If you've signed up for and built a following on multiple social-media websites, you already may have traded the novelty of connecting with others for the time-consuming routine of cross posting your thoughts to each site individually. Save your energy and effort by using built-in and third-party shortcut services that turn multiple steps into one-step convenience. With these time-savers, you can create a single post and share it efficiently among more than one of your social profiles.
Instructions
All Tweets to Facebook
Post your tweets to Facebook directly through Twitter without a third-party application, service or website. In September 2011, Twitter launched support for cross posting to Facebook.
Click on the "Profile" icon -- a head-and-shoulders human silhouette -- in the bar at the top of the Twitter screen. Choose "Settings" from the drop-down menu that opens
Click on the "Connect to Facebook" button when it appears. Log in to your Facebook account when you're prompted, if you aren't already connected. When the Facebook "Request for Permission" window opens, click on the "Allow" button.
Open the application settings in Facebook. Select Twitter from the list of options, then set the "App Privacy" drop-down menu to "Friends."
Selective Tweets to Facebook
Use the Facebook Selective Tweets app to share only those tweets you want your Facebook friends to see. Go to the Facebook apps page for Selective Tweets and sign up your profile for the app. You can enter "Selective Tweets" in the search box at the top of any Facebook page to find the app's sign-up page.
Enter your Twitter username in the box on the "Your Profile" tab on the Selective Twitter page and click on the "Save" button. This establishes the link to Twitter from Facebook.
Compose your tweets using your favorite Twitter interface -- mobile or on the Web. End each tweet you want to share on Facebook with the hashtag "#fb." Only those tweets with the hashtag cross over to your Facebook profile.
HootSuite
Log in to your HootSuite account and open your HootSuite Settings. Click on the "Social Networks" item and choose "Add Social Network."
Select from Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Foursquare, WordPress and Myspace. Authorize each social network you want to include, enabling each to accept access from HootSuite.
Click on the Launch Bar at the top left corner of the HootSuite interface to open the HootSuite Launch Menu. Type a message into the Compose field, pick the sites to which you want to send it and click on the "Send Now" button.
Click on the floppy-disk-shaped "Save" icon to save your message as a draft so you can review and send it later. Click on the calendar-shaped "Schedule a Status Update" icon to set a date and time for HootSuite to send your message.
Tips & Warnings
When you combine Twitter with Facebook through Twitter's native support for Facebook, only your tweets cross over, not retweets -- unless you create them completely manually -- or replies, otherwise known as mentions.
If you connect Twitter to Facebook through Twitter, you can't use Selective Tweets. The converse also is true. Use one approach at a time or your tweets won't appear on Facebook.
Limit your message length on HootSuite to avoid exceeding Twitter's 140-character maximum.
Think carefully about what you cross post. Some message types and content don't lend themselves equally well to all social media services.
Video calling was once relegated to cartoons and sci-fi films, but is now a reality thanks to applications like FaceTime, Skype and Google+ hangouts. In fact, according to a study released in 2010 by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, one in five Americans have at least tried to chat with someone using some sort of video calling service. The Skype user interface allows you to initiate, conduct and even optimize a video call with the click of a button.
Instructions
Plug the computer's webcam into one of the computer's USB ports and, if necessary, turn on the webcam. Skip this step if your computer has a built-in webcam.
Click the "Start" button, move your cursor over the "All Programs" option and select the "Skype" program icon to launch the Skype desktop client.
Click on the contact that you want to initiate a video call with beneath the Contacts heading.
Click the "Video Call" button to initiate a video call with the selected contact.
Click the red "End Call" button to end the video call when you are finished.
Tips & Warnings
After you initiate the video call, Skype increases the video quality to match your Internet bandwidth limitations and computer speed.
The Technical Info window displays information about your Skype video call, including your bandwidth and frame rate. To view this window, click "Tools | Options | Advanced | Advanced Settings" and place a checkmark next to the "Display Technical Info" option.
In order to conduct a Skype video call, you must have a functioning webcam, microphone and speakers, high-speed broadband Internet connection and a DirectX 9.0c compatible video card.
