I recently went back to work, this time for a very large company with an IT staff dedicated to keeping things on total lock-down so we (the employees) can’t waste time or share corporate secrets via the internet or installed programs.  What this meant for me was a return to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer as my one and only browser choice.  My first thought was “how bad could it be?”

Fast forward 6 working days and find me strongly considering the purchase of an iPad, just to use at work for surfing the internet and keeping up with my Facebook and Twitter updates and follows.  Just as I was about to justify the purchase cost to my significant other, we discovered something miraculous…. we could install Firefox!!!  Whether it was allowed via an error on IT’s part or simply the granting of my third wish, I couldn’t be happier.  Why, because now I was in control.

As soon as Firefox was finished installing, I jumped to the Mozilla Add-Ons web site.  From there, I can choose from thousands of add-ons, which let you add new features and change the way your browser or application works.  Think of them as little programs that run from within your browser and not your operating system.  Add-ons start when you open Firefox and can do anything from change the color of your navigation buttons to notify you when your friends are on their XBOX.  If there is a special need for anything internet related (in some cases even that doesn’t matter) add-ons are the resource you need.

The Yoono Sidebar

Yoono

Once within the add-ons web site, I stumbled around a bit until I found Yoono!  What a discovery that was.  Yoono allows you to get all your updates, update your status and share across Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube & more – all at once! As it turns out, that is just the tip of the iceberg.  Look at this list of features:

• Update your status across all your social networks at once!
• Chat while surfing the web via AIM, Google Talk, etc., right there in the browser!
• Discover “cool stuff” while surfing, all related to what you are currently viewing.
• Easily share links, images and video with all your social networks.
• Drag and drop links, images and video into your IM conversations.

The best part is, this is all done from within the browser, so if you can install Firefox, you can get Yoono.

Don’t Stop There

Yoono is a wonderful tool, but one of only thousands of add-ons available from Mozilla.  Visit the add-on web site now and see what is possible in Firefox.  Also, if you are interested in getting regular updates on new add-ons and updates, follow Mozilla (also known as mozamo or AMO) via one of these methods:

Add-ons Blog

Add-ons Newsletter

mozamo on Twitter

Related Articles

We’ve written about Add-Ons before.  Want to know more?  Check out these articles:

Take Back Your Browser with JumpstartMyFirefox

Firefox Add-on BarTap – How Did I Live Without It?

JumpstartMyPC.com has decided to bring FollowFriday to our blog. Read on and, if you are so inclined, add these “interesting people” to your own list.

FollowFriday – Round 17

Summer is here and, with any luck, you’ll be vacationing soon. Family trips to Disney World, national parks and beach resorts (assuming they aren’t located on the Gulf of Mexico) are in full swing. In order to remember these amazing trips, or simply gloat to family and friends, we break out our cameras and snap away. The only question now is what to do with those digital images once you get home.

Pictures aren’t developed anymore. They are uploaded. They aren’t placed in albums, but in folders (conveniently titled albums). You don’t invite people over to look at your photos, you send them a link.

I forget which comedian said it, but I thought this line was great (and please forgive me, as I am going strictly from memory here). “In my day, looking at someones vacation pictures was considered punishment. Now people do it for fun!”

Flickr is the first name that comes to mind when I think about storing pictures online. I can’t tell you why, considering I just opened my first Flickr account recently, but the name is synonymous with online digital photo storage.

Upload your pictures, tag them, write a description, place them in sets… The list of options goes on and on. If you want, you can use Facebook Connect to automatically add those same pictures to your Facebook profile as they are uploaded. The only real downfall to Flickr, that I can find, is that you can’t order physical prints, but then again, who does that?

Twitter: http://twitter.com/flickr
Web Site: http://www.flickr.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/flickr

Flickr is on Twitter - Now That's a Mouthful

Shutterfly as been my go-to photo sharing site for many years now. I started using it because I wanted to print out my digital pictures and, as time went on, Shutterfly added features and morphed into a real tool for storing and sharing digital images with friends and family.

One of the best features of Shutterfly, in my humble opinion, is the ability to create Share Sites. Share Sites are like individual web sites that you can edit to contain photos, calendars, weather and other individual components with simple drag-and-drop functionality. You can create a Share Site for your family vacation, an big event, a wedding, etc. or simply dump all of your pictures there.

