News aggregators and RSS feeds have been around for awhile now, but only with the rapid proliferation of touch technology on mobile devices and tablets, have we started moving closer to a truly appealing news feed experience.

For the average web user, the traditional staid design and text-and-headline-heavy interface of the RSS feed and feed aggregators have offered user experiences to be endured rather than enjoyed.

News apps for both the iPhone and iPad, like Pulse and Flipboard, have garnered quite a bit of attention of late for disrupting the aggregation and RSS reader experience by offering up new, intriguing ways of representing data. With interactive and clever designs that leave templates open enough to allow users to fill them with their own feeds and customized content, the publishing industry seems exciting again.

The success of these apps is largely due to the fact that developers are learning that a good news reader relies, first and foremost, on design. It may make us feel a bit superficial, but it’s true, with a seemingly never-ending supply of news, for aggregators and readers, it’s all about image. Give me an aesthetically-pleasing news filter that sloughs off that long list of text and headlines in favor of an organic and interactive interface, and I’ll show you an active (and happy) user.

But when it comes to news consumption, I’d rather look to feeds emanating from editorially directed and curated magazines and websites, rather than a template populated by Facebook and Twitter such as Flipboard—or a design and user experience that is a bit sexier than Pulse—and I’d love to have quality versions on my iPhone (that have true staying power). This is why I’ve recently become a fan of FLUD, which allows users to plug in feeds from favorite sites (like TechCrunch, ahem) and read, peruse, and share articles through a neatly-presented, tile-based interface—for free. And unlike Flipboad, FLUD is on both the iPad and iPhone—and it’s coming soon to Android and the desktop.

What’s great about FLUD is that it initially offers 25 FLUD-curated feeds to choose from, but the options are unlimited. You can add as many feeds as you’d like, filling FLUD’s template—which dominates sites’ specific CSS in a unifying, pretty design—through its list of featured feeds or by a simple keyword search, and a page is automatically created and filled with news from your chosen site. On your iPhone, each feed fits neatly on screen, which highlights each site’s content (something that’s likely pretty appealing to publications). FLUD also employs a scrubber that calls up a scroll bar, allowing you to quickly swipe past other stories. This puts the UX slightly above Pulse in eliminating that overwhelming mish-mash of feeds on a single screen.

Tapping on the boxes, which can be scrolled through vertically or horizontally, brings the summary of the story into view, whereupon you can choose to view the basic text, switch to the web page, read it in your browser, or read offline. You can “love” particular stories, influencing items that other FLUD readers who use the same feeds will see and share your favorite links via Facebook and Twitter.

With Flipboard recently being named the 2010 iPad app of the year by Apple, and as apps like Pulse continue to hold ground high in the App Store rankings, FLUD has some serious competition in the marketplace—adding to the pressure to incorporate social media feeds as actual sources of news, rather than simply means for sharing. Yet, as FLUD remains a boot-strapped enterprise at this point, the company has some ground to cover on apps like Flipboard, which already has $10.5 million in funding.

Though FLUD Founder CEO Bobby Ghoshal says that the app has been adding a new user every 4 seconds in December, drawbacks remain. I’ve experienced a lack of compatibility with older iPhones (3GS and earlier) and some serious delays in loading as you move content around; these lags and glitches manifesting themselves in the daily FLUD experience will need to be fixed if the company expects to build on its early success.

As to how FLUD hopes to become profitable in 2011—a question many free news and media-oriented apps must answer—Ghoshal says that FLUD is intent on staying away from ads as a primary source of revenue, hoping to encourage potentially different models, like revenue sharing built through partnerships with publishers and local businesses in an effort to incentivize users to buy locally. That sounds like a stretch—a news aggregator subsisting on anything other than ads may be a pipe dream—but who knows?

Nonetheless, if it figures out its revenue model revenue models, FLUD may be establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with in the news feed arena. Next up: the addition of a rating system (like the one available in iTunes), and an increased focus on social media feeds.

Originally posted 2010-12-26 16:59:31. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Article source: http://techcrunch.com/2010/12/25/flud/

Adwords Campaigns and Pay Per Click Advertising Services to Rank In Search Engines

(press release distribution) There are many advantages of Adwords, the main one being that by running an Adword campaign your business can potentially be displayed on the first page of major search engines almost within 24 hours.

This is possible by in the main running an enhanced payment system that allows your pre determined keyword to compete with other Adword campaigners running campaign with the same keyword.  In a nutshell, the more you pay the better chances you have of your keyword hitting the first page, and, the first spot.