Allow plenty of light to enter the room while conducting a video call, but do not sit with your back to an open window or light source, as this will cause your face to be shadowed.
Your video quality may be diminished due to the number of USB devices plugged into your computer. Disconnect any USB devices that are not in use before launching Skype.
For optimum video and audio quality, disable all firewall and virus scanner programs before placing your Skype video call.
If you are using a laptop, plug the laptop into a power outlet and take the device out of power saver mode for optimum performance.
Skype cannot connect to your webcam if another program is using the webcam at the same time. Close all other webcam programs before using Skype.
If Skype is not up to date on your computer and the computer you are attempting to place the video call to, you may be unable to place the call. Update Skype to its latest version before placing the call.
If your webcam drivers are not up to date, Skype may not be able to detect your webcam. Update your webcam drivers before using the webcam with Skype.
Privacy has always been a major concern for users of what's become the world’s most popular social network, Facebook. Users might think pictures and wall postings always stay within their circle of friends, but this expectation is not realistic. The security of personal information and the risk of identity theft are of great concern to many users. Facebook has made it known that it's aware of users’ privacy worries, and it provides a broad set of tools and setting for beefing up the security of your personal information. It's up to you to make use of them.
Instructions Profile Privacy
Log in to your Facebook account. Click on your name, located at the top right of the page or near the top left under the word "Facebook," to go to the main page of your profile or timeline. On that page, click on the small “About” text beneath your profile picture and.
Choose the privacy setting for the elements in your timeline. Click the "Edit" button to the right of the first element you wish to edit sto open up a window in the foreground.
Select the small down arrow next to each piece of information in the window. You can choose a setting from “Public,” “Friends,” “Only Me” and “Custom” for everything contained in that element. You can also designate that only people on certain lists can see a particular bit of information. Custom settings allow you to manually choose which individuals in your friends list can see that item.
Repeat Steps 2 and 3 for each element to check and adjust its privacy settings to your preferences.
Account Privacy
Log in to your Facebook account and click on the down arrow button at the top right of the screen. An account-settings menu appears.
Click on “Privacy Settings” in the account-settings menu. A new page loads with several high-level options for controlling the visibility of your Facebook account.
Set your default privacy for Facebook applications that lack item-level audience selection. Under the heading “Control Your Default Privacy,” choose from “Public,” “Friends” and “Custom.” For example, if you select “Friends,” everything you post to from a smartphone Facebook application will only be visible to your friends, by default.
Click on “Edit Settings” to the right of the “How You Connect” heading. A small window opens that allows you to adjust various visibility and connection settings. You can limit your visibility in Facebook searches, prohibit strangers from sending friend requests and restrict who has the ability to post on your wall. The search visibility setting is one of the most effective privacy features, because people can't find your profile even if they search by your name. Simply change the first "How You Connect" option to "Friends" to ensure that strangers can't make contact with you.
Click “Edit Settings” for the category “Apps, Games and Websites.” Third-party applications and games have a lot of access to your profile information by default, but you have the power to restrict this access. Under “Apps,” you can remove any applications you don’t want. Selecting “Turn Off All Apps” will prevent applications from accessing friends’ data. “How People Bring Your Info to Apps They Use” is another powerful privacy feature. These settings allow you to limit the ability of your friends to share your information with third-party apps and games. If you’re concerned about your data being used for marketing purposes, this is an important setting to consider. When you click "Edit Settings," a window opens with a list of check boxes related to your personal information. Remove all the checks and none of your friends will be able to share your information with their apps or games.
Set the visibility for your status updates and each item you post on friends’ walls. In the bottom-right corner of the status-update box is a drop-down list to select the audience who will see that update. Choose from “Public,” “Friends,” “Only Me,” "Custom” or one of your "Lists." Your "Lists" are groups of people such as family members, fellow alumni of a college, people within your geographic area or a custom list of your own creation. When you choose the custom option, you can select individual people or groups that you want to see or not see your post. You can always change your mind about the privacy setting for an individual item after it’s posted.
