Thursday, December 30, 2010

budgeting personal finances




Consumerist Budget Spreadsheet Balances Your Money, Encourages Your Nest Egg





The saving-savvy folks at The Consumerist blog have put together a template Excel spreadsheet for managing personal finances. It's the kind of thing you always say you're going to do, but they went ahead and did it for you, and it's free.

It's not a new thing, but Consumerist's budget spreadsheet, crafted during the days the site was one of our blog network brethren, has come back, after being lost to the vagaries of server maintenance. The site has instructions on setting it up, including tips on thinking through your monthly expenses and advice on how much you should plan on socking away for a rainy day, retirement, and other expenses.


Maybe you use Mint or another automated spending/saving tracker instead—but then again, maybe those tools are so automatic that you don't get a good look at your real money situation.





Automate Your Finances to Spend Less Time Managing Your Accounts





Despite how simple the process can be, most of us are terrible at saving and paying bills. Here's a strategy to effectively automate most of your finances to keep you saving and out of late fee trouble.

Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You To Be Rich.com has put together a system for managing your personal finances that only takes about an hour of your time each week. The video above fully explains the process in detail, but here's the gist. First, you want to set up your bills and other payments so they're all happening on the day you get your first paycheck of the month (the first of the month for most people). Once you have that in place, you want to set up automatic savings plans (Sethi suggests using Ing Direct) with sub-savings accounts that let you organize your savings into specific categories (vacation, wedding, etc.). You'll also want to send a percentage of your paycheck to your 401k, and have all of this happen immediately so that the money you see when you get paid is the money left when everything has already been saved. From there, you automatically pay as many bills as you can with your credit card (and then pay the credit card bill on pay day). For the bills you can't pay with your credit card (like rent, in most cases), you can use your online banking to automatically issue a check. This will leave a little money leftover in your checking account that you can use to budget for guilt-free spending and cash withdrawals.


As someone who's often fallen victim to the faults of automatic payments systems (despite frequently using them), definitely do not forget to stay on top of your bills nonetheless. Make sure you set some time aside at least once a month to do a little maintenance and make sure there are no bugs causing your automated finance system to break down. Sethi isn't suggesting a set-it-and-forget-it automated finance system by any means, but as someone who hates paying bills I know how easy it can be to procrastinate and ignore the task. If you set up a good automated system like this one, you'll be at a point where all you have to do is watch and fix the occasional problem as the most important things are being taken care of for you.



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Larry Kramer: This Is Why Fox <b>News</b> Continues To Roll

People are getting lazy about forming their own opinions.

Fox <b>News</b> Channel&#39;s Kimberly Guilfoyle: Ignore CPAC boycotters <b>...</b>

Former first lady of San Francisco tells groups boycotting February convention to participate if they want to be heard.

Fox <b>News</b>, Hypocrisy, And “Politically Correct” Journalism

My earlier post about Megyn Kelly's absurd equation of illegal immigration and rape in a discussion about changes to the Associated Press Style Guide.


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Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Start Making Money


From the diaries by Erick


Investing in math and science is the way to solve the economy. A great idea. And somehow liberals have co-opted it to make it sound like their own.


Today’s Los Angeles Times for instance contains an article entitled, “Fixing the Economy the Scientific Way,” arguing that the federal government must spend more money on math and science education. They point to the fact that over the last 40 years the government’s support of science has declined 60% as a portion of GDP. They then argue that Republicans will only make the problem worse, pointing to their pledge to reduce federal spending on nondefense-related science research to pre-stimulus levels.


There is a lot wrong with this argument. For instance, given that the stimulus was a one-off, emergency spending measure, I’m not sure you can call a return to pre-stimulus investment a “reduction.” If we simply kept all stimulus programs intact forever and ever it would be akin to adding $800 billion to our deficit annually, not exactly a financially or politically sound proposition.


The bigger problem is that liberals’ argument ignores the reason governmental support of science funding has been declining relative to GDP. The problem is that the government over the last four decades has been forced to spend on other things. Our mandatory spending, on such things as Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, has been driven upwards, leaving less and less to be spent on discretionary budget items. Moreover it is not going to get better without major changes. The CBO predicts that “federal spending on major mandatory health care programs will grow from roughly 5 percent today to about 10 percent in 2035 and will continue to increase thereafter. “


As the following chart from the Heritage Foundation shows, the increase in costs of entitlements and anti-poverty programs are forcing reductions elsewhere.



If we want to increase our investment and math and science as a pathway to future prosperity we must understand one thing: we are not working with unlimited funds. We can’t simply increase science investment because it is a good idea. A budget requires prioritization. Making math and science a priority means making something else less of a priority.


Sadly, prioritization is even difficult given that our budget is being tyrannized by entitlement spending. Now, and especially in the future, these programs are taking up such a large slice of the budgetary pie that there simply isn’t enough money to pay for core government functions, much less science grants. That is why fiscal conservatism, through principled spending, is the true path toward promoting scientific advancement.


For an example as to why, look no further than Texas. Doing research for this post, I googled “math and science investment” in an attempt to find long term trends in how much the government spent. To my surprise one of the top returns was an article entitled “Perry announces math and science investment.” The Perry the article is referring to is the Republican governor of Texas, Rick Perry. As it turns out, in 2009, right in the heart of the recession, Texas announced it was investing $160 million to expand Texas Science, Technology, Engineering and Math academies. But how!?! After all, Texas doesn’t have an income tax and has one of the nation’s lowest overall tax burdens. Yet through shrewd spending and their ability to attract businesses to the state, Texas has weathered the economic storm better than most, even managing to maintain an $8 billion “rainy day “ fund. This financial flexibility, accomplished by keeping government spending relatively low, is what enabled them to increase their science and math spending in response to a need. The federal government lacks that flexibility.


