festivities Fuse tv caught up with Mac Miller to discuss music and his upcoming project with DJ Jazzy Jeff.

(Source: HipHopDX)

The Roots With DJ Jazzy Jeff @ SXSW

Thursday, March 22, 2012 12:54:00 -700

This past weekend at the MOG part at SXSW, The Roots brought DJ Jazzy Jeff on stage to join them in a drum off. ?uestlove and Frank Knuckles along with DJ Jazzy Jeff entertained an audience of full throttle Hip-Hop listeners who were just as surprised as the press. Here is the video of The Roots drumming with DJ Jazzy Jeff.

(Source: Philly.com)

Exclusive Video: DJ Jazzy Jeff Shows Off His Turntable Skills At SXSW

Wednesday, March 21, 2012 09:38:00 -700

Yesterday Complex Magazine released an exclusive video of DJ Jazzy Jeff performing at the Red Bull Thre3Style Showcase during last weeks South by Southwest music festival. The footage captures DJ Jazzy Jeff introducing his audience to a variety of music ranging from rock, Hip-Hop, Jazz and even a piece of Charlie Brown.

(Source: Complex Magazine)

"The 10 Best Moments of SXSW: Day 5"

Tuesday, March 20, 2012 10:49:00 -700

DJ Jazzy Jeff along with Rick Ross, Violin Monster and a few others, were nominated as being apart of SXSW best moments. DJ Jazzy Jeff who performed at Red Bull's Thre3 Style party gave his audience musical diversity, which included Hip-Hop, Rock and Jazz.

"2. Jazzy Jeff Hits Red Bull: The Philly DJ, alongside hypeman Skills, came through to Red Bull's Thre3 Style party to spin hip hop, reggae and rock. Set highlight: Blending the original samples of tracks from Biggie, Jay-Z and others into the hip hop track. Erykah Badu, Crystal Method, Z-Trip and unannounced guest Nas also performed."

(Source: Fusetv)

"The Road We've Traveled" with Barack Obama

Monday, March 19, 2012 08:50:00 -700

Photo: Fastcocreate.com

The Barak Obama team releases a mini documentary, 17 minutes long, focusing on his rise to presidency during one of Americas worst economic downfalls. From the War in Iraq to health care, the film walks us through a time where the president and his team had to fight in order to shuffle through the barriers planted before his election and after.

(Source: Youtube)

Dell and Youtube Collaborate for Music Festival's

Friday, March 16, 2012 14:48:00 -700

Dell and Youtube have announced a collaboration that will consist of live-streaming 4 major music festivals in the United States. "What you can expect: multiple live channels, behind-the-scenes content and exclusive artist interviews. Says Robert Kyncl, global head of content for YouTube." Today Youtube will be presenting and hosting a panel discussion on “How YouTube Festival Webcasts Changed the World" at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas.

For more information on Youtube live streaming at music festivals please read "Youtube, Dell Partner to live-stream Four Major U.S. Summer Music Festivals."

(Source: The Next Web)

"Unglue. It"

Monday, March 12, 2012 11:29:00 -700

E-Books have become the new wave of reading. Beneficial for those who remain up-to-date with electronics, but unbeneficial for publishers and libraries who continue to quarrel over profit. Many publishing companies are refusing to release e-books because once a book is electronically purchased, it will last forever and therefore cease book purchases. This also occurs in libraries who have been modified to provide readers with E-books. If a library purchases books electronically, they too will have to stop paying the publishers.

But there is a possible solution. Ungle.It has formulated a plan that would benefit publishers, libraries and readers. "A new site hopes to change that, though, by squaring the circle between the legitimate right of people to access books, and publishers’ need to get paid for them. Called Unglue.It, the crowd-funding vehicle allows individuals and institutions to pledge cash in small amounts, so titles can become part of the Creative Commons, where anyone can read them."

For the full article please read "Ungle. It: Crowd Funding a Revolution In Libraries"

(Source: Fast Company)

iTunes Introduces iAlbums

Thursday, March 08, 2012 15:10:00 -700

iTunes introduces iAlbums. A new app and program which configures your iTunes library providing your music with that old school vinyl feel. "More intriguingly, the program also acts as an aggregator, importing related media on favorite acts and songs, including biographies, reviews, pictures, quotes, lyrics, interviews and videos. Info is compiled from 20 sources, from Wikipedia to AllMusic and Google News, and includes material from bands' own Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well as YouTube clips and lyrics for over 400,000 artists and 200,000 albums" (Steinberg).

Providing music, news, articles, videos and more on over 600,000 artists, iAblums can be used via iPhone, iPad, and the iPod Touch.

(Source: Rollingstone)

Tips for Pitching Properly

Monday, March 05, 2012 10:58:00 -700

Public relations is formatted so that products and people are exposed to the public for further review and opinion and that is done with pitching. Now that were all living in - everything tech- publicist have to contrive so that their pitches remain equivalent to whats happening now. For example, Blogging has taken over prominent news sources and is now the go to for the latest on information and news. Pitching to a blog and pitching to a magazine are very different and therefore should be formulated in that manner. "How to Take Your PR Pitches to the Next Level," written by Heather Whaling, is a very informative article giving tips on how to improve your pitching by incorporating todays newest and biggest social media sites.

"Pinterest — Reportedly the fastest-growing standalone site ever, Pinterest is rapidly attracting brands and individual pinners. Some individuals have already accumulated hundreds and thousands of loyal followers. One byproduct? A new set of influencers for brands to engage.

Facebook — Brands have created Facebook pages, some with success … others not so much. If your brand doesn’t have a strong Facebook presence — or if you need to connect with a niche group — consider tapping into existing communities.

Instagram — A real-time, photo sharing network, Instagram is the largest mobile social network. As brands navigate mobile marketing opportunities, Instagram may be a natural network to explore.

YouTube and UStream — A couple years ago, “haul videos” were all the rage on YouTube. As video production becomes more accessible and simpler, more individuals are broadcasting shows on YouTube and UStream."

For the entire article and pitching tips read "How to Take Your PR Pitches to the Next Level" by Heather Whaling.

(Source: Mashable)

Improving the way We Video Meet

Thursday, March 01, 2012 09:05:00 -700

Telecommunication is becoming a pivotal format for business and company operations. Given that the concept of work has drastically changed over the years, telecommunication has given businesses the okay for expansion and flexibility. An article on The Next Web by Scott Gerber titled "Top Tips or a Great Video Meeting," gives six tips on you can improve your video meetings. Interviewing individuals from the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), Gerber gathers helpful tips on making the video conferencing process easier, more reliable and overall manageable.

For all six tips read "Top Tps for a Great Video Meeting" by Scott Greber.

(Source: The Next Web)

The History of Marketing

Monday, February 27, 2012 13:14:00 -700

History of Marketing Infographic

Marketing is essential because it gives people and products their value. Marketing strategies differ pertaining to who, what, when, where and why. The history of marketing dates back centuries and it has been a vital tool in helping businesses, people, and products become who and what they are today. A post on Hubspot blog by Corey Eridon shows an inforgraphic containing what marketing was back then and how it is today.

(Source: Hubspot)

Google TV?

Friday, February 24, 2012 09:02:00 -700

The Wall Street Journal released new information that Google will be launching Google TV in Kansas City, Montana sometime next month. Although it has not yet been approved, the application was filed and Google also plans on reaching out to other cities.

"The Kansas City application coincides with another request to put a satellite antenna farm near the company’s data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. That addition could allow Google to receive movies and TV shows that could be bundled with a new Internet service in Kansas City that promises to be up to 100 times faster than the average Internet connection."

Without a lot of information floating around on the actual progress of Google TV, sources can only reveal that Google is in the works for Google TV.

(Source: Mashable)

Press Pass: A Safe Haven for Journalists

Saturday, February 18, 2012 12:21:00 -700

Press Pass is a new media outreach site based in Dubai. A "live directory" of journalists separated by region, beat and media outlet. Press Pass gives complete access to journalists Twitter accounts, which makes it easier to track and analyze their personal interests and information, which would be useful for press pitching and stories. By ranking each journalists by number of tweets and followers, the site is divided in sections for uncomplicated browsing.

Nancy Messieh of The Next Web interviewed co-founder Valencio Cardoso. Gathering further information in regards to contacting journalists specifically, Cardoso stated that not all journalists liketo be contacted via Twitter and therefore acknowledge other means of communication. However, "Another positive with using Twitter for people to pitch their stories is that they’re doing it publicly, so journalists are less likely to get spammed. It also forces the person to be concise with their message, and the fact that it’s short means that it’ll take less time for the journalist to evaluate whether they should follow up."

As Twitter continues to be a safe haven for journalists, press, news and all other outlets, Press Pass is harmonizing with the social media movement in order to gain and prioritize the importance of journalism.

For the full article and interview read "Looking For Coverage? Press Pass, a Twitter-powered Journalist directory may be the answer."