When it comes to social platforms, the old adage "a picture is worth a thousand words" is a remarkably apt description for Pinterest. The site allows users to post and share their favorite images from around the web -- something that may seem limiting at first. While the purposes advertised on the platform's "About" page focus on personal uses such as wedding planning or home decorating, those are only two of a wide array of uses for individuals and businesses. As with any social media platform, the most obvious purpose is promotion -- whether that be promotion of your own personal brand, a specific product or the brand identity of an organization -- but the platform also offers opportunities for much more.
Specificity
While other social platforms also allow posting of images, with Pinterest you have the added advantage of categorizing your images into various "boards." This gives followers the opportunity to hone in more narrowly on their specific interest. If you're an organization with many products and styles, the platform gives you a way to narrow things down for your potential customers. For example, take an organization as large as Nike. The company's "Nike Running" Pinterest site includes a number of boards, including sections such as "Runs We Love" and "Women's Running Gear." Unlike other social platforms, that specificity may mean attracting users who in another platform may have glossed over a hundred uninteresting posts before they got to yours.
Contests
The instant gratification of the right image lends itself beautifully to the online contest. By creating a site that asks people to share images of a selected topic, and to offer an incentive for posting, such as a prize or coupon, you have the ability to draw interest for your brand or organization. You can encourage people to create a board based on their favorite images from your site, and then broadcast that whoever gets the most pins and repins, wins. Ann Taylor's 2012 "Ann Taylor Hearts Fashion" contest was something just like this, offering the winner with the most pins and repins a $250 gift card. By encouraging people to post their favorite fashions from the Ann Taylor website and boards, the contest accomplished a number of viral marketing goals, including an increase in followers, more eyes on its boards and an increase in traffic to the company's website.
Research
Once you've held your contest and drawn in some new followers, you're now beset with another monumental task -- but one that can yield monumental rewards. It's research, and this is something that every social media manager should take seriously. By monitoring the things being repinned from your boards, you have the ability to conduct research into the habits, interests and behaviors of your audience, and to tailor your future efforts toward what's been popular in the past. Research in other platforms has been limited to the typed comments from users; with Pinterest, you have the ability to get visual representations of users' interests. Spend a minute and type "Stuff We Love" into Pinterest's "Brands" search and you'll see a wide array of images about various types of interest. Seeing clearly what people like gives you a clear idea of what to market to them.
Organization
Pinterest has another purpose for those who spend a lot of time online and need some place to file away all their great ideas for later use. Whether you're an educator, marketing expert or photographer, the ability to add items you love to your boards allows you organization ideas on-the-fly, with little fuss. They'll be readily accessible when you need to retrieve them. On top of that, you have social features working in the background; posting ideas on your board means that even while you've left your boards idle, you may have others repost those images, or share even more images with you that pertain to that topic.
Student Collaboration
Pinterest also has potential for educators. Think about the traditional yearbook that students spend the whole year agonizing over -- which is really a collection of memorable photos with some captions included. If you're a journalism teacher, yearbook adviser or other type of educator, you could use Pinterest as a forum for student collaboration. If you're creating a yearbook, a group Pinterest board could be a place to throw out ideas or consider certain photos. If you're in charge of a student newspaper, Pinterest could be an online extension of the newspaper's brand. For photography students, you could create a board for students to share photos or images that pertain to a certain theme.
Copyright Concerns
Pinterest is one way for you to showcase your company or brand's values. But with that comes the need to examine copyright concerns: all that sharing means you'll need to make sure you're properly crediting the source. Pinterest does provide HTML code that allows website managers to block "pins" of their content. As of 2012, Pinterest is a new addition to the social media scene, and as such, the owners of certain images may not be privy to that blocking tool. As a general rule, ensure that your pins give credit where credit is due by "pinning" from the original site, as opposed to Google Images or another aggregation service. If you know something to be copyright protected, don't pin it. If you're not sure, contact the site's administrator -- typically found on the site's "Contact" page -- to ask for permission. And if some of your own intellectual property has been violated, use Pinterest's "Copyright" page to report the problem.
Even if you're not quite ready to launch a snazzy new website, registering your own website domain name is the first step to creating your own corner of cyberspace. A domain name that reflects your point of view, your business or your product gives you credibility from the public by making you appear more professional. Using keywords in your domain name that reflect your business or product can help drive traffic to your site through search engines and make your site easy for customers to remember. Choosing the right name is the first, and often the hardest, step in registering your domain name.
