Tuesday, August 31, 2010

TwitterPeek: Special Gadgets for Twitter

Not content with such steady client Twittter UberTwitter in BlackBerry, Seesmic in Machine, Gravity at Nokia? The pioneer time produced unusual gadgets with Peep to create this Tweet-Holic having movable strategy entitled TwitterPeek. Of course this doohickey could not be worn for telephone, SMS, e-mail, browsing, melody or anything other than tuit tuit.

Reading this expedient uses Wi-Fi wireless connection and do not buttress this GSM. So, could surely not somewhat efficient whether marketed in Indonesia. Employing his country, Uncle Sam, these menggaransikan "Usable throughout the U.S. with a plump Nationwide wireless coverage."

What unfailing than TwitterPeek compared having smartphone policy with Tweet client application are that that TwitterPeek always on lacking being forced to refresh control.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Lenovo Develop Video Games Console

Lenovo are currently completing the development of their capture amusement console called the "eBox '. The console is part of the company's labors to develop their goods types.

"Lenovo setup a company named Beijing eedoo Technology will manage a development because of the entertainment console, eBox," said Jay Chen, a spokesman targeted Lenovo, because quoted from the Barrage Boulevard Journal, Monday, Noble 30, 2010.

Console, according to Chen, originally urbanized internally by Lenovo. "The company formed a squad to create a prototype of an console, after it separates into a split party, ahead this month," Chen said.

Though no auxiliary niceties about the fresh contest consoles made by Lenovo, a eBox Chen says that the prototype has a similar beckon based check technology owned by Microsoft Kinect platform.

In addition, Chen said, eBox is usual to circulate in China in overdue 2010 ahead of advertise company in other countries. Therefore, the possibility as in eBox would be classified lets Cork 'n' Play, not a house game console which is a prohibited crest in Cups.

Nokia and Intel Create 3D Hologram Mobile

Slowly yet indeed, Intel and in many cases Nokia are currently preparing a young breakthrough into the mobile everyone.

Both big companies are running considering the University as in Oulu Finland, had opened a combined laboratory facilities to arrange a technology that can carry experience of virtual truth back into the handset.

Examine shall employ the open obtain operating trading system platform MeeGoo, Intel and so Nokia, launched last February. The main objective could be to increase a border as in 3 dimensional (3D) combined with virtual realism displays on existing technology, and even probable development as in 3D holographic imagery for smart phones.

With this technology, a telephone will be capable of transmitting 3D holographic aura set by the role who was chatting regarding the headset, which has just happened in science fiction films.

"3D or virtual worlds important budding in revolutionize the way people employ movable phones," said Mike jingle, Strategic Alliances together with Partnerships Director, Nokia, told Computerworld website.

One of the early programs to be developed, is really a mobile virtual direction panel with curb light beat and also heating at home.

According to Heikki Huomo, chief of the Interior for Online Excellence, University as in Oulu Finland, that paper is not intended to create a 3D experience that can only be enjoyed by the elite glasses, because the handset test will not gather the natural precondition which owned a large 3D guard.

Another possibility as in this application, according Huomo, design common networks in a virtual everyone for portable phones that use GPS in addition to scene information as in users. "That will be the 'killer app' or at least is known as a victory," said Heikki Huomo.

This particular research interior will be supported by about two dozen researchers who will work at slightest for 36 months for this plan brewing.

Chief of Intel Lab Europe, Martin Curley testified that this focus of my research can be development as in approachable resource software which shall complement Intel's chips besutan.

According to Jack Gold, principal analyst at J. Gold Associates, a study nucleus is an early opportunity for Nokia and in addition Intel with refurbish an working structure MeeGo.

3D might become such an material requirement for your movable stratagem sized width, like dosage computers, or at slightest smart headset.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

It Turns Out There Are Already GPS Since 1920

This use as in GPS has become a trend around the world, so it is challenging to imagine a globe without this little satellite navigation digenggaman. nevertheless do you meaningful but if it turns out that the existent GPS on Around the change with all the twentieth century, when the road map are still in its early stages, and then roads also developing a new line using so rapid.