(Source: The Next Web)

Education Through Innovation

Thursday, February 16, 2012 14:53:00 -700

Is technology withholding our younger generations from possible prosperity in the labor force? Michael Karnjanprakorn of Fast Company discusses how technology is causing self teaching without accreditation, which is forcing massive renovation on our once text book based educational system. Karnjanprakron gives us "5 parts to the education Harvest."

(Photo: bchmsg.yolasite.com)

"1. GADGETS AND BLENDED LEARNING

Classrooms can be anywhere at anytime. When 75% of teens own a cell phone--40% of those phone are smartphones--more learning is on mobile devices than ever before.

2. SOCIAL LEARNING AND COLLABORATION

Students are taking responsibility for their own learning, and the lines between student and teacher are blurring. Learners can determine their strengths and weaknesses and connect with one another to help and teach each other based on their areas of expertise--all they need is Facebook and Twitter.

3. OPEN RESOURCES AND CLASSROOMS

Textbook companies have to change now that everything’s going digital, and top learning institutions are offering their courses for free on the Internet.

4. ADAPTIVE, PERSONALIZED LEARNING

Formal learning environments are crumbling, and learners are finding their own paths to knowledge through independent thinking and experience in the real world. Teachers are figuring out how to teach each student the way he or she learns best, and assessment is viewed as an ongoing process, since learning is not a constant.

5. CREATIVE CERTIFICATION

The more people are culling unassociated resources and experiences to learn specific skills, the more urgent it is for there to be a place for them to record their efforts and success, to study with peers, and to present their learning portfolios to future employers or partners in a meaningful way."

Along with technology which continues to grow at improbable rates, education has to conserve and maintain its effectiveness through the strides of todays technological force. In order to do so, educational institutions and publications must conform and keep up.

(Source: Fast Company)

Which is More Important Education or Experience?

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 14:35:00 -700

Which is more important education or experience? A tough question to ask when some rely on experience rather than education to pursue success. However, although there is no right or wrong answer to this question, an inforgraphic from Makeuseof.com proves that education doesn't necessarily inhibit investors from pursing a particular company or brand.

"But ironically, investors seem to favour the opposite. They seem to like company founders who have relied more on life experience rather than life at university. But again, as the infographic illustrates, there aresome successful Internet moguls who went down the higher qualification route and did extremely well such as Sergey Brin and Jerry Yang. "

(Source: Make Use of)

Jet Magazine Feb 20th, 1989

Sunday, February 12, 2012 09:26:00 -700

Whitney Houston who has been noted as an astonishing singer and actress passed away yesterday and according to news sources such as CNN her cause of death is unknown at the moment. However, back during a time where she was celebrated along with others such as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, and Michael Jackson, Houston remained a vital entity in the world of music. In 1989 at the American Music Awards Houston, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, and Michael Jackson won awards that labeled them as vital assets to the entertainment industry. Houston will always be remembered as a great singer and actress who will definitely be missed.

The Art of Mentoring

Tuesday, February 07, 2012 11:41:00 -700

A mentor is someone who listens, guides and prepares his/her mentee for a career path similar to theirs. It doesn't necessarily have to be in the same field or line of work, but having a good mentor can be a pivotal stepping stone towards career development. Mentoring can be climatic, especially for those who need that extra push and guidance that schooling cannot provide. One on one relationships with people alike can strengthen one's desire to reach higher towards their ultimate goal whether it be career based or life in general.

Taylor Davidson of The Next Web attended Startup Weekend Mobile, which is a simulation of entrepreneurs teaming up to seek after new challenges and ideas for their companies. Davidson gives us three tips on how to be a good mentor. Although he directs these tips for events such as Startup Weekend Mobile, they still provide substantial advice for all mentor's or a mentee's.

Photo (The Next Web)

"1) Being a great mentor (and a great mentee) starts with listening.

Listening is the key component of a mentor-mentee relationship, and it’s even more important in a time-constricted event like Startup Weekend. Without a past relationship to draw on, it’s important for mentors to listen and understand ideas, approaches, strengths, and weaknesses as quickly as possible.

But it’s not just mentors that need to listen: mentees need to listen to mentors to make sure their advice is relevant and applicable for what they’re building. Advice is cheap to give but expensive to use. Be very cognizant of the asymmetry between giving and using advice when you’re deciding what to say and what to do. As a mentor, work to understand how hard it would be for them to implement your solution. If it’s not possible for them to accomplish with their current ability and scope, help them figure out the trade-offs they face.

2) Being a good mentor and a mentee isn’t about giving great answers, but asking great questions.

Good decisions come from good questions. At Startup Weekend, there is typically an abundance of mentors, drawing on many different backgrounds, experiences, and skillsets. It’s up to entrepreneurs to find relevant mentors as quickly as possible. Ask questions about a mentor’s background to understand the rationale behind their advice. What they’ve learned in their experience building products and businesses may not apply to you or your immediate needs. They may have deep biases based on their own experiences that don’t apply to your decisions. Ask questions, listen carefully, and then decide what you need to accept, ignore, or reject. Challenge mentors on their advice the same way they challenge your ideas.

And as a mentor, be aware of what you know and what you don’t know, and develop an awareness about your biases. Take the weekend as an opportunity to learn. Listen to people about their ideas, ask them about key trends in their industries, ask them about why they made certain tactical decisions. You’ll get the chance to learn about industries, products, and big problems you’ve probably never heard about.

3) Assume responsibility for your advice and your decisions.

As a mentor, instead of pressing an entrepreneur on the decisions they made, work to understand their individual situation and rationale behind their initial ideas. Many ideas built at Startup Weekend are still in very early stages, and with so many product, business and strategic decisions to be made in such a short timeframe, early advice is tremendously valuable.

But with so many decisions to be made, it’s important to not leave teams spinning their wheels. Don’t leave an entrepreneur with tons of different thoughts about their idea: leave an entrepreneur with a map to make decisions. You won’t be able to help them make all their decisions during the weekend, but you can help give them a structured approach to answering their own questions."

For the entire article please read "How to be a Great Mentor (And a Great Mentee)" by Taylor Davidson.

(Source: The Next Web)

"5 Ways Social Media Could Be Hurting Your Job Search"

Monday, February 06, 2012 09:20:00 -700

Who doesn't have a social networking profile? Its like you don't exist if you don't have one, but if you do have one and your looking for a job how do you separate your personal, non-professional, life with your professional life? Social media is and can be an amazing thing if you can keep the two out of each others way. However, social media could also be your downfall when job searching. Tony Morrison of Cachinko gives Mashable "5 Ways Social Medi a Could B e Hurting Your Job Search."

For all five ways please read "5 Ways Social Media Could Be Hurting Your Job Search."

(Source: Mashable)

Entertainment and Entrepreneurship: Summit Basecamp 2012

Wednesday, February 01, 2012 20:19:00 -700

Entertainment and entrepreneurship collided at the Summit Basecamp event held in the Mountains of Lake Tahoe Nevada, this past weekend. 650 entertainers and entrepreneurs attended the 3 day event which consisted of yoga, food, meditation, motivational speeches, ice skating polar plunging, and a lot more. An article on The Next Web written by Courtney Boyd, who attended the Summit, gives full details on who attended, what took place and the outcome of the three day retreat. DJ Jazzy Jeff, QuestLove, Q-Tip, Elena Bower, Eric Ries, Jose Gonzalez, Adam Dexter and an array of others came together to exchange passions, knowledge and overall success.

For the full article, pictures and video see "Summit Series Basecamp: Embracing Entrepreneurshiot at 6,000 ft."

(Source: The Next Web)

12 Ways To Maintain Your Website

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 08:37:00 -700

Your website is a reflection of you. It portrays your overall brand & company, which should be presented at its best if you want to attract and keep people engaged. Your website provides a platform for your brand and company so that you can creatively and effectively advertise and maintain your companies substantial trademark. An infographic released on Hubstop gives us "12 Critical Elements Every Home Page Must Have." According to Jessica Meher, "In order for a homepage to work, it needs to meet its purpose and contain key elements that attract traffic, educate your visitors, and convert browsers into buyers."

A website is important for multiple reasons so its critical that you maintain its key components so visitors feel as though they are gaining rather than loosing.

(Source: HubSpot)

Multimedia Your Messages

Sunday, January 29, 2012 14:02:00 -700

Photo: The Gadget Geteer

Messaging is designed to include information. Simple. However when multimedia is added an entire new type of communication is delivered and it can mean an array of things. As technology is gearing towards a higher degree a visual effectiveness, adding multimedia elements to your messages can increase its potency. A video released on PRNewWire called "More Multimedia= More Views," gives an in depth look at how multimedia transforms the art of messaging.

(Source: PR News Wire)

Organize with Contactually

Thursday, January 26, 2012 09:47:00 -700

How difficult is it to manage all of your important contacts? Email servers provide okay support, but reliable contact organization might not be one of them. Contactually, a new service that provides contact organization and email reminders launched in July of 2011. Providing follow up services and contact organization, Contactually might work wonders for those running small businesses. Although free at the moment, frequent users will be required to pay 45$a month starting February 2012. Seeming a bit steep on the financial end, Concatually can serveas a virtual assistant, which might actually benefit your businesses in the long run.