Don’t be fooled into thinking that solving our economic issues are as simple as giving more money to math and science. It would be a good start and a great investment. But Medicare and Social Security, programs liberals love, are stopping us from doing so.


by Brandon Greife, Political Director of the College Republican National Committee


http://speakout.crnc.org/blog/2010/12/28/investing-in-math-and-sciences-first-requires-entitlement-reform/





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‘Frustrated’ Brent Scowcroft on GOP Opposition to START Treaty: “It’s Baffling”


December 20, 2010 5:06 PM








General Brent Scowcroft (ret.), the former National Security Advisor to both Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush, has been working the phones trying to secure Republican Senate support for the ratification of the New START nuclear disarmament treaty with Russia. He said he’s “cautiously optimistic” but said he was frustrated with the opposition he’s been hearing from Republicans.


“It’s baffling to me,” Scowcroft told ABC News.


“It doesn’t tie our hands on missile defense,” Scowcroft said of one main criticism, “as the president has already demonstrated; we’re moving ahead on missile defense on Europe.”


“There are things in the treaty people don’t like,” he continued, “but right now we have no oversight over what Russians are doing inside with their own nuclear systems” because the previous START treaty expired one year ago this month. “This would restore that, so we can carry forward all the accounting, the rules, the assurances, the inspections -- all the things giving us the confidence to go ahead. Without those it seems to me we’re absolutely nowhere.”


Scowcroft is just one of many Republican foreign policy officials backing the treaty – others include George Shultz, Henry Kissinger, Condoleezza Rice, and former President George H.W. Bush.


The retired Air Force general was reluctant to name the Senators he’d been calling, saying only that he hadn’t been calling “the ones who are hopeless” except for the leader of Senate Republican opposition, Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., about whom Scowcroft said, “he’s pretty hopeless now.”


Scowcroft says ratifying START will allow the U.S. to move forward on other issues Republican Senators have criticized the treaty for not containing, “like covering non-strategic warheads. It really baffles me. I’ve got to think that something else is at stake as to why the opposition is there. Especially for somebody like Senator Kyl, who has gotten as much as guarantee as the president can give on providing more money for the modernization of our nuclear stockpile. What does he think is going to happen to that?”


The man who served as the chairman of President George W. Bush's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board acknowledged that he was “expressing some frustration here. But I just don’t understand the opposition. Some of it with John McCain is (opposition to the repeal of) Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell, some of it is politics. But to play politics with what is in the fundamental national interest is pretty scary stuff.”


Scowcroft said that “this is not just the treaty, this is trying to put our relationship with the Russians on a sounder basis so we can move forward with a lot of things we really need Ruissian help with,” such as the nuclear programs of North Korea and Iran and the war in Afghanistan.


“And the Russians are basically with us with on all those issues but we’re going to stick a finger in their eye,” he said.


Scowcroft said he was in regular consultation with some former Soviet officials who are “worried” about the Senate not ratifying the treaty. “They say the climate is thawing in Russia towards us and this would set it back significantly.”


-Jake Tapper






December 20, 2010

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Thursday, December 23, 2010

personal finance and budgeting




Consumerist Budget Spreadsheet Balances Your Money, Encourages Your Nest Egg





The saving-savvy folks at The Consumerist blog have put together a template Excel spreadsheet for managing personal finances. It's the kind of thing you always say you're going to do, but they went ahead and did it for you, and it's free.

It's not a new thing, but Consumerist's budget spreadsheet, crafted during the days the site was one of our blog network brethren, has come back, after being lost to the vagaries of server maintenance. The site has instructions on setting it up, including tips on thinking through your monthly expenses and advice on how much you should plan on socking away for a rainy day, retirement, and other expenses.


Maybe you use Mint or another automated spending/saving tracker instead—but then again, maybe those tools are so automatic that you don't get a good look at your real money situation.



Intuit-owned Mint.com is heading to schools today with the launch of a free, online program designed to educate middle-school students about personal finance and financial management.


Mint has partnered with educational publisher Scholastic to develop materials that parents and teachers can use to teach children the ins and outs of personal finance management. The materials includes lesson plans as well as an interactive game, to teach children money management, budgeting and goals.


For example, the program teaches children the concept of compound interest with real-life math problems, and encourages children to set goals and budgets with their own current work opportunities (i.e. babysitting).


Mint says the curriculum will be expanded to 30,000 classrooms nationwide early next year. Considering the state of the economy and credit, teaching children financial literacy and sounds personal finance practices at an early edge is an incredibly important initiative. In terms of branding, this is a big win for Mint, which can start building awareness of its tools among students at an early age.



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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

why internet marketing

Matthew Latkiewicz works at Zendesk.com, customer support software. He writes for and edits Zengage, Zendesk’s blog about customer engagement. He also writes about wine for McSweeney’s and imagines stuff at his own website, youwillnotbelieve.us.

Just as early television shows were essentially radio plays shot on film, the earliest attempts by online marketers mimicked the worlds of television and print. While banner ads and pre-roll commercials are still with us, of course, a new generation of marketing professionals and companies are exploring techniques more native to the web: multi-platform marketing campaigns that encourage interactivity.

Marketers who take advantage of the class='blippr-nobr'>Internetclass="blippr-nobr">Internet’s unique capabilities have the potential to build increasingly engaged customer communities. Here’s a look at three major trends.