That product comes that come from the 1920s is known as a navigator who was given the give with all the Roll-map Routefinder. This particular navigation tool is made having little guidance or do-it-yourselfers must play a scroll wheel in manually map to see the road we will go through whereas driving.

This GPS is often a relic of a typical past which is a British goods that cost about 5 pounds at the time, or about 50 pounds ($ 75) today (after adjusting targeted inflation). there exists two kinds of GPS that are created at that time this Plus Four Wristlet Route Indicator and as well Roll Up Device Map, but yet at dr agatston core functions and therefore find out how to employ similarly.

Map and also apparently Roll Up Device used in many situations. They are usually utilised for motorcycle racing rally. motorists are still using forex trade commonly called "roll chart" or "roadbooks" targeted navigation, not to mention often employ it in addition to GPS. Major modern group undoubtedly utilised for the Dakar Rally. Button relating to the handle to move the chart roll back and as well forth, while LED backlighting helps navigation at night.

World Positioning System (GPS) is the only satellite navigation system are functioning properly. My group uses 24 satellites which transmit microwave shows in Earth. That signal is received by a receiver for the surface, in addition to is used to determine position, velocity, direction and so time. Similar to this GPS trading system that among other things this Russian GLONASS, Galileo European Union, India IRNSS.

This particular trading system was developed by the Canada Department as in Defense, together with his full title are NAVSTAR GPS (similar mistake would likely NAVSTAR is an acronym, this is often wrong, NAVSTAR is a give given by John Walsh, an essential policy makers covered in the GPS program). [1] Reading this collection as in satellites maintained by the 50th Space Wing United States Air Force. This group maintenance costs as in about U.S. $ 750 million per year, [2] among other things a replacement of old satellites, and research in addition to development.

GPS Tracker or categorised as a GPS Tracking is known as a technology AVL (Automated Vehicle Locater) that allows users to track the position inside vehicle, or fleet auto covered in the state as in Real-Time. GPS Tracking utilizing a combination of GSM also GPS technology to determine a coordinates of an object, and then translate it available as digital maps.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Displaying a gadget only on static pages - or on everything except static pages

This article is about how to set up a gadget / widget in Blogger so that it is only visible on the "static" pages in your blog.

Note: in Blogger, the words "gadget", "widget", and even "page-element" all mean the same thing - basically a bit of code that can be put into your blog without looking like code, and which does a specific thing.

I generally use "gadget", because the Page Elements tab currently says "Add a Gadget". But they're absolutely the same.

Making a gadget that only shows on static pages:

1 Make the gadget
Do this in the usual way, using Design > Page Elements > Add a gagdet.

2 Drag-and-drop the gadget to the place where you want it.
A popular place for a gadget that is going to look like a "home page" is in the Body section, just above the Blog Posts gadget, where "Test Gadget" is in this example:

3 Edit the Gadget again

Don't make any changes to it - just maximise the window, so you can see the WidgetID, which is at the very end of the address bar at the top.

Make a note of the value. (In this example, it's Text1).

4 Find the code for your gadget and edit the template:

Edit your template (Design > Edit HTML)

Download a copy of the template, and put it somewhere safe.

Use your browser's text search tool (Edit / Find in Firefox) to look for the widget name that you noted in step 3. Notice what comes after it. In this example, it's the line for Blog1:

<b:section class='main' id='main' showaddelement='no'>
<b:widget id='Text1' locked='false' title='Test gadget' type='Text'/>
<b:widget id='Blog1' locked='true' title='Blog Posts' type='Blog'/>

Click the Expand Widget Templates checkbox (so it's turned on)

After the expanded template has downloaded, find the widget name again. This time it will look a bit longer (the exact details depend on what type of widget/gadget it is.)