(Source: Mashable)

Social Networking for the World's Elite

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 09:51:00 -700

It's as if social networking couldn't get any higher. Topcom created by Vivek Ranadivé is a social networking site only accessible to high ranking leaders and politicians around the world. Topcom will be launched at the World Economic Forum this week in Davos. Its the perfect opportunity to introduce the network while some of the world's biggest leaders will be in attendence. Incorporating Twitter, Facebook, Skype, email and text, Topcom will provide services for current social networking outlets by integrating them into one platform. In an article written by Jon Russell on The Next Web, Russell elaborates on the pros and cons associated with Topcom. "In reality, the concept is an example of social networking gone mad. Esquire is quite a fan of the idea, and systems, but global leaders have communicated fine for some time now, which brings in to question whether another ‘solution’ is really necessary. "

(Source: The Next Web)

Social Media Week

Monday, January 23, 2012 11:43:00 -700

Only a few weeks away, this years Social Media Week will be taking place in 12 different cities around the world. Paris, Hong Kong, Miami, London, New York, Sao Paulo, Tokyo, Singapore, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Hamburg. Founded by Toby Daniels, Social Media Week is a four day event which brings together individuals, businesses, companies, and organizations that utilize social media outlets to bring forth ideas and to strengthen communication between people and businesses. Here is a video of Social Media Week's YouTube page sharing all the necessary information for this years event.

(Source: SocialMediaWeek.org)

What is SOPA?

Thursday, January 19, 2012 09:38:00 -700

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

Before explaining what this actual bill is and all of its (somewhat) confusion, here is a video released on Vimeo explaining defining SOPA and how it could potentially change the internet forever.

(All City Chess Club)

Women Conquering PR

Tuesday, January 17, 2012 09:49:00 -700

Without taking the time to research statistics, its obvious that women dominate the public relations market. Mark Ragan talks with Swiss Re VP of Communications Alayna Fran cis, NASDAQ VP of Corporate Communications Silvia Davi and Senior VP of Ogilvy Gemma Craven. The question up for discussion is why is the PR field predominately women? They each give a good answer as to why they believe women dominate this particular field and why women can handle this kind of occupation opposed to men.

Working Google +

Monday, January 16, 2012 17:53:00 -700

Google Plus (+) has been in full effect since its launch June 28, 2011. What started out as an invitation only social networking site, Google + opened its services to the public September 20, 2011. WIth an estimated 62 million subscribers, Google is trying it's best to maintain and demand a position in the world of social networking. Offering services that neither Facebook or Twitter provide, Google + is actually proving themselves plausible by providing and managing the high demands of today's social media fanatics. From the Techland section of the Times, editor Dough Aamoth gives us a 2 minute tutorial on how to use Google +.

(Source: Time)

Pitch Perfect

Thursday, January 12, 2012 14:02:00 -700

Pitching is a must in PR, yet many make mistakes that could potentially ruin relationships with journalists and writers who probably receive hundreds of pitches within a matter of days. A major key for client exposure stems from a well written pitch. Rachel Sprung of Hub Spot Blog tells us the "7 Silly Mistakes to Stop Making in Your Pitches."

Photo by Stern + Associates

"1. Forgetting to Follow Up:

Reporters get so much email, that it is easy to lose track of a pitch, even if it's one they're interested in writing about. Give them a day or two to think about the email, and then make your contact.

2. Pitching At the Wrong Time:

t is also important to figure out what times the reporters are on deadline because they will not be interested in hearing new pitches; they'll be busy finishing up some of their other stories. Timing is EVERYTHING.

3. Depending Soley on Press Releases:

Combining press releases with email pitches that have bullet points of the main information in the press release can be the perfect combination to get the press you are looking for. It gives your media contacts the wherewithal to disseminate your information in other ways that may be even more beneficial for you."

For all 7 tips see "7 Silly Mistakes to Stop Making in Your Pitches."

(Source: HubSpot Blog)

Gadgets That Shaped Our World

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 10:26:00 -700

Gregory W. Harper shows Time his massive gadget collection, which he as been collecting for quite some time. A tech consultant and co-founder of Gadgetoff, Harper gives us some reviews on the gadgets which helped shape the world of technology.

(Source: Time)

"How To Work From Home Like You Mean It"

Monday, January 09, 2012 09:55:00 -700

Working from home doesn't necessarily mean distraction. It simply means that you have the power of securing your work without the hassle of others distracting your workflow or constantly bothering you for a mesh of things non-work related. Kevin Purdy of Fast Company, gives us some tips on "How To Work From Home Like You Mean It."

"Look the Part, Be the Part"

The first start to bad a commence is acting as if the usual preparation for work doesn't matter. It is important that you prepare yourself and maintain a work office setting so that you can feel and respect your work as if it really meant something to you.

"Dressing for work and "arriving" on time, eating lunch on a rigid schedule, shaving, brushing, and so on seems pointless at first. But not doing these basic preparations is the start of a steep, Teflon-coated slope to all kinds of other transgressions."

"Schedule offline time, batch your online social time"

Working alone, especially at home can become boring, distracting and sometimes induce a fear that you are now becoming socially invisible. Instead of running to the nearest social networking society, "schedule offline social time."

"When they're always open, they're the equivalent of distracting coworkers, constantly shifting your attention away to complaints, jokes, gossip, and "Did you see..." discussions--the kind of stuff that makes it hard to get work done at work."

For the other tips and the full article read "How To Work From Home Like You Mean It."

Go Mobile: PR Style

Saturday, January 07, 2012 11:05:00 -700

If technology never sleeps should you? Publicists manage and work around set schedules which cater to the usual 9-5 time frame. Fast Company blogger Wendy Marx, talks with PR leader David Merrman Scott who proposes that by mobilizing yourself you are increasing your chances of being contacted by journalist, writers and bloggers, who are seeking vital information for their next big story. "What if you reverse the equation, and instead of reaching out to journalists on your schedule, get them to find you?" Mobile technology has made information accessible on a 24/7 basis, which concludes that communication has no set time nor limit. Scott gives Marx five tips for managing and maintaining communication via your mobile device so that you become easily accessible to media sources looking for a new story.

"1. Optimze for mobile. Index your site for the mobile search engines so people can find your content on their mobile devices. Make your content visible on the small screen.

2. Monitor keywords and phrases on Twitter so you are on top of the news and trends in your industry.

3. Monitor regulatory changes in your industry so you can comment in real time on Twitter about those changes.

4. Create content and comment in real time via a blog, media alert and/or Twitter when news is breaking so media will find you .

5. Create today’s version of the that old standby, the press kit--a mobile app with a feed of content optimized in an application for reporters that includes press releases, blog posts, video, and Twitter feeds."

(Source: FastCompany)

It's not when you Blog, but what you Blog

Tuesday, January 03, 2012 09:58:00 -700

Photo:HubSpotBlog

Blogging is the new everything from music, news, technology, opinions, food, and so much more. It has become the new information platform, which is rapidly growing. Blogging can be an excellent source if those doing it pay close attention to the people who actually take the time in following and reading what it is that your blogging about. However, tangible and consistent blogging takes time, research, and the notion that quality will always out way quantity. Shane Snow a tech journalist from New York gives "6 Tips For Building a High Quality Blog Following."

"1. Turn Existing Customers Into Readers

Current customers can be an excellent source of quality readers for a new publication. Often, they already identify with the target demographic. And they’re already familiar with you.

2. Skip The Misleading Traffic-Boosting Techniques

Pageview-racking slideshows and catchy-yet-misleading headlines are commonplace in the blogosphere; many publications use them to increase traffic (and therefore advertising revenue). Unfortunately, however, these techniques often don’t result in quality readership growth.

3. Speak to a Very Specific Audience

Casting a wide net can be good for generating traffic, but with a glut of reading options on the web, passionate blog followers gravitate toward hyper-specific publications. That’s one of the reasons many niche media sites are growing while mainstream publications bleed readers."

For all six tips see "6 Tips For Building a High Quality Blog Following."

(Source: Mashable)

Tech in Time

Monday, January 02, 2012 15:17:00 -700

Photo on Seagate

In a month from now, maybe even a week, there will be a new block of technology emerging and stealing its competitors thunder. And when the new one blurs the other out, the other will do exactly what their competitors did in order to be back on top. This is inevitable and according to how often new tech gadgets and ideas manifest into our daily lives, this will only prove that what you consider new or innovative will be obsolete in due time. An article on Business Insider "You Don't Live in The World You Were Born Into" by Mark Cuban, is an excellent summary on why and how this kind of thing happens by comparing what's new now to what was new when we were born. Generations under those present now, will soon agree that Facebook, Twitter, and even gadgets are "Old School." Its important that we recognize and depict the extremely fast paced movement of technology, which has undoubtedly managed to consume majority of today's population. The realization of it is that technology moves along with ages and keep in mind that nothing is the same as the day you were born.