1. User-Generated Content Contests

Doritos hosted its first Crash the Superbowl campaign in 2007. Like a lot of big companies, Doritos bought a commercial slot for the Superbowl, but instead of hiring a production company to make a 30-second spot, Doritos turned to its consumers. “Grab your camera and create your Doritos commercial,” the company advertised. Anyone could create and submit a spot. These spots were put to a vote online, and the finalists received $10,000 and the winning spot ran in the very expensive Superbowl slot.

More than 1,000 people submitted videos, and Doritos generated a lot of attention for the campaign, ranking high in a number of surveys that tracked buzz and impact of the Super Bowl commercials.

These kinds of campaigns are very popular on the Internet at the moment and they range in scale. SolidWorks, makers of computer-aided design (CAD) software, worked with the design firm Small Army to build a campaign that involved its very active community. Christine Washburn, VP of marketing at SolidWorks, says, “We wanted to do something that would involve them and be very visible for new potential members of the community.”

Small Army came up with Let’s Go Design, an interactive web series. Users submit design ideas in response to challenges proposed by the show. Ideas are voted on and ultimately incorporated.

What works: Activity and participation around the brand.

If users get involved, they can win. And the voting structure generates even more activity. Washburn reports that SolidWorks’ “web traffic is up by a factor of four in comparison to previous campaigns.”

When this doesn’t work: Your brand doesn’t carry either the same kind of mass appeal as Doritos or the committed fandom of SolidWorks.

Branding consultant Lisa Merriam wrote a case study of a failed contest campaign by a company called Levia. It tried a campaign similar to Doritos, asking consumers to submit a video about the healing power of light.

Doritos is a mega-brand millions and millions of passionate consumers. And Levia®? You probably never heard of it. Levia® is a device that uses light to treat psoriasis. The set of people who suffer from psoriasis and who have heard of Levia® and who have the technical know-how to produce video and who care enough to come up with winning concepts about light’s power to heal is an infinitesimally small set of people — certainly not a crowd./>

2. Making a Consumer Community

Marketers have jumped on the relatively recent explosion of online communities. If customers have the ability to talk to one another, why not create an incentive and a space for them to talk about your brand?

One way to accomplish this is to offer customers something they might actually do in real life. Marketing agency Movement Strategy, for instance, recently created an online forum for two of its NBA clients, the Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks. The site — NuggetsVsKnicks.com — operated during an actual game between the Nuggets and the Knicks, giving the fans a place to cheer on their team (and trash talk the other). By integrating with Facebookclass="blippr-nobr">Facebook — users cheered by “Liking” their team — Movement Strategy was able to give a real-world analog to the digital interaction.

What works: Campaigns that encourage community among their customer base can really help to build loyalty.

When this doesn’t work: When the campaigns are lazy.

It’s not fair to say that most company Facebook Pages don’t work, but often the conversations there offer a relatively low level of engagement. Contests, questions and announcements all encourage participation from the customer, but not necessarily participation with each other.

A lot of brands use Twitterclass="blippr-nobr">Twitter contests in a similar way. A few years ago Squarespaceclass="blippr-nobr">SquareSpace, for instance, gave away an iPhoneclass="blippr-nobr">iPhone a day to anyone who mentioned Squarespace in a tweet. While this kind of activity can generate a lot of buzz, the actual customer engagement in the brand is low — the equivalent of dropping your business card in a fishbowl.

Even worse is when Facebook and other social network integration is used as a gimmick. Last March, Absolut sponsored a short film by Spike Jonze, the director of Being John Malkovich. The film, titled I’m Here, was designed to be shown on the web. Before watching, the viewer is first walked through an invitation process using Facebook Connect. The friends you invite are cleverly integrated into an introductory cut scene, during which, you “enter” the theater to watch the film. Their photos appear on the VIP passes of other people in the theater. The whole thing works to give you a sense that you are watching this film with people who you know.

Except in this case, the experience stops there. As soon as the film starts, the connection to your community ends. The introduction has nothing to do with the film itself and instead feels tacked on and gimmicky. Absolut hinted at what could be done but didn’t actually do it.

3. Choose Your Own Adventure

Perhaps the most exciting development in multi-platform interactive campaigns is the ability of the customer base to participate in and affect the outcome of a story.

At Blogworld 2010, Ford announced an online marketing campaign to promote its new Focus. The campaign, called Focus Rally, pits six teams against each other in a reality-style adventure game where the viewers make the important calls for the participants.

“It’s a little bit like a choose your own adventure here, but the people at home were choosing the adventure for these players. It’s kind of cool how interactive the show is going to be,” says Focus Rally producer Neal Konstantini.

Specifically, the Focus Rally competitors must rely on the network capabilities of the car and their social networks to solve challenges. “f you’re in Albuquerque and you’re stuck and you run out of gas,” Konstantini explains, “you’re going to have to get on Facebook and tell your network, ‘I’m stuck. I need gas. Help me.’”

What works: When the web is integrated into both a compelling storyline and effective brand messaging.

When this doesn’t work: When you expect interaction to be what solely carries the campaign.

“It’s not enough to be interactive,” says Michal Ann Strahilevitz, associate professor of marketing at Golden Gate University. “It has to be truly compelling, engaging and persuasive to the target market. If you build it, they may or may not come.”

Choose your own adventure campaigns build off the Internet’s potential as a story-telling device. These kinds of campaigns “require the audience’s presence and participation in order to be complete,” says Mike Monello, co-founder and executive director of Campfire, an advertising agency in New York. Monello was one of the creators of The Blair Witch Project and used viral Internet distribution before there was a name for such a thing.

