Posts Tagged ‘Buzz’

Google Buzz – A Look at the Lite Side of Social Networking

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

Social Networking is the heart of the internet right now.  Scratch that, social networking is much, much bigger.  Terms like Facebook, Twitter, share, social, follow, fan, etc. are hurled at us, at the speed of light, both online and offline.  Every individual and company (including JumpstartMyPC.com) is trying to figure out the “best” way to share information with fans, friends and family.  And now, Google has stepped up to the plate with their offering… Google Buzz.

I realize that many of you have already been exposed to Google Buzz, or at least heard the name, and that this article might seem a little untimely.  After all, Google Buzz was released about a month ago (February 9, 2010).  The reason I waited to comment on Google Buzz was two-fold: 1) The initial reaction to Google Buzz was panic! (early issues with privacy) and 2) I wasn’t sure if I would even use Buzz for personal and/or business updates.  Why would I review or recommend a product for the JumpstartMyPC.com audience if it (Buzz) wasn’t a useful tool that would help you get more out of your PC?  Well, I finally spent some time with this new application and I think I’ve wrapped my mind around it.

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With Location-Aware, Thieves Know When to Move In

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

With all of the social networking tools available today, it is easy to get wrapped up in the fun of it all and forget about the basic rules of life.  One of the biggies – Don’t announce to the world that you are not home.  Unfortunately, people are happily volunteering this information (along with plenty of other personal tidbits) to the entire world without understanding the potential dangers of doing so.  Social media sites/tools are making it increasingly easier for thieves to track your moves and know when you are not home.  A great new site PleaseRobMe.com pokes a bit of fun at the phenomenon and aims to educate the masses by showing what NOT to do.

“Listing all those empty homes out there” is the tagline for PleaseRobMe.com and categories like “Recent Empty Homes” are used to demonstrate the dangers of location-aware services.  Location-aware services is a broad term that basically means any software, device or site that allows you to share your current geographical location with others.  There are a lot of advantages to sharing your location (mostly social) but users should understand the dangers associated with broadcasting your whereabouts.  Mainly, telling people you are at point X means you are not at home, thus making your home a target for thieves.

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