Think GPS just gets you from point A to point B? Think again. The modern consumer GPS device offers not only the most up-to-date directions, it offers traffic advice, local attraction suggestions and information and special settings that let drivers choose the scenic route over the highway.

1. Choosing the Route

GPS tracking devices offer the consumer the option to select a route based on needs and preferences. For example, if you forgot your wallet or EZ Pass and can’t take the New Jersey Turnpike, GPS will suggest a toll-free route. If it’s rush hour and you’re dreading traffic, let your GPS device select a route based on the fastest time. You can have your GPS plot the shortest distance route or the route nearest an attraction or other point of interest.

2. Where’s a Cash Machine?

GPS devices also inform drivers upon request when there’s a cash machine, gas station or restaurant nearby. Business travelers and vacationers find this feature enormously helpful – since they’re frequently new in the area – but even when you’re driving in the next town over it’s handy knowledge.

You can look up these points of interest by brand name or by type. For example, if you’re in the mood for lunch but McDonald’s isn’t an option, scroll down the list until you find the Subway or Pizza Hut you’re looking for. Alternatively, if the restaurant requires reservations, the GPS can provide contact information so you can call ahead.

3. Avoiding Traffic

You can also avoid wasting time sitting in traffic by making use of your GPS device’s alternate route feature, sometimes offered free of charge to users. Congested highways and roads often appear highlighted in red and alert the driver well in advance to expect a traffic tie-up. The driver has the option to proceed along an alternate route, with the device tracking the vehicle’s progress all the while.

4. Additional Features

Modern GPS devices usually offer weather forecast information as well as Internet service. Tricked-out models include Bluetooth capability, handy if you need to make a hands-free phone call. Trip computers, MP3 players, and FM radio transmitters are all becoming increasingly common, and features once reserved for top-tier devices are now regularly available on lower-priced models. Keep in mind that there may be monthly fees associated with some features, such as live traffic updates and local gasoline price information.

5. Selecting a Device

The most important features to examine are the size of the unit and the ease of use while entering directions. Depending upon whether or not you intend to use the device while traveling, a smaller unit may be preferable. However, smaller screens are harder to read while driving. If you’re concerned that reading a small screen may cause problems, or if you drive a large SUV or truck, go with a larger device. Screen sizes range from approximately 3.5 to 5 inches and more.

Next, establish your needs. Do you regularly drive in heavy traffic or foul weather? Then it may be worth upgrading your device for those special services. Finally, read your manual. Your device likely can accomplish a wide variety of tasks that you never thought possible.

Google is launching a new version of YouTube . The latest are mainly at the interface. The white background is replaced by a gray background and a black navigation bar reminiscent of the menu bar of Google added the left side of the page.

Once you have updated your account, you will see your new Youtube home page. The left side of the page you will find a new navigation bar. 

How to enable the New Youtube Design :

• Firefox Browser  :  Press Ctrl / Cmd + Shift + K
• Chrome Browser : Press Ctrl + Shift + J (Windows) or Cmd + Alt + J (Mac)

With above steps you will get access to the console, then simply type the following line of code into it and press enter;

document.cookie="VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE=ST1Ti53r4fU";

Close the console and refresh the page of YouTube. The new version should appear. I have tried it myself and it worked for me, check out the following screenshots :

It allows you to quickly access the videos from your network on Google + Facebook and those channels you have subscribed. YouTube also includes a referral system of channels which can be found on the right side of the page.

In one of the most-discussed acquisitions in history, Google has taken over Motorola Mobility. The Web search engine and online advertising giant has purchased the leading Android product maker for approximately $12.5 billion. Several analysts have been doubtful of Google’s intention while owning Motorola. They feared that Google will limit its Android platform inside its Mountain View Campus with the Motorola purchase.

But Google CEO Larry Page clearly said that the company had no plan to lay control over its famous Android platform. That means other key Android product makers such as Samsung, HTC and several others can breathe in relief. It looks quite clear that along with the production of its own Android devices in Motorola factories, Google will continue to stay open with its Android OS for other third party technology makers.

Google threw in a huge sum to acquire Motorola. $12.5 billion means a premium of 63 percent of the share value of the Libertyville firm. That is, in other words, Google has taken such a strategic step in taking over Motorola. The company’s upcoming Nexus phones might be prepared by the manufacturer of famous Droid phones. Motorola has been suffering from financial slump for a while.

However, Google has also aimed at Motorola’s reputation as a market leader in video solution businesses and home devices, says Mr. Page, the CEO and co-founder of Google. In other words, Google is on steps to expand its businesses more into home devices and video solutions along with the smart phones and tablets.