In a recent campaign that Campfire created for the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week programming, the team produced a series of videos about famous shark attacks throughout history. Like Absolut’s promotion of I’m Here, Campfire used Facebook Connect to personalize users’ experience of the site and videos. But whereas Absolut’s choice felt tacked on at the end, Campfire accessed users’ Facebook information to build a personalized shark attack for the visitor. It integrated personalization into the branding and the storytelling.

“Telling stories is one of mankind’s most enduring traditions,” Campfire explains on its website. “Our increased connectedness has only made spreading them faster, more pervasive, and more effective.”

More Business Resources from Mashable:

- 5 Ways to Sell Your Expertise Online/> - 4 Misconceptions About Marketing in Social Games/> - Small Biz Checklist: 5 Important Tasks for the End of the Year/> - HOW TO: Boost Holiday Sales With Commonly Overlooked Marketing Strategies/> - Why SMS Marketing Still Makes Sense for Small Business

Image courtesy of iStockphotoclass="blippr-nobr">iStockphoto, IvanWuPI

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In this month’s issue of Wired Magazine, writer Ted Greenwald described the trending Silicon Valley meme, “WDYDWYD or Why Do You Do What You Do?” calling it the “hottest team-building meme since Outward Bound.”



The meme originated in 2004 at Burning Man by artist Tony Deifell who posted photos of strangers answering the questions on the Ning social network. The inspiration behind the meme originated with a call he received late one night from a young student working on a school project. She blurted out, “Why do you do what you do?” Deifell was quite taken a back, and like many people faced with the question, he embarked upon an existential meditation.


I couldn’t get the words out in a clear way. I tried to refigure how to make my answer more essential. I realized I needed to be more deliberate in my choices in the world. It haunted me.


Deifell has since carried WDYDWYD from the festival to the Silicon Valley boardrooms of the National Holistic Institute, Google and Twitter. The site, which he describes as an open-sourced art project, is still growing steadily on Ning.


Student Joe Moloughney founded the WDYDWYD Facebook group, calling it a worldwide community art project with 1,500 members. Their Twitter page has over 1,000 followers. Artists like photographer Bill Kennedy, author/cartoonist Hugh MacLeod and French performance artist Séverine Carminati have all got involved.


But this meme is still primarily just on the West Coast. So, what would the East Coast answer? I asked a few prominent East Coasters, “Why do you do what you do?”


Here are their answers:


“To someday be able to answer this question.”


- Ashley Casselman, Senior Associate at the World Economic Forum.


“I am an insecure short girl from Florida. I never considered myself enough.”


-Laurel Touby, Founder and SVP, mediabistro.com


“I do what I do because of the thrill of discovery. And becuase the world is changing at an incredibly rapid rate, and somebody needs to be there to chronicle it.”


- Seth Porges, an Editor at Popular Mechanics


“I love the Internet, sure, but I mostly do what I do because of the people in my industry.  It’s a world of movers, shakers, api-makers.  Everyone is smart, and on the cutting-edge of what’s next.  It’s simply the most exciting industry to work in, and also the most fun.”


-Soraya Darabi, Co-Founder of Foodspotting.


“Because I can’t stop…and I’m not sure I want to.”


- Julia Kaganskiy, Editor of The Creators Project and Founder of the ArtsTech Meetup.


“Because making the world suck less is SO MUCH FUN.”


- Alexis Ohanian, Co-Founder of Reddit and Head of Marketing for Hipmunk


“I do what I do because I’m a huge nerd.  At RJMetrics, we use technology to solve complex, interesting problems for some of the fastest-growing companies in the world.  This makes for nerd paradise, and I wouldn’t trade it for any other job.”


-Robert J. Moore, CEO of RJMetrics.


“In my case, the answer comes down to “enlightened self interest”.  I am truly focused on the long-term goal of leaving the world a better place than I found it (the wonderful concept of ‘tikun olam’). As a pragmatic capitalist, I believe that can best be done by harnessing the powers of free market forces, and as a believer in democracy, I believe that society then needs to work collectively to tweak the margins to guide humanity in the right direction. As a result, I have created a unique and strange personal world surrounding me…like a high tech PeeWee’s Playhouse. I am an entrepreneur, angel investor, teacher, mentor, speaker, father, futurist and political activist, all of which taken together occupy me 16 hours a day, seven days a week, with an insane work and travel schedule. But I truly believe that I am having more pure fun in life than almost anyone else I know, and this combination of pleasure and purpose is Why I Do What I Do.”


- David S. Rose, Managing Principal of Rose Tech Ventures and founder and Chairman of New York Angels.


What makes our New York answers resemblant of our city? A touch of irony perhaps? A grittier sense of responsibility? A necessity to be edgier?


After asking so many of my peers, I gave it a think. I do what I do because every writer requires inspiration. So my fellow East Coasters, WDYDWYD?








bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


bench craft company scam

<b>News</b> Corp. COO: Please Don&#39;t Associate Us With Our Newspapers <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch may have printer's ink flowing through his veins, as is often said of the News Corp. chairman, but for his No. 2, president and COO Chase Carey, newspapers are more like an albatross around the neck.

The arrest of Julian Assange: as it happened | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Follow the latest reaction and fallout as the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is denied bail, and the latest leaked cables reveal US plans to defend Poland and Baltic states against Russia.

John Lennon Remembered: 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 | Rolling Stone Music

Thirty years ago today — on December 8, 1980 — John Lennon was murdered outside of his New York apartment building by a deranged fan. Three days befor...


Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Making Free Money Online



The head of Google’s Android mobile operating software says the search company “bit off a little more than we could chew” with the sale of the Nexus One, a smart phone Google began selling online early this year but then stopped offering after similar devices powered by Android hit the market.


Speaking at the D: Dive Into Mobile technology conference run by the tech blog AllThingsD Monday evening, Andy Rubin said that Google Inc. figured that it could sell the phone over the Web and people would buy it as they already do electronics like digital cameras.


Google unveiled the Nexus One with much fanfare in January as a challenger to Apple Inc.’s iPhone. Made by HTC Corp., the phone was sold unlocked so users could choose their own service provider — either T-Mobile USA or AT&T Inc. in the U.S. — or they could buy it locked through T-Mobile. Mobile phones are commonly sold in Europe unlocked, and users pick a carrier.


Consumers didn’t flock to the phone, though. And two other carriers, Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp., later decided not to sell the phone because they preferred other Android-powered phones. Google closed its online store that was selling the phone in May, saying it would rely on traditional retailers instead.


Rubin said Google’s big problem with the Nexus One was one of scale. For each wireless operator it worked with, it had to do things like set people up with phone numbers, perform credit checks and more, he said. The process was time consuming, and given that there are more than 150 carriers worldwide, it seemed like a better idea to focus on things like building newer versions of Android, he said.


Rubin said that the Nexus S, the follow-up to the Nexus One that Google and Samsung Electronics Co. unveiled Monday, still keeps alive that vision of selling an unlocked phone. But it will be sold in the U.S through Best Buy Co. stores, which already have systems in place to set customers up with wireless carriers. The phone will cost $529 unlocked, or $199 when bought with a two-year T-Mobile contract.


The Nexus S uses Mountain View-based Google’s newest operating software, Gingerbread, and includes features like Near Field Communication, which lets users wave the phone near a bar code or sensor to make payments similar to swiping a security card to get into a building. Like the iPhone, it also includes a gyroscope, which allows you to do things like zoom in and out in applications by moving the phone closer or farther away from you.


Rubin, who founded Android (which was subsequently bought by Google), also said that the mobile software is profitable, making money through online ads on Android devices. He added that since Google first released the free, open-source mobile software two years ago on a handset — HTC’s G1 smart phone — it has expanded to 172 different phones.


“I think we’re doing pretty well,” he said.


Rubin showed off a prototype of an upcoming tablet from Motorola Inc. running an early version of what will be the next Android operating software, Honeycomb. The black tablet had a large, glossy screen and appeared to have a camera integrated on its face.


Rubin said that Honeycomb, which will be more optimized for tablet computers, will enable applications to have multiple views, depending on if they’re running on a phone or a tablet. For example, he showed off a version of Gmail on the tablet that showed a list of e-mails in one column and the body of the one you’re reading in a second column. On an Android phone, you’d only see one column at a time, as you do now.









Ashley Norris is CEO of branded content advisory Sutro Digital and director of Anorak Publishing, including the Whoateallthepies.tv soccer blog...

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There’s an awful lot of heat at the moment about both paywalls and paid for iPad magazine apps. Yet paywalls as a concept haven’t been bothering the indie media sector too much recently.



I seem to remember gadget site Pocket Lint offering a subscription based area a few years back, but that is about it as far as charging for online content goes.



The indie sector is obviously a little coy about asking readers for cash. The theory runs that if mainstream publishers can’t make paywalls work then what hope have bloggers?



It gets messy too in that it takes a degree of technical nous to create and run a paywall system and collect subscriptions.



So can indie publishers charge for online content? Maybe. They do already for printed content. Jeremy Leslie’s wonderful Magculture blog is full of magazines from indie publishers that are at the cutting edge of both content curation and design.



It’ll be fascinating to see what happens to the Whoateallthepies - the UK’s leading sports blog which will shortly launch a printed magazine. With a circulation nudging a million monthly users it has a huge following, but will that translate into sales of printed editorial?



As for creating a paywalls for online content, well there’s one indie publisher that is making it work very well.



Paul Tomkins is the editor of a site called Tomkins Times. Created in 2009 it is completely focused on the fortunes of Liverpool FC. The difference is that unlike the thousands of other footy websites out there Tomkins Times charges readers £3.50 a month to access the site. And remarkably it has almost 2,000 subscribers.



As Paul says ‘We charged £3.50 a month for Premium and £2 for Standard. I was hopeful of a couple of hundred subscribers, just to get a steady, regular income of some sort, and maybe 500 at the most. Once we passed 500 – which was quite soon – the aim was for 1,000. We past that earlier this year. I remember fairly early on Anu (Paul’s developer) telling me that we could get 2,000, and that seemed like a crazy figure. Now it’s within sight. Traffic to the site is also growing at a strong rate. We added Google (NSDQ: GOOG) ads to the site for non-subscribers, who benefit from the free pieces, but it’s not a big money spinner



So how does Paul make it work, and what can other indie publishers (and indeed freelance journalists) learn from his experience?



1) He is an authority on his chosen niche. Several years ago Paul self-published a book about Liverpool FC “Golden Past, Red Future” and has written for both the official Liverpool FC and for various fan sites. He is an expert on The Reds, has good connections with the club and his views are widely respected by other fans.



2) He focused on building up a community not just a blog – Paul had already constructed a database of Liverpool FC fans who liked his content and were sympathetic to what he was doing. Many of these became his first subscribers. Paul has nurtured that community by constantly engaging with them.