Web Site: http://www.shutterfly.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shutterfly
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Shutterfly

Shutterfly for Sharing and Printing

Snapfish is another of the many business arms of HP and a very similar service to Shutterfly.  You can upload, store, edit, share photos and order prints from their site.  The site looks a bit outdated to me (when compared to Shutterfly) but they have all of the functionality and great deals to offer a great service to their customers.

In researching the difference between all of these photo-sharing sites, I stumbled onto one interesting piece of information.   Snapfish offers a service called PictureMover that allows users to connect their digital camera and upload images directly to the SnapFish web site.  I have never tried this myself, but this seems like a great selling point for inexperienced PC users who are afraid of trying an online service.

Web Site: http://www.snapfish.com/snapfish/welcome
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/snapfish
Twitter: http://twitter.com/snapfishbyhp

Snapfish is not Just for Fishermen

Try out one or all three of the sites we recommended today and check back next Friday for more great #FollowFriday recommendations. Don’t forget, if you want to share this article with friends or family, all you have to do is click on the ShareThis button below.

JumpstartMyPC.com has decided to bring FollowFriday to our blog. Read on and, if you are so inclined, add these “interesting people” to your own list.

FollowFriday – Round 16

2010 Hurricane Names

Like it or not, hurricane season is here.  Alex, which came in as the second most powerful hurricane of June (all-time) has already dissipated, leaving heavy rains for Mexico and Texas.  For many, this storm will serve as a wake-up call that it is time to prepare for a busy hurricane season.

Being prepared means being informed.  Traditional news sources like TV, radio and print will provide us with valuable details as new tropical storms develop and head towards the U.S./Mexico, but the information does not stop there.  Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites are becoming equally (if not more) effective at spreading important news and, for those of you trapped in cubicles and offices during “normal work hours,” these social sources might be your only link to the outside world.

If you are a “hurricane tracker” or are just interested in staying ahead of the storms, you might want to consider following some of the following sites.

Hurricane Alerts (brought to you by the National Hurricane Center) was designed to track hurricane and tropical storm news and warnings for the coastal United States.  

Most of the updates (tweets) are links to articles on web sites, but the posts are frequent and you’ll have no problem keeping up with the latest details on any hurricane.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/hurricanealerts
Web Site: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Hurricane Alerts on Twitter

The Weather Channel

Updates made during the approach of Hurricane Alex indicate that TWC’s Twitter account does a great job at keeping everyone informed regularly with great information on wind speeds, rain measurements and road conditions.  There are also occasional links to articles on weather.com.  If I were trapped somewhere with only my cell phone and no computer access, this is a Twitter feed I would want to follow.

Web Site: http://preview.weather.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheWeatherChannel
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TWCBreaking

The Weather Channel for Hurricane Updates

Weather Underground is the site to follow for people who like lots of detail.  The site was created to provide people with real-time information and they do not disappoint.  From advisories to Global Sea Surface Temperatures, you can find it all here.

The Twitter updates from WU are frequent and provide a combination of good details and links to their site.  What’s great about following Weather Underground is they post the coordinates of the storm in every tweet, so you trackers can mark it on your maps as new updates are posted.  I might get a map just to follow along.

Web Site: http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wunderground?v=wall
Twitter: http://twitter.com/wunderground

Wunderground is Where You Can Find All the Details

Try out one or all three of the sites we recommended today and check back next Friday for more great #FollowFriday recommendations. Don’t forget, if you want to share this article with friends or family, all you have to do is click on the ShareThis button below.

JumpstartMyPC.com has decided to bring FollowFriday to our blog. Read on and, if you are so inclined, add these “interesting people” to your own list.

FollowFriday – Round 15

We’ve focused on gaming news and reviews in the past (see our #FF on Video Games), but with all of the video game talk of the last month (E3) we thought it would be good to revisit the topic.  This time, instead of simply wetting your appetite with information, we’re gonna give you some details on saving money on video games, consoles and accessories.  After all, video game setups can get quite expensive if you aren’t careful.

The XBOX360, PS3 and Wii are all currently in their prime and new toys are on the way for summer and Christmas.  The problem for the big three is that disposable income is not what it was 2 or 3 years ago, competition is at an all-time high and people only have so many hours in a day.  That creates the perfect storm for the consumers.  Deals, deals and more deals are everywhere you turn.  Today’s list focuses on some of the best places to find these gaming deals, so you can spend less and own more.