<b:section class='main' id='main' showaddelement='no'>
<b:widget id='Text1' locked='false' title='Test gadget' type='Text'>
<b:includable id='main'>

<b:if cond='data:title != ""'>
<h2 class='title'><data:title/></h2>
</b:if>
<div class='widget-content'>
<data:content/>
</div>

<b:include name='quickedit'/>
</b:includable>
</b:widget>
<b:widget id='Blog1' locked='true' title='Blog Posts' type='Blog'>

5 Add conditional formatting:
You need to put conditional formatting code around the code for the gadget - makings sure that it doesn't go around the code for anything else! (which is why you noted what comes afterwards in step 4)

The code to use is:

<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "static_page"'>

THE CODE FOR YOUR GADGET GOES IN HERE

</b:if>

The example above looks like this, when the code has been added:

<b:section class='main' id='main' showaddelement='no'>
<b:widget id='Text1' locked='false' title='Test gadget' type='Text'>
<b:includable id='main'>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "static_page"'> 
<b:if cond='data:title != ""'>
    <h2 class='title'><data:title/></h2>
</b:if>
<div class='widget-content'>
    <data:content/>
</div>

<b:include name='quickedit'/>
</b:if></b:includable>
</b:widget>
<b:widget id='Blog1' locked='true' title='Blog Posts' type='Blog'>

ALTERNATIVE:
If you want the gadget to appear on every page except static pages, use is

<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType != "static_page"'>

THE CODE FOR YOUR GADGET GOES IN HERE

</b:if>

See the slight difference: != instead of ==

NOTE:
Copy and paste is the best way to transfer the code. If you must type it in yourself, be very careful about what's a single quote mark and what's a double quote mark.

6 Check that it's worked
Preview your blog before you save the changes: check that the the widget is visible.

Save the template changes, and look at your blog. Check that

The widget is, or is not, on static pages (depending on what option you chose)
The other elements of your blog (other widgets, blog post titles, dates and contents) are all as you expect them - on the first screen, and on other screens too.

If anything is wrong with how your blog is working, go back to the template editor (Design > Edit HTML), and upload from the copy of your template that you made at the beginning of step 1. This will let your blog work properly, while you figure out what went wrong.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Advanced Protection Digital Deadbolt Lock

These say that a man’s home is his castle, so why not provide the fortress with this Advanced Protection Digital Deadbolt Lock with show the world that you’re a real tech geek? That $279.99 gadget might sound rather pricey, yet think about the peace of mind which it affords do-it-yourselfers – at least up towards certain degree, of course.

This is a pickproof protection for your humble abode, where it is capable of withstanding a slew of picking attempts from unsavory characters. If you happen to live in a home where other denizens within have a penchant as in forgetting their home keys, no worries, equip them with a passcode instead.

Tag Keys which are also an alternative in winning entry makes life easier, not to mention are usually deleted that come from the trading system in a jiffy or rendered useless but if one are lost or stolen. Not only that, this auto-lock function may also assist out others who are prone with forgetfulness, or may well deactivated as well recently in case one in fact forgets a passcode and their keys.

People could install it on just about each standard door with a simple Phillips screwdriver, so no worries about tearing out a fresh hole in a wall recently targeted wiring.

Advanced Protection Digital Deadbolt Lock

Now Google with VoIP Telephone

Google then entered the service area of voice over internet protocol (VoIP) to provide calling features to the world through your Gmail account customers.

Through Gmail, the user can call traditional phone numbers anywhere, at the same time receive phone calls Google Voice in the number concerned.

"This is a good breakthrough. Because, Gmail users can now call directly through their Gmail page," said Craig Walker, Product Manager for Real-Time Communication, Google, as quoted from the BBC website.

Unfortunately, until now a new Gmail customer that comes from the U.S. and Canada only can enjoy this service. During this year, the U.S. and Canada Gmail users can call a local number for free.

U.S. Gmail users a call to England, France, China and Germany will be charged a fee of U.S. $ 2 cents per minute. While from a phone call from U.S. to home in Jakarta will be charged a fee of U.S. $ 3 cents. However, calls to mobile numbers in Indonesia will be more expensive, ie U.S. $ 11 cents.

