Chris du Toit

Six reasons iPad is a productivity tool

Written on Aug 20, 2010 by cdutoit in Random

Six reasons iPad is a productivity tool
http://blogs.computerworld.com/16776/six_reasons_ipad_is_a_productivity_tool

There’s a lot of folks who say the iPad isn’t proper competition for netbooks because it isn’t a ‘productivity tool’. They’re all wrong. Take the visual arts, for example, and you’ll find a growing army of examples of artists using the Apple device to create stunning pieces of art, here’s six stories to illustrate this. Clearly this illustrates why netbook sales have cramped up and why Apple’s iPad is such a success, because it unlocks imagination for users, developers, old and new media.

(via Instapaper)

I have to say that I am also using the iPad to maintain numerous websites and blogs. This post for example was sent from my iPad.

Some of the ways I use my iPad are:

1. Keep up to date on industry news (not productivity, but very convenient)

2. Brainstorming and mindmapping ideas

3. Taking notes at meetings which automatically sync to my desktop computer.

4. Managing projects

5. Sketching ideas for websites and layouts for staff and outsourcers

6. Updating multiple websites and blogs.

7. Working with documents and spreadsheets while away from the iMac. Documents are stored on Google Docs or in Dropbox.

I am even more productive now that I have the iPad compared to using a normal laptop because it is more convenient and portable with excellent battery life.

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Three Ways to Create a Better Performing Website (Using One Sneaky Tactic)

Written on Aug 2, 2010 by cdutoit in Random

Three Ways to Create a Better Performing Website (Using One Sneaky Tactic)
http://www.seomoz.org/blog/create-a-better-performing-website-using-one-sneaky-tactic

In case you’ve not come across the concept before, it’s probably best exemplified by the site Start Panic – just hit the ‘Let’s start!’ button to watch it trawl through your browser history, and start listing sites that even you forgot you’d visited.

StartPanic uses Javascript to do the dirty work, but it’s also possible to do this completely using CSS, and without Javascript. (There’s advice about implementing the technical side of this in a popular post by Niall Kennedy.)

I wanted to show how you can use this to help your website perform better – let’s begin with the least controversial, and work on from there

(via Instapaper)

Great ideas when thinking outside the box. Just shows you how advanced internet marketing can be and what is possible.

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American Express Study Finds Consumers Seek Out Negative Opinions

Written on Jul 30, 2010 by cdutoit in Random

American Express Study Finds Consumers Seek Out Negative Opinions
http://www.revenews.com/barrysilverstein/american-express-study-finds-consumers-seek-out-negative-opinions/

The good news is that, contrary to a commonly held belief, customers will talk more about a positive experience with a company than a negative one. Three-quarters of respondents said they are very likely to speak positively about a company after a good service experience, while 59 percent said they are very likely to speak negatively about a company after poor service.
But here’s the bad news companies need to consider: nearly half (48 percent) of respondents report always or often using an online posting or blog to get others’ opinions about a company’s customer service reputation. What are they looking for? Negative opinions.
According to American Express’ survey over half of respondents (57 percent) say they believe more in negative reviews than positive ones on blogs, and 48 percent believe more in negative reviews on social networking sites. Jim Bush, Executive Vice President, World Service for American Express, explains:

(via Instapaper)

I personally search for any negative reviews – bad service, missing orders, etc – before ordering from a company for the first time. I know many of the positive reviews might be true but then again so many affiliates will write positive reviews just to get the sale.

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Affiliates Indicted For Cookie Stuffing

Written on Jul 30, 2010 by cdutoit in Random

Affiliates Indicted For Cookie Stuffing
http://www.revenews.com/kelliestevens/affiliates-indicted-for-cookie-stuffing/

Hogan and Dunning face serious repercussions if found guilty of the charges handed down by the grand jury. This is in addition to a pending civil suit which potentially carries stiff penalties of its own.
Regardless of the innocence or guilt of Hogan and Dunning, the fact that the U.S. Attorney deems cookie stuffing criminal should be a wake-up call for our industry.
As Linda Buquet stated when she first talked about the case, “For the blackhatters out there that say, ‘cookie stuffing isn’t illegal and all is fair in love and affiliate marketing’ – I say you better take a very close look at this case!”

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Marketing Analytics: SA companies must shape up

Written on Jul 29, 2010 by cdutoit in Random

An interesting article about web analytics and the importance thereof. I can personally say that implementing and learning how to analyze web stats has made a Huge difference in my business.

Marketing Analytics: SA companies must shape up
http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/16/50512.html

Web analytics, the process of measuring, collecting and analysing Web site data in order to improve a site’s performance, dissects an organisations’ online and offline marketing activities to provide valuable insight into their customer base (and potential customers), which truly translates into tangible business earnings. However, Google Analytics, the defacto free analytics tool today, and other players such as SiteCatalyst and Truviso, are not being used extensively enough in South Africa. While the practice of analytics is nothing new with local companies who have been making their living online for several years now, sectors such as retail, where an online presence may be perceived as secondary to the offline store, there is still much upskilling to be done. In fact, in our experience, many South African companies have not been in a rush to embrace analytics as part of their marketing strategy, and many of them may be losing out of valuable business opportunities as a result.