Instructions
Choose several name options for your website. If you're most interested in a ".com" top-level domain name (TLD), your first choice may be already taken by someone else. Have several names in mind before beginning the registration process, and consider other extensions, such as ".net" or ".org."
Choose a registrar to help you register your domain name, such as GoDaddy, Register.com or NameCheap. There are hundreds of registrars authorized by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to sell domain names. Make sure the registrar you choose is a accredited by ICANN by searching for it on ICANN's authorized registrar list. Annual prices and services offered, such as Web hosting, vary by registrar, so research each carefully before deciding upon a registrar.
Enter your domain name choices. Your favorite may not be available, so keep trying until you find an acceptable domain name. Some registrars help by suggesting names that are similar to your first choice, such as "example.net" or "examples.com" instead of "example.com."
Enter the necessary contact information. This information is required by ICANN. You must enter information for four types of contacts, although you can enter the same person, most likely yourself, for each of the contact types. The organization contact is considered the domain name's owner, and the administrative contact is the person who handles all administrative needs. The technical contact is responsible for all technical aspects of the domain name, while the billing contact pays the registry fees and handles other payment issues as necessary.
Choose options for your domain name after selecting an available name. Pick the length of your registration, which is often between one and 10 years. One year is the minimum commitment, but it's often a better deal to buy a longer term -- you may get a discount for purchasing several years up front. Some registrars offer automatic renewals, meaning your credit card or PayPal account is automatically charged at the end of your registration term until you cancel it. This option can help ensure continuity in your website by removing the chance you could forget to renew it.
Many registrars provide matching domain names, which are names that are the same as the one you chose but with different extensions, such as ".org" or ".info." These are often offered at a discounted rate, so you have the option to purchase them along with your original domain name. You must renew them just like you renew your main domain name.
Decide whether you want to choose private domain registration. There is typically a fee associated with private registration. This option is designed to help reduce the amount of email spam, junk snail mail and telemarketing calls you receive. If you register your domain publicly, your personal information appears on the WHOIS website, which is an online searchable database of every domain name in use. It provides the name, address, phone number and email address of each domain name's owner. Choosing private registration shows the information of a proxy company instead of your information. The proxy company either belongs to your registrar company or partners with it.
Enter your Web host's primary and secondary nameservers when prompted. This directs your domain name to your website. You can likely find this information by logging in to your Web hosting account and looking under the host's frequently asked questions -- search for "domain name transfer" or "DNS." If you have trouble finding the nameservers, call or email your Web host, who should be able to provide you with the information.
If you don't have a Web hosting company yet, your registrar might offer domain parking services. Parking is when your domain name is routed to a dummy Web page for a short time. If you want to take advantage of this service, contact the registrar to ask what is shown on its dummy Web pages -- some fill the page with advertisements you don't endorse or earn money from. Others place a filler image, such as "Under Construction," on the page.
Pay for your domain name using a credit card or your PayPal account, if accepted by your registrar.
As one of the Internet's largest marketplaces for handmade goods, Etsy.com claims more than 12 million active users and receives more than 25 million unique daily visitors as of 2012. Although the process of selling on Etsy is straightforward -- you list the item, someone buys and pays for it, and then you ship it -- being successful in this highly competitive marketplace requires ingenuity and perseverance. Just remember: Even the largest sellers started out with just a few handcrafted items.
Instructions
Log in to your Etsy account.
Click the "Sell" link in the top-left corner of the webpage.
Read the "What Items Can I sell on Etsy?" section (link in Resources). As of March 2012, the site allows listings for handmade and vintage items and supplies.
Read the "How Does It Work?" section (link in Resources) to learn specifics about the selling process on Etsy.
Click the blue "Sell on Etsy" button at the right.
Enter your personal information and click the "Next" button.
Enter your billing information and click the "Validate Card" button to allow Etsy to verify your identity. You must have a valid credit card with an available balance of at least $1.01.
Click "Finish" to complete the process of converting your Etsy account into a seller account.