This feature appears in the chat window on the left page of Gmail. An option 'Call Phone' will appear right under our name, which then will bring up a virtual phone keypad to enter a destination phone number you want.

For now, this feature will not be found in the Google Apps mobile application. However, Google is estimated to be expanding in the near future.

Google's move is certainly threaten Skype, VoIP service provider company, with 560 million subscribers and 124 million active users each month. Moreover, the end of this year, Skype plans to soon conduct an initial public offering (IPO) to the public.

Google did not launch how many digits must be Gmail users. To CNet, Gmail product manager Todd Jackson said simply, there are hundreds of millions of Gmail users worldwide. VoIP feature itself has been developed by Google after the company acquired Gizmo5 VoIP, in November last.

To market this new service, Google also is conducting discussions with various parties involved plan to provide VoIP telephone common on college campuses and airports, to provide local communications for free.

Speedup Router Viewfinder Tablet PC Users

MLW Telecom, a provider of broadband Internet and in addition mobile devices, the Online, has arrived later than 3.75G broadband router.

The latest goods released together with Telkomsel, namely MW100 Speedup Router/Wireless Get their hands on Point. Using Qualcomm chipsets may HSDPA connectivity products might provide speeds as in up in 5.76 Mbps uplink then downlink up with 7.2 Mbit/s

However, for this time, MLW Telecom did not shoot a laptop or desktop PC users.

According to the Director as in Goods Marketing speedup, speedup searching Widjaja Rahmad Sakti segments MW100 is a priority targeted mobile devices, not 3G, although still used for PCs.

"Presently a lot of gadgets, a connectivity are still limited, but yet need only supports 3G and as well Wi-Fi (wireless), Rahman said.

Do-it-yourselfers name it, he said, not iPAD (Wi-Fi), iPod Touch, Sony PSP portable Tablet PCs, 3G mobile phones and thus mobile devices are mobile.

"Nowadays, a trend growth as in mobile devices for similar iPAD. Well, let's go there and so the needs that belong to the marketplace. Users can employ the 3G router Speedup MW100 MyWifi excluding that the Wi-Fi access," he said.

Just to note that the router MyWifi is priced MW100 speedup on the price as in IDR 1, 2.000.000 . You can use up in five devices simultaneously, this router offers a 54 Mbit/s WLAN IEEE 802.11 b/g

"Could be sold that year our target as in seven million units using SingTel," said Rahman.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Apple Ready to Launch iMac Touch Screen

iMac Touch Screen Scheme

If some countries are still waiting over on the iPAD, including Indonesia, the new innovations of Apple Inc. have the meaning of the iMac. This is revealed on Apple patents site, which was published on Monday (8/23/2010) yesterday.

Imagine to be on the iMac desktop and a few minutes iPAD "may Giant". Apple plans to unveil the mystery may finally OSX share side by side with the IOS on a Mac

There are many applications in the work of Apple suitable for devices based on a tactile (touch) or conventional mouse or keyboard. Therefore, the possibility of some devices will be based on contact, as well as conventional birth.

Well, the touch iMac when the iMac is vertical, of course, like the iMac, keyboard and mouse have not yet been used and developed operating system OS X. Now if you as a contact based iPAD, the iMac screen to be tilted so easy to play, as the iPAD. In this position, the operating system that runs the IOS. Honestly, it automatically changes the operating system.

Helping Consumers Choose Cell Phone Accessories

Sony Ericsson Accessories

Sonny Ericsson has its accessories portfolio grouping them to speak in four categories, extras, and the new title of each class to play hear announced and go. The division is based on four categories of clear information for consumers and helps them make the right decisions at the point of sale.

"There are four categories for the equipment, that is, speak, play, go and listen. So if they want (see the buyer) something that fall into this category. These allow customers to choose products," said Rachmat Akbar Sonny Ericsson Product Business Manager.

