Archive for August, 2010

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Stay up to Speed on Top Searches with Google Beat

Google seems to be focusing more and more on creating its own content and that has never been more apparent than with the launch of Google Beat. Premiering last week, Google Beat is a weekly video series that covers the most popular search terms of that week.

Google Beat will basically be a 90 second video segment in which the top search queries for that week are counted down. The data to be used for Google Beat will be collected from Google Trends and Google Insights for Search.

Google rep, Gabriel Stricker, said in a statement to CNET, “Google receives lots of inquiries from media and others trying to determine information about hot search terms, and that the company felt it could most efficiently answer these queries with a video.”

Google has done something similar to this before with the year-end Zeitgeist, but it was a list style presentation rather than video. Whether this means Google will begin producing more if its own content is unclear, but it does show they are certainly cozying up to the idea.

You can see the first video embedded above, or head over to Google Beat YouTube channel.

Google Blog

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Featured Offer: ‘BeAnywhere’ – Only $14.99 + more Offers

Featured Offer of the Week:
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Check out BeAnywhere Drive Remote Access on NothingButSoftware.com for product videos and demonstrations + be sure to visit NBS for even more exclusive offers!

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Will Streaming Services Replace Traditional TV?

You may not be ready to replace your cable/satellite service provider with a streaming service provider, but you have most likely considered it. With the rise of streaming services like Netflix and Hulu Plus, more and more American families are streaming their favorite TV shows and movies. Does that, however, mean streaming services are poised to overtake traditional ones?


It is easy to see the draw of switching entirely from a traditional TV provider to a streaming service. A variety of them allow you to stream full seasons of television shows and feature length films to your computer, mobile device, or game console. Add the fact that monthly charges for such services run $10 or less, people must be switching to streaming services in spades, right?

HUlu IphoneThe truth is that only a small portion of Americans have given up cable entirely. According to a NY Times poll, 88 percent of Americans still use a cable/satellite service.  If streaming services are set at lower prices than traditional TV service providers, why are the vast majority of Americans clinging to them?

There are a variety of reasons that Americans are sticking with traditional TV service providers. The greatest reason, however, is that streaming services are still in their infancy, and are not able to offer the range of programming that major cable/satellite services can provide.  There are currently a number of TV shows and sporting events that are legally not allowed to be seen online.

Services like Netflix and Boxee are being used by many families as a secondary service to their traditional TV service provider. My parents, for example, use Netflix along with their satellite service. There are certain shows that they are not able to keep up on with Netflix, because it doesn’t provide current seasons or doesn’t have them at all. That is the same reason that many families are more inclined to use both a traditional and streaming service as opposed to just one or the other.

At this point the vast majority of Americans are not quite ready to give up their 250 channels for any single streaming service. Until streaming service providers are able to expand their libraries and include more of the shows people are watching, I believe they will only remain as an afterthought to American TV watchers.

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This Week’s Blowouts + A Free Offer w/ Order

This week, NothingButSoftware.com has unbeatable deals on Quicken WillMaker Premium 2010, PrintMaster, bluetooth headsets and much more + a FREE Offer with your Order. Check out the offers below and be sure to head over to NBS for even more deals.

Quicken WillMaker Premium 2010 w/ Living Trust Maker

Our Regular Price $89.99
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PrintMaster 18 Gold

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BlueAction Universal Mini Bluetooth Headset – Black

Our Regular Price $39.99
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Garmin Recalling 1.25 Million Navigation Devices

Today Garmin announced the recall of 1.25 million personal navigation devices that the company says are considered a fire hazard. There are five Nuvi models included the recall – the 200W, 250W, 260W, 7xx and 7xxT (where xx is a two-digit number). The units that have been recalled have batteries manufactured by a third-party that can be prone to overheating. Visit Garmin to determine if your Nuvi model is one of those units affected and instructions on how to return your device.

Garmin

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Nook Boosts Barnes & Noble Online Sales 21 Percent

Barnes & Noble Nook


Today Barnes & Noble released their numbers for their fiscal 2011 first quarter ended July 31, 2010. Although the book retailer saw a 2% decrease in sales at their store locations during Q1, they saw a 42% increase in online sales.

The jump in sales that Barnes & Noble has seen online has been attributed to the Nook, which launched in November last year. Sales of the Nook alone jumped with the drop in the eReader’s price from $259 to $199.

Chief executive officer of Barnes & Noble, William Lynch, stated, “Our digital strategy has clearly resonated with our customers as our Members – our best customers – with NOOK devices have increased their spending by approximately 20%.  NOOK has also greatly expanded the Barnes & Noble customer base, with 25% of all NOOK customers new to BN.com.”