LogicBuy.com is one of my favorite bargain-shopping sites.  We’ve talked about finding deals on LogicBuy before, but did you know that they have an entire area of their site dedicated to gaming? LogicBuy employees and site visitors hunt down the biggest bargains of the web and post them here for everyone to enjoy.  Amazon, Steam, NewEgg, Buy.com, Dell, GameFly…. The list of sites represented goes on for days.  If there is a bargain out there, LogicBuy has it.

One of the best features of LogicBuy is the ability to set Deal Alerts.  Do you know a specific game, console, accessory or item that you want, but aren’t willing to pay full retail?  Set up a Deal Alert and get up-to-date information on deals, coupons and more delivered right to your inbox.  I did this when we first bought a Wii and saved $100’s on new games and accessories.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/LogicBUY (not specific to gaming, but gaming deals are included in feed)
Web Site: http://www.logicbuy.com/categorydeals/20/Gaming.aspx
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/LogicBUYcom (again, not specific to gaming)

Just Look at These Deals!!!!!

Cheap Ass Gamer (CAG)

CAG is also giving away 5 brand new XBOX 360 250GB Slim consoles.  Follow them on Twitter, create a wish list, check out deals, etc. to earn entries into the contest.  This is a great way to get familiar with the site while getting your name into the drawing.  What do you have to lose?  I earned 7 entries into their contest in under 30 minutes.

CAG also allows you to create a “collection list” of games that you currently own and might want to trade or sell.  Other CAG users can offer up their games for trade or make you an offer.  If you are sick of losing out on trade value at your local game shop, simply pay the price of shipping to swap games with others throughout the country.  This could really save you some cash in the long run.

Web Site: http://www.cheapassgamer.com/
RSS Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/cheapassgamer
Twitter: http://twitter.com/videogamedeals

Cheap Ass Gamer Has a Top Notch Site

Amazon.com offers several ways to save on your gaming needs.  There is an area dedicated to Video Game Deals, A Deal of the Day (one or more gaming products at a very special, low, one-day only price) and Warehouse Deals (used games, consoles and accessories).  Patience and a Prime membership could mean big savings on purchases for past and upcoming games.

Also, don’t underestimate the power of being a loyal Amazon.com customer.  Case in point, I just pre-ordered the game Crackdown 2 for XBOX 360.  Amazon was offering $4 off, FREE shipping (on release day) and $10 off of my next game purchase.  Also, I didn’t have to pay sales tax.  Total up the savings and I saved somewhere in the neighborhood of $25.50 on this purchase. (4 + 10 + 7 + 4.50).  The next game I buy or pre-order might offer a similar deal, so I’ll keep the savings rolling with each and every purchase.

Finally, did you know that you can trade in your games on Amazon?  Look up your games, print a shipping label (for FREE) and receive an Amazon.com Gift Card that will be deposited into your account upon receipt of games.  The offers seem to be fair, when compared to other retailers like GameStop.  You can always use the tools on Cheap Ass Game (links above) to compare values between the two.

Web Site (Video Game Deals): http://www.amazon.com/Outlet/b?ie=UTF8&node=40956
Web Site (Deal of the Day – Gaming): Click Here
Web Site (Warehouse Deals): Click Here
Twitter (AmazonGames): http://twitter.com/amazongames

Amazon.com Offers Up Great Deals

Try out one or all three of the sites we recommended today and check back next Friday for more great #FollowFriday recommendations. Don’t forget, if you want to share this article with friends or family, all you have to do is click on the ShareThis button below.

“The truth is that the security team at Facebook works hard to counter threats on their site — it’s just that policing 350 million users can’t be an easy job for anyone…” said Graham Cluley (Sophos) in a recent CNET article.  That is where Norton Safe Web steps in.  The new tool works much like Web of Trust (WOT) and has already been available as an online service for some time.  The folks over at Norton have just integrated it into Facebook for the specific purpose of testing your feed for links to unsafe/malicious content.  There are some limitations to this new application, but it is a step in the right direction for Facebook users and their computers.

Using Norton Safe Web

“Installing” the app and testing your feed takes only minutes and a few clicks of a mouse button.  First, you’ll need to click on the application page link : http://apps.facebook.com/nortonsafeweb.  You’ll be asked to let Norton Safe Web access your profile and feed information (ironic isn’t it).  On the first screen, simply click Allow.  When prompted about “additional permissions,” you’ll need to grant permissions to Norton by clicking on the text that reads “grant us permission to access your News Feed and Wall.”  Finally, you can click on Allow Access to finish out the installation process.