3) He exerts rigorous standards in his community – As Paul says ‘The one big bonus has been the community that has built up behind the paywall, and the quality of their posts. People can discuss football in an intelligent manner, without spammers, trolls and wind-up merchants ruining it. So far I’ve banned just five people in over a year. We lose a few subscribers each month – some move on (as it’s not for everybody), some have money issues – but most soon come back. While there are excellent posters on most public forums, you often have to wade through the nonsense.’



4) He has a great tech partner – The paywall was the brainchild of fellow Liverpool FC fanatic Anu Gupta and his Digital Query agency. Anu offered his services for free, saying that he’d only charge if it took off. ‘True to his word, he built a site within a week, and we launched on 21st September 2009.’



5) He has not been scared to experiment – In addition to the paywall, in itself a huge experiment, Paul has created different subscription levels and has also kept a significant chunk of content available freely. ‘I still make about half of the stuff I write free to read, depending on my desire to get the message across to a wider audience, and of course, to get the balance of bringing new visitors to the site and offering value to those who subscribe.’



6) He has developed other projects – ‘It’s also allowed me to co-write and publish a new general football book – “Pay As You Play: The True Price of Success in the Premier League Era” – and not stress over how many it sells, beyond the fact that you always want your work to be read and appreciated. The royalties go towww.postpals.co.uk, a charity for terminally ill children I’ve been promoting for a few years now – the girls who run it also have M.E., and set it up as something constructive to do when housebound and unable to do conventional work. Our book is dedicated to the memory of the 12 Post Pals children who died in 2010, although a 13th has since passed away.’



7) He judiciously uses social media – Tomkins Times is consistently updated and now has nearly 20,000 followers.



This article was reproduced from Ashley’s blog with permission.







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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report

Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!

Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>

President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.

Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker

Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.



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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report

Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!

Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>

President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.

Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker

Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.



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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report

Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!

Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>

President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.

Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker

Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.



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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report

Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!

Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>

President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.

Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker

Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.



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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report

Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!

Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>

President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.

Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker

Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.



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The head of Google’s Android mobile operating software says the search company “bit off a little more than we could chew” with the sale of the Nexus One, a smart phone Google began selling online early this year but then stopped offering after similar devices powered by Android hit the market.


Speaking at the D: Dive Into Mobile technology conference run by the tech blog AllThingsD Monday evening, Andy Rubin said that Google Inc. figured that it could sell the phone over the Web and people would buy it as they already do electronics like digital cameras.


Google unveiled the Nexus One with much fanfare in January as a challenger to Apple Inc.’s iPhone. Made by HTC Corp., the phone was sold unlocked so users could choose their own service provider — either T-Mobile USA or AT&T Inc. in the U.S. — or they could buy it locked through T-Mobile. Mobile phones are commonly sold in Europe unlocked, and users pick a carrier.


Consumers didn’t flock to the phone, though. And two other carriers, Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp., later decided not to sell the phone because they preferred other Android-powered phones. Google closed its online store that was selling the phone in May, saying it would rely on traditional retailers instead.


Rubin said Google’s big problem with the Nexus One was one of scale. For each wireless operator it worked with, it had to do things like set people up with phone numbers, perform credit checks and more, he said. The process was time consuming, and given that there are more than 150 carriers worldwide, it seemed like a better idea to focus on things like building newer versions of Android, he said.


Rubin said that the Nexus S, the follow-up to the Nexus One that Google and Samsung Electronics Co. unveiled Monday, still keeps alive that vision of selling an unlocked phone. But it will be sold in the U.S through Best Buy Co. stores, which already have systems in place to set customers up with wireless carriers. The phone will cost $529 unlocked, or $199 when bought with a two-year T-Mobile contract.


The Nexus S uses Mountain View-based Google’s newest operating software, Gingerbread, and includes features like Near Field Communication, which lets users wave the phone near a bar code or sensor to make payments similar to swiping a security card to get into a building. Like the iPhone, it also includes a gyroscope, which allows you to do things like zoom in and out in applications by moving the phone closer or farther away from you.


Rubin, who founded Android (which was subsequently bought by Google), also said that the mobile software is profitable, making money through online ads on Android devices. He added that since Google first released the free, open-source mobile software two years ago on a handset — HTC’s G1 smart phone — it has expanded to 172 different phones.


“I think we’re doing pretty well,” he said.


Rubin showed off a prototype of an upcoming tablet from Motorola Inc. running an early version of what will be the next Android operating software, Honeycomb. The black tablet had a large, glossy screen and appeared to have a camera integrated on its face.


Rubin said that Honeycomb, which will be more optimized for tablet computers, will enable applications to have multiple views, depending on if they’re running on a phone or a tablet. For example, he showed off a version of Gmail on the tablet that showed a list of e-mails in one column and the body of the one you’re reading in a second column. On an Android phone, you’d only see one column at a time, as you do now.









Ashley Norris is CEO of branded content advisory Sutro Digital and director of Anorak Publishing, including the Whoateallthepies.tv soccer blog...

See more of our latest Weblogs coverage
or add an alert for future coverage of Weblogs.



There’s an awful lot of heat at the moment about both paywalls and paid for iPad magazine apps. Yet paywalls as a concept haven’t been bothering the indie media sector too much recently.



I seem to remember gadget site Pocket Lint offering a subscription based area a few years back, but that is about it as far as charging for online content goes.



The indie sector is obviously a little coy about asking readers for cash. The theory runs that if mainstream publishers can’t make paywalls work then what hope have bloggers?



It gets messy too in that it takes a degree of technical nous to create and run a paywall system and collect subscriptions.



So can indie publishers charge for online content? Maybe. They do already for printed content. Jeremy Leslie’s wonderful Magculture blog is full of magazines from indie publishers that are at the cutting edge of both content curation and design.



