At Startup weekend Evansville, we have “The Book.” As our event happens, we record all of the “Oh next year we should…” moments. It’s a brilliant plan and it works. This year’s event was really smooth.
Really, how many of you reading this are event organizers? How many of you attend events? A much higher hand count I assume. I want to share with you the simple little things I have added to my ongoing conference list based on my attendance at the #EVSCREV13 conference I attended for the past two days. You may not be an educator, but learning how to create these ongoing next year or next time lists for any event is a useful skill.
Bring:
an extra pair of shoes
a water bottle that can be filled at water fountains (one with a clip to attach it to a bag is preferred.)
an extra foldable bag
chap stick
Band-Aids
cash- *I don’t’ carry it often and needed it on more than one occasion this weekend
small extension cord
power bars (both to eat and to plug in your tech)
chargers for everything
your business cards
something to keep the business cards that you have collected in
At Startup weekend Evansville, we have “The Book.” As our event happens, we record all of the “Oh next year we should…” moments. It’s a brilliant plan and it works. This year’s event was really smooth.
Really, how many of you reading this are event organizers? How many of you attend events? A much higher hand count I assume. I want to share with you the simple little things I have added to my ongoing conference list based on my attendance at the #EVSCREV13 conference I attended for the past two days. You may not be an educator, but learning how to create these ongoing next year or next time lists for any event is a useful skill.
Bring:
an extra pair of shoes
a water bottle that can be filled at water fountains (one with a clip to attach it to a bag is preferred.)
an extra foldable bag
chap stick
Band-Aids
cash- *I don’t’ carry it often and needed it on more than one occasion this weekend
small extension cord
power bars (both to eat and to plug in your tech)
chargers for everything
your business cards
something to keep the business cards that you have collected in
As requested, by more than one person, today I will help you fix another annoying Facebook notification. Your Friend has invited you to play <Insert annoying game you have no time for>
The Problem?
Annoying notifications about games and farms and crazy stuff you have no time for, and quite frankly you wonder what your friends are doing playing those games anyway.
So let’s fix it.
When you get one of the notifications like this one: Simply hover over the notification and two things will appear on the far right side, A small circle and a small gray x. The circle is labeled, that is to say that when you hover over it, a small black box appears and says ” Read.” Note, that if you have previously read it, the circle is not filled in and is labeled “Unread.” The X is labeled “Turn off.” Click that X. You will now be prompted with a question to make sure you really want to stop getting game notifications. Click “Turn off.” You now get a small print message that has two more options. “You will not get notifications from <Insert annoying game you have no time for> Undo Report r spam” That’s it. Done. Now you do have to do this for each game. Be patient. Do this every time you get a game notification and before you know it, you won’t have any game requests! #WritingFor30 What else frustrates you? I have to write on something every day for the next 30 days. I might as well answer some questions. Follow along with the other #WritingFor30 bloggers with that hashtag.
We’ve all been a victim to it. Someone is having a party, needs addresses, wants you to vote for something…and they do it by sending out a Facebook message to you and 25 or more of their friends.
The Problem?
The endless notifications when each of them replies and comments with “reply all.”
So let’s fix it.
At the top of the message there is an “actions” dropdown. If you click it you get a list like this.
Simply click “Mute Conversation.” Now you will get no more notifications, but can step back into it and read what’s been going on at your connivance.
If you decide later that you want back in on it and want to be notified, just simply click “unmute”
#WritingFor30
What else frustrates you? I have to write on something every day for the next 30 days. I might as well answer some questions. Follow along with the other #WritingFor30 bloggers with that hashtag.
I’m not sure why I’ve never reviewed a Windows phone before. Maybe because in my mind I already had an opinion that I really didn’t care for them. But I was surprisingly excited to have the opportunity to test drive the Verizon Samsung ATIV Odyssey – a Windows phone.
It’s Different
I think the biggest thing for me is that it’s a completely different layout, look,and feel. After being an Android and iPhone user for so long, nothing was in the right place.
The screen on this phone is quite a bit smaller than the last few phones I have had my hands on.).with 4.0 inches, but the overall feel of the phone is very natural. Samsung boasts about it’s Super AMOLED™ touchscreen, and it is very clear and easy to see. It fits nicely in your hand and up to your face. If you’re converting to a Windows phone from either an iPhone or an Android the biggest things will notice are the differences of the buttons at the bottom of the phone. On most Android devices the right-hand button is used as a back or a previous. This tripped me up a bit because I would often mean to go back, but on a Windows phone the right-hand button is a Bing search.
Serious lack of apps
After you get used to the initial differences it’s a familiar interface – mail icon opens your mail, the messenger button opens your text, and many of the same gesturing tasks work on the Windows phone as they do on other smartphones. I was a little frustrated looking for some of the standard apps I utilize on a daily basis. There are a lot of apps on Windows market – 100,000 to be exact, but not being able to use some of the apps I use everyday made it very challenging. After talking to several other windows device users, they all had similar frustrations. PC World covered this recently. It’s nice that the major Office programs are built in and user friendly, but if you’re a Google products user, you’re out of luck.