He explained the Category talk offers the user the freedom to talk anywhere, talked with the use of products with Bluetooth or wired headset. Play category, the funniest things change, the listener into a product that is a new experience for buyers, the gadgets such as this one.

Listen classes: Media Player, play their favorite songs or videos anywhere with Bluetooth speaker, headphones and speakers snap-on. Category Go, a solution in all cases, transfer, store, or anything that came with this accessory.

"We want consumers to get the full potential of experience in dealing with their phones. Sonny Ericsson extras you can find the appropriate accessories according to the needs of consumers," said Satria Djunadi, Sonny Ericsson Chief Marketing Indonesia. The categorization of these accessories and can be seen in www.sonyericsson.com/extras.

Helping Consumers Choose Cell Phone Accessories

Sony Ericsson Accessories

Quran Mobile Phone Qwerty Plus

Ramadan is not only full of blessing for the Muslims but also for the telecommunications industry. After all operators to offer HANPA value-added solutions and services to Islamic issues, it is clear that there are still full of ideas again. A Tri by local suppliers who have offered a mobile phone, telematics Solusindo PT Raztel how your group.

Featured on this phone offers Islamic applications. Among other things, the complete Holy Quran (30 volumes and 114 points), determine, Hadith, Tafseer, translation in the Indonesian language, the direction of Qibla, and the alarm will sound when the time comes for prayer. Tri SIM Tri Super hands with a bonus of 30,000 rupees - any mobile device. Use of this impulse is the consumers who want to hold a meeting given.

Raztel Pemaian's new in the local telephony. However, these companies, is several types of mobile sets, is also preparing a variety of content, including the demands of the Muslims. Call Hajj Umrah reading and prayer, daily prayers, instructions Sunnah prayers, Ramadan sermon, not behind Islamic wallpapers and ringtones. Raztel even received permission from the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

M850-series self Raztel phone on the market sold for 999,000 rupees - that relationship, as well as adding variety to Cell Phone Tri-band offered by CSL (blueberry), IMO, and many others.

Emulate the iPhone, Dell Launches Aero

Aero Product by Dell

Computer maker Dell Inc., Apple Inc. officially competes in the smartphone. The reason Dell has officially launched its first smart phone or smart phone called Aero started.

Aero size of 3.5 inches with the Android operating system. In the U.S., the Aero will be bundled with AT & T network for a two-year contract. They cost $ 99.99 U.S... Meanwhile, for those who are not bound by a contract with AT & T, the price of U.S. $ 299.99 per unit.

Dell Aero presents a product of the lightest Smartphone. In addition, the Aero is also developed using the Flash software from Adobe Systems. This differs from Apple's iPhone, to refuse to use Flash.

As you know, the worldwide smartphone market grew by 36 percent to 247 million units this year from 182 million units last year.

The plan, launched Tablet PCs Dell's five inches in size is called Streak. The tablet computers and the Android and the use of AT & T. The start of the IPAD Bay rival Apple.

Emulate the iPhone, Dell Launches Aero

Aero Product by Dell

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Adding a Tweet button to your Blog

This article is about Twitter's tweet-this button, and how you can use it to let your readers tweet your posts.

It's aimed at Google Blogger users, but most of it applies to other blogging (eg Wordpress, TypePad, etc) and website tools.

Background

Often bloggers want to give readers a tool to share the blog-post that they are reading via Twitter, on the readers own Twitter account.   I call this way of linking your blog to the social networking sites "Look what s/he said" (ref: Linking your Blog and the Social Networks).

Your readers could just copy-and-paste a hyperlink to your page, but it's clunky: they have to start up Twitter, themselves, and some won't know that Twitter automatically shortens links.

There are various 3rd-party widgets to put a "twitter-ish" icon on your blog, set up so that when a reader clicks it, the current page it is automatically tweeted.   But I've explained before why I don't like third party gadgets for Facebook, from both a security and maintainability point-of-view, and the same reasons apply to Twitter.