More than everything, with the purchase of Motorola, Google has boosted up its patent portfolio. The technology world is largely involved in brewing patent wars, Google and its Android OS has a huge number of patents. Mr. Page, who recently took charge as the chief of the company, added that a strong patent portfolio will help the company stay competitive to the challenges from Microsoft and Apple.

Soon after the news about the Google-Motorola deal, Samsung executives met for a special meeting in Tokyo to discuss the situation. It seems that some company executives have pointed out the influence of software makers over hardware builders. The recent deal of Microsoft with the Finnish phone maker Nokia is another example. Meanwhile, HTC CEO Peter Chou hoped that Google would never choose to be an ‘evil.’ Mr. Chou added that he thought that the Google-Moto deal would only strengthen the Android ecosystem with several more patents.

But Google’s rival Nokia’s CEO Stephen Elop, a former Canadian executive of Microsoft, warned the Android product makers about the Google-Moto agreement. He wanted the Android makers to ‘watch out’ the possible consequence of such deal.

You can check the Press Release here.

Google TV is a new trend for TV watching that merges your current TV programming and the web into a supposedly flawless experience. WRONG! There are a number of reasons Google TV is finding itself overrated by many who have had the unfortunate experience of this mixture.

Home theaters have not only spoiled us but have educated us to the quality and possibilities of prime TV watching! There is no comparison between something like Google TV and the excellence and superiority provided by a custom crafted home theater setup. But there are four major reasons that Google TV is quickly becoming overrated:

1. First the screen visibility is poor

Lacks the sharp focus and clarity that has enticed us and that we have all grown accustomed to with good home theaters. It actually has faint black lines running through the picture you receive and it is very distracting and unsettling. You actually start watching the lines instead of the program you’ve chosen! Not helpful in wanting to like this or recommend it to anyone.

2. Google TV software is not without its challenges

Either and in this day and age that is disturbing in itself. It is difficult and concerning to the point of taking all the excitement out of having it instead of making it as simple as possible so hat anyone can install it and be up and running, it limits itself. It does not make you want to use it like the advertising did. What happened? Did they spend all their money on advertising and forget to make the software user friendly? Not sure about the answer to that one but pretty certain that most people will have absolutely no desire to mess with software that is subpar.

3. Too many choices.

I know that sounds odd, but too many choices come with additional issues-they can be worse than PC’s. Choices in food, clothing, travel and various areas are awesome but when it comes to television we want it as simple as possible. TV is an escape from all the problems we face everyday in the real world.

4. Limited quality sound.

Ok let’s face it we are all subject to poor sound quality at times but continuously? I don’t think so. The sound quality needs to be sharp and clear in order to enjoy anything. Watching a favorite program and having “squint” with your ears is literally ridiculous! Give me quality sound and I can overlook a few other issues.

Maybe money motivated faster than technology in this one. Anytime you see a drastic drop in the cost (from $249.00 to $99.00) something’s not cutting it! Most people enjoy watching TV, it has become a part of main stream America and we have come to expect a certain level of quality and production. Home theaters have spoiled us to the luxury of creating the ‘theater’ experience right in the comfort of our homes and we like that. But part of the home theatre success is the high level of superiority that not only feeds the senses but enhance the over all experience of watching TV. Home theatres have nothing to worry about when it comes to Google TV being any competition in its current infancy. And who wants the hassle when what we have works.

It is so true when they say that the web-world is buzzing with copywriting myths; the funniest part being, thousands of online copywriting companies who claim to be the right copywriters believe that these myths are actually true. In fact, they go by it so religiously that they also let it reflect in their copy which goes on to prove that they are nothing better than amateur.

If you are in the copywriting business, or you are planning to launch your new website or blog, this is for you to know that before you spend a fortune on your copy or worse, blame your copywriter, it is advisable to have a couple of handy hints up your sleeves about copywriting myths. Break them and you’ll see how your copy effortlessly reaches the target audience and contributes in conversion. Here are 5 copywriting myths that you can discard in a heavy duty garbage bag.

Let’s bust it then.

1: More the word count, the better it is for SEO. Filler is okay.

Really, how? This directly opposes the first rule of good copywriting which calls for it to be concise, precise, to the point and catchy. This may very well get you the rank in a search engine, but your bounce rate would be equally high, which negates any chances of conversions. Your visitors despise fluff. Make an impact instead.

2: Our product writer can write the copy quickly; we are really tight on budget and time.

Did we tell you that this will render your entire project futile? Copywriting is an art and is altogether a diverse form of writing that brings in sales. Do not try and save your money; whether you do it yourself or have an in-house writer who is not a copy-writer. Do work with an experienced copywriter for this will save your time and earn you more sales, eventually making up for the expense.