Once installed, Norton Safe Web will automatically run a scan of your feed for the last 24 hours and return the scan results for you to review.

Scanning .....

Results

There are several items in the results that stand out.  Of course, the green check marks (Safe) and red X’s (Warning) are important and represent the safety of a link within your feed, but that is not all you get.

• Untested – Those question marks (gray circles) indicate that the site has not been reviewed by anyone yet.  This doesn’t mean that the link is dangerous, simply that there is no information either way.  All of the results from the Norton Safe Web program are taken from user feedback about the site in question.
• Full URL – Often, Facebook users and programs will post a shortened URL on FB.  These shortened URLs point to real sites and unfortunately that is how most of these malicious links make their way around the internet.  The Safe Web results show you the full URL, in case you are interested in where the link will take you.
• Norton Safe Web Report – If you see a Warning message or simply want to know more information about a link in question, you can click on “See Norton Safe Web Report” to visit the Norton web site and see feedback from users who have posted reviews of the site.  The report will have information on computer threats, identity threats, e-commerce safety and annoyance factors.

How to Use Norton Safe Web

The idea of Norton Safe Web (NSW) is great, but the implementation is a little lacking.  I don’t think this is Norton’s fault in any way, but simple a restriction of the Facebook design.  The problem is that you can only test and see results when you take the time to visit the application.  These scans of your feed will not take place automatically and results will not show when you simply visit your Facebook page.  Instead, users will have to remember to test their links before clicking on them.

In order to get the most out of this tool and actually remember to use it, I recommend the following steps.

1. Click on the Add Bookmark option within the application (shown in the Results image above).
2. Then, edit your bookmarks (under your image on left0hand side) by clicking More and then Edit
3. Click and drag the Norton Safe Web line up as far as you can take it, then let go
4. Click Less and make sure that you can see the bookmark for NSW without expanding your bookmarks

Each day (or session), before clicking on any links that have been shared with you, simply click on the bookmark and Norton will run a complete scan of all of the links in your feed.  The test takes a few seconds and won’t really slow down your Facebook experience.

Pre-Scanning Integration

One tool from the Norton Safe Web application that was integrated very well is the Pre-Scanning feature.  As someone who shares links and sites in your feed, you can do your part to reduce dangerous site visits by checking your links as you post them.  The feature is available under the “Attach:” dropdown box (shown below).

Pre-Scan Feature

When you click on Safe Web Link Post you’ll be prompted for the URL you want to share and Norton will do the rest.  Your link, your message and a Seal of Approval are all posted in the format shown here:

Pre-Scanned Link via Norton Safe Web

Verdict

All-in-all, I think Norton has really helped Facebook and it’s users with this FREE step in the right direction.  As I mentioned above, the integration could have been a little better and helped all of us who will forget about testing links before clicking on them, but I still feel that the strict rules of Facebook are to blame for that.  Add this application to your Facebook bookmarks today and help rid Facebook of the dangerous links and malicious sites.

JumpstartMyPC.com has decided to bring FollowFriday to our blog. Read on and, if you are so inclined, add these “interesting people” to your own list.

FollowFriday – Round 12

No, no.  I am not lost and we aren’t starting some sort of philosophical debate.  We are simply honoring one of the best TV shows of all time here.  The series finale of Lost (an event announced two and half years ago) is just 2 days away as I write this article and I couldn’t be more excited and upset at the same time.

“Cursed numbers. Hidden hatches. Miracle cures. Tropical polar bears. Wrinkles in time…”¹ have occupied my time (120 hours of my life) and numerous debates over the last 6 years and soon, it will all be over.  For those of you who are big fans, you know where I am coming from.  For the rest of you, I suggest you start at the beginning and rent, buy, borrow or steal the DVD/Blu-Ray disks of this amazing series.

For viewers of any level, I suggest you visit/follow these sites for supplemental information on the show and it’s many, many mysteries.

Lostpedia has been my guidebook to Lost for at least 3 seasons now.  I don’t think you will find a more comprehensive collection of Lost information anywhere on the web.  In fact, for a Lost newbie, this site could be downright overwhelming.  Seasoned veterans can refresh their memory or simply search for simple answers by visiting areas like Main Characters, Supporting Characters, Mysteries and Episodes.