Google have social-media buttons which can be shown at the bottom of each post.   They're an improvement on the 3rd party gadgets, but I don't like the way they look, and the lack of options to customize them, so I usually turn off.

A better approach: Twitter's official Tweet button
Twitter now offer a share button on their resources page. (You don't need to be logged in to twitter - or even have a Twitter account yourself - to use it.)

This lets you customise the layout and (optionally) suggest two Twitter accounts that your readers might like to follow in future. You install HTML code provided anywhere in your blog (etc).

You can see an example of this gadget at the top and bottom of this article, in my custom social sharing bar.

Follow these steps install a Tweet button on your Blog as a gadget:

1 Go to the Twitter resources page.
(You don't have to be logged in to Twitter to do this - in fact, you don't even have to have a Twitter account.)

2 Select Tweet Button

3 Set the options you want. Currently there are separate (horiztontal) tabs for

Counter: none, horizontal or vertical.

Tweet-text: either the title of the page the gadget is on (by default) or some other text that you enter.

URL: The page that the button is on, or some other URL that you enter.
Important: If you want readers to tweet about individual posts, not your whole blog, then put some text that you will find and change later (eg FIX-UP-URL) here. See the section below about Twittering Posts vs your Whole Blog for more information about this.

Language: the language that the button is in on your website

4 Recommend people (Twitter accounts) to follow - if you enter a Twitter account here, then it will be suggested to readers who click on your gadget. You can suggest up to two accounts. If you are logged in to Twitter when you make this gadget, then your account will be automatically filled in here, but you can change it.

5 Preview your button (don't click anything, just check it out in the bottom left of the window - notice that it tells you the size, in pixels, of the button you've selected)

6 Copy the HTML from the box.

7 Go to Blogger, and add the HTML to your blog, using one of the standard options for adding externally-sourced HTML to your blog.

Except - if you chosen the post-specific-URL option in step 3, you must

Change: data-url='FIX-UP-URL' to expr:data-url='data:post.url'

and make sure you add the code to a post-specific place in your blog.

8 Save the change and the view your blog. Test the new gadget (does it look right, does the right thing happen when you click it).

Twittering a post vs your whole blog:

If you put a Tweet button into your own blog as a gadget, then what is shared is your whole blog, not the particular Post that is being read.

For example http://blogger-hints-and-tips.blogspot.com (this blog)

instead of http://blogger-hints-and-tips.blogspot.com/2010/04/tools-for-linking-blogger-and-social.html (a post)

But if you want your readers to tweet individual posts, you need the Tweet-button to appear with EVERY post. This is because some screens show multiple Posts, and unless the button is linked to a specific post it doesn't have a specific URL to share. Unfortunately it's true even if you have your blog set up so that only one Post shows at a time. It is a bit harder than adding it as a gadget, because you need to edit your template and put the code into a post specific location. This article explains the options for locations that are inside posts, and where to put the code.

What your readers see

When a reader clicks the NUMBER in your Tweet gadget:

They are taken to a screen showing the results of searching for your post/blog in Twitter: if other people have Tweeted the same post, they will be able to see who tweeted it, and what replies were generated.

When a reader clicks the BUTTON in your Tweet gadget:

They'll be asked to log in to Twitter, unless they're already logged in.

Then they see a window where they can

see the shortened link and text that they're going to be sharing, and
change it, and
choose whether to follow the recommended Twitter account(s)

The shortened link is to either the page that they were viewing when they clicked the button, or another URL (if you chose Custom URL when you were setting up the gadget). The text is the title of the post, or some other text if you entered some when you were settin gup the gadget.

Both the text and the shortened-URL can be changed by the reader before they share the Tweet.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Mitsubishi L200 Triton 2011

Existem carros cujo estilo foi tão bem feito que parecem capazes de superar uma década sem precisar de nenhum retoque. O melhor indicador para esse tipo de necessidade, no entanto, é o próprio passar do tempo, mas ainda que existam certas regras sobre quais tipos de desenho tendem a durar mais e menos, a Triton realmente ainda mostra fôlego de sobra. Sua linha 2011 recebeu uma mínima mudança de estilo, mas preservou tanto o excelente pacote de equipamentos como as opções de motor, e parte de R$ 101.990.