X-Box
If you are a serious gamer into X-Box, then “only Windows phone OS has Xbox LIVE built in. Track your achievements, view your gamer score, chat with friends or just change your avatar.” I’m not, and we don’t own that gaming system, but it’s also a built in game hub that lets you walk around with an arcade in your pocket.
Camera
The rear-facing camera is 5.0 Megapixel, and it’s not nearly as big as the iphone 5s with it’s 8 Megapixel camera, but it’s still better than many point and shoot cameras. The camera has a button on the side that allows for quick access. The ‘touch anywhere on the phone screen’ to take a picture threw me at first. I was touching to focus as I do on my other phones. After getting use to it, I really like this feature. It’s quick, it’s easy, and granny can take you picture! (Admit it. When you randomly ask that stranger to take your group or couples photo, you now look at people and ask yourself if they look smartphone savvy enough.)
Hotspot
Like most phones, this one can be turned into a mobile hotspot, only on Windows OS they call it Internet sharing. It turns on with a simple slider switch and supports up to 8 devices. I didn’t run 8 devices, but I did test this with 4 devices all pulling from it, without too many issues.
Reboot it- It’s Windows
Several times while trying to utilize the device and various apps, the phone will just sort of freeze. After voicing some frustrations to a friend who is in the IT field, he commented “It’s a Windows Device just reboot it. Rebooting anything Windows fixes everything.” He was, as usual right, but it was very frustrating to have to reboot the device to make apps work.
Overall, the Samsung ATIV Odyssey provided a great introduction to the Windows phone experience. Sleek, slim, mostly functional with a few reboots, I wouldn’t have a problem recommending this phone to someone wanting to jump the Android or iPhone ship. (And currently, It’s free from Verizon!)
Whether you travel for business or you’re just hitting the road with the family for the summer, WiFi connections can be a complete source of frustration and pain. Many hotels offer “free” WiFi. They can be slower than dial up speed, while they tout the use of a higher speed.
#4 How Much Does Free Cost?
Hotels aren’t the only people offering free WiFi. I just saw that Khol’s offers WiFi. For the husband waiting for the wife to shop, I suppose? Many business people and travelers take advantage of free WiFi at coffee shops but there are dangers connecting to open WiFi networks.
” An estimated 90% of public WiFi hotspots at places like airports, hotels, and coffee shops lack the security to prevent even a moderately skilled teenager from hacking into an unassuming mobile user’s internet connection.” Forbes
#3 How Much is it Worth to You?
So how much is it worth to have your own source of WiFi? We just discussed the dangers of using “free” WiFi. If you’re traveling at all, this device is only $9.99 (pre-owned)and only cost $20/month to add to your Share Everything plan. So how much is it really worth for you to be without your internet? Why put up with slow internet, or put yourself and your data at risk?
#2 Everyone Needs to be Connected
This device allows you to connect up to ten devices. That means you can have all of your tech necessities as well as allowing your traveling companions to connect. Whether you’re traveling with business associates or family, everyone needs to stay connected these days.
#1 Need for Speed
Remember the hotel and coffee shop WiFi we talked about? It’s so frustrating when you use free WiFi, knowing that everyone in the shop is also on your same bandwidth. Chances are they’re all streaming Netflix and Spotify. On average, it leaves you with 1Mbps or less download speed to try to work. With your own Jetpack, you typically get average download speeds of 5 – 12 Mbps down and 2 – 5 Mbps up. During my short time with the unit I saw speeds of up to 17.83 Mbps
So don’t risk the frustration and dangers of “free WIFI” any more. Get a Jetpack and get connected today.
Everyone thinks it’s so cool that I get to test devices. The uncool part is giving them back. It’s also hard to have your hands on the newest, latest phones, and then go back to the phone you’re locked into until your contract is up.
So what’s this latest tease that I’ve been temped with? The Samsung Galaxy Note II. I have to admit, I was really starting to look again for a new phone to replace my daily carry. I glanced at this phone, but really had my heart set on another Samsung phone – The S4. The problem is that it’s not out yet, and my phone was dying a slow death. I spoke to my friends at Wireless Zone, and they offered me an S3 got get me by until the S4 comes out. When I went to the store to pick up my phone, owner Chris Jourdan was there. Chris, who converted me to #TeamAndroid years ago, always carried 2 phones – an Android and an iphone. You can do that when you’re in the business. I was very surprised to find that Mr. 2 phones himself was now completely team Android where his phone was concerned. What was this amazing phone that converted him? The Samsung Galaxy Note II – I just had to try it myself.
It’s so big:
Here the Samsung Galaxy Note II dwarfs the iphone.
Thanks to the great people at Verizon, I was sent one of these to test drive. First thoughts out of the box, and first thing out of everyone’s mouth when they see it. “Wow that is a huge phone!” With its 5.5 inch screen, it’s huge. It’s clear, crisp screen makes photo and video viewing easy, and it makes reading e-mails and books really handy. It’s not so handy to get in your pockets, however.
