Surfing around on Google Wave today

I'm just one day into my own exploration of Google Wave after getting my invite.

So very happy to have both these assessment round-ups arrive in the inbox to get wider expert opinions and feedback.

What Users Like/Dislike About Google Wave [DATA] http://mashable.com/2009/11/27/wave-feedback/

Why Google Wave Sucks, And Why You Will Use It Anyway

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/11/26/why-google-wave-sucks/

Now to find my way around the beta site and make the most of my early inclusion among the fortunate few, make my own initial conclusions and experiments.

What goes up must also plateau awhile?

Blogging Vs. Microblogging: Twitter’s Global Growth Flattens, While WordPress’ Picks Up

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/11/24/twitter-wordpress-blogging-vs-microblogging/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+Techcrunch+(TechCrunch)

Sensationalism and a doomsday premise always sells in a pithy headline. I'm more in sync. with this Techcrunch blogger on his sign-off words:

"So is blogging back, while microblogging is on the skids? A one-month spike in the popularity of blogs doesn’t tell you much of anything, but in any case it’s the wrong question. Blogging never really went away, and was in fact helped by Twitter, which is becoming the preferred feed reader for many people (thanks to services like Twitterfeed).

And don’t count out microblogging just yet. Twitter is finally rolling out improvements to its site such as Lists and the new Retweet button. Once geo-location features kick in, Twitter’s growth could come back with a vengeance."

2010 will be extremely interesting.

The stratospheric growth couldn't last forever

It had to happen, wild swings and reversals and an end to the stratospheric growth of the last few months.

Data on Twitter Decline Stacks Up -

http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1007388

There's always a honeymoon phase online, MySpace and then Bebo, now Facebook and Twitter.. what is hot and what is not this month or year. Twitter is still in its infancy as both a platform and an influencer of what will follow.

Once the dust settles and the data is re-tallied from desktop apps, mobile apps and all the other stats for Twitter, we might get a realistic snapshot of how both individuals and businesses are using micro-blogging, status updates, content aggregators, lists, groups and much more besides.

None of these systems work in isolation anymore, which make both the pitfalls and the overall promise even more transparent.

Don't try this at home. November status update.

Well the big move is over and I've reminded myself how few more moves I want to make in my lifetime.

I started counting how many cities and countries, let alone houses and flats, I've lived in ... it got a little daunting, so I left that tally alone. I advise you all to stay where you are unless you like chaos. A new calm and productive phase ahead.

But now I'm back on blogging and working on new workshops, articles, resources, and more for the last of 09 and the start of the new decade. Half of my working days are going to be reinvented and that part of it is exciting, at least to me!

“It’s money for jam” – deregulation opens up profitable ATM market to individuals & companies

The Reserve Bank’s March 2009 deregulation of the ATM market has opened the door in Australia for individuals and companies to enter the previously bank-dominated sector, earning 20% ROI annually and higher.

The legislative changes open the door to earn transaction fees like the banks each time your machine is used. Independent ATM owners now receive all the transaction income, previously shared with the card issuer.

The Australian Government’s Economic Stimulus Package, announced in its May 12 Budget, offers small businesses an additional incremental 50% tax allowance bonus, with 150% tax allowances with 70% in the first year alone (Australian residents only).

·         Minimum GUARANTEED 20% ROI p.a. and often much higher

·         150% tax benefit - over 70% in first year alone (not available to foreign buyers)

·         100% finance option (available from multiple major finance institutions, (subject to conditions and credit approval).

·         Low entry costs from AUS $6,600 (10% deposit) - paid back if taking 100% finance option

·         Hassle-free, complete turn-key solution, safe and secure

 Owning ATMs is a highly attractive opportunity for investors looking for a secure investment and ongoing revenue stream in a down economy. 

In his 10 May Daily Telegraph story covering the deregulation: ‘Why ATM operators love the charges you hate’, journalist John Rolfe wrote that “ATMs in pubs and convenience stores will make so much money under the RBA's controversial new direct charging system that they will have paid themselves off and be pure profit machines in less than a year.

Senior Wilson HTM Investment research analyst Jacqueline Fernley concurs, saying "It's money for jam. The payback on an ATM machine at $2 per transaction when all else is equal is less than 12 months."

To request information materials, or for early June dates for a series of presentations around Australia, click here: http://tinyurl.com/Aust-ATM-Investment .  With the sector growing at 11% annually in the last decade, professional intermediaries including property managers, accountants, financial planners, taxation agents are recommending this opportunity to clients.  

Up to 3-5,000 ‘lobby model’ ATM machines are available, sold on a first-come, first-served basis in a completely passive investment opportunity - the ATM suppliers handle management, servicing, insurance, security, payment processing on your behalf.