(Source: BusinessInsider)

A Comic for 2012's Tech Resolutions

Saturday, December 31, 2011 09:59:00 -700

Created by Nitrozac & Snaggy this comic of Resolutions for techies in 2012 is supposed to be a parody of sorts. A bit apple based and somewhat biased on certain occasions, this comic however, does a good job at portraying people and companies which have been consistent in this years technology based news.

(Source: All Things D)

PR Problems of 2012

Friday, December 30, 2011 08:34:00 -700

Public relations plays a big role in the art of marketing and communications. An article on PRMoment.com, called Survival Tips for 2012 interviews PR chiefs who predicted 2012 to be a hard year because of the new economic hardships, which have been effecting the world on multiple levels. Director of strategy at Edelman (PR firm), Stefan Stern, told PR Moment that the mayhem rummaging in politics proves a level of instability that is sure to come. Looking on Europe's current economic downfall, Stern emphasized that impatience will play a big role in customer to business interactions. A slowmoving economy will eventually pause a peak in progression as clients demand more, but cant necessarily get the type of recognition they desire.

Founder of Consultancy at Frank PR, Graham GoodKind, said "I think 2012 will be the year when business skills in the PR industry will be more crucial than PR skills. There is going to be a wake-up call with regards to costs associated with running a consultancy. These costs are going to grow faster than fees and there will be more pressure on profit margins. Those agencies who don't approach PR life in 2012 with their business heads firmly screwed on will suffer. And sadly, I also predict that we might see a few that will come a cropper." For the full article read Survival Tips for 2012.

(Source: PRmoment.com)

Work vs. Twitter

Tuesday, December 27, 2011 11:09:00 -700

What happens when your Twitter account is not necessarily yours? Noah Kravitz a former reviewer for PhoneDog.com, accumulated 17,000 followers under his Twitter username @PhoneDog_Noah. He left PhoneDog.com in October of 2010 and changed his Twitter username to @noahkravitz. A little after a year, Noah accumulated 22,158 under his @noahkravitz Twitter account. 8 months after Kravitz departed from PhoneDog.com they sued him for $340,000. PhoneDogs professed that his Twitter following embodied PhoneDog customers that were supposedly a customer list. PhoneDog accused Kravitz of "misappropriate trade secrets and interfered with PhoneDog's business." PhoneDog responded by saying they were the ones that assembled the substantial following and not Kravitz himself. For the full article read Who Owns Your Twitter Account? Check out this Lawsuit.

Source: CNET

Twas the Day after Christmas: iTunes Style

Monday, December 26, 2011 09:13:00 -700

The 12 days after Christmas goes to iTunes. From December 26 to January 6, iTunes will be giving their subscribers free downloads, books, apps and more. However, each free download only last for 24 hours after its release. So in order to grab some new stuff and take advantage of these offers please check our iTunes daily.

(Source: Engadget)

"The Digital Christmas Song"

Saturday, December 24, 2011 11:32:00 -700

Happy Holidays from the digital world. Directed by Ottawa Tourism's Nick Lannitti, "The Digital Christmas Song" which is a parody of sorts, depicts how the digital world effects us, especially during the holidays. Plugged in with Spotify and Corel, Ottawa Tourism delivers some good holiday cheer for us to hear this Christmas.

(Source: Mashable)

Swearing For Charity

Thursday, December 22, 2011 10:59:00 -700

Charity SWEAR BOX from Fueled on Vimeo.

Could you believe that swearing on Twitter can help save the lives of those starving in Africa? Charity Swearbox is a website that collects how many times a person uses obscenities via Twitter. By giving the site your Twitter info, Charity Swearbox retraces how many times you've used obscenities and suggests how much you should donate and who you can possibly donate to. If you are an admit swearer this is the perfect opportunity to give back without necessarily doing anything other than being yourself. You can also change the suggested amount to fit your preference. Charity Swear Box along with 43 other charity fundraising campaigns was introduced as a part the 50/50 Campaign, which is a collection of individual fundraising campaigns developing daily for 50 days. This brief video explains what Charity Swear Box is and its purpose.

(Source: FastCompany)

Who Should You Hire?

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 11:54:00 -700

"Please attach a cover letter and resume to your application please." The obvious about hiring someone reliable is also the typical. Qualifications aren't aways the key to hiring someone worthy, so what do you do when you truly want to hire someone who will not only benefit your company, but someone who will also better themselves in a desired field? Fast Company's FastCoDesign gives a list of 5 things to adjust when hiring someone who will give you what you want and vise versa.

Extremelifedrawing.com

"1. Hire for Soft Skills

Companies generally hire for hard skills or past experience. Instead, they should hire based on soft skills, the pleasant personality traits and attitudes that can’t be taught.

2. Empower your Frontline

Empowering your staff not only benefits the customer but also the employee.

3. Have the Manager Set the Tone

Managers keep operations running smoothly. But their most important role should be ensuring that employees feel respected and valued by setting the tone for customer service and reinforcing good behavior."

The hiring process can be hectic, but it can also be a thing where people, especially employers, figure out what they want and how far their employees could potentially take their place of bussines. For the entire article and the rest of the list read Your Frontline Employees Are Your Brand. How Do You Hire The Right Ones?

(Source: Fast Company/Fast Co Design)

Email Uncomplicated

Monday, December 19, 2011 11:14:00 -700

Emailing can be as frantic as shopping in Walmart on a black friday morning. The continuous incoming messages and the overload of emails needing responses can be very uninviting, so here are 7 ways to overcome the usual email overload. Mashable's Sarah Kessier gives us a great overview on how emailing can become less of a complication and more of a constructed craft.

"1. AwayFind

Expecting an important email? Then you're probably tethered to your inbox. AwayFind attempts to free you by alerting you through a phone call, SMS or IM when that important email rolls in.

2. Boomerang

Boomerang adds a button to your Gmail or Outlook account that lets you schedule email messages to automatically be sent later. It also helps you remind yourself to respond to important messages by specifying when you want them to appear at the top of your inbox as unread emails. The full service is free for a 30-day trial, after which those who don't p

ay up will be bumped to a basic free package, with just 10 message credits per month.

3. Otherinbox's Organizer

You could set up email filters that file all messages from commercial entities into handy folders such as "shopping," "finance" and "shipping n

otices." Or, you could hook up Otherinbox's Organizer to your Gmail, Yahoo or AOL email account and have this sorting happen automatically.

The app sends a daily digest of the low-priority emails it takes out of your inbox.

4. PowerInbox

It's impossible to act on notifications for apps such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Groupon without navigating to another page. And that's annoying. PowerInbox pulls functionality back into these emails. InFacebook emails, for instance, you'll be able to view your friends' photos, see comments and write comments."

The Last Planet

Emailing is definitely a craft within itself especially when important business and communication is involved so its always a plus to gain tips and information on how to make that process less hectic. For all 7 tips read the full article at 7 Simple Tools for Email Sanity.

(Source: Mashable)

Women & Numbers

Sunday, December 18, 2011 16:09:00 -700

Women!

Women make up more than half of the worlds population, yet their achievements and intellectual power goes overlooked by physical assets. In this day-in-age, its almost impossible not to include a females point of view, however it is not to say that the woman is necessarily viewed as a non-sexualized individual. Even women in politics are shoved under the bus on occasion by the medias sexualized perception of them. FastCompany released a feature story in Nov. called "The Case for Girls," which discusses why people, mainly men, prefer male children over female children. This ongoing array of events stemmed from the article "The Case For Girls" along with the media's involvement on why and how women are so negatively portrayed.

"The response to Fast Company's recent feature story, "The Case For Girls ," has been incredible. First, digital agency AKQA's mock ad campaign became a real-life call to action and a mobilizing worldwide event. Now social media agency Lovesocial has announced a partnership with indie doc Miss Representation and reached out to Fast Company to create an infographic to illustrate the stats featured in our story."

(Source: FastCompany )

Hive at 55

Thursday, December 15, 2011 10:32:00 -700

Where do you go when you need a small yet reliable place to do your work? Besides coffee shops or maybe a school library here and there, Manhattan offers Hive 55. A downtown work space that provides small business owners, entrepreneurs, freelancers and small start-ups with amenities needed to maintain and properly build their work. Launching in 2009, Hive 55 has been immensely progressive over the past two years. People alike are also given the ability to find and work with people who they can possible benefit from. Although Hive 55 charges, it is much cheaper than renting an entire office. Some of the amenities include a locker, mail storage, lounge area, internet, printer/fax servicesand a few others that give you that all around business environment.

"Hive Membership Plans

Hours: 9am-6pm*, Monday through Friday, 9pm on Thursday (*members can work late, but evening events may take priority)
All Plans include Internet, use of 3 Conference Rooms, Printer/Copier/Scanner/Fax, Coffee & Tea
Attend fun member lunches, networking events, workshops, and classes
Discounts with Zip Cars, Mints Cars, Voxel, and others."