3: Let’s begin working on our copy once the design is done.

Wrong. It is proven, time and again that those who keep the vital element of copy for the last moment, end up with a website whose copy is scrounged together and lumpy. For an effective and compelling copy, you need to rope the copy writer in, in everything: starting discussions to meetings, planning and coordinating with your key designer. This will enable him to work on a copy that’s in sync with the design and reflects the thoughts and philosophy of the company. It is a must for your copy to grow with the other key elements of your website.

4: For copy, let’s get it done one by one.

Will not work! If you are concentrating on copy, one channel at a time, don’t be surprised why your conversion is not doing too well. Make copy an integral part of your launch strategy. Let it be in harmony with your mediums and channels and let there be consistency in good copy across your marketing channels. It’s only then your campaign will be complete; it’s only then that it will spread a sense of reliability that customers so search for in a business.

5: We must execute it properly as we will not change for at least a year.

Why not? Put a stopper to this thought and now if you want to get your business up and running. With movements, events and rise in your business, your copy needs changing from time to time too, unless you’d want to keep it static, in which case your conversions would be static too. In order to have a website that converts and if you are watching your metrics along with the keywords, you’d definitely want to update your copy with the evolving trend for the best results.

Copywriting is a spontaneous process like market trends and evolving business. Be tapped to the evolution and tweak your copy once in a while! This is the way to have a great business.

]]> http://www.techbucket.org/2011/05/5-essential-copywriting-myth-busters.html/feed 0 http://www.techbucket.org/2011/04/google-gears-up-for-behavioral-in-app-ads.html http://www.techbucket.org/2011/04/google-gears-up-for-behavioral-in-app-ads.html#comments Tue, 26 Apr 2011 07:41:29 +0000 VISHAL http://www.techbucket.org/?p=3161

Search engine giant Google is getting ready to offer behavioral ads through its iOS and Android applications. Establishing itself as a leader in providing mobile ads, Google is also gearing up for a new technology that will allow them to keep tabs on conversions from handsets that ran iOS and Android platforms.

In order to keep track of these conversions, Google will make use of unique ID numbers that come with every mobile handset. With the help of these device identifiers and the phone user’s in-application behavior and preferences, Google will be able to help advertisers with more targeted ads. Although there are now a number of carpeting firms making use of these device identifiers Google has, till now, avoided utilizing these unique ID numbers due to privacy concerns.

With the help of this technology, Google will be able to filter spam more effectively and increase conversions by running ads based on the interest of the user. So in practice, the technology should allow only relevant in-app ads to be shown with the number of irrelevant in-app ads minimized. All in all, this would improve the user’s experience in utilizing Google’s applications at the same time strategically help advertisers and developers.

In order to assure mobile phone users that their privacy will not be breached, Google assures that ID tracking is done anonymously and that it is virtually impossible for them to collect personal information throughout the process. Privacy is protected by linking the static device identifier with an anonymous ID which is specifically stated in Google’s ads preferences section. At the same time, individuals who are still uncomfortable with the process despite the safeguards can opt out of the service by changing the settings on the Google search app and “Android Market” settings for iOS and Android devices respectively.

Also Read :: Official Google Reader App for Android

The best thing about this service which Google plans on unveiling in the very near future is that advertisers will be able to get more for their money. By tracking the behavior of users as well as their preferences, Google can choose to place appropriate and relevant in-app ads. This way, there will be a general improvement in conversions. At the same time, users will not have to contend with misplaced ads that seem a bit off at best and “spammy” at worst. The use of anonymous ID and ID-based targeting will be utilized only within applications while mobile web targeting will make use of cookies.

Chris Marentis writes from experience about lead generation, closing the sale and leveraging social media. He is the founder and CEO for a local internet marketing company Surefire Social, a resource for local search marketing .

Google has unveiled some information about Android 3.0 Honeycomb. This is a version optimized for Android tablets that provide a different interface from what is already available on the Android smartphones. Honeycomb is the next version of the Android platform, designed from the ground up for devices with larger screen sizes, particularly tablets.

Google has mainly focused on the user interface and Android 3.0 comes with fluid home screens, better app switching, browser tabs, video chat, dynamic app shortcuts and so on.

As per Google Mobile Official Blog ::

We’ve spent a lot of time refining the user experience in Honeycomb, and we’ve developed a brand new, truly virtual and holographic user interface. Many of Android’s existing features will really shine on Honeycomb: refined multi-tasking, elegant notifications, access to over 100,000 apps on Android Market, home screen customization with a new 3D experience and redesigned widgets that are richer and more interactive.