As mudanças de estilo dessa linha se restringiram à dianteira, que ganhou nova moldura de farois de neblina e alterações nos farois principais e grade. Retoques pontuais que melhoraram um visual já muito caprichado, que fez uma aposta muito feliz nos contornos arredondados: normalmente esse estilo é mais usado nos carros urbanos por trazer ideia de suavidade e certa delicadeza, valores opostos ao que se espera para um modelo off-road. Porém, o que se vê na L200 é um aspecto tão robusto quanto o das rivais Toyota Hilux e Nissan Frontier mas com um enfoque inédito, abusando de contornos de forma e tamanho muito bem-trabalhados que colaboram para causar uma impressão futurista muito boa.

A cabine reflete a atitude do desenho exterior, trazendo um ambiente esportivo mas que não deixa o requinte de lado ao apostar em detalhes como o revestimento em dois tons. A sua novidade mais interessante é uma touchscreen de 7” que comanda o sistema de som multimídia com DVD e GPS. Esses itens só se somam a um interessante pacote que já inclui freios com ABS e EBD, airbag duplo, ar-condicionado, tração 4x4, rodas de 16” e trio elétrico. Suas opções de motor são 3.5 V6 flex, de 200/205 cv e torque de 31,3/32,3 kgfm de torque (gasolina/álcool), enquanto o 3.2 turbodiesel gera 165 cv e 38,1 kgfm, e pode vir com câmbio manual (R$ 114.990) ou automático (R$ 119.900).

Monday, August 9, 2010

Planning changes to your blog - in private

This article is about how to make major changes to your blog with a minimum of disruption for your readers.

If you are making big changes to your blog (eg switching to a Designer template), then there is likely be to a time-period when your blog looks strange: some of the changes will be done, some won't, and maybe some key features won't look right.

Many people look for a way to re-direct their blog or to display a temporary vacation-notice ("closed for maintenance, come back soon") while they make the changes.

However the only option that Blogger has is making the entire blog private (Settings > Permissions > Blog-authors-only). This isn't really suitable, though, because it just shows prospective readers a standard message saying that the blog cannot be accessed, without explaining why. It may even harm your blog's reputation, if someone influential happens to look at it just at the wrong moment.

Since there is no other work around (except for blogs with a custom-domain - see the last section of this post), Blogger administrators have to plan their changes carefully, and put them in place quickly.

Plan carefully, and make the changes quickly

If you blog has a .blogspot URL, or if you don't like the alternative suggested below, then the only option is to plan your changes very thoroughly so you can minimise the time that your blog is in transition.

The first step in planning is to make a private testing blog that's like the real blog (except perhaps it only has 2-3 dummy posts instead of your real conent).

Work out exactly what changes you need to make, and the exactly details of how to make them. Use the test blog, not your real one, to do all your research, experiments etc.

Keep a list

So you know exactly what changes need to be made.
When I did this recently, I used Excel because I'd used it to find the difference between two template files. But there are many other suitable tools, ranging from the back of an envelope on your desk to a draft post in your blog, or even a full-blown change management system.

Prioritize

Sort the list so that the changes that must happen first are at the top,and the things that aren't so important are at the bottom.

What's important to you may be different from what's important to your readers: when I did changes to my local site, re-installing Google Analytics was the first thing to do after changing the template, because collecting statistics is very important to ME. But if I'd been totally reader-focussed, I'd have done things last, and done all the things that readers see first.

Combine things:

Consider whether some items on the list can be done at almost the same time

Eg if you need to customise the template for several items on the list (eg center the heading, hide the navBar), and all the customisation can be done by entering new CSS rules then these can all be done at the same time.

(These two steps may give conflicting results: but if you prioritise first you'll be able to make good decisions about what's most important.)