It’ll be fascinating to see what happens to the Whoateallthepies - the UK’s leading sports blog which will shortly launch a printed magazine. With a circulation nudging a million monthly users it has a huge following, but will that translate into sales of printed editorial?



As for creating a paywalls for online content, well there’s one indie publisher that is making it work very well.



Paul Tomkins is the editor of a site called Tomkins Times. Created in 2009 it is completely focused on the fortunes of Liverpool FC. The difference is that unlike the thousands of other footy websites out there Tomkins Times charges readers £3.50 a month to access the site. And remarkably it has almost 2,000 subscribers.



As Paul says ‘We charged £3.50 a month for Premium and £2 for Standard. I was hopeful of a couple of hundred subscribers, just to get a steady, regular income of some sort, and maybe 500 at the most. Once we passed 500 – which was quite soon – the aim was for 1,000. We past that earlier this year. I remember fairly early on Anu (Paul’s developer) telling me that we could get 2,000, and that seemed like a crazy figure. Now it’s within sight. Traffic to the site is also growing at a strong rate. We added Google (NSDQ: GOOG) ads to the site for non-subscribers, who benefit from the free pieces, but it’s not a big money spinner



So how does Paul make it work, and what can other indie publishers (and indeed freelance journalists) learn from his experience?



1) He is an authority on his chosen niche. Several years ago Paul self-published a book about Liverpool FC “Golden Past, Red Future” and has written for both the official Liverpool FC and for various fan sites. He is an expert on The Reds, has good connections with the club and his views are widely respected by other fans.



2) He focused on building up a community not just a blog – Paul had already constructed a database of Liverpool FC fans who liked his content and were sympathetic to what he was doing. Many of these became his first subscribers. Paul has nurtured that community by constantly engaging with them.



3) He exerts rigorous standards in his community – As Paul says ‘The one big bonus has been the community that has built up behind the paywall, and the quality of their posts. People can discuss football in an intelligent manner, without spammers, trolls and wind-up merchants ruining it. So far I’ve banned just five people in over a year. We lose a few subscribers each month – some move on (as it’s not for everybody), some have money issues – but most soon come back. While there are excellent posters on most public forums, you often have to wade through the nonsense.’



4) He has a great tech partner – The paywall was the brainchild of fellow Liverpool FC fanatic Anu Gupta and his Digital Query agency. Anu offered his services for free, saying that he’d only charge if it took off. ‘True to his word, he built a site within a week, and we launched on 21st September 2009.’



5) He has not been scared to experiment – In addition to the paywall, in itself a huge experiment, Paul has created different subscription levels and has also kept a significant chunk of content available freely. ‘I still make about half of the stuff I write free to read, depending on my desire to get the message across to a wider audience, and of course, to get the balance of bringing new visitors to the site and offering value to those who subscribe.’



6) He has developed other projects – ‘It’s also allowed me to co-write and publish a new general football book – “Pay As You Play: The True Price of Success in the Premier League Era” – and not stress over how many it sells, beyond the fact that you always want your work to be read and appreciated. The royalties go towww.postpals.co.uk, a charity for terminally ill children I’ve been promoting for a few years now – the girls who run it also have M.E., and set it up as something constructive to do when housebound and unable to do conventional work. Our book is dedicated to the memory of the 12 Post Pals children who died in 2010, although a 13th has since passed away.’



7) He judiciously uses social media – Tomkins Times is consistently updated and now has nearly 20,000 followers.



This article was reproduced from Ashley’s blog with permission.







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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report

Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!

Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>

President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.

Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker

Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.



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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report

Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!

Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>

President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.

Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker

Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.



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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report

Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!

Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>

President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.

Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker

Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.



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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report

Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!

Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>

President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.

Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker

Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.



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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report

Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!

Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>

President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.

Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker

Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.



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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report

Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!

Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>

President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.

Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker

Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.



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The head of Google’s Android mobile operating software says the search company “bit off a little more than we could chew” with the sale of the Nexus One, a smart phone Google began selling online early this year but then stopped offering after similar devices powered by Android hit the market.


Speaking at the D: Dive Into Mobile technology conference run by the tech blog AllThingsD Monday evening, Andy Rubin said that Google Inc. figured that it could sell the phone over the Web and people would buy it as they already do electronics like digital cameras.


Google unveiled the Nexus One with much fanfare in January as a challenger to Apple Inc.’s iPhone. Made by HTC Corp., the phone was sold unlocked so users could choose their own service provider — either T-Mobile USA or AT&T Inc. in the U.S. — or they could buy it locked through T-Mobile. Mobile phones are commonly sold in Europe unlocked, and users pick a carrier.


Consumers didn’t flock to the phone, though. And two other carriers, Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp., later decided not to sell the phone because they preferred other Android-powered phones. Google closed its online store that was selling the phone in May, saying it would rely on traditional retailers instead.


Rubin said Google’s big problem with the Nexus One was one of scale. For each wireless operator it worked with, it had to do things like set people up with phone numbers, perform credit checks and more, he said. The process was time consuming, and given that there are more than 150 carriers worldwide, it seemed like a better idea to focus on things like building newer versions of Android, he said.


Rubin said that the Nexus S, the follow-up to the Nexus One that Google and Samsung Electronics Co. unveiled Monday, still keeps alive that vision of selling an unlocked phone. But it will be sold in the U.S through Best Buy Co. stores, which already have systems in place to set customers up with wireless carriers. The phone will cost $529 unlocked, or $199 when bought with a two-year T-Mobile contract.