Click the "Your Shop" link at the top, and select "Shop Appearance" to customize your storefront.
Type a name in the "Shop Name" section; it should clearly represent your business and you can only change it once.
Enter a short description of your shop in the "Shop Title" section, telling potential buyers everything about your shop in a clear, concise and professional manner.
Upload a banner in the "Banner" section; it will appear at the top of your shop page and represent your products by type, style or some other characteristic. Change it as often as you wish to reflect seasons, holidays or other themes.
Type a shop announcement in the "Shop Announcement" section to share vital information -- such as special promotions or an upcoming vacation -- on your shop page.
Type a message in the "Message to Buyers" section, such as a thank you and/or text emphasizing the quality of your crafts.
Click "Save Changes" when you finish setting up your shop.
Select "Payment and Currency" to set up your payment options.
Select "PayPal" if you have a PayPal account and enter your PayPal email address in the Email field. Receiving money via PayPal is usually the easiest and fastest choice, but you can also select "Money Order" or "Personal Check" payment types.
Click "Save Changes" to save the changes.
Click "Your Shop" at the top and then "Add New Item" to add the first product to your Etsy shop.
Tell your buyers about the item for sale in the "About This Item" section by selecting the appropriate options from the "Who Made It," "What Is It" and "When Was It Made" drop-down boxes. Select a category for your item in the "Categories" section.
Add images with a width of at least 570 pixels in the "Photos" section. Click the blue "Add image" icon and select the image from your hard drive. Include as many clear, high-resolution images as possible, from all angles, to let the buyer to analyze the product.
Type a title for your item in the "Item Title" text box. The title must be less than 140 characters and include keywords your buyers might use to find it.
Describe your item in the "Description" text box, including detailed information about its size, construction and unique features. Identify any flaws the item may have.
Add up to 13 tags in the "Tags" text box, separated by commas. Tags are keywords your buyers might use, and effective tags will place your item higher on Etsy's search results page. Click the "Add" button to save the tags.
Add up to 13 materials in the "Materials" text box, separated by commas, with which you created the item. Click the "Add" button to save the materials.
Enter the price of your item, before shipping, in the "Price" box. Consider the price of materials, the availability of the item from a competitor, the time spent creating it and your expected profit.
Enter the number of items you are selling in the "Quantity" box, if you have more than one item. Etsy charges 20 cents per item as of March 2012.
Select the country from which you are sending the item in the "Where Does It Ship From" drop-down box.
Select a location in the "Ships To" section, type the shipping cost in the "Cost" box and shipping cost if the buyer purchases the item with other items in the "With Another Item" box, and click "Add location." Price the shipping fairly, as inflated rates will turn off buyers.
Click "Preview Listing" to preview your listing. Proofread the listing and make sure everything is in order and all details are correct.
According to Technorati's 2011 State of the Blogosphere report, blogging is trending upwards and shows no signs of slowing down. Not only is blogging an effective way to share opinions, news and happenings on an online forum, it is also a powerful tool for driving traffic to websites and making money through strategically placed ads. In order to do any of these things effectively, however, you must first attract an audience to your blog through proper planning, content, marketing and measuring of the blog's reach.
Instructions
Prepping for Growth
1)Select the appropriate scripts. Scripts such as Blog System integrate social media into your blog, and allow your blog to reach a wider audience. Other scripts, such as VlogSite and Vlog System, let you to host video blog content, allowing you to upload video blog content that will increase your exposure on search engines.
2)Select the appropriate plugins. InboundWriter and Seoppressor are plugins that provides you with SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, suggestions. Sociable and TweetThis add social media sharing icons to your blog, allowing your readers to share your blog with their social media networks.
3)Select an outbound RSS feed aggregator. Many readers monitor blogs through RSS readers, but you must use an aggregator in conjunction with your blog in order for them to be able to do so. Most blogging websites, including Tumblr, Blogger, Movable Type and WordPress, include this service as part of the platform. Others, such as SquareSpace, require an external feed-creation application like FeedYes or BottomFeeder.
