When you are not in the office playing webmaster to record a podcast or interview, you will need a good compact portable recorder. These can also be used to record sound effects, make notes to yourself or record important meetings for the sake of documentation.
The one I use is the WS-300M 256 MB Digital Voice Recorder by Olympus. It is great, I love it, and it is no longer made. I use it because I have it and it records with great quality while being exceedingly small. At this point, I have no need to replace it because of the fantastic job it does. If I were to recommend one now, it would be the new model in the line, the Olympus WS-500 Digital Voice Recorder.
There are lots of small digital voice records available, but I prefer these because they offer a good balance of quality and price. Additionally, they plug directly into your Mac or PC’s USB port like a thumb-drive so there is no cord to carry around and lose. Either of these devices will run for over 15 hours on a single battery, so it is highly unlikely that you will ever run out of power. The built in stereo microphones work well, but they also have a jack for external microphones. When recording a speech or presentation I hook up an Olympus ME-15. You simply clip the microphone onto your collar or lapel and drop the recorder in your pocket.
You actually could record your entire podcast on one of these if you don’t want to record directly to your computer. Or you could use it to record while driving, out on a walk, or on location doing whatever it is you podcast about. You could, but I normally don’t. The next time I talk about equipment I will show you the microphone I normally use at my desk.
Blogs are more than pictures of cats and political ranting. Discover the difference between blogging, blogging professionally, and having a professional blog. We will also cover tips and strategies for utilizing a blog as part of your small business marketing strategy.
The presenter this month is Heather Solos. Heather has been blogging professionally since 2006, is author of Home Ec 101: Real Skills for People with Real Lives, and is on the founding board of the Social Media Club of Charleston. Registration is not required for this event.
WordPress 3.0, the thirteenth major release of WordPress is now available for download. Major new features in this release include a great new default theme called Twenty Ten. Theme developers have new APIs that allow them to easily implement custom backgrounds, headers, shortlinks, menus (no more file editing), post types, and taxonomies. Make sure to look at the new default Twenty Ten theme which shows off all of those things. Developers and network admins will appreciate the long-awaited merge of MU and WordPress, creating the new multi-site functionality which makes it possible to run one blog or ten million from the same installation.
It was with this sunny outlook that I arose Sunday morning and checked in on Twitter. I love Twitter, and regard it as one of the most useful social media tools, which you already know if you read my last Blog post. Coffee in hand, I logged in, ready to do all the things Twitterphobes and Social Media Managers love to do.
And there it was – and I admit to a bit of hyperbole here – what I now affectionately call the Red Text Rectangle of Death. This Twitter account had been SUSPENDED.
Friends, it gets better – this was a CLIENT account.
For the rest of this story, and more importantly some great pointers on what to do if it happens, head on over to the Social Media Strategies site by Liz DeLoach. Let me tell you this – I was right there with her during the process and it was something you need to prepare for.
So you’re using Facebook, but you’re still not sure about Twitter? A lot of people think that because of their Facebook presence, Twitter would be redundant for them. I think I know why they feel that way. I believe it has a lot to do with Twitter’s status update prompt: “What’s happening?” They see a few folks who use those precious few 140 characters to share the mundane details of daily life and they think, “Wait, don’t I already do that on Facebook?” And they’re right. Except that this isn’t what you should do on Twitter. Twitter has a higher calling, as it were, which is great to be a part of once you understand a few key points. Make no mistake, I don’t THINK you should be on Twitter. I KNOW you should be there.
Much as I love and use it now, I readily admit at first I didn’t “get” Twitter. I don’t think most people do, initially. If you joined Facebook first, then Twitter may seem limited by comparison. Yet, Twitter in my opinion is by far a better medium to get really useful information from reliable sources on just about any topic of interest quickly and efficiently. Its brevity, which novices can find limiting and even frustrating, is its best and most valuable feature. Each tweet is easy to digest, can be easily shared, and the short bursts of info enable you to cover more “ground” quickly. The symbols and shorthand are easy to learn and use once you visit the site a few times. I use it both as communication and research tool. By following those individuals, organizations, and companies who have content of interest to you, you’ll find it an invaluable and virtually unlimited resource platform to use for your personal and professional benefit and that of others. Have a complaint about a company on Twitter? You’ll likely get a response in hours, if not minutes. Want to stay abreast of current events? Often the first place I learn of breaking events is Twitter. Other mediums are slow by comparison. Have insights to share? Tweet it. Looking for a job? Post a link to your resume. The possibilities are endless. Continue Reading »
I seek to empower people by making technology a vehicle for driving businesses and communities. Just as you drive a car without worrying about how the engine operates, I will take care of your information systems as a data mechanic. This lets you drive the technology, instead of it driving you. I provide social media, web development and PC and Macintosh support services for small businesses and not-for-profits in Charleston and the surrounding South Carolina Lowcountry.
The one I use is the WS-300M 256 MB Digital Voice Recorder by Olympus. It is great, I love it, and it is no longer made. I use it because I have it and it records with great quality while being exceedingly small. At this point, I have no need to replace it because of the fantastic job it does. If I were to recommend one now, it would be the new model in the line, the Olympus WS-500 Digital Voice Recorder.
So you’re using Facebook, but you’re still not sure about Twitter? A lot of people think that because of their Facebook presence, Twitter would be redundant for them. I think I know why they feel that way. I believe it has a lot to do with Twitter’s status update prompt: “What’s happening?” They see a few folks who use those precious few 140 characters to share the mundane details of daily life and they think, “Wait, don’t I already do that on Facebook?” And they’re right. Except that this isn’t what you should do on Twitter. Twitter has a higher calling, as it were, which is great to be a part of once you understand a few key points. Make no mistake, I don’t THINK you should be on Twitter. I KNOW you should be there.