The Episodes area of the site is by far my favorite.  Watch an episode and then visit the site to get a synopsis, trivia, production notes and analysis of that single episode.  You’ll see what you missed and get explanations on how certain elements of the story tied to previous episodes, characters, etc.  With a show this complicated and confusing (I’m not complaining) you will find this area very, very helpful.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/lostpedia
Web Site: http://lostpedia.wikia.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lostpedia

Feeling Lost? This site can help.

Entertainment Weekly

No Desmond?

EW’s Totally Lost (the area on their web site dedicated to the show) is filled with amazing information, including theories from Doc Jensen, who is the resident Lost expert at the magazine.  If only I had know that position was available.  My favorite part of all of this Lost coverage is the 10 different covers that EW issued for  issue #1102.  I received Locke in the mail, but the other 9 are available for purchase from the EW web site.

Web Site: Totally Lost on EW.com

Totally 'Lost' Can Help You Find Your Way

ABC Official Lost Site must get a mention on the list.  I mean, it is the OFFICIAL site of the show.

Party Time!

Catch up on the latest episodes, watch some behind the scenes footage or check out the SlapDown specials that add a little comedy twist to the Lost world.  You won’t have access to the same type of information found on our other 2 recommended sites, but you will find the ultimate Lost store.  Buy yourself a Dharma Initiative shirt or (and I wish I had known about this a week ago) a Lost Viewing Party Kit, complete with plates, cups, coasters, napkins, balloons, a bottle opener and stickers all branded with the Dharma logo.

Web Site: http://abc.go.com/shows/lost

Officially Lost on ABC

Try out one or all three of the sites we recommended today and check back next Friday for more great #FollowFriday recommendations. Don’t forget, if you want to share this article with friends or family, all you have to do is click on the ShareThis button below.

¹ – Quote taken from Entertainment Weekly #1102 article titled “Lost: How it All Began.”

In December of 2009, as part of Microsoft Data Privacy Day, research commissioned by Microsoft found that 79 percent of United States hiring managers and job recruiters review online information about job applicants.  Interviews with over 1,200 hiring and recruitment managers and 1,200 consumers lead to the publication of Online Reputation in a Connected World and revealed some sobering statistics/facts.

• 70% of professionals surveyed have rejected candidates based on information they found online.
• 85% say that positive online reputation influences their hiring decision to some extent, while nearly half say that a strong online reputation influences their decisions to a great extent.
• 30-35% of consumers surveyed don’t feel their online reputation affects their professional life and take no steps in managing their online reputation.

Potential employers are looking at your SMCS (online reputation) and the only way to make sure that it doesn’t work against you is to make sure that it works for you.

What Now?

If you have made it this far, two things are certain.  One, you understand the impact and potential danger of a bad SMCS.  Two, you are willing to do something about it.  So what do you do now?  Until recently, there was no information on managing your online reputation.  Now different ideas are surfacing and you (the trailblazers in this new land) will have to research, research, research!  Luckily, we have some ideas to help you get started:

1. Read the report Online Reputation in a Connected World – this will help familiarize you with what employers are looking at.
2. Read Microsoft’s article Take Charge of Your Online Reputation
3. Read the JumpstartMyPC.com article Social Media Credit Score Tools and Tricks
4. Do a little research on your own, using Google and/or other search engines. – see what’s new in online reputation management.
5. Develop a game plan of how you are going to “clean up” you SMCS and/or prevent future issues.
6. Start creating your own positive online identity in a blog or personal web site.

What Next?

Managing your Social Media Credit Score or online reputation is not a one-time process.  You will need to continually review the web for changes and recent posts.  As the internet changes and more social tools come into play, the importance of monitoring your rep will increase.

JumpstartMyPC.com has decided to bring FollowFriday to our blog. Read on and, if you are so inclined, add these “interesting people” to your own list.

FollowFriday – Round 9

Console and PC gaming have grown into a multi-billion dollar business, with total sales of hardware and software (not counting PC’s) reaching $19.66 billion in 2009.  And while you might think that gaming is just for teenage boys, recent research has shown that the majority of male gamers now fall into the 25-40 age group.  According to the ESRB, almost 41% of PC gamers are women and the average American gamer has been playing for 12 years.