Preparing Content
4)Pick a subject, demographic or type of reader that you wish to target. According to CBS News, one of the keys to creating a successful blog is "finding a niche" and blogging "about something you are passionate about and something that 10 million other bloggers aren't already feverishly penning."
5)Use search engines and SEO tools such as InboundWriter, SEO Tool and SEO Cockpit to research what readers are searching for and the keywords they are using to do so. If you selected an SEO plugin to help with your search engine optimization, use this tool to determine what words to use in the writing of your content. Doing so can make your blog appear as high as possible on the various search engines' search result pages.
6)Write blog posts that are both compelling and controversial. CBS News notes that successful blogging often involves being opinionated. Popular opinions will draw supporters to your blog, but unpopular opinions can be beneficial as well by drawing comments from detractors and increasing your blog's visibility.
Marketing
7)Create social media accounts for your blog and grow your following on your various social networks. Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Google+ all appeal to different demographics and allow you to share your blog with a wide variety of people. Engage with your followers, and many will return the favor, potentially giving the posts you share the ability to go viral.
8)Network with other bloggers. These bloggers may be blogging about the same or similar things you are blogging about, or may cater to the type of people you want to attract. Building relationships with other bloggers means that, when you share another blogger's post with your followers, the blogger is often compelled to do the same.
9) Write guest blog posts for other blogs. Guest blog posts expose your style of writing and choice of topics to other readers, who may then begin following your blog. Guest blog posts are also mutually beneficial: the blogger for whom you are writing the guest post also gets increased traffic from your readers. You can also host a guest blogger on your blog to gain the same type of increased traffic.
Several good services are available online to test your Internet connection speed, including those offered by McAfee, Speedtest.net and Telus. Most services give you a report of your download speed, which determines how quickly Web pages, videos and music load to your computer. The Speedtest.net service measures upload speed, which determines how quickly files are sent from your computer. This type of traffic includes files you upload to a website and emails you send. Upload speed is almost always slower than download speed. If you are using a wireless network, connect your computer directly to your router with an Ethernet cable. That way your test results reveal your actual Internet connection speed -- not the limitations of the Wi-Fi signal within your home or office.
Instructions
McAfee Internet Connection Speedometer:
Open a new Web browser window and navigate to the McAfee Internet Connection Speedometer (link in Resources).
Click the "Test Now" link at the bottom of the page. The page flashes once or twice as the service tests your download speed. The service sends a 150 KB file to your Web browser. If this date transfer takes less than one second, a second test with a larger file is performed.
Look at the speedometer at the right side of the screen to see your Internet connection speed result. This test does not recognize speeds above 2Mbps.
Open a new Web browser window and navigate to Speedtest.net (link in Resources). Wait for the user interface to load. A map appears showing your location based on your IP address. A triangle indicates your location. The dots indicate servers that can be used to send and receive data in order to test your connection speed. These usually include telecom companies, IT companies, colleges and universities. A world atlas is displayed beneath the map. Your IP address and the name of your Internet service provider appears in the bottom-right corner of the window.
Zoom in or out of the map if desired by dragging the scroll bar on the left. You can drag the glowing rectangle in the atlas to move the map.
Click the "Begin Test" button at the top of the map. The service automatically selects a server close to your location and begins three tests: ping, download and upload.
Look at the "Ping" section in the upper-right corner of the screen to see how long it took your computer to send a ping to the server and receive a ping in return. A ping is a very small piece of data used to ensure a connection has been made between two computers. Think of a ping as roughly equivalent in function to a sonar ping, the signal a submarine sends to find ships and other objects that reflect sounds through the deep.
Watch the speedometer in the middle of the screen as the server initiates a download speed test, downloading a small file to your Web browser. An icon of a person represents you, while a pyramid represents the server. The progress of the download is displayed between the two icons. Your Internet connection download speed is displayed at the top of the screen when the test is completed.
Watch the speedometer and the icons again to watch your upload speed. The upload speed is displayed at the top of the screen when the test is finished.
Telus Speed Test
Open a new Web browser window and navigate to the Telus Speed Test (link in Resources).
Click the "Download Test File" button. Click "Save" in the resulting dialog box. Depending on your operating system and security settings, you may get a security warning for the file. Click "OK" or "Agree" in the security-warning dialog box.