(Source: Hive 55)

The Mentor is IMPORTANT!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 15:29:00 -700

Columnist Paul Spieglman gives us some very valuable insight on why having a mentor is so important, especially in the world of business. A mentor is an individual who educates and guides a person who views their occupation or way of life similar to theirs. The problem is embedded in our shame of asking for help, particularly from a person who is on a different level then we are. However, that is the wrong way to think. According to Spieglman, "'Im not that busy when it comes to helping people out. I, like many others out there, actually take great joy when someone reaches out for help, advice, or to serve as a mentor of sorts. It all starts with having the courage to just ask." This makes more than perfect sense because pride plays a tremendous factor in why most don't ask nor reach out to the people that could possibly change their lives. Read the full article here " Who's Your Mentor."

Everett Collection

(Source: Inc.)

Anthony DeRosa, Tumblr King

Monday, December 12, 2011 10:42:00 -700

The live blog is important, right? Well Anthony DeRosa is recognized as having one of the most influential Tumblers to date. Soup, a news blog on Tumblr, has been named one of" the top 25 of all Tumblogs tracked by Compete." DeRosa who works for Reuters, created Soup as a side project. Eventually he caught the atetntion of a few company onlookers who considered his form of live blogging genius. Fast Company's Adam Penenberg caught up with DeRosa and asked him a few questions.

"FAST COMPANY: What does a social media editor do?]

ANTHONY DEROSA: That's a good question.

You're lucky I didn't ask you, "What's social media?"

Oh, god. Well, social media editor, for me, at this organization, it could be different at other organizations, is a couple of different things. From a functional standpoint I have to manage all the different platforms and presence that we have on all these different platforms. It's managing all the Facebook accounts that we have, managing the various Twitter accounts that we have, and working with a team of people in three different locations. Wehave a team in Toronto, we have a team here, we have a team in the U.K. ... actually four. And then the fourth location would be in Bangalore. So we get 24/7 coverage on all those platforms.

What's the secret to a good live blog?

You don't want to just be a stenographer. With these live blogs, I think people want analysis, they want a little bit more thought, something that's going to entertain them and inform them beyond what they can usually see themselves. Because a lot of times there will be a live video feed, they're already getting everything that some people provide in a live blog, so it's got tobe something more." For the Full article please read The Art of the Live Blog.

(Source: Fast Company )

Twitters new (Not Too Shabby) Look

Saturday, December 10, 2011 12:22:00 -700

Mike Issac of Wired.com's Epicenter, released an article this past Thursday (Dec. 8, 2011) explaining Twitters new and improved design which was formulated for consumer diversity and to promote easier access to search related topics. Profiles and home pages, in which the home page introduces a new tabbed bar, for the most part look the same. "So now, users can click on the “@” button at the top of their feed to search for a specific user, brand or business. Similarly, the “#” button lets users search by subject matter" says Issac.

The log in page is what catches the eye. Bold colors, inviting photos in addition to a superbly simple layout, Twitter is trying to export as much comfort as possible for its 300 million users as of 2011. A prominent issue is that businesses cant properly market on Twitter because of it's unique approach to social communication. For example, Facebook is based on visual exposure giving people something to look at, while Twitter is based off a limited text response of 140 characters. The new Twitter is gearing it's service for brand management so that businesses can finally use Twitter for a higher marketing audience.

(Source: Wired)

StumbleUpon is Back In Action

Thursday, December 08, 2011 15:50:00 -700

A website geared for filtering your online favorites is back in action. StumbleUpon which was once obtained by ebay, has shifted it's design making it easier to navigate and much more viewer friendly.

"StumbleUpon has also signed up 250 partners for channels on the site, which will act as verticals users can “follow” in order to get the interesting content they want. The partners include such Web sites as Yelp, Gilt Groupe, Vanity Fair and Funny or Die, as well high-profile names like actor Jim Carrey, athletes Mariano Rivera and Paul Pierce, and late-night TV host Chelsea Handler." Read Full Article here: StumbleUpon Gets a Face-Lift and some BoldFace Names.

(Source: All Things D)

Address Is Approximate

Thursday, December 08, 2011 09:55:00 -700

Word in the wired world is that this a must see. Theory, a London based production company put together a mini documentary using Google Street View, which has viewers returning and wanting more. Incorporating a gizmo and stop action photography, The Theory has really gave us something to look at.

(Source: All Things D)

Big News in the CRM World

Tuesday, December 06, 2011 11:10:00 -700

Fast Company reporter Austin Carr revealed some big news in the world of customer relationship management. Sales Force, which is an enterprise company, obtained Radian6 a "social media monitoring startup" to produce and uplift product sales by monitoring social media involvement.

(Photo by Practicalowl's Flickr Photostream)

"In May, cloud-based enterprise company Salesforce.com acquired Radian6, the social media monitoring startup, for $326 million. Salesforce, which is best known for CRM or customer relationship management products, said at the time that the "hundreds of millions of conversations [Radian6 captures] every day across Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, blogs and online communities" will help provide its businesses with "actionable insights in real-time.”" (Read full article here)

(Source: FastCompany)

4 Ways to Get People to use your App Instead of Just Downloading It

Monday, December 05, 2011 09:36:00 -700

Everything has an app starting from games, to businesses to even restaurants. Its almost inevitable not to run into a company that is now providing a "faster" way for you to access certain information by just downloading an app. There just might be a tad bit of a problem. People are fed up with having to constantly register, create usernames and passwords for these apps, which have to be entered every single time they click on the app for information. Companies are realizing that their apps aren't reaching the heights they hoped for and it has a lot to do with the app log in, structure and overall set up. According to Masable.com, there are 4 ways a company can make the app process easier so that you, the subscriber, feels more comfortable using the app instead of just downloading it.

" 1. Establish Trust:

How? First, make sure your app looks professional. Shoddy design will annoy people and often cause them to doubt your trustworthiness. Think about when you land on a sketchy-looking webpage.

Next, if you must ask for their email (and this is often unavoidable for an online service), make it clear that you have a terms of service agreement and privacy policy.

2. Perfect the Art of Organic Install

You also need to reduce confusion. This means not giving people a million different ways to sign up. (Sign up with Facebook! Sign up with Twitter!)

Remember that getting the app downloaded is not the end game. If you can figure out why most people downloaded the app in the first place.

3. Test and Measure

The perfect sign-up flow for your app will require testing. I recommend measuring everything.

Pick an app that you can iterate on quickly when you are testing so that you don’t end up stuck in an approval queue with something that proves to be suboptimal.

4. Guide Them Through the On-Board Process

Now your mission is to keep them coming back — and they are not going to come back unless they get value from the app right away.

Game mechanics, like a progress bar, often keep people motivated to complete certain steps over time to achieve the ultimate goal of completion (things like finishing your LinkedIn profile). "

(Source: Mashable)

iCloud Introduces iTunes Match for Music Lovers

Saturday, December 03, 2011 10:43:00 -700

The digital music world is a wonderful thing now that people can transfer, upload, and keep track of their music libraries. iCloud offers Apple users a server that transfers data from a variety of devices such as the iPhone, Mac, iPad and iPod. iCloud introduces iTunes Match, which is genius given that uploads can take hours maybe even days. iTunes Match is a server which stores up to 20 million songs and instead of uploading your music to your varies devices like Amazon and Google, Apple users can simply match their music with the 20 million songs stored in iTunes Match making the transfer process so much easier. However music will only be matched if it was purchased or downloaded from iTunes. iTunes Match is also a free service along with iCould, which just simply has to be downloaded.

Walt Mossberg from AllThingsD tested iTunes Match and gave it the okay however, he did explain that there were a few glitches that needed to be checked. After contacting Apple for answers, Mossberg discovered that some of his songs weren't being transferred because they were "ineligible" meaning they were unfit for transfer. Besides the few glitches that were due to reasonable issues, Mossberg ended his review with "In all, I like iTunes Match, and can recommend it to digital music lovers who want all their tunes on all their devices. It’s another nice feature of iCloud, priced reasonably."

(Source: All Things D)

The Rapid increase in Video Ad's via the Web

Thursday, December 01, 2011 17:34:00 -700

Advertising and marketing. The means for distribution and information for products and people who generally give us, the consumers, vital information that could potentially lead us to consume. Video ad's are flocking now more than ever and according to Free Wheel, people have been tuning in to these super consistent sometimes annoying video ads which project, lure, and sell. Views and ratings for these ads have shot up to 28% within the last quarter. Consistent internet users are very aware of these web ad videos that are now embedded in almost any, if not all, internet outlets and websites. YouTube could be used as a prime example given that if a video has over a certain number of views, a video ad is ALWAYS played before you get the pleasures of listening or watching what you want.

In the first 6 months of 2011, video ads have grown an impressive 42%, however business ad's via the web have only participated in 6% of that initial increase. The internet has become more than a tool. Its in some cases a lifestyle in which people live, gather information, buy, and sell. If video ad's are the newest in marketing technique, then please be advised that it will only increase as businesses and companies alike try to find other outlets for more money intake.