The body:
The body of this phone is slick. I’m not sure if it’s just the sleekness, but maybe the shape of this phone made it very prone to falling off the desk or counter. I caught it most of the time, the rest of the time it was on carpet, but I very often thought that if this phone is a keeper, it’s gotta go in an Otterbox for sure. (Thinking back, Chris didn’t have his in a case and I really wondered how he coped with this problem. Then I remembered he has the Phone Surgeons at his disposal. He can just replace the screen if it breaks.) So, if you get one, be sure to case it up.
Functionality:
This phone comes with and “Easy Mode” but for the average standard smart phone user, its normal operations were very functional. I learned it as I went along, and very rarely did I find the need to look at the user’s guide. (This is in the form of an app that was very easy to navigate and understand.) As I only had it for a few weeks, I was still finding new things that made me seriously consider this as my next phone. With so many neat features to discover and utilize, I could see myself being very comfortable and happy with this as my next phone.
Bringing Sexy Back:
Oh, I mean stylus back. Yeah, I wasn’t so quick with the stylus. I wasn’t sure about how I would like it. I found it difficult to get out of its sleek holster. As a woman with nails, I would have thought it easier. But if it was easier, maybe it would be falling out? I found that over time, I got use to it. By default (which is customizable) if the pen is out, and you go to a place that requires text input, it defaults to the write to text mode. (this is also customizable.) This is where you hand write the letters and it converts them to text. As my continued reliance on digital input has grown, so has my penmanship suffered. This made it difficult for me to use this feature. It is a great idea for those who are more accustomed to putting pen to paper, and a way to get them to transition to digital. I have many clients that would benefit from this feature to get them out of their paper notes habit. It’s not just a stylus, it has sensors and integrates with many applications using hovering and the ‘S Pen Button’ (reminds me of a mouse button.)
S Notes:
This is where the Samsung Galaxy Note II and its stylus shine. For the traditional note taker, this is a dream. It has standard text features, but the write to text feature is really nice for note taking in meetings. I especially liked the shape match feature. This allows you to roughly draw a shape, like a circle. It then converts it to a nice neat shape. The S note program was full of amazing features that offer beautiful or just downright fun notes.
Dual Screen Operation:
This is one of my favorite things about this phone! You can “work and play at the same time, or just work faster.” This is the feature that really has me wanting this phone and I suspect one of the key features that moved Chris from two phones to one. (Now that I no longer have a phone with this feature, I have really noticed how often I think, “Oh, wish I had that other phone!”)
Camera:
Just wow. The clarity and image quality are stunning. And the camera is packed full of features. This video does a great job of explaining the additional features. Even if you choose not to get his phone and you’re taking a group photo, let the person with the Note II take the photos.
http://youtu.be/77M5GhUdzyQ
This phone is so jam packed with features, I felt like I barely got to know it. If you are considering a new phone, don’t let the complexity and amount of features scare you. Samsung has a very easy manual that comes as an app, you can access right from your device. It also has some great videos to follow along and really see what they mean when they’re explaining things.
http://youtu.be/77M5GhUdzyQ
Bottom line – I would be totally happy to have this as my daily phone.
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NKTC will offer a Social Media Training to include Prezi and Pinterest on March 21, 2013.
The training will take place in Union County at the United Community Bank. This will be a two-part training with a morning session and afternoon session – you can sign up for one or the other or both.
Prezi Presentations: Go beyond PowerPoint
As a professional, you want to make the best impression with your presentations. Prezi isn’t just another slide presentation software. It’s an animated presentation that zooms, rotates, and keeps your audience interested. Available for free as an internet download, anyone can use this innovative and intriguing software to add a more modern, energetic feel to their presentation or slide show. Your audience will be wowed!
9:00 am – 12 Noon NKTC Members: $65 Non-Members: $120
Pintrest As A Business Tool
If your brand isn’t on Pinterest, you could be missing out on a growing stream of potential customers.
Discover the ins and outs of Pinterest, a content sharing service that allows members to “pin” images, videos and other objects to their pinboard. Pinterest also includes standard social networking features allowing users to spread the word about products and services. Learn about the site’s user base and popular categories and how to include your brand to get maximum exposure
*** If you want to sign up for both sessions there will be a special rate of $100 for NKTC members and $200 for Non-members.
For more information on joining NKTC, go to www.nktc.org or contact Elllen. Thank you for your interest and if there are any other trainings that you would like offered in your county – Let us know!
*** 10% discount for 3 or more signing up from one company!
To sign up or for questions please call : Ellen Redding 270-826-7505
At Startup weekend Evansville, we have “The Book.” As our event happens, we record all of the “Oh next year we should…” moments. It’s a brilliant plan and it works. This year’s event was really smooth.
Simply hover over the notification and two things will appear on the far right side, A small circle and a small gray x. The circle is labeled, that is to say that when you hover over it, a small black box appears and says ” Read.” Note, that if you have previously read it, the circle is not filled in and is labeled “Unread.” 
The X is labeled “Turn off.” Click that X.