What are the advantages of paying for first page? Well, the answer is in the question. First Page, and in an instant! Your business exposure by being on a major search engine will be extremely well enhanced and your likelihood of a greater ROI (return on investment) will increase. It’s a numbers game in essence, the more people who click your link and visit your site, the more chances you have of a sale, simple.

What are the disadvantages of an Adword Campaign? Money, simple. You have to pay for where you want to be, and pay you will. If you run a costly and avoidable Pay Per Click campaign then every time somebody clicks on your link, you pay for it. This could prove costly if the clicks outweigh ROI.  It could prove costly, for sure.

Each Adword campaign differs from the next. Whilst one an prove hugely successful, the next can prove a failure. It must be planned strategically, research completed sensibly and the correct weight of finance and strategy applied, only then can each campaign be successful.

Quality Search Engine Optimization Services at – Quality SEO Services

Originally posted 2010-12-27 05:00:52. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Article source: http://www.pressreleasecentre.com/adwords-campaigns-and-pay-per-click-advertising-services-to-rank-in-search-engines-28486/%20

Everyone has a dream job. Whether it’s a company you’ve been pining to be a part of or a new product you’re dying to throw your creativity into, there’s always a line of work that seems like the perfect fit.

Though recognizing your ideal position is easy, actually getting the job is the hard part. For those looking to start a career at tech giant Microsoft, the sheer size of the company makes the hunt seem even more overwhelming. Resumes can get lost in a sea of applications, and finding the right contact to reach out to can be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

But that doesn’t mean you should give up on your dream of working at one of the most successful and dynamic corporations in the world. Here are some tips and resources from the company’s recruiters and employees for landing a job at Microsoft.

Getting Started

With so many locations and products, the first step in starting your Microsoft job search should be deciding where you want to work and what you want to create. Visiting the Microsoft Careers website can help answer these questions. There you can look for a specific position in the navigation bar or choose a country from the drop-down menu. On the Find Your Fit page, details on the company’s various professions and technologies are laid out to help you explore opportunities.

Once you apply by uploading your resume to a specific job posting on the site, it’s up for review. So how do you get that resume noticed?

Standing Out

Many recruiters use keyword searches to pull up resumes — but that doesn’t mean every other word needs to be “motivated” or “team player.” Be sure to list the names of certain technologies and programming languages you’ve used in each project you include. This will allow a recruiter to see what you know and how well you know it.

When putting together your resume, think about how you affected your environments and less about the basic facts of what you did. “Often, applicants write their resumes like a list of job tasks, but it’s even more important to call out your major achievements and the difference you made: what you did, how you did it, and why it mattered,” said Gretchen Ledgard, communications manager for Microsoft Recruiting.

Doing Your Homework

Microsoft is known for its difficult interview process and obscure questions. The best way to nail it? “Do your homework on us,” Ledgard said. Candidates who come in with knowledge about the role, team and location tend to already have an idea of how to frame their answers and are ready to ask solid questions.

Thom Mitchell, a Microsoft account technology strategist who was hired earlier this year, couldn’t agree more. He researched each person who was interviewing him and read up on the products he would be responsible for in the role and the competition for those products. He even prepared a short PowerPoint presentation about Microsoft products in case he was asked to present something on the fly (he wasn’t). When Mitchell asked questions, they were substantive and role-related — not “How are the health care benefits?” or “Is there a gym reimbursement?” More importantly, when he didn’t know an answer to a question he was asked, Mitchell simply said so and didn’t try to talk around the issue or come up with a fake answer.

Following Up

If you have questions after submitting your resume, many Microsoft recruiters are open to being contacted via social media, Ledgard said. Microsoft Careers is also open to connecting through social networks and has resources for potential job candidates on its advice hub JobsBlog.

But how do you strike a balance between keeping your name on the radar and being a nuisance? For Mitchell, the key was checking in as needed. He followed up with the recruiter after each screening interview and sent brief thank you notes to the hiring manager he interviewed with in person — but not to each person who interviewed him. Mitchell said his recruiter let him know what would happen every step of the way, so there wasn’t a need to over communicate.

Finding a Fit

There’s a big focus on not only job fit, but also company fit at Microsoft. Recruiters look for people who go above and beyond in everything they do, whether that’s taking the most difficult computer science courses or working on extracurricular projects, Ledgard said.