Choose a time of day

Choose the best time to make the changes. This could be when your blog has a relatively low number of visitors, or you may use some other criteria.

For a blog that's used by people in my city, I chose 12-midnight when very few people are interested in the topic. But for Blogger-hints-and-tips I chose 9am (local-time for me is Western European time) because most readers are 4-8 hours behind my time zone.

Warn your readers

Some people recommend making a temporary post telling readers that you're making changes and apologising for things looking strange. There are cases when this would be a good idea, but overall I'm not convinced: most of your readers probably won't visit while you're making the changes - except that a post like this going out on your RSS feed might just encourage them to visit now to see the new look. And readers who get to your blog via search and go straight to an older post may not see the post anyway.

Do the changes, quickly

Work fast, but be careful and methodical too: work through your list, and tick off items as you go. If you have an brilliant ideas about what else you could do, resist them at least until you've got your core blog features working correctly with the new look.

An alternative for custom-domain blogs

If your blog is published to a custom domain, you could:

Prepare a temporary "come back tomorrow" message using another tool (eg Google Sites - or even just another blog with only one post)

Switch your main blog back to published on Blog*Spot
(Setting > Publishing > Switch to Blog*spot)

Re-direct your temporary message (site/blog etc) to use the custom domain

Do the changes to your blog

Undo the redirect for your temporary message

Re-publish your blog to the custom domai

Of course this won't work for people who navigate directly to one of your posts instead of going to the blog and itself (eg to http://blogger-hints-and-tips.blogspot.com/2010/07/coverting-ms-word-documents-to-blogger.html instead of http://blogger-hints-and-tips.blogspot.com/) - if you get a lot of visitors from Search, then they probably enter your blog this way.

Also, if things go wrong during the re-direct processes it could take a bit longer than you planned to resolve the registry entry problems. (Things don't usually go wrong, but it may not be worth the risk.)

Switching your blog to use a new Designer template

Making a private blog for testing template changes

Comparing two template files, using Excel

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Kia Picanto 2011

A revolução estilística comandada por Peter Schreyer também afetou ao pequeno Picanto. Antes da nova geração ele recebe um leve face-lift para acompanhar o resto da linha, e acabou mantendo o charme que o caracteriza. E por R$ 34.900 (R$ 39.900 para o automático), ele acaba sendo uma excelente opção frente aos conhecidos Fiat Uno, Chevrolet Celta, Ford Fiesta ou VW Gol.

O desenho não sofreu grandes alterações, na verdade a frente ganhou parachoque e grade novos, e atrás ele ganhou falsas entradas de ar. Seu tamanho compacto contrasta com o extraordinário pacote de itens de série, que inclui ar-condicionado, trio elétrico, direção hidráulica, airbag duplo, sistema de som com MP3 e rodas de liga leve. Tudo isso é empurrado pelo 1.0 de 12 válvulas que produz honestos 64 cv.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Citroën C4 Exclusive Sport

E 2011 acaba de chegar para a linha do C4. O hatchback médio não traz novidades quanto ao visual, mesmo porque suas belas linhas dispensarão isso por um bom tempo, mas ganhou a versão nova, que parte de R$ 60.900.

Não existem quaisquer adereços estéticos seja por dentro ou por fora; o grande atrativo da nova versão está mesmo na linha de equipamentos. De série, a versão traz faróis de xenon direcionais, controles de tração e estabilidade, e sensores de estacionamento dianteiros e traseiros. Tudo isso sempre empurrado pelo motor 2.0 16v flex, de 143/151 cv, mas que pode vir equipado com câmbio manual ou automático.

As outras novidades são para as outras versões do C4. A básica GLX 1.6 16v agora traz rodas de liga leve, faróis de neblina e o perfume da cabine – ícone dos C4 – como itens de série. Enquanto isso, a intermediária GLX 2.0 16v passa a ser a top, já que custa R$ 62 mil e só vem com câmbio automático. Seus novos itens são ar-condicionado dual zone e sensores de chuva e crepuscular, entre outros.