Pseudo Tech Girl

A Silicon Valley Girl Navigating Through the Tech World

Posts Tagged social media

Zoetica iPhone Application Launched Today

Mar 12

Posted by schlegelsteph in Technology, Web2.0 | No Comments

There is no limit to the quantity of iPhone apps out there. From apps that make silly noises to apps that calculate your tip on a dinner out, the selection is almost limitless. A new app, Zoetica, launched today offers a solution for those interested in the nonprofit world (an interest of mine). The Zoetica iPhone app aggregated nonprofit tech and social change blog posts, making sure the content is at your fingertips at all times. Continuing with the nonprofit theme, the application is free of cost in the iTunes store.

What makes Zoetica different than other news aggregators is that Beth Kanter, Social Media and Nonprofit expert, hand selects the blog feeds that are ultimately aggregated into the app, ensuring the user will receive the most relevant information in the space. The app was created through a partnership with AppMakr and is in itself an example of the possible use of such a tool for nonprofits. The service makes app development possible for groups with limited budgets and limited tech skills, something many nonprofits can use. AppMakr offers different price points that allow for almost any marketing budget to include an app in the plan.

For more information about the application as well as possible uses for nonprofits, please visit Beth Kanter’s blog

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Chatroulette! Randomized Connections Online

Mar 5

Posted by schlegelsteph in Technology, Web2.0 | No Comments

Social Media has allowed for average people to connect with other people all over the world. The majority of those connections are with friends, family, colleagues or acquaintances on Twitter, Facebook and the other popular social networks. Especially with Twitter allowing anyone to follow your stream, the random connections are unavoidable but usually based on something like a comment about a similar interest.

In comes Chatroulette! to truly randomize connections. The site has been covered in excess since it’s launch as a breeding ground for flashers but with some filters and focus it can be a great access point for connections. Although I’m too scared to actually try it out (random nudity is not my thing), the process to play the game is simple. All you need is a webcam and internet and you’re good to go. There are no filters, search terms or common interest just raw, random connection.

This concept is exciting and intriguing because it is fundamentally dangerous. That danger attracts a certain audience for at least a one time visit but to keep people interested and coming back, it will require the option of filtering. For example, today I might want to talk about Fashion and Style, I would be much more likely to jump onto the site if I knew it was likely I would connect with someone wanting to discuss the same topic. With those filters, Chatroulette could become a site with staying power rather than a passing trend.

Here is a video, no nudity included, showcasing the fun nature of the tool.

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11/20/08: Social Studies: The “Awesome” List

Nov 20

Posted by schlegelsteph in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

An almost weekly rundown of social media trends/stories

1.One Billion Tweets Later: GigaTweet has been keeping track of the tweets that we all have shared back and forth and it appears that the One Billion Mark has been passed on November 12th. If you check out the GigaTweet site, you’ll be amazed with how quickly the counter continued to grow. Current count:

2.Old media meets new media: Gabriel Madway of Reuters published an article “Tech firms turn to social media to reach consumers” on November 18th noting the trend of tech firms to utilize social media. Why this less than surprising trend? A lot has to do with the ability to reach customers on a relationship level but another big factor is the economy. With economic crisis looming, companies are looking for ways to get the most “bang for their buck” and social media has become the way to do that while building authenticity. Social media does require that companies give up a level of control in exchange for that authenticity, so it’s not right for everyone.

3.What is Social Media? With all this talk about social media, you think we would all know what it is. The word is really a blanket term since social media is rarely media at all. Yes, we all use Twitter to follow different media targets and outlets but it’s a stretch to refer to what social media is as “media”. According to Mark Hopkins of Mashable, media is referring to the message while the word in front of media is the method which it is delivered. Old, new or social, the message is still the same. For more on this discussion, be sure to check out Mark’s full article “Just What is Social Media?”.

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