Still, there’s no fool-proof formula for landing a job at Microsoft. Even though the position you’re applying for might feel like the perfect match, sometimes it’s just not. Microsoft’s recruiters and hiring managers are the experts on what type of person will be a good fit for both the job and the company culture. The best advice? Relax. If it’s meant to be, it will.

Have you scored a job at Microsoft or are you trying to? What has your experience been like? Tell us in the comments below.

More Job-Related Resources from Mashable:

– 19 Resources to Help You Land a Job in 2011
– The Future of Human Resources and Social Media
– HOW TO: Score a Job Through Facebook
– 5 Ways to Get a Job Through YouTube
– HOW TO: Use Twitter Hashtags to Boost Your Job Search

Images courtesy of iStockphoto, Tomazl; Flickr, Pawel Niewladomski

Originally posted 2010-12-26 16:59:25. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Article source: http://mashable.com/2010/12/26/land-job-at-microsoft/

There is nothing more important to achieving your ski racing goals than what you do in training. It is during training that you ingrain the physical, technical, tactical, and mental habits that will come out in races. If you establish good habits, you’ll have a good chance of having a good race. But if you instill bad habits, those will come out and you’ll have no chance of achieving your goals. Here are five tips that can help you get the most out of your training:

1. Have a goal and purpose. You must have a clear goal about what area you want to improve as you head out to training. For example, a good goal might be to shift your weight forward so you’re not caught “in the back seat.” You must also have a clear purpose for training each day. A purpose identifies specifically how you’re going to achieve your goal for the day. Returning to the example I just cited, your purpose might be to drive your hands forward between turns or bring your hips up to get your weight forward.

When I’m working on the hill with racers, I will often ask them what their goal and purpose is. If they don’t know, I don’t let them train. I know that sounds harsh, but think of it this way. If you don’t have a clear goal and purpose, you won’t be working on anything to improve. You will not only not be getting better, but you will be making it harder to improve. Let me explain. When you’re not working on something, you are practicing and further ingraining old habits. The more deeply ingrained those old technical, tactical, and mental habits get, the harder it is to change them. So, by not having you train if you don’t have a clear goal or purpose, you may not be improving, but, at least, you’re also not making it harder to improve.

2. Train like you race. When I ask coaches and racers whether they should train like they race or race like they train, the vast majority say race like you train. Their answer seems reasonable because if you could race in the same relaxed state as when you train, the chances are you’d ski well.

The problem is that racing like you train is impossible. Why? Because there is a big difference between training and races: races matter! So I say train like you race. Think about everything you need to think, feel, and do in a race and then replicate that in training. By doing so, you will practice and ingrain the skills and habits that you need to ski your best in races.

When I say train like you race, I don’t mean trying to ski as fast as you can every run of training. The reality is that there are times in training when you will be focusing on technique or tactics rather than speed. When I say train like you race, I mean putting 100% effort, focus, and intensity into whatever you are working on.

Admittedly, you probably won’t be able to train at 100%, but if you can up your efforts from, say, 70% to 90%, when you get to race day, you’ll have little trouble kicking it up to 100% because your mind and body know that it’s time to race.
By training like you race, you won’t need to do anything new or different. And races won’t feel like a big deal because you’ve been skiing at that high level in training. All of those great skills and habits that you instilled in training will naturally come out and you’ll be able to ski your fastest.

3. Use keywords to maintain focus. Perhaps the greatest challenge you face in improving the technical and tactical aspects of your skiing is maintaining focus in training. In fact, ski racing may be the most difficult sport in which to focus because there are so many things to focus on (e.g., course, terrain, snow conditions) and so many thing trying to distract you (e.g., speed, homework, people). For example, in the starting gate of a training course, you may be totally focused on, say, keeping your hands up. But, as soon as you leave the gate, you find you have a lot more important things to focus on, such as survival!

As soon as you lose your focus, you lose your ability to work on that thing you were focusing on in the starting gate. Here’s a simple rule: If you don’t focus on it, you won’t work on it. If you don’t work on it, you won’t learn it. And if you don’t learn it, you won’t be able to use it in a race.

The best way I have found to maintain focus on a training course is to develop and repeat a keyword that will remind you to focus on and practice what you are working on to improve. Returning to my example of keeping your hands up, think up a simple keyword (best to have it one or two syllables and active), such as up, drive, press, or forward. Then, in the starting gate and during the entire training run, repeat the keyword to yourself (out loud if necessary). If you’re saying the keyword, you have a much better chance of not being distracted, keeping the focus on the technique you’re working on, actually practicing it the entire training run, and ingraining it so that it is automatic.