Look at the Transfer Rate section of the Progress Dialog Box to your Internet connection speed.
Internet file storage gives you many benefits over local storage, like online backups, access from other locations and easy file sharing with other people. Google Docs allows you to create and share any type of Google Doc file, so you and others can easily collaborate on them online without the inconvenience of emailing files to each other or constantly uploading and downloading files. While you can send an email invitation to any address for sharing a file, recipients must have a Google account to actually access the document.
Instructions
Log in to your Google Docs account and locate the document you want to share.
Open the "Share" option. If you're viewing the document itself, click the blue "Share" button near the top of the document. If you're viewing your document file list in Google Docs, check the box next to the document you want to share and then click the "More" drop-down menu near the top; there you can select "Share," then "Share" again.
Select the person or people you want to share the file with. You can click the "Choose from contacts" link to open another window and select contacts from your address book, or you can begin typing a name or email address from your address book and that person's contact information will automatically populate. Another option is to type individual email addresses separated by a comma.
Click the drop-down menu to the right of each person you're sharing the file with to specify one of three access privileges. "Can edit" allows recipients to view and alter the document as well as add comments that don't actually alter the document's contents. "Can comment" only allows recipients to view the document and add comments to it. "Can view" allows recipients to view the document but not edit it or add comments.
Netflix and Hulu Plus are video services that allow subscribers to watch movies and TV shows on demand. Both are marketed as alternatives to traditional cable TV, satellite service and brick-and-mortar video rental stores. Although Netflix and Hulu have similar functionality and target markets, the two services have some key differences in terms of subscription plans, available content and compatible devices. A point-by-point comparison will allow you to choose the service that best fits your needs
Subscription Plans
Netflix and Hulu Plus both offer a free trial so that you can test out their streaming video services before subscribing. Netflix offers a one-month trial period, while Hulu Plus limits the trial to one week. If you decide to sign up for Hulu Plus, you’ll pay a flat monthly rate of $7.99 for unlimited streaming as of March 2012. A Netflix subscription for unlimited streaming costs $7.99 as well; for the same price, Netflix gives you the option to instead receive one rental DVD at a time by standard mail with return postage paid. If you want unlimited streaming as well as the disc rental option, the price is around $16 per month. Prices are slightly higher if you want to rent Blu-ray discs rather than DVDs. Hulu Plus does not rent physical discs.
You can cancel your subscription to Netflix or Hulu Plus at any time without penalty. Prices for both services change regularly, so check online for current pricing in your area.
TV Content
Hulu Plus advertises that it offers more than 16,000 TV episodes from over 400 different shows. Netflix advertises a catalog of more than 20,000 current and classic TV episodes. If you are trying to decide between Hulu Plus and Netflix based solely on TV offerings, be aware that Netflix does not let you view current seasons of most shows, while Hulu Plus generally posts episodes of current shows the day after they air on TV. Neither service provides every season of the TV shows listed in their catalogs; for example, Hulu Plus offers eight seasons of “The Office” but only one season of “House.” Most Hulu Plus TV shows include advertisements.
Netflix has a much larger collection of current and classic films, advertising more than 100,000 titles available for rent through its disc-by-mail program and over 10,000 movie titles available for streaming. Hulu Plus offers more than 2,000 streaming movies, including 800 or so contemporary and classic titles available as part of the Criterion Collection. As with TV episodes, Hulu Plus movies include advertisements.
Subscription Plans
Netflix and Hulu Plus both offer a free trial so that you can test out their streaming video services before subscribing. Netflix offers a one-month trial period, while Hulu Plus limits the trial to one week. If you decide to sign up for Hulu Plus, you’ll pay a flat monthly rate of $7.99 for unlimited streaming as of March 2012. A Netflix subscription for unlimited streaming costs $7.99 as well; for the same price, Netflix gives you the option to instead receive one rental DVD at a time by standard mail with return postage paid. If you want unlimited streaming as well as the disc rental option, the price is around $16 per month. Prices are slightly higher if you want to rent Blu-ray discs rather than DVDs. Hulu Plus does not rent physical discs.