(Source: AllThingsD)

Best Buy closing in the UK

Thursday, December 01, 2011 10:36:00 -700

Best Buy will be closing its eleven stores in the Uk by January 15, 2012 according to The Inquirer. Best Buy who is a tech pioneer in the states, has no potency in the UK given that they lost more than they gained in the short period of time they were there. Their blowout sell started taking place the same day as Black Friday and will last until its closing.

(Source: Endgadget)

Thermal Airport Lie Detectors

Tuesday, November 29, 2011 09:41:00 -700

If the airport isn't already hectic enough, people will have to walk through thermal corridors, which are designed to track if a person is lying or under high levels of stress, which could potentially mean they are up to something. Within the next five to seven years, IATA says they will have them installed in airports around the world. The blue corridor will function as an ID scan and the yellow corridor will scan the eyes of travelers for other purposes. A rumor has spread that there is one being tested at an airport in the UK, but there is no further information on which exact airport. The serious of detectors are called " Checkpoint of the Future."

(Source: CNN)

3 Lenses Phone Case for iPhone users

Monday, November 28, 2011 10:13:00 -700

iPhone's have become the backbone for hands on technology. People use their iPhones for just about anything and taking photos is one of the biggest accessories included on the phone. With almost perfect capture ability, the iPhone camera is a consumers fav. The iPhone Lens Dial, which cost about $250, is a attachment device that contains 3 lenses used for a variety of photo shooting purposes. The dial includes a 0.33x fisheye, a 0.7x wide-angle and a 1.5x telephoto lens.

(Source: Wired)

Music Box Business Cards for Musicians

Saturday, November 26, 2011 12:49:00 -700

Ritornell for Musicbox from Ritornell on Vimeo.

Everything is about perception along with access. People don't like to read, nor do they have the patience to go on research rampages. Ritornell teams with Katherine Hölzl to create a music box. Special business cards are engraved with specific notes that can be read when fed through the music box. Although this might not seem super exciting, it could really change how musicians deliver their work and receive feedback. As musicians are in constant struggle, music box business cards could hopefully bring positivity to those who only have their music to speak for.

(Source: Wired)

Back In Living Color

Friday, November 25, 2011 12:34:00 -700

In Living Color was an extraordinary, yet comedic sitcom in the 90's, which had got a lot of A list comedians and actors their stratum. Luckily for the generation who hadn't gotten the chance to tune in, In Living Color will he airing in the spring of 2012. The original producer Keenan Ivory Wayans will be hosting the new show. There has yet to be specific days and times when the show will air, but as of now people who loved and grew up on ln Living Color can now hopefully bring back some precious memories from the 90's era.

(Source: CNN)

Apple gets Down with Black Friday Discounts

Thursday, November 24, 2011 10:12:00 -700

According to an article on CNN, Apple is dropping prices for the Black Friday "Holiday" sale. Its unclear if the sale will be in effect in Apple stores, but the online store is definitely offering Apple product users some very good deals. Given that Apple products are some of the most consumed within the technological world, people will be going hay wire for it. However, 9to5Mac, which is a blogging and information site for Apple products leaked the information without confirmation from Apple itself. So as of now this is just a rumor that has some truth to it because Apple's spokesman refused to comment on the situation. Good Luck Apple users!

(Source: CNN)

Apple, Google, now Spotify Upgrade

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 16:43:00 -700

A mysterious invitation was sent from Spotify inviting a few guest to its Nov. 30th press event in New York. Not mysterious in regards to what it is, but in regards to an unannounced public upgrade on its new software. Apple and Google have both recently upgraded their musical access software and now Spotify is right behind them. WIth talk of adding additional features such as a store and iPad apps, Spotify is ready to release its new software in hopes that it can stat afloat with its competitors.

(Source: AllThingsD)

Magazine Ad sales drop almost 7%

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 16:32:00 -700

With everything going digital on top of the plummeting economy, magazine companies are beginning to feel the wrath of low ad sales in their current issues of publishing. Companies are cutting back on ad purchasing for economic and social media involvement reasons, which cant necessary be controlled by magazine publishing companies.

(Source: MediaBistro)

Facebook Users and Their Political Opinions

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 15:55:00 -700

These days Facebook is the key for finding information and voicing opinions on certain topics. With politics being on the forefront more now than ever, a study found that Facebook users take up a lot of time talking about politics and mentioning their opinions who who they deem right or wrong.

(Source: Mashable)

How to Effectively Spread content Through Social Media

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 10:33:00 -700

The markets biggest booster is of course social media sites, which give people easy access to vital information however, effectively spreading your content is the key to keeping your company above the social media normality realm. The CEO and founder of Buddy Media, Michael Lazerow, explains how to viewer and consumer outreach percentages by following a few important steps.

Source: Mashable)

Our Day Will Come- Amy Winehouse

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 10:08:00 -700

"Our Day Will Come" is the first song of Amy Winehouse's posthumous album titled Lioness: Hidden Treasures. The album is set to release December 5, 2011. Prior to her passing, which was only a few months ago, "Our Day Will Come," seems like a reflection of where her mind was before she unfortunately died. A very soulful singer whose music will be missed. (Source: The Hairpin)

What Employers want in Their PR Agents

Monday, November 21, 2011 09:36:00 -700

Arik Hanson, an occasional writer for the PR Daily, asked 3 specific questions to a variety of PR reps on what they desire from their PR agents. Today, PR agents are in high demand because of the super fast paced movement of the ever so gravitating social media world. Most reps agreed that writing, mastery of digital content display and proper communication skills through different sources are some very important skills that PR agents should possess along with a few other things. PR agents are pivotal keys to mending companies and people to their desired target markets.

(Source: PR Daily)

Need Help Finding who to Follow?

Sunday, November 20, 2011 15:33:00 -700

People usually find themselves following the wrong people on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, and its not because who their looking for is hard to find, its because people are not following who they need to be. Prolphiq which is a new search engine and tool, helps people find the right ones to follow and connect with on social media sites. Currently under private beta testing, people are however allowed to register to gain access before its official launch. Proliphiq provides users with their own personal pages so that they can save, organize and back track all of their information.

(Source: Mashable)

In the Day of an Average Facebook User

Sunday, November 20, 2011 09:18:00 -700

Here is a very cool inforgraph detailing the day of the average Facebook user.

(Source: Mashable)

Economic Friendly, High Fashion Cohesion

Friday, November 18, 2011 09:18:00 -700

For the fashion world, which is of course separated by designer and price, the inevitable has been in effect for the past few years as high fashion designers have been creating collections for stores, which are known as "Cheap but chic." Versace released its collection in H&M Thursday, which was highly anticipated just as the Missoni collection was at Target. According to the NY Times, when high fashion designers merge with lower priced retail stores such as Target and H&M, it actually provides an economic boost, given that people who want high fashion, just cant simply afford it so when it is released at a lower price and becomes accessible in close to home stores, people buy it.

(Source: NY Times)

Google+ Pages occupied by top 100 brands

Friday, November 18, 2011 08:46:00 -700

According to a study conducted by BrightEdge, the top one hundred brands such as McDonalds, Verizon and Coke use Google+ pages to boost networking and online presence. While about 94% of these companies have Facebook pages and etc..., at least 61% of these top 100 companies created Google+ pages in its first week of being available. Although the outcome was much slower than that of Facebook, over time, consumers slowly but gradually began using Google+ for information instead of Facebook.

(Source: BrightEdge, PR Daily)

Why the stress of Black Friday when online is always accessible?

Thursday, November 17, 2011 09:53:00 -700

Black Friday is probably one of the most hectic days for employees who are required to work while the rest of America bombards through doors in hopes of that on time a year discount. This year major stores are opening the night of Thanksgiving, which has sparked an employee petition. But besides that, why are these stores in such a rush to be the best when consumers can just go online without the Black Friday hassle and shop? With everything being accessible online and via mobile devices, retailers are expected to have somewhat of a 50/50 outcome. If people can avoid the non-sense associated with Black Friday, they will and online shopping is the key. Hopefully retailers learn from this year, so next year employees can enjoy that very small time with their family and friends.

(Source: All Things D)

Google Music Launched

Wednesday, November 16, 2011 18:08:00 -700

Today Google launched Google Music, which allows people to explore the site while having access to their musical library. Google users can now download music and easily transfer their purchases to their mobile devices that are android operated. Similar to the gmail log in page, Google users log in with their already existing gmail username and password. Subscribers are also given the option to include and add already existing music from services such as iTunes and Windows Media Player. Geared by Android, Google Music is another portal for people to easily explore and gain access to music.

(Source: CNET)

Amazon releases Kindle Fire

Tuesday, November 15, 2011 11:50:00 -700

Today was the release date for the new and improved Kindle, Kindle Fire. Consumers who have already purchased the device, claim it works like a charm. Without the staggering prices of Apple's iPad, Kindle Fire serves it's purpose on multiple levels so, consumers are super excited that the Kindle Fire is selling at a set price of $199. With money being proportionally scarce these days, Kindle Fire provides an economic friendly price, which people find extremely helpful. The most reported comment regarding it's price, is just a small part of why folks are gravitating to this device. Along with a very extensive list of awesome features, the Kindle Fire is a touch screen device, which will definitely give products alike a run for their money.