The Nexus S uses Mountain View-based Google’s newest operating software, Gingerbread, and includes features like Near Field Communication, which lets users wave the phone near a bar code or sensor to make payments similar to swiping a security card to get into a building. Like the iPhone, it also includes a gyroscope, which allows you to do things like zoom in and out in applications by moving the phone closer or farther away from you.


Rubin, who founded Android (which was subsequently bought by Google), also said that the mobile software is profitable, making money through online ads on Android devices. He added that since Google first released the free, open-source mobile software two years ago on a handset — HTC’s G1 smart phone — it has expanded to 172 different phones.


“I think we’re doing pretty well,” he said.


Rubin showed off a prototype of an upcoming tablet from Motorola Inc. running an early version of what will be the next Android operating software, Honeycomb. The black tablet had a large, glossy screen and appeared to have a camera integrated on its face.


Rubin said that Honeycomb, which will be more optimized for tablet computers, will enable applications to have multiple views, depending on if they’re running on a phone or a tablet. For example, he showed off a version of Gmail on the tablet that showed a list of e-mails in one column and the body of the one you’re reading in a second column. On an Android phone, you’d only see one column at a time, as you do now.









Ashley Norris is CEO of branded content advisory Sutro Digital and director of Anorak Publishing, including the Whoateallthepies.tv soccer blog...

See more of our latest Weblogs coverage
or add an alert for future coverage of Weblogs.



There’s an awful lot of heat at the moment about both paywalls and paid for iPad magazine apps. Yet paywalls as a concept haven’t been bothering the indie media sector too much recently.



I seem to remember gadget site Pocket Lint offering a subscription based area a few years back, but that is about it as far as charging for online content goes.



The indie sector is obviously a little coy about asking readers for cash. The theory runs that if mainstream publishers can’t make paywalls work then what hope have bloggers?



It gets messy too in that it takes a degree of technical nous to create and run a paywall system and collect subscriptions.



So can indie publishers charge for online content? Maybe. They do already for printed content. Jeremy Leslie’s wonderful Magculture blog is full of magazines from indie publishers that are at the cutting edge of both content curation and design.



It’ll be fascinating to see what happens to the Whoateallthepies - the UK’s leading sports blog which will shortly launch a printed magazine. With a circulation nudging a million monthly users it has a huge following, but will that translate into sales of printed editorial?



As for creating a paywalls for online content, well there’s one indie publisher that is making it work very well.



Paul Tomkins is the editor of a site called Tomkins Times. Created in 2009 it is completely focused on the fortunes of Liverpool FC. The difference is that unlike the thousands of other footy websites out there Tomkins Times charges readers £3.50 a month to access the site. And remarkably it has almost 2,000 subscribers.



As Paul says ‘We charged £3.50 a month for Premium and £2 for Standard. I was hopeful of a couple of hundred subscribers, just to get a steady, regular income of some sort, and maybe 500 at the most. Once we passed 500 – which was quite soon – the aim was for 1,000. We past that earlier this year. I remember fairly early on Anu (Paul’s developer) telling me that we could get 2,000, and that seemed like a crazy figure. Now it’s within sight. Traffic to the site is also growing at a strong rate. We added Google (NSDQ: GOOG) ads to the site for non-subscribers, who benefit from the free pieces, but it’s not a big money spinner



So how does Paul make it work, and what can other indie publishers (and indeed freelance journalists) learn from his experience?



1) He is an authority on his chosen niche. Several years ago Paul self-published a book about Liverpool FC “Golden Past, Red Future” and has written for both the official Liverpool FC and for various fan sites. He is an expert on The Reds, has good connections with the club and his views are widely respected by other fans.



2) He focused on building up a community not just a blog – Paul had already constructed a database of Liverpool FC fans who liked his content and were sympathetic to what he was doing. Many of these became his first subscribers. Paul has nurtured that community by constantly engaging with them.



3) He exerts rigorous standards in his community – As Paul says ‘The one big bonus has been the community that has built up behind the paywall, and the quality of their posts. People can discuss football in an intelligent manner, without spammers, trolls and wind-up merchants ruining it. So far I’ve banned just five people in over a year. We lose a few subscribers each month – some move on (as it’s not for everybody), some have money issues – but most soon come back. While there are excellent posters on most public forums, you often have to wade through the nonsense.’



4) He has a great tech partner – The paywall was the brainchild of fellow Liverpool FC fanatic Anu Gupta and his Digital Query agency. Anu offered his services for free, saying that he’d only charge if it took off. ‘True to his word, he built a site within a week, and we launched on 21st September 2009.’



5) He has not been scared to experiment – In addition to the paywall, in itself a huge experiment, Paul has created different subscription levels and has also kept a significant chunk of content available freely. ‘I still make about half of the stuff I write free to read, depending on my desire to get the message across to a wider audience, and of course, to get the balance of bringing new visitors to the site and offering value to those who subscribe.’



6) He has developed other projects – ‘It’s also allowed me to co-write and publish a new general football book – “Pay As You Play: The True Price of Success in the Premier League Era” – and not stress over how many it sells, beyond the fact that you always want your work to be read and appreciated. The royalties go towww.postpals.co.uk, a charity for terminally ill children I’ve been promoting for a few years now – the girls who run it also have M.E., and set it up as something constructive to do when housebound and unable to do conventional work. Our book is dedicated to the memory of the 12 Post Pals children who died in 2010, although a 13th has since passed away.’



7) He judiciously uses social media – Tomkins Times is consistently updated and now has nearly 20,000 followers.



This article was reproduced from Ashley’s blog with permission.







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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report

Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!

Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>

President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.

Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker

Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.



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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report

Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!

Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>

President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.

Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker

Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.



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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report

Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!

Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>

President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.

Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker

Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.



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