Buyers are primarily purchasing existing machines in busy public locations, but the opportunity includes setting up new ATM locations, eg. hotel or retail precincts.  Foreigners can also buy into the investment, with New Zealand the next country market with high growth upside to come on-stream.

Tax allowances just announced in Australia’s May 12^th Budget

 “Mr Speaker, small businesses are the backbone of the Australian economy, employing around half of all private sector workers.  That is why the Government will also provide immediate additional assistance by increasing the Small Business and General Business Tax Break to 50 per cent for eligible assets ordered between December 2008 and December 2009, in addition to assistance for small businesses to take advantage of e-business opportunities.” (http://www.budget.gov.au/2009-10/content/speech/html/speech.htm)

For information materials or presentation dates this week and next: http://tinyurl.com/Aust-ATM-Investment. 

Online interviewing practice by video - great resource and idea

Now this is a very cool interview tool for anyone out there trading up jobs or trying to find a new position in this woeful economic climate. 

http://www.jobsite.co.uk/bemyinterviewer/

Interviews are nerve-wracking for most of us and the more practice you can give yourself in advance the better. You only have seconds or minutes to make a crucial first impression and putting yourself through your paces here could make the difference between getting the position or not.

The site has a series of interactive videos to practise your interview skills with business professionals hosting the sessions, who  prepare you for the toughest questions and interview scenarios you are likely to face - "Most importantly, we want to help you feel confident and ready to answer any question thrown at you."

It's a UK site, with the biz. experts drawn from international and UK industry sectors and companies like The Apprentice, Ernst & Young, ITV, Virgin Atlantic, BSkyB; and the jobsite.co.uk itself.  "In addition to their difficult questions, the business guru interviewers pass on invaluable guidance on how to answer them."

Sounds good and is a great interactive tool for meetings and negotiations as well, really any business situation where you have to be poised and ready with your 'elevator speech' and a quick head on your shoulders.

Digital Marketing World Spring 2009 - Free Virtual Conference from Marketing Profs

Register here (do a timecheck on timeanddate.com) for Digital Marketing World Spring 2009.

It's a free virtual conference on April Fools Day, April 2 out here - http://www.marketingp...

Dip into the sessions that work for you.

Marketing Profs put out good newsletter, alerts and material, I get plenty of ideas from their output. See you online...

Neat twist on the year-end list - list of the top lists

Gary Hayes' A Top 25 List of Social Media, Web 2.0 & Marketing ‘Best-Of-Lists!’ made me smile and wish I'd thought of it first.

It certainly is a shortcut in terms of cutting through the clutter faster.

There's a strong slant to media, social media but there's a ton of good marketing links and information here too to cross-reference for your own projects. So credit due to Gary. There's an Australian slant to his window on things which is also interesting to me, living on down here and working internationally on a virtual constant basis.

While we're on lists, some more annual summary lists to share around -

- Digital Predictions That Didn't Pan Out (Plus Viral Videos You Should Have Seen and the Fastest-Rising Search Terms): http://adage.com/article?article_id=133217

- Six Reasons Your Web Start-up Will Fail (But Don't Let Them Stop You). - http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/01/02/six-reasons-your-web-startup-will-fail-but-dont-let-them-stop-you/

- and for anyone out there job-hunting in this economic climate, "7 Secrets to Getting Your Next Job Using Social Media" - http://mashable.com/2009/01/05/job-search-secrets/ .

Job boards and employment sites - where will you find your next job?

Which sites or online resources do you use regularly or monitor for employment opportunities – whether hiring or job-hunting? LinkedIn, Monster, Facebook, job boards, portals …others?

EMarketingsilo.com released research recently that nearly 54% of respondents stated that geographic and industry-specific job sites are most effective when job-hunting.
24% indicated they posted on 1-2 job boards and 29 posted resumes on 3-4 boards. Job-seekers are doing their homework it seems and drilling down to specifics in their searches.Out of 3,900 HR professionals and Recruiters, 84% said niche sites provide access to the best talent, while just 11% said they preferred general-purpose recruitment sites.

Sites I personally work with regularly to track what’s happening in our job markets include LinkedIn and its active media and recruitment groups, Facebook, our own mediajobs.net, mashable.com and The Ladders.

Although not of course an employment site, Twitter is a growing two-way corridor of introductions to niche professional communities and people).

Mashable.com weigh in with a great January piece too on this blog topic on these and other sites for anyone out there job-hunting in this economic climate, "7 Secrets to Getting Your Next Job Using Social Media" - http://mashable.com/2009/01/05/job-search-secrets/ .

Either as a recruiter/employer or job seeker, what’s your anecdotal feedback on your own experience with the big sites and the niche job boards and online communities?

Where have you had hiring successes, or where did you either find your last job? Or would include in an online scan to find your next position?