Amazon Article : Amazon.com

Sundance Channel Premieres Show on Twitter

Monday, November 14, 2011 12:32:00 -700

For the first time ever, Twitter will be airing the season premeire of Sundance's hit show Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys. The show will be aired via Twitter tonight only. The remainder of the show will be aired Friday's on Sundance. The purpose of launching the season premeire via Twitter is to gain awarness and increase its viewer ratings. Here is the article:

"Sundance Channel is premiering the new season of its returning show Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys onTwitter.

The network is offering the first episode to users via a TwitVid embed beginning today. The show will make its traditional broadcast premiere on Friday.

This is the first time that Twitter has been used as a television distribution platform. In March, Paramount released the first trailer for its summer thriller Super 8 on Twitter.

Just as networks frequently offer early episodes of new TV shows using iTunes or the web, releasing a show using Twitter is as much about building word-of-mouth interest and increasing exposure as it is a pure promotional exercise.

For a show like Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys, this tactic is also about leveraging the show’s strengths. It has already amassed a big social following — with more than 200,000 fans on Facebook.

Sarah Barnett, general manager and EVP at Sundance Channel, told us, “We want the show to get exposure to as many people as possible. Increasingly our viewers turn to social media to get their information and to discover new shows.”

For Twitter, this sort of experiment gives the platform more credibility as a media platform, rather than just a messaging system. Twitter’s Adam Bain told us, “Sundance Channel is taking a savvy approach to sharing exclusive content like this on Twitter. It’s a great way to reward their followers and drive word of mouth about the series, and is a strategy that other networks can emulate.”

Sundance Channel will also be leveraging second screen experiences with the broadcast version of Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys. Starting this Thursday, viewers can access a second screen experience app usingFacebook or SundanceChannel.com. This experience is akin to many other tablet-based second screen apps in that it uses audio-syncing from the program to display pertinent information about the show. Sundance worked with ClipSync on the app, which will include real-time chat, polls, quizzes and other information abut the show."

(Source: Mashable)

Apple is now selling contract free iPhone 4s

Friday, November 11, 2011 12:35:00 -700

Usually folks would have to choose between At&t, Sprint or Verizon to obtain an iphone, not anymore. Apple is now offering the iPhone 4s contract free to people who cant decide on which carrier to choose or if they dont want a commit to a set contract. Here is the article:

You can't expect to see one for "one to two weeks," but those hellbent on holding out for an unlocked iPhone 4S here in the US of A can finally snag one without jetting off to Australia (among other places). Nearly five months to the day after Apple started selling the iPhone 4 in unlocked fashion in the States, the iPhone 4S is joining the club, with a 16GB model going for $649, a 32GB model for $749 and a 64GB variant for $849. Just so you're aware, the unlocked phone enables you to use any micro-SIM from any GSM carrier worldwide, but it won't play nice with CDMA carriers "such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint." And yes, both the black and white versions are up for order. Hit the source link to part ways with your chosen amount of cash.

(Source: endgadget.com )

Lessons From the Entertainment Industry for the Digital Entrepreneur

Wednesday, November 09, 2011 15:24:00 -700

Everyone and everything is going digital. Entrepreneurs in the digital world have to keep up with todays moving technological outburst. Digital entrepreneur Tom Grasty, gives lessons on how to stay afloat in this vast world of technological innovation. This is one of ten videos, which Grasty shares a few important tips.

(Source: pbs.org)

Portishead: "Chase the Tear"

Monday, November 07, 2011 08:56:00 -700

Portishead - Chase The Tear from Mintonfilm on Vimeo.

If you don't know who Portishead is, download "Dummy" and get back to me.

The Future of Mobile

Monday, November 07, 2011 08:41:00 -700

The Future of Mobile explores the past and future of the cell phone, which is one of the most consumed and used products in the world. Visit www.mocom2020.com for more.

On the Brink

Friday, November 04, 2011 09:26:00 -700

Sponsored by Ericsson, this mini documentary explores the lives of internet innovators and how only a few years ago, they struggled to keep their now booming businesses afloat. On the Brink also explores connectivity and how change has occurred over years as more and more people became accessible to the internet.

The Regeneration Music Project

Thursday, November 03, 2011 09:14:00 -700

he Regeneration Music project will redefine how music is listened to in today’s society. While most genres of music are created for that particular sound, The Re-generation project will incorporate a variety of genres by paring a DJ with an artist to merge and create new sounds.

McDonald's To Launch In-Store Channel

Thursday, November 03, 2011 00:05:00 -700

The latest trend of “branded content” is moving full steam ahead. And now big companies are taking the concept to another level by curating their own network, like McDonald’s with McTV. The network will feature local news and programming tailored for specific communities. McTV, available in HD with offer news, sports, weather and special interest stories targeted to their dine-in customers.

For more on this story:

(Source: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-mcdonalds-channel-20111017,0,303650.story)

One Last Thing: Steve Jobs Documentary

Wednesday, November 02, 2011 23:32:00 -700

Speaking of Steve Jobs...On Wednesday night, PBS will aired a full-length documentary titled One Last Thing on the life and accomplishments of Steve Jobs.

We watched it and here's what Remix has to say:

We laughed, we cried, we smiled. This was a amazing account of some unreleased footage of Steve Jobs. Most commentary was provided by AllThingsD's Walt Mossberg, a well known and respected tech journalist, and a close friend of Steve. One Last Thing painted a true picture of Jobs. The good, the bad and the ugly. No matter how people felt about him, there is no denying that Steve Jobs revolutionized consumer technology and change computing, music, motion pictures and telecommunications.

Here is the preview:

Blue Sky- Common

Wednesday, November 02, 2011 18:27:00 -700

We post news about Common because, well, we love Common. Check out his new single and video below.

Steve Jobs Presents the iCloud

Wednesday, November 02, 2011 18:19:00 -700

What is Icloud?

According to apple.com:

“iCloud is so much more than a hard drive in the sky. It makes it quick and effortless to access just about everything on the devices you use every day. iCloud automatically and securely stores your content so it's always available to your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or PC. It gives you access to your music, apps, latest photos, and more from whichever device you happen to be using. And it keeps your email, contacts, and calendars up to date across all your devices. No syncing required. No management required. In fact, no anything required. iCloud does it all for you.”

In June of 2011, Steve Jobs presented the iCloud to Cnet. The purpose of his presentation was to introduce the iCloud, which is an integrating system automatically syncing any and all information between all of your apple devices. Any information stored on your iPhone or any other device, can be automatically transported to your iPad, iPod, Apple PC or Mac and vice versa.

We know the announcement of iCloud is old news now. But every now and then, we have to post a Steve Jobs video simply because we miss him. #RIPSteveJobs #iSad

Common Releases

Tuesday, November 01, 2011 16:31:00 -700

What we’re Reading Now!

(Source: www.thinkcommon.com)

Twitter Taunches Twitter Stories

Tuesday, November 01, 2011 16:17:00 -700

Twitter launches Twitter Stories (http://stories.twitter.com/). This is further proof that engaging your audience is the most honest way to gain exposure. Give your followers a platform to be heard and they’ll be your fans for life. #ClientAdvice

(Source: TechCrunch)

DJ Jazzy Jeff and Ayah Release NEW VIDEO for

Monday, October 24, 2011 23:22:00 -700

DJ Jazzy Jeff and Ayah today released the new video for “Forgive Me Love,” a single from their highly regarded Back for More project.

The video, directed by Toronto’s Slakah the Beatchild is beautifully executed with a thought provoking twist. Viewers will be left reflecting on the very real situations in this cautionary portrayal. It is a raw and honest production that drives home the timeless message that things are not always what they seem.

Click here to view “Forgive Me Love”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdfyu9jLdk8

And, in case you missed it, download “Back for More” today: http://backformore.bandcamp.com/

For more information about DJ Jazzy Jeff, visit:

www.djjazzyjeff.com
www.twitter.com/djjazzyjeff215
www.facebook.com/djjazzyjeff

For information about Ayah, visit:

www.ayahmusic.com
www.twitter.com/ayahmusic
www.facebook.com/ayahmusic1

DJ Jazzy Jeff and Ayah Present the Official Release of 'Back for More'

Friday, July 15, 2011 13:08:00 -700

Grammy Award Winning Producer and Pairs Up with Canadian Songstress to Give Away Classic Soul EP

Grammy Award Winning Producer and World Renowned DJ Pairs Up with Canadian Songstress to Give Away Classic Soul Project

07.12.2011– PHILADELPHIA - July 12, 2011 - DJ Jazzy Jeff and Ayah release Back for More today. The duo is giving away a collection of soulful tunes to fans for free download. This 13-track project is sure to have music lovers grooving for the rest of the summer and beyond.

DJ Jazzy Jeff, along with contributions from well-known producers James Poyser, Pete Kuzma and Démien DeSandies, has created an experience that music lovers have long awaited. Yet, those not as well versed in the genre will appreciate these soulful treats just the same. We are already familiar with the success of Jeff's past work with heavy-hitters Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild and Floetry. And his work with the Toronto songbird, Ayah, will be no exception.