Despite the fact that Barnes & Noble is expecting a continued decrease in sales at store locations, they are expecting the Nook to continue to perform well.

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Need a Webcam? ‘Microsoft LifeCam’ only $13.99 + more deals

NBS’s Weekly Blowout: Microsoft LifeCam VX-1000!

With simple setup and one-touch calling, the Microsoft LifeCam VX-1000 makes it easier than ever to see and hear your friends and family over the Internet.


Microsoft LifeCam VX-1000

Share life as it happens

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Product Features:

  • Share Photos in real time with your friends & family
  • See who’s online with the one touch Live Call Button
  • Plus, it’s a snap to attach the LifeCam to any monitor
  • The built-in microphone automatically picks up your voice with remarkable clarity

Plus, be sure to check out NothingButSoftware for deals on gadgets, software and more!

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7 Must Have Apps for Bloggers on the Go

touch pad

During the time I have spent at different conferences, I learned quickly that keeping track of your blog and social sites is nearly impossible to do on show floors. Thankfully, there is a small arsenal of mobile apps that are not only helpful, but essential to help you keep track of everything during these times. Here are 7 must have apps for bloggers on the go.


Seesmic
Seesmic appYou could go through the hassle of downloading the mobile apps for each of your social media accounts and update each at a time, or you can just get Seesmic and update all of them at once. Using Ping.fm support, Seesmic will allow you to update up to 50 total social sites simultaneously, making it the best mobile app for creating updates from your blog on the go.


Tweetie
Tweetie AppAlthough Seesmic is perfect for doing quick updates to multiple social sites, Tweetie is much better for in-depth managing of your Twitter account on the go.  It will basically allow you to use Twitter as you would from home. You can check DMs, as well as send images and video from your mobile device.


WordPress
WordPress AppEssential for WordPress bloggers, the WordPress mobile app will help you to manage your blog anywhere. You will be able to moderate comments, edit posts, and create pages from your device using the app. Although I wouldn’t recommend doing an entire post from your phone, the WordPress app is great for making quick edits to a post from your device.


iBlogger
iBlogger AppIf, by chance, you do not use WordPress, than iBlogger is the app for you. It is compatible with almost any type of blog there is, including ExpressionEngine, MovableType, and TypePad.  You will be able to create posts from your device as you would from home, with little to no restrictions. It’s perfect for making quick blurbs in a rush.


Evernote
Evernote AppIf you are in situation, specifically a conference or media summit, in which you are getting a high frequency of news but have little time to post on them, Evernote will allow you to keep track of everything. The app lets you create text, photo, and audio notes for keeping all of your news organized.  All of your notes will also include geo-location info and mapping for search.


Pingdom
PingDomIt’s always good to know if your site is encountering errors, especially during times of high traffic. The Pingdom app is perfect for doing that, as it will send alerts with detailed information whenever your site is down.



Pixelpipe
PixelPipePhoto editing is a valuable tool for posting almost any type of content. The only problem is that there is little you can do to edit photos from a mobile device.  With Pixelpipe you have the ability to reduce the resolution of any image on your phone during the upload, you than can share it on your favorite social media sites and upload it to your blog. As far as blogging goes with Pixelpipe, it is compatible with Blogger, TypePad, WordPress, and tumbler just to name a few.


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This Week’s Bargain Alert Blowouts

Looking for unbeatable bargains on software, gadgets, console games and more? As always, NothingButSoftware.com has them – right here! Check out the deals below, all under $10, and be sure to check out NBS for even more amazing blowouts.

Guitar Hero Smash Hits (Xbox360)

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Rock Revolution (Xbox360)


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Targus USB Bluetooth Adapter Class 2


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HP Quick Calc Calculators – 3 Pack Modern Design


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Magix Movie Edit Pro 12

Our Regular Price $49.99
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Intel Acquires McAfee

Intel CES

In an effort to expand their reach into the security industry, Intel has announced that they will be purchasing security-software developer McAfee Inc. Intel acquired the company for $7.68 billion, a deal that was the largest in Intel’s history.

Intel, who is known for developing chips and hardware for most of today’s computers, made the acquisition with the hope of improving security by developing hardware that has built-in security measures. Paul Otellini, Intel’s chief executive officer, stated, “We believe security will be most effective when enabled in hardware.”

The acquisition values McAfee at $48, with their stock jumping 58 percent after the announcement of the deal. Intel’s stock slipped, however, by 2.5 percent.

Both boards of directors unanimously agreed on the deal, although it still requires the approval of shareholders. McAfee’s President and Chief Executive, Dave DeWalt, stated, “I’m very excited and fully committed to joining the Intel team.”

Wall Street Journal