Before you make a decision on gaming or gamers, take a moment to reflect on your daily activities.  You might not consider yourself a traditional gamer, but how many hours of Facebook games have you played?  With titles like FarmVille, Mafia Wars, Bejeweled Blitz and Uno attracting millions of users each day, it is hard to find someone who doesn’t play any games at all.  I can tell you from experience that many of my customers and family members have only learned about computers through work or games.  I have a 90 year old grandmother who uses her Nintendo DS regularly and another who has played more hours of Scrabble and Boggle than you could even imagine.

The following sites are dedicated to gaming and gaming news. Add these sites to your inbox, Twitter follow list or Facebook “likes” and let the information come to you.

IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation, is probably the largest player in the video game news industry.  According to their own web site they are a “leading online media and services company obsessed with gaming, entertainment and everything guys enjoy.”

From the IGN web site, visitors can access up-to-date information on games for the XBOX 360, PS3, Wii, PC, DS, PSP and more.  Read reviews on games before you purchase and even rate them yourself.  In recent news, IGN has begun reviews of iPad games (found in the “Wireless” section) and added the new Facebook Like feature to it’s web site.  Find a game you like, leave a review and share it with your friends in just a few clicks.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/igncom
Web Site: http://www.ign.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ign

IGN Entertainment Covers it All

G4

The only thing that confuses me about G4 is the link between gaming, which dominates their web site, and their television station, which is ruled by programs completely unrelated to gaming.  I am not saying that these shows aren’t great, I just don’t get the connection.  In this day and age, I would think that a station could broadcast, gaming news, reviews, demos, etc. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Maybe that is the long-term goal.

Web Site: http://g4tv.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/g4tv
Facebook: http://facebook.com/g4tv

G4tv is All About Games... At least on the web site

Inside Social Games is for all of you “social gamers” out there.  Inside Social Games is a service of Inside Network, the first company dedicated to providing news and market research to the Facebook platform and social gaming ecosystem.  Although this site is really meant for developers, marketers and analysts, it has some great game reviews and news that you can benefit from.  Wanna know what the fastest growing game on Facebook is this week?  Looking for a review on a new game before you dedicate hours and hours to it?  This is the place.

While Inside Social Games is not the perfect option for consumers (Facebook users) it is currently the only dedicated option.  I have a strong feeling that this will change very soon, as these social games have become big business.  A recent article on GIGAOM stated that Zynga, the company behind social games like Farmville and Mafia Wars, would “likely be worth as much as $5 billion, if it were publicly traded instead of privately held.”  That is just one of the companies currently producing FREE games for social networking users.

Web Site: http://www.insidesocialgames.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/InsideNetwork
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/InsideSocialGamescom

Inside Social Games for You "Non-Gamers"

Try out one or all three of the sites we recommended today and check back next Friday for more great #FollowFriday recommendations. Don’t forget, if you want to share this article with friends or family, all you have to do is click on the ShareThis button below.

JumpstartMyPC.com has decided to bring FollowFriday to our blog. Read on and, if you are so inclined, add these “interesting people” to your own list.

FollowFriday – Round 8

Organization has been the topic of a few of our most popular articles.  It seems that many people, including myself, are always on the hunt for a better way, a better device or even a better program to help organize our life.  While some of us might know how we want to accomplish this, there are many of us who need guidance and new, fresh ideas to help us move forward with our organization goals.  Why not use the power of the internet to have that information delivered to us every day?

The following sites are dedicated to organization and decluttering your life.  Add these sites to your inbox, Twitter follow list or Facebook “likes” and let the information come to you.

unclutterer is a website for home and office organization.  According to their own web site “it’s not just for the helplessly disorganized who would lose their heads if they weren’t attached, and pack rats looking to put their stashes on a diet, but also for obsessive compulsive neat freaks looking to squeeze even more order into their lives.”

This great site has several writers on board who are fighting their own organization demons and are constantly trying new and creative ways to unclutter their own home and/or office.  If they find a great idea or tool, they share it with you.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/unclutterer
Web Site: http://unclutterer.com
Email: Subscribe to the unclutterer email distribution list

unclutter Your Life at unclutterer.com

The motto for this site says it all: “Clean House, Cut Clutter, Get Organized at Home!”

Web Site: http://organizedhome.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/cynthiaewer

Get Started with Organized Home

The Organization Junkie (orgjunkie.com) is another great site from an individual.  Laura is a self proclaimed junkie who loves organization (especially containers) and owns her own professional organizing business.  She writes articles on all sorts of organizing topics and frequently provides product reviews.  This is perfect, considering her job puts her in contact with all sorts of gadgets and products.  Let this expert share her experiences with you.

