Outsource Locally

NEW Apple iPad 2

Nathan Paul Womack — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 02:38:58 +0000

With no surprise, the next big buzz is the iPad 2. It seems that Apple can do no wrong these days with every release being better and more profitable than the last. With the iPad 2 being released on March 11, 2011 we will just have to wait and see just how revolutionary this new product really is.

Here is what we do know. The iPad 2 has a camera on the front and on the back. This allows for video chatting or recording others. The product is LED backlit and the resolution is nothing short of amazing. With two of the most popular service providers available (AT&T and Verizon) almost anyone can add an iPad to their family plan! A WiFi-only version is also available. The best part is all this fits in a skinnier and lighter iPad. It will be availble in both black and white “from day one.” This could only mean Apple has finally approved the color of the white components from suppliers in China which has been holding back the white iPhone 4. Hopefully white iPhones will soon be available.

Still not sold? Here is Apple’s cover you could buy for your iPad:

This video speaks for itself. Smart tablet calls for a smart cover! With the release just a week away expect to campout if you want to be one of the first with your hands on this revolutionary piece of technology.

(via techradar.com)

Need a Job? Social Media Could Be Your Answer!

Nathan Paul Womack — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 22:53:55 +0000

With the national unemployment rate at 9% in January 2011, job seekers are trying everything they can think of to get a job. This one may just be the ticket. Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin could be the difference between sitting at home watching re-runs of your favorite shows and finding a new job! Here is a statistic that you will never forget: a recent survey from Jobvite revealed that nearly 75% of employers now use Social Media in their recruiting efforts!

First and foremost, make sure you portray a persona through your Social Media profile that your employer will be interested in. Make it professional, interesting, and speak to your potential employers. This will be the difference between your soon to be employer rejecting you or carrying you to the next level. If the potential employer is interested in you he or she is able to chat with you through Social Media to learn more about you. Even if the employer is not interested, you have the ability to network to numerous other employers, or people at the company who may know someone at a company that’s hiring! Have you tried searching out companies you desire to work for on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn? Also, make sure your LinkedIn profile is optimized using the tools they provide (custom URL, key word description, 100% complete profile, etc.) Check out the elaborate advanced search options on LinkedIn; this tool makes it very easy for potential employees to find you -if you’ve got everything set up properly!

Outsource Locally provides 1:1 coaching to teach you how to optimize your LinkedIn profile and your Facebook profile; call us today to schedule an appointment! 303-834-7718

Facebook’s new Pages

Nathan Paul Womack — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 22:36:14 +0000

The new update to Facebook largely standardizes Pages’ appearance and function to that of a Profile. Before getting around Facebook as a Page was really convoluted. Now you switch from using Facebook as a person with a profile to using Facebook as a manager of a Page.

This makes several things easier. It is now simple to like Pages with other Pages. You can also comment on posts made by other Pages as a Page. Also, each page now has its own News Feed with updates from other Pages and, most importantly fan feedback (posts, comments, likes, etc.). The News Feed relates this Page information while you’re using Facebook as a Page.

The layout of the new Pages is identical to the layout of the new Profiles. Featured pictures are at the top and what used to be tabs are on the left. Don’t worry your custom FBML tabs still work just fine!

Marketing Messages in the Palm of Your Hand: Text Message Marketing

Nathan Paul Womack — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 10:29:47 +0000

As technology advances, so do marketing strategies. We see appearing in new places all the time; traditional advertising isn’t working as well any more. As trends show, users are text messaging their friends, family, or acquaintances much more than calling them. It only seems right that marketers take advantage of this and start marketing through this medium.

Text messaging has been around for over a decade, marketing through this new medium is a relatively new and inexpensive method. Consumers benefit because they can receive coupons or promotional codes to get great deals in the palm of their hands – no need to cut coupons! The first thing a marketer needs to do is to find a provider that will give you a subscriber list and send out you ads.

Major League Baseball is taking advantage of this to the fullest. Once you register and enter your favorite MLB team, you can receive team alerts, scores, injury and trade updates, trivia, all-star balloting, and much more! The idea is to bring fans and MLB closer – and it only costs the user $3.99/ month. An enormous number of other companies are integrating SMS marketing into there strategy as well including, Orbitz, Champs, and Twitter, and local companies near you!

Is this a short-lived marketing strategy or a highway to success? We would love to hear your opinions!

Also, for Colorado companies, we have a wonderful local provider for double opt-in text messaging providers! Give us a call 303-834-7718

Online Search – Are you using the tools available to your business?

Nathan Paul Womack — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 20:32:15 +0000

Today mobile browsing makes up around 5% of all web browsing. By the end of 2011 this could be as high as 15%. Most of these users are tech-savvy early adopters who want instant access to information. Websites must be optimized for mobile browsers to attract these influential users. Search engines will soon place more value on mobile optimized sites for search on mobile devices.

Another trend is the increased focus on local search and Google Places. A few keywords are already showing combined local and normal search results on Google. Local reviews are extremely important as they now appear next to regular web listings. What this means for businesses is that without a Google Places listing it will be increasingly more difficult for customers to find them.

