Yesterday, we detailed the use of online wish lists in organizing and sharing Christmas/holiday gift lists. The article 51 Days Until Christmas – What’s On Your Wish List was a popular one and we received some great feedback from a few of our readers, so I decided to dig deeper and reveal some additional information that might be helpful for you all.
I began testing the different online wish list services yesterday afternoon and through much of the morning. On each of the 5 sites we mentioned yesterday, I created a profile and added gifts to my list. I also took the time to search and view the lists of other users, so I could get a feel for things from both sides of the fence. All of the sites I reviewed were functional and easy-to-use, but I realized that each user might be looking for some very specific things out of a service like this. I analyzed each site and compared them to put together a list of features that I found important. Below are my findings.
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** Note that “Universal Wishlist” is the Amazon.com wish list service in this chart.
Our main concern here at JumpstartMyPC.com has always been helping PC users get the most out of their computer, but today, just 1 day before Halloween, we thought we might change our focus slightly. Experts have predicted an outbreak in your area, but this is not the kind of virus that can be fought off with the likes of avast! or AVG anti-virus software. No, this is much more serious. See the video below for details.
Twitter. That name seems to come up every day now. It’s part of the zeitgeist, whether you like it or not. At first, you had to be a bit of a tech nerd to know what it was or why you would use it. Then, it began to creep into discussions and articles. Lately, it is the buzzword that every TV show and web site is fighting to slip in somewhere. I am truly amazed at how often it comes up. Yet, the vast majority of people I know still don’t tweet (a message sent via Twitter) or even have a Twitter account.
I hear all kinds of answers to the “are you on Twitter” question. “I don’t care what other people are doing.” “I don’t have time for that.” “Twitter and Facebook are blocked on my work computer.” These are some of my favorites. These comments tell me a few things, but most importantly I see that there is a lack of understanding when it comes to what Twitter is and why anyone would use it.
Our blog posts so far have really covered a wide range, from “Defragging Your Computer” to “Facebook mentions.” If you have read more than one of them and know that our goal at JumpstartMyPC.com is to help PC users get the most out of their PC, you might be wondering how all these topics fit. Yesterday, I saw it all come together in a few seconds.
A friend of mine posted a YouTube video to Facebook. I clicked on the link to find it was a commercial from Norton Antivirus, and it was pretty funny. The content, writing and filming were all great but I was laughing for a different reason. The makers of Norton Antivirus were hyping their Norton Internet Security software, with no mention of purchase price or subscriptions. They were using this free advertising stream (Facebook) and the comedy of a quick, short video hosted on YouTube (also free) to market a product that will cost you, the user….
There is a new feature on Facebook and I am not sure how many of you Facebook users even know it exists. The new feature has been aptly named “@Mentions.” Thanks to my blogging friends @Mashable I found out about this great new element in Facebook two days ago. I began researching it this morning and decided that many of you might be interested in finding out more.
The amount of content on the internet grows every second of every day. As I post this blog, there are thousands of others doing the exact same thing. Many of those “bloggers” are likely contributing their own opinions or even new facts to the web. You might stumble upon these blogs or ideas in a number of ways: Facebook, Twitter, Google searches, JumpstartMyPC.com, etc. Occasionally you are going to come across an article or blog post that you really want to share with a friend. What then?
Until recently, people have shared web site addresses (URL’s) via email or even verbally. With the success of Facebook and Twitter, millions have found new ways to share information with friends and family. And now, there are hundreds of sites that allow you to quickly share information with others on their “network.” There is one tool however that combines all of these ideas and more. That tool is ShareThis.
Although I know we are not ALL on Facebook, there are a vast majority of us (65 million) who have turned to social networking for our chance to stay in touch with friends, new and old. Facebook started out as a way to do just that, but has quickly become much, much more. The possibilities are virtually limitless now, with applications that let you do everything from play a game of UNO to become a “virtual farmer” (see the highly addictive Farm Town). Are there too many distractions now? It really depends on who you are.
If you feel like Facebook has become a bit overwhelming or you are a little timid about beginning life on Facebook, maybe your time has come. Facebook is now launching a Lite version of the uber-popular social networking phenomenon.
Twitter. That name seems to come up every day now. It’s part of the 
