Showing posts with label tech tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tech tips. Show all posts

What Gadgets Will Be Hot in 2010?

Black Friday Shoppers Use Facebook, Twitter


Reuters - Before deciding where to buy a laptop for his daughter on Black Friday, Nate Bryan was scouring the web for deals. But he was not just looking at retailers' websites.

"I use Twitter and Facebook a lot for Black Friday," he said, referring to the day after Thanksgiving when retailers open their doors early and offer eye-popping deals. "People interested in computers post what they see online."

Bryan, who lined up on Thanksgiving Day outside of a Best Buy in Springfield, Pennsylvania so he could buy a $500 laptop when the store opened on Friday, said he was using sites like Facebook and Twitter to shop smarter.

"I spend more time online doing anything that will save me money," he said.

Before heading to stores this Thanksgiving weekend, many consumers scoured Facebook, Twitter and websites that track Black Friday sales to decide where they wanted to shop.

To win the business of these deal-driven consumers, an increasing number of retailers, including J.C. Penney Co Inc, Target Corp and Kohl's Corp are experimenting with social media this holiday.

Twitter feeds were clogged this week with retailers trying to drum up excitement for the Thanksgiving weekend, which is seen as the official kick-off of the holiday shopping season.

J.C. Penney tweeted about its 4 a.m. post-Thanksgiving day store openings, while Office Depot highlighted its Black Friday deals, including a Vivitar digital camera bundle, complete with a case and mini tripod, for $49.99.

Toys "R" Us gave its Facebook fans the first glimpse of its Black Friday deals, while Sears held a Facebook sweepstakes to win a $500 gift card and the chance to shop its Black Friday deals before Thanksgiving.

Marian Salzman, president of Euro RSCG Worldwide PR, said social media is becoming an integral part of the shopping experience for consumers who want advice from others before making a potential purchase and spending limited cash. Once deals are posting on Facebook or Twitter, consumers often repost them and share them with friends.

"It's almost crowd sourcing for opinions," she said. "We increasingly need affirmation from our peers and our loved ones and the people that create our lifestyle to feel good about where we are buying things."
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Gmail Gets A Panic Button

First there was 'Gmail goggles,' now 'undo.' From the Official Gmail Blog:
Sometimes I regret sending a message the morning after. Other times I send a message and then immediately notice a mistake. I forget to attach a file or email the birthday girl that I can't make her surprise party. I can rush to close my browser or unplug the Internet — but Gmail almost always wins that race.

An email to the wrong Larry pushed me over the edge. I could undo just about any other action in Gmail — why couldn’t I undo send? Many people agreed, including Yuzo Fujishima, an engineer in the Tokyo office. My theory (which others shared) was that even just five seconds would be enough time to catch most of those regrettable emails.

And now you can do just that. Turn on Undo Send in Gmail Labs under Settings, and you’ll see a new “Undo” link on every sent mail confirmation. Click “Undo,” and we’ll grab the message before it’s sent and take you right back to compose.
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Top 10 Twitter Tips for Beginners

Is it finally time to take the Twitter plunge? The free service that lets users micro-blog 140 characters at a time had accumulated around 1.9 million users as of December 2008, according to comScore. If you are just now jumping on the Twitter bandwagon, or are intimidated by your inexperience with Twitter etiquette and acronyms, allow us to share some Twittery tips that will make your experience easier and more enjoyable.

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