Despite Google’s dominance, Bing is on the rise. Bing partnered with Yahoo to provide their search results, making them the only real contender to Google for English language search. They currently account for 10% of total web search traffic; this could be as high as 20% by the end of 2011.

The All New Apple TV

Nathan Paul Womack — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 22:10:20 +0000

Is there anything that Apple hasn’t perfected yet? For just $99, sit back and enjoy the ride. With just a power cord and HDMI cable to plug into your widescreen TV you can watch movies, TV shows, stream pictures, get Netflix, and listen to your music. The best part is it’s all Wi-Fi! With dimensions of 0.9in x 3.9in x 3.9in, this thing can fit in any tight space and with a weight of only 0.6 lbs it’s as light as a feather! The only thing sleeker and smaller is the remote. In fact, the new design is 80% smaller than the old design, as modern trends tell us: smaller is better!

The new Apple TV is also very environmentally friendly. Barely leaving a footprint, the amazingly energy efficient product uses less power than your night light! Now that’s Green! This he affordable, tiny, and innovated Apple TV is revolutionizing the way we watch TV!

The New Generation of Twitter

Nathan Paul Womack — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 01:12:06 +0000

One of the fastest growing social networks now has a more sophisticated look! Twitter will now have a brand new interface. The new Twitter allows the user to upload their multimedia content. This means we can feel more connected with our followers and those we follow on the site. We can get a full insight to their world through the videos and picture they post and share with us. Instead of saying “I hit the most amazing waves surfing today,” we can actually show our followers just how phenomenal those waves were on video and the viewer would feel as if they were there!

Following the celebrities we admire will now be more engaging as we catch glimpses of their lives. Twitter will also have many of its more popular 3^rd party clients (such as Tweetie, Tweetdeck, Seesmic) on the default interface allowing us to access them much quicker and easier. The new interface will be divided in half with the familiar features on the right such as followings, favorites, and trending topics. The left column will be the new streamlined view of the Twitter feed.

Expect to see these changes rolling out across Twitter feeds this week!

Apple’s September Music Event

Nathan Paul Womack — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:53:41 +0000

Apple unveiled a host of new products and services at their annual music event in San Francisco today.

The first news was the announcement of the iOS 4.1, the latest version of their mobile operating system. This update includes fixes for bugs in the proximity sensor and for slowness on the iPhone 3G and a new HDR camera feature.

The focus of this update is Game Center, which features matchmaking, achievements, leader boards, friend lists and more. Apple has already provided developers with APIs to work into their games. Users will be able to track their games and friends next week with the release of iOS 4.1

The iPad is also getting a new operating system. The first version of iOS 4 for the iPad is iOS 4.2 and will be available in November. This update includes all the improvements over iOS 3 (folders, multitasking, etc.) but also includes wireless printing and a feature called “AirPlay” that will allow you to stream music and video from your computer to your iPad at home. iOS 4.2 should be available in November.

Next, Steve Jobs introduced a new iPod Shuffle, Nano and Touch. The new Shuffle is about the size of a US Quarter. This version brings back buttons and is closest in form-factor to the second-generation iPod Shuffles. This 2GB iPod will set you back $49.

The iPod Nano had a drastic change in form-factor. Looking more like a miniature iPod Touch, the Nano is about double the size of the new Shuffle and uses a scaled-down version of the iOS on a small square multi-touch screen. The Nano is $149 for 8GB and $179 for 16GB.

The new iPod Touch has the new retina display, A4 chip, Gyroscope, and front and rear facing cameras from the iPhone 4. FaceTime will work with iPod Touches and iPhone 4s over WiFi. The iPod Touch will be available next week and will be $229 for 8GB, $299 for 32GB and $399 for 64GB.

Steve Jobs then introduced iTunes 10. He first introduced the new logo, a music note on a blue circle. Steve expressed that the CDs on the old logo were no longer relevant because so few people use them anymore.

The biggest feature of the new iTunes is Ping, a new social network. After setting up a profile users can see and share what music they like, are playing and are buying from iTunes. Available on the iPods as well, Ping also gives users a Top 10 of what your friends like the most.

The last news of the day was about one of Apple’s least-known products: the Apple TV. Shedding the internal hard drive and dropping to a $99 price tag, the Apple TV now focuses exclusively on streaming content. With Netflix support and new content deals that make HD movie rentals $4.99 and HD TV episodes 99¢.

Social Media Revolution 2

Nathan Paul Womack — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:56:04 +0000

Are you still skeptical about the power and permanency of Social Media?

This video is sure to convince you otherwise. Social Media Revolution 2 is a refresh of the original video with new and updated social media & mobile statistics that are hard to ignore. Based on the book Socialnomics by Erik Qualman.

Trouble Ticket Now Online!

Nathan Paul Womack — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:12:12 +0000

I’m happy to report that our trouble ticket reporting form is now online!

We’ve designed the form to more easily and efficiently get the information from you to resolve your problems!

That’s great, but how do I use it?

On every page of our web site, you’ll see a new blue button at the top right above the Social Media icons:

Just click that button, and the form drops down. Fill out the information (make sure to include contact information!) and we’ll return your request promptly!