Ayah, who is a success in her own right, has already garnered a grass roots fan base of her own with the release of her last two projects, Problem Woman and 4:15. And her most recent release of the When it Comes to You single and short film is continuing to make headway. Having worked with respected MCs like Freeway, Mac Miller, Elzhi and Skyzoo, Ayah is no stranger to hip-hop either. This makes Jeff's jazzy production and classic hip-hop sound the perfect complement for Ayah's full and melodic vocals.

With Back for More, fans should expect nothing less than greatness from soul music’s hottest new collaborators. Notable tracks on the project include the soulful tune, "Make It Last" and title track, "Back for More", with its feel good party vibe. Listeners will also witness Ayah’s versatility in the already popular single, Notorious. Ayah unveils her inner b-girl and lyrical flair in this hip-hop banger. Back for More also features appearances from Sugar Tongue Slim (STS) and Toronto’s own Tona.

To download Back for More, please visit: http://www.backformore.bandcamp.com/

Track Listing:
Press Play
Back For More
Notorious
One Life (Ft Tona)
Hold On
Make It Last
Forgive Me Love
Tables Turn
Maybe We Can Just (Ft STS)
Telephone
Baby
The Game (SOMEBODIES)
Be Alright

DJ JAZZY JEFF & AYAH RELEASE VIDEO IN ANTICIPATION OF BACK FOR MORE

Monday, June 20, 2011 12:37:00 -700

DJ Jazzy Jeff and Ayah are releasing Back for More, a project they have put together in preparation for their anticipated full length album.

Here is an in-studio teaser the duo has released to get fans ready for the main event.

Stay tuned for tracks to be unleashed from now until July 12th, when Back for More will be available to the world!

To Watch DJ Jazzy Jeff & Ayah (In Studio Teaser):

(filmed and edited by Jimmy Giambrone)

Bumpy Knuckles and KRS-One Present: Royalty Check

Thursday, May 05, 2011 11:11:00 -700

Two of hip-hop's legendary radicals come together for a collaborative album

Bumpy Knuckles and KRS-One Present: Royalty Check

Two of hip-hop’s legendary radicals come together for a collaborative album

NEW YORK, May 5, 2011 /682 Records/ - Bumpy Knuckles (aka Freddie Foxx) and KRS-One announce that Royalty Check will be released May 31, 2011. Royalty Check, being distributed by Canada-based 682 Records, combines classic boom-bap sound with rock elements through the use of live instruments and edgy drum patterns.

Royalty Check is the perfect blend of all the qualities fans love and come to expect from these prolific MCs. With contrasting styles, the politically minded duo addresses a range of similar social issues, each using a very different approach. Bumpy Knuckles’ more ‘in your face’ philosophy is balanced out by KRS-One’s signature ‘stop the violence’ mantra.

The project was born out of a chance opportunity for Bumpy Knuckles and KRS-One to work face to face in the studio again. In the technology age, where artists primarily collaborate via digital channels, it’s rare that two MCs of their caliber have a chance to vibe together and feed off of each others creative energy in such an up close and personal way. And listeners will not be disappointed by the result.

Look out for further details about Royalty Check, including track listing and more, closer to the release date.

In the meantime, be sure to check out Leaks Vol. 1, a free mixtape from Bumpy Knuckles and DJ Chanin, available to download at: http://thehiphoprnb.blogspot.com/2011/04/bumpy-knuckle-djchanin-presents-leaks.html.

For more information, please visit:

www.kruptmobradiolive.com

www.facebook.com/pages/Freddie-Foxxx-aka-Bumpy-Knuckles

www.myspace.com/theogbumpyknuckles

www.twitter.com/BumpyKnuckles

Media Contact:

Lynette C. Townes

Remix Public RelationsPhone: +1 302.743.0254

lynette@remix-pr.com

6.8.2 Records:

Lynn Johnston

Phone: +1 705.523.9682

lynn.johnston@682records.com

http://www.682records.com/

James Andrews Introduces Social People and Famous PPL

Tuesday, March 01, 2011 16:59:00 -700

Well Respected Media Strategy Exec Launches Hybrid Communications Agency with Celebrity Division

March 1, 2011 - James Andrews, co-founder of Everywhere, the Atlanta based social PR firm and first agency to win a social media Guinness World Record for their #BEATCANCER campaign, recently announced his departure from the agency and the formation of Social People (www.socialpeople.tv), a hybrid agency that integrates Marketing, PR, Advertising and Content Development. Based in both Los Angeles and Atlanta, Social People helps clients engage with their audience using social technologies and non-traditional tactics. Currently, the agency’s client roster includes major players in the automotive, non-profit, health, television and entertainment sectors.

In addition to Social People, James has launched a celebrity representation division, Famous PPL, which manages digital and social media assets on behalf of clients. The group operates as both a producer and steward of celebrity communities and an agent pairing clients to branding partnerships and opportunities. With fitness and entertainment icon Jane Fonda as one of Famous PPL’s leading clients, Andrews launched both her blog and Twitter account, allowing Fonda to inspire Baby Boomers everywhere to embrace social media. “My well noted work with Jane Fonda has provided valuable insights on the opportunity to help celebrities with their digital and social real estate while also creating brand partnerships,” said James of his work with Fonda. Famous PPL also works with music producer Jermaine Dupri and his social network, Global 14, guiding his vision to position it as a premier online destination for urban youth.

Prior to Social People and Everywhere, James was a Vice President at Ketchum Digital, directing global social media brand strategies for clients including Monster.com, FedEx, GeekSquad, Nokia and Wendy’s.

Social People has already begun to make its mark in the social media community. Notably, Social People supported The Recording Academy's social media efforts for the 53rd GRAMMY AWARDS. The Recording Academy is doing a stellar job at merging social media and television to drive tune-in and their best ratings in 10 years. The California Endowment is another dynamic client that is changing the social norms around health and where it happens via the use of social, mobile and digital technologies. Another noteworthy client partnership is with PGi and iMeet. With the help of Social People, they are revolutionizing the way we get together online and meet.

Mr. Andrews is confident that both Social People and Famous PPL will be successful at helping clients excel further through the use of social media. “I am thrilled about the limitless possibilities in store for both companies," said James. "I look forward to sharing our developments with the world as they unfold.”

About James Andrews:

James, founder of Social People and Famous PPL, also blogs at Fastcompany.com as an Expert Blogger and is a contributor to CNN. He attended UCLA and lives in Atlanta with his wife and two children. Andrews is a board member at GCAPP, a foundation started by Jane Fonda and Foundation Focus, an organization started by music producer Polow Da Don.

Visit Social People at www.socialpeople.tv and follow Social People on Twitter: www.twitter.com/socialpeopletv.

Artists First presents: THE ROTATION

Saturday, January 01, 2011 20:33:00 -700

The Rotation invites record labels, management & affiliates to showcase their 5 best new artists!

City Best Article on Jazzy Jeff NYE 2010

Monday, December 20, 2010 20:30:00 -700

DJ Jazzy Jeff and Ayah Present: This Way (Album Sampler)

Friday, April 09, 2010 20:55:00 -700

DJ Jazzy Jeff is working on a new soul/R&B project with up-and-coming songbird and Toronto native Ayah. In preparation for the release of their debut album "This Way", DJ Jazzy Jeff and Ayah are sharing a healthy sampler that is sure to be put on repeat on your iPod. Those that have already previewed the project agree that the duo is a killer combination. Jeff's soulful production provides the perfect backdrop for Ayah's full and melodic vocals.

Jeff, along with contributions from well known producers James Poyser, Pete Kuzma and Démien DeSandies, created an experience that music lovers have long awaited. Yet, those not as well versed in the genre will appreciate these soulful treats just the same. We are already familiar with the great success of Jeff's past work with soul heavy-hitters Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild and Floetry.

With that in mind, please enjoy this sampler and feel free to pass it along for others to groove to.

Remix PR in Miami for Winter Music Conference 2010

Wednesday, March 31, 2010 13:32:00 -700

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In March, Remix PR went to Miami to check out the best of the best when it comes to DJing at Winter Music Conference 2010. We ran into a few cool peeps at Deckstar's DJ AM Tribute Party at LIV in the fabulous Fontainebleau Resort, including:

Ryan Leslie

Chad Hugo (of the Neptunes)

D-Nice

And of course no WMC would be complete without Remix client, DJ Jazzy Jeff!

We're Here!!

Saturday, March 27, 2010 23:41:00 -700

Remix Public Relations announces the official website launch.

Remix Public Relations is a communications agency specializing in social and traditional media strategies for entertainment, technology, consumer and lifestyle brands. We are the driving force behind publicity and social media campaigns for a wide range of clientele. We pride ourselves on staying ahead of the curve in developing innovative publicity opportunities for our clients. And Remix partners with some of the most exciting brands to help increase visibility and broaden our reach.