Here is the official presentation of Android Honeycomb (3.0) . Google has not yet submitted a complete as this version of Android is still in development, here is a preview.

Source – Google Mobile Blog

Finally Google team launched Google Reader application to read their RSS feeds for Android. Google reader is a Google service that lets you manage and subscribe to various RSS feeds. The formal application developed by Google is now available on Android Market. RSS feed allows you to group and track multiple websites, blogs, various links in the same place simultaneously. You can sort them, share them, add others, and much more.

Also Read : Supercharge your Google Reader with FeedSquares

Among all the features offered on this release, it is possible to synchronize multiple accounts, rearrange folders and subscriptions, share your views on social media, subscribe to new feeds and adding tags.

Features ::

Multiple accounts

Synced preferences

Full subscription features (subscribe and search from your phone)

Search

There are not many RSS readers that offer the possibility to do this things but Google has had the good idea to incorporate this feature.

Source : Official Google Reader Blog

If you have website or blog then for Search Engine Optimization the website submission in top search engines is necessary, you have to submit your sitemap in search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. If you do not submit your sitemap in search engines, they will not crawl your articles and and your site contents so it is recommended to submit your sitemap in search engines.

Here is the simple tutorial which will help you to submit your sitemap to Google Webmaster tool::

Install the plugin Google XML Sitemaps [ for wordpress users].

Go to Google Webmaster Tools.

Submit your site in webmaster tools and verify it.

Click on Site configuration > Sitemaps.

Now click on Submit a sitemap.

Just add sitemap.xml

Submit an article and wait a while that this is taken into account.

Video Tutorial ::

<Video Credit>

This is it, it’s the simple way to submit the sitemap to google. Facing any problem ? Errors? Do not panic, we’re here to help you.

Also Read : How to Enable OR Disable Query Suggestions in Google Search

When selecting a great tech novel to read, you are faced with a galaxy of choices. From interstellar romps to robots, magic to technology, there is something for you. Here are ten of the best tech novels that you’ll ever read.

1. Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (New $5.99, Used $.01)

Follow the adventures of Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect as they travel the galaxy. This book is smart, insightful and sometimes silly. This book is a fast read for even the non-readers.

2. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov (New $7.98, Used $7.42, Collectible $4.95)

I, Robot takes a hard look at the way that robots interact with humans through the four laws of robotics. This book introduces readers to robots of all types. I, Robot forever changed the way that we think about robots.

3. Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein (New $6.70, Used $4.15, Collectible $17.95)

Stranger is about a man who comes to Earth after being raised by Martians. This classic novel looks at the philosophies and world views that make our world function.

4. On Basilisk Station (The first Honor Harrington Novel) by David Weber (New $3.99, Used $2.78)

Honor Harrington is a spaceship commander who overcomes the odds and makes a lot of enemies. Weber takes readers on a fun romp that defies description.

5. Storm Front (The First of the Dresden Files) by Jim Butcher (New $4.21, Used $2.43, Collectible $10.00)

Replace technology with magic, throw in a little mystery and a plenitude of magic and wondrous things and you have the Dresden Files. There is something for everyone in these books, including a talking skull, a female werewolf and a police detective.

6. The Warrior’s Apprentice by Lois M. Bujold (New $197.99, Used $2.07, Collectible $23.51)

Miles Vorkosigan is a flawed character in this great space opera. He overcomes his many detriments to become the commander of a mercenary space fleet. For those who enjoy a great story, this is not one to miss.

7. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (New $14.17, used $9.90)

When people start frying their brains on a drug called Snow Crash, our Hiro has to go into action. Stephenson weaves both ancient and futuristic details to create a world rich in detail and fun. This book is a must read.

8. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick (New $14.17, used $9.90)

Set in a futuristic world where robots are prevalent, Dick’s novel studies the distinctions between robots and humans. This book follows Rick Deckard in his quest to hunt down fugitive androids.

9. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle (New $3.28, Used $2.49, Collectible $8.00)

Although considered a children’s book, this is still a wonderful adventure about time travel. Follow the adventures of Meg, Charles Wallace and Calvin O’Keefe in the search for Meg’s missing father.

10. Flatland by Edwin Abbott (New $8.87, Used $6.94)

This book examines sociological, philosophical and geometrical views of the world through two dimensional beings who suddenly discover a third dimension. This story is for both geeks and tech lovers alike.

These books are perfect for any geek’s library because their stories are excellent. Happy reading!

Throughout his time as a writer for a leading online store specializing in HP cartridges based in the UK, James has written on various topics from the mundane HP 351XL to art and media on their design blog.