(via Instapaper)

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New website theme

Written on Jul 26, 2010 by cdutoit in Internet Marketing, Random

I’ve just installed a new template on my website and so far I’m very impressed. I know the site still needs some work, but apart from that this is a truly customizable theme where you can change colors, fonts, graphics etc all with an online visual editor. Apart from the design it also includes what they call “hooks” where you can place html or php in any part of the site (below each post, in the footer of all pages, etc) which is great. Anyways, for anyone interested the theme is called Headway. I bought a developer license to be able to use the template on all my sites. I’ll be testing it on a couple of my other websites and will post an update on my findings.

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Wake up to an Apple planet, PC world

Written on Jul 26, 2010 by cdutoit in Random

Wake up to an Apple planet, PC world
http://blogs.computerworld.com/16593/wake_up_to_an_apple_planet_pc_world

Driven by the iPad and iPhone, Apple is the world’s leading personal computer maker — but this isn’t reflected in so-called market share studies from the likes of Gartner or IDC.

An outrageous claim? It isn’t. It is a statement of fact.

This is because at present neither Gartner nor IDC include iPad sales within their PC data calculations — even though they will include figures detailing netbook sales.

They’ve decided — at least for the time being — that Apple’s tablet doesn’t qualify as a netbook, even though many of us acquiring an iPad are doing so in order to use it as a netbook.

Indeed, that’s precisely why some corporate and business users are opting for iPad.

…

That truth is that Apple leads the PC industry, delivering quarter after quarter of Mac marketshare growth for the last 13 straight quarters. iPhone has set the standard for what a smartphone should be, and iPad has eaten the netbook market.
With cloud computing — the real thing — just around the corner, then devices such as an iPhone are peers to any desktop,when apps and files are held in the cloud.
This is the new PC world. And it is an Apple planet.
Get used to it.

(via Instapaper)

Some interesting reading about the current status of the PC and Apple market share. I do agree that the ipad should be included if netbooks are. I for one actually got an ipad to replace a full Macbook Pro. In fact, I now use the iPad even more than I used my Macbook because of battery life and portability.

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Keep Flying Video

Written on Jul 26, 2010 by cdutoit in Random

via youtube.com

This PSA forms part of the ‘Keep Flying’ non-profit campaign launched by DraftFCB South Africa. Studies have shown that all previous host nations of the soccer World Cup have gone through a post cup depression. Keep Flying encourages South Africans to continue celebrating themselves and to keep up the momentum gained from positivism during the 2010 World Cup. Prior World Cup time the country was rife with poitical turmoil and threats of xenophobia – the World Cup united us.

AirFilms wanted to shoot a PSA with a sense of realism and truthfulness. Meet Alfred Tshibalanganda, 83, from Soweto who has been collecting laundry and dropping it off at his local laundromat for the past 50+ years with this same old bicycle. Still in good health, Alfred says: ‘My bicycle is my doctor’.

Everything was filmed in natural light. A real man, his real bicycle and in his own wardrobe bar the hat and shoes that we provided. We chose to film at locations that carried the tensions of our Nation’s past, present and future. Constitution Hill and the Nelson Mandela Bridge were perfect.

Thanks to everyone who helped make this possible.

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Google Now Displays Complete Backlink Data For Your Website

Written on Jul 24, 2010 by cdutoit in Random

Google Now Displays Complete Backlink Data For Your Website
http://www.dailyblogtips.com/google-now-displays-complete-backlink-data-for-your-website/

There is a big change in the Google Webmaster Tools. Historically Google only showed a sample of your backlinks (i.e., 10% or less), so webmasters had no way to know how many backlinks their websites had according to Google.
People argued that this was a measure to prevent people from trying to reverse engineer Google’s search algorithm.
I was reading Search Engine Journal yesterday, however, and I discovered that Google just changed this feature. If you log into your Webmaster Tools account now, under the “Site Analysis” and “Links to your site” section you’ll find the complete backlink data for your website.

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Apple’s iPad Is Going To Destroy The Netbook Market, Says Goldman

Written on Jul 22, 2010 by cdutoit in Random

Apple’s iPad Is Going To Destroy The Netbook Market, Says Goldman (Sorry, Microsoft)

Remember a year ago, when netbooks were the fastest growing segment of the PC market?
Not anymore.
And not ever again, as far as Goldman Sachs is concerned.
Because Apple’s iPad is going to wipe the netbook market out, says Goldman. (Sorry about that, Microsoft. Netbooks were a headache for you, too, because of the lower software price-points and Linux threat, but now even those low price points are going to zero).
Goldman offers a bunch of touchy-feely reasons why iPads are so revolutionary, cleverely packaged into 5 C’s:

http://www.businessinsider.com/apples-ipad-is-going-to-destroy-the-netbook-market-says-goldman-sorry-microsoft-2010-7

(via Instapaper)

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