4. Make mistakes. One of the most frustrating aspects of developing as a ski racer are the mistakes that you make as you work to improve. Unlike in other sports, the consequences of mistakes in ski racing are dramatic and sometimes painful, in the forms of blowing out in training courses or crashing in races. Yet, racers often don’t realize that mistakes are an essential part of becoming a better racer. In fact, many racers view mistakes as failure; if they didn’t have a perfect run, they’ve failed. In fact, many racers I see bail out of courses at the first hint of trouble. But mistakes only mean failure when you give in to them, don’t learn from them, and keep repeating them.

Mistakes are a natural part of the learning process and offer you valuable information about what you need to work on. Mistakes are actually positive signs in ski racing because they mean you’re taking risks, moving out of your comfort zone, and working to improve. If you are not making mistakes, you’re just not pushing yourself to be your best.

Rarely has there ever been a perfect race run, even by World Cup racers. The best ski racers in the world make mistakes, so if you’re not at that level, you shouldn’t be surprised that you make mistakes too. What makes World Cup racers different is not that they don’t make mistakes, but rather how they respond to them. Instead of getting frustrated, angry, and depressed when they make mistakes, the best racers stay positive and motivated. And, importantly, they learn from their mistakes so they don’t make them again. To ensure that mistakes mean success, immediately after a mistake, identify what exactly you did incorrectly, decide what you need to do to correct it, and focus on the correction on the next run.

5. Have patience, persistence, and perseverance. Two significant barriers to achieving your ski racing goals are frustration and discouragement. Let’s face it, ski racing is filled with obstacles, plateaus, and setbacks, and it’s easy to just want to give up. I think it’s especially hard for young racers these days because all of the messages they get from popular culture is that success should easy and they shouldn’t have to work that hard to get it. But that’s just not the way the real world works. Gosh, pursuing excellence is just plain difficult. That’s why most people never get there, because they quit when it gets hard.

I read a research study once that said that it takes 2,000 repetitions of a skill to ingrain it fully. The problem is that you can’t just make that many repetitions to really learn something. Rather, you have to have 2,000 quality repetitions, which means you may need to do several thousand more to get to that number. Also, other research shows that those who achieve excellence have put in thousands of hours of practice.

If you’re going to achieve your ski racing goals, you need the 3 Ps of training. The first P is patience, really understanding that there is no magic and there are no quick and easy paths to success. You must be willing to accept that it will take a long time to reach your goals. The second P is persistence, which means keeping up maximum effort even when you are tired, bored, cold, and wishing you could somewhere else. The third P is perseverance, which involves facing and overcoming those obstacles, plateaus, and setbacks that are an inevitable part of the climb up the steep mountain to your goals.

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. Watch my 2010 Winter Olympics Discovery Channel interview on fear in high-risk winter sports here.

Dr. Jim Taylor drjimtaylor.com,
knows the psychology of ski racing! He competed internationally for
Burke Mtn. Academy, Middlebury College, and the University of Colorado.
For the past 25 years, Dr. Jim has worked with many of America’s leading
junior race programs as well as World Cup competitors from many
countries. He is the author of Prime Ski Racing Triumph of the Racer’s Mind. Dr. Jim is also the author of two parenting books and speaks regularly to parents, students, and educators around the U.S..

Originally posted 2010-12-28 05:08:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Article source: http://www.skiracing.com/?q=node/9119

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If your holiday gifts included an engagement ring, congratulations. Now it’s time to get to work.

There’s a wedding to plan, a dress to buy and countless details to attend to.

We’re here to help with online guides to dress shops, venues and more.

Go to www.courierpostonline.com/attractions and search “bridal shops” for local stores and contact info. You’ll also get leads on where to find dresses for members of the wedding party.

Search “reception sites” for more than 80 venues in South Jersey and Philly, from traditional halls to unconventional places such as the Philadelphia Zoo and the Spirit of Philadelphia cruise line.

And check our calendar at www.courierpostonline.com/events and search the keyword “bridal” for a list of upcoming bridal shows where you can discover the latest fashions, see vendor exhibits and win prizes.

Article source: http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20101227/NEWS/12270337/Hey-brides-Borrow-our-wedding-resource-guides