I especially like that Laura has written her own Housekeeping Mission Statement: “To provide an inviting and peaceful household environment, for my family and all that enter, that is conducive to living simply, loving deeply and laughing abundantly. I will make strides everyday to achieve this by practicing and teaching good daily habits and routines along with effective organizational skills. I will graciously and cheerfully serve my family and genuinely enjoy my commitment to creating a home sanctuary that is above all else pleasing to God.”

Web Site: http://orgjunkie.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/orgjunkie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Im-an-Organizing-Junkie

Living a Life of Simplicity and Order...

Try out one or all three of the sites we recommended today and check back next Friday for more great #FollowFriday recommendations. Don’t forget, if you want to share this article with friends or family, all you have to do is click on the ShareThis button below.

JumpstartMyPC.com has decided to bring FollowFriday to our blog. Read on and, if you are so inclined, add these “interesting people” to your own list.

FollowFriday – Round 7

The way a company resolves a problem says a lot about their outlook on customer service.  Any company can say that they care about customers, but the only true test is how they handle their mistakes.  Over the years, I have made it a practice to write emails/letters to corporate offices and managers any time I encountered a difficult situation with their product or employees.  From my experience on both sides of the “customer service fence” I know that the written word has much more power and weight than a verbal encounter with a front-line employee.  Not only are you often offered something in return for your time and heartache, you also make the company aware of the details from the top down (their organizational hierarchy).  For a company that truly cares, this means change.  Employees are reprimanded and policies are corrected.

In this weeks FollowFriday, we’ll take a look at several companies that have either handled difficult situations via Twitter or have embraced the power of Twitter to involve, educate and respond to their customers needs.  So not only can you take advantage of receiving information, you can also begin using Twitter to send information.

ComcastCares is the customer service Twitter account for Comcast.  The first thing you might notice is the image (shown on the left) is of an individual and not a company logo.  Frank Eliason (the Customer Service Senior Director) started using Twitter early on to monitor the Comcast name and, from what I can tell, knows the importance of individual attention and customer relationships.  A quick review of the recent comments shown on the Comcast Twitter page shows a long list of answers to customer inquiries.

I featured Comcast this Friday because of a story that I read on TechCrunch titled Comcast, Twitter and the Chicken.  A customer went 36 hours without his high-speed internet, basically because the main point of contact (Comcast phone support) couldn’t resolve his problems.  It only took 20 minutes after the customer’s first Twitter message about the situation before he received a call from a Comcast executive and got the issue corrected.  That’s quite a difference – 20 minutes versus 36 hours!

Twitter: http://twitter.com/comcastcares
Web Site: http://www.comcast.com – You can use the “chat” feature from the Comcast web site to talk with customer service.  I have had positive results here myself.
Facebook: Comcast on Facebook – not really for customer service and not used often.

ComcastCares on Twitter

at&t also has a presence on other social media outlets like Facebook and YouTube.  Using YouTube for instructional videos and introductions is a brilliant idea.  For U-verse customers there are tons of videos on problem solving, wireless connectivity, remote control help, etc.  I personally would rather watch a video than try to talk to a help-desk representative, who has probably never used the device in question.

Web Site: http://www.att.com/contactus
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ATT (in a bold move, customer comments are available)
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ATTcustomercare
YouTube: http://youtube.com/ATTCustomerCare

at&t Customer Service - nice Twitter page!

Best Buy TwelpForce is the Twitter initiative from the electronics super-giant Best Buy.  While I am still not sure what to think about the service or the concept, it seems that this method of customer service is very popular.  Over 25,000 followers are using TwelpForce to answer questions about purchases, store policies, individual item specs, etc.  You may have seen the commercials for this idea, where Best Buy employees fill a football stadium and answer questions about products for customers.

If you are a Twitter user and have a question in need of a quick-response, this might be just what you were looking for.  All you have to do is add “@Twelpforce” to any tweet.  I haven’t tried it myself, but I might just have to field-test this one on my next venture out to BB.

Web Site/Twitter: http://twitter.com/twelpforce
Best Buy Connect (other web site): http://bbyconnect.appspot.com/

TwelpForce is There to Help... If you Twitter

Try out one or all three of the sites we recommended today and check back next Friday for more great #FollowFriday recommendations. Don’t forget, if you want to share this article with friends or family, all you have to do is click on the ShareThis button below.