You can cancel your subscription to Netflix or Hulu Plus at any time without penalty. Prices for both services change regularly, so check online for current pricing in your area.
TV Content
Hulu Plus advertises that it offers more than 16,000 TV episodes from over 400 different shows. Netflix advertises a catalog of more than 20,000 current and classic TV episodes. If you are trying to decide between Hulu Plus and Netflix based solely on TV offerings, be aware that Netflix does not let you view current seasons of most shows, while Hulu Plus generally posts episodes of current shows the day after they air on TV. Neither service provides every season of the TV shows listed in their catalogs; for example, Hulu Plus offers eight seasons of “The Office” but only one season of “House.” Most Hulu Plus TV shows include advertisements.
Movie Content
Netflix has a much larger collection of current and classic films, advertising more than 100,000 titles available for rent through its disc-by-mail program and over 10,000 movie titles available for streaming. Hulu Plus offers more than 2,000 streaming movies, including 800 or so contemporary and classic titles available as part of the Criterion Collection. As with TV episodes, Hulu Plus movies include advertisements.
Compatible Devices
Netflix and Hulu Plus both offer broad device compatibility. In addition to computers running major operating systems like Windows and Mac OS X, Netflix and Hulu Plus content can be streamed using smartphones and tablet computers running Windows Mobile, Google Android and Mac iOS. Both services are compatible with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 video game consoles, provided you have an Internet connection. With Netflix, you can also stream video content through the Nintendo Wii. Both services are compatible with Web-enabled TVs and Blu-ray players.
Bandwidth Requirements
If you want to stream video content from either service over the Internet, you will need a broadband connection for streaming to work properly. Netflix recommends a connection with a download speed of at least 500 kilobits per second; Hulu Plus recommends a download bandwidth of at least 1,500 kbps for standard-definition content and 3,000 kbps for high-definition content.
Creating a blog allows you to share your thoughts, projects or stories with the rest of the world. Setting up a blog is easy even if you're a complete beginner. WordPress.com is a free and flexible blogging platform that's loaded with customization options, and you can have your WordPress.com blog up and running in just a few minutes, then customize its look and functions, and start posting blog entries.
Instructions Creation
Visit WordPress.com and click the "Get started here" button.
Enter a URL address for your blog. Free blogs hosted at WordPress.com have an "X.wordpress.com" address, where "X" is the blog name selected by you. The system lets you know if the name you choose has already been taken, so keep trying until the system accepts your blog name.
Type a username and enter a password twice.
Enter your email address, select your blog's language, then click "Create Blog."
Check your email inbox for an email from WordPress.com. Click on the activation link contained in the email to finish creating your blog.
Posting:
Load your blog's admin panel by typing the following URL address in your Web browser's address bar: "X.wordpress.com/wp-admin". Replace "X" with the name of your blog. Log in to your blog's admin panel by typing your username and password.
Click on "Posts" in the left-hand column and select "Add New."
Enter a title for your new post and type the post in the large box under the editing icons. Use these icons to modify your text's appearance; they're much like the tools found in traditional word processors. For example, to center-align part of your post, select a phrase or sentence with your mouse, then click the "Align Center" icon.
Click the "Publish" button to publish your new post on your blog.
Customizing
Log in to your admin panel, click on "Appearance" in the left-hand column and select "Themes." Here you can load new themes and alter your blog's appearance without losing any posts you might have created. Browse the gallery of available themes and click on "Activate" under the theme you want to switch to.
Edit your current theme's options by clicking on "Theme options" under the Appearance category in the left-hand pane. These options are specific to each theme and depend on the features the developer has added to it. For example, the default WordPress.com theme allows you to add your Twitter username so that users can conveniently follow you on this social network. When done editing your theme's options, click on "Save all options."
Add widgets to your blog by clicking on "Widgets" under the Appearance category. Widgets allow you to add various types of items to your blog, such as Facebook "Like" buttons or a calendar. To activate a widget, click on it and drag it to one of the items to the right of the page. For example, to add the Facebook widget to your blog's sidebar, which is the area displayed to the right of your posts, click on "Facebook" and drag the icon to the Sidebar box.
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