Chris Leckness » Web

I think I am ready for CES 2012 [Gear]

Chris — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 05:58:36 +0000

Using my favorite bag of all time, the Pharos GPS accessory bag, I am loaded up and ready to go. Those of you that have known me for a while will recognize it for sure. I will also be carrying the Logitech Kinetik 15.4 bag to carry it all in. Disclaimer: Don’t hate the photos, they were taken in a poorly lit room with the Galaxy Nexus.

We start with a basic laptop for video editing and posting. Powerful enough to get it done.

Here we have the Pharos Bag! Contents reveals over the next couple photos.

Top left is a couple microUSB cables and a charge. Top middle is the Zune HD 32GB for in flight audio entertainment. Top right is empty, but it’s the memory card box in the next photo. Bottom left is the charger for the Canon S100 in the bottom middle slot. In the bottom right slot, I have my Galaxy Nexus battery charger and 2 spare batteries.

Several MicroSD cards, memory sticks, adapters, Eye-Fi, etc…

In the side compartment of the Pharos bag, I have a handful of screen cleaners to get the crap of demo devices for prettier photos.

Some money and batteries for the video cam microphone.

One of two HD Video cameras and the microphone. I am trying a new video camera out, but if it doesn’t do well for me, I am bringing along old faithful.

Finally, a nice monopod for those long interviews with vendors.

Follow GBM Editors on Twitter for CES 2012

Chris — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 03:24:02 +0000

So, everyone else is doing it so I will too.

But seriously, GBM will be at CES in full force and we plan to bring the awesome. Sure, you have much bigger sites your there that will have CES covered to, but we are GottaBeMobile.

GottaBeMobile – @GottaBeMobile
Xavier Lanier – @xavierlanier
Josh Smith – @Josh_Smith
Adam Mills – @admillios
KT Bradford – @ktbradford
Chuong Nguyen -@chuongvision
Chris Leckness – @chrisleckness

Stay tuned to GottaBeMobile for coverage if CES 2012.

Test Post from WordPress 2 for Android

Chris — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 06:59:21 +0000

Just testing out the newest version of WordPress for Android .

Attaching an image below…

What’s in this version:

1. Version 2.0:
2. Use the Dashboard and Quick Action Bar to get one-tap access to everything you want to do with your blog. 3. All new post editor including a rich text formatting bar and enhanced media features.
4. Full support for Android Tablets.
5. Post Format support.
6. and more!

Testing a new plugin for my review template

Chris — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 02:14:47 +0000

THIS POST IS TO TEST THE TABS FOR BREAKING THE REVIEW UP.

Back in June when the HTC Touch Pro news was dropping all over web, all the buzz was when and if AT&T would get the phone and call it whatever they were going to call it. Turns out the name was the HTC Fuze. There was a rash of incorrect dates for launch hit the web too, and we posted them in hopes as well. In the meanwhile, Sprint was planning a CDMA version launch of their own. Sprint didn’t beat AT&T by many days either. Now a little over a week later, it’s time for the HTC Fuze on AT&T. I want to thank HTC for providing this evaluation unit. Unfortunately, I didn’t receive the retail packaging, but I am pretty sure that this one comes with all the same accessories. (Check out the 20 minute 1st Look Video soon)

I used the AT&T Tilt as my go to device for about 6 months on/off and it served me quite well. Without much tweaking, it was an excellent phone. With some tweaking, it was a stellar phone. Just like the Dell Axim, it shouldn’t die in the ashes of a new device. Unless you are a fiend like me, I would think twice before upgrading to the Fuze. Read on for my quick review and photos of the AT&T Fuze.

Review

WHAT’S IN THE BOX

HTC Fuze
1340 mAh Battery
Mini USB Sync Cable
AC Charger
Spare Stylus
3.5mm Audio Adapter
AT&T User’s Guide/CD (not included in my unit)

Select Pre-Loaded Services

AT&T Mobile Music Service
XM Radio Mobile™
AT&T Navigator
CV
MobiTV
Push To Talk
AT&T Video Share

Comparison Shots

AT&T Tilt / HTC FUZE AT&T Tilt / HTC FUZE

Palm Treo Pro / HTC FUZE AT&T Epix / HTC FUZE

iPhone / HTC FUZE T-Mobile G1 / HTC FUZE

Technical Specs

Processor: Qualcomm MSM7201A 528 MHz
OS: Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
Memory: 512MB ROM, 288MB RAM
Memory Expansion: SDHC capable microSD card slot
Dimensions: 4.0” x 2.0” x .7” (HxWxT) Weight: 5.8 ounces (with battery)
Display: 2.8” TFT-LCD VGA touchscreen
Battery: 1340mAh LiIon
Network: HSDPA/WCDMA 2100/1900/850 MHz / (384 kbps uplink/ 3.6 Mbps downlink) / GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz /
GPS/AGPS
Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR and A2DP stereo
WiFi: 802.11 b/g
Camera – 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera with flash / Video capture
User Interface – HTC TouchFLO 3D
5-row QWERTY backlit keyboard
Operating Times – Talk Time: Up to 6.6 hours (WCDMA)Up to 7.4 hours (GSM) – Standby Time: Up to 19 days (WCDMA)Up to 15 days (GSM)

THE DESIGN
One thing that stood out 1st and foremost when taking the HTC FUZE out of the box was it’s size. You can look at pictures, you can check out size charts and the actual dimensions, but you can not describe the way a device feels in your hand in words. The FUZE just amazed me, it’s not much smaller than the Tilt on paper, but when you hold it in your hands, it feels much smaller. It’s not any lighter feeling and the bulk from the thickness is the same, but the feel of the FUZE in hand is quite awesome.

I really like that the FUZE looks very much like the actual Touch Pro on the surface. This look is quite sexy, not to mention the fact that Touch Pro accessories should work with the FUZE, including cases. The Sprint version should as well, but I don’t like the exterior look changes made there. (You can click the images to enlarge)

The 1st thing you will notice when looking at the FUZE is a look as if there are no buttons on the phone. The front of the FUZE is flush except for the recessed center button. The 2.8″ 640×480 touch screen is also flush with the device on the front. The rear of the FUZE has the diamond like beveled surface that give the phone a definite flair. On the rear, you only have a speaker, a 3.2 Megapixel camera lens, and a flash. The back cover slides up to reveal the battery, sim slot, and MicroSD slot.

In the photo below, you can see the front controls up close.

There are no soft keys on this phone, but the screen is so easy to use that you don’t really need them. The controls are all on one solid surface that can be pushed in near the icons to activate the buttons. In the upper left, you have your home button that brings you back to the main TouchFlo tab or the Today Screen if you choose to turn off TouchFlo. In the upper right, you will find the back button. Below those two are the call and hang up buttons. The center has a center select button that is actually recessed into the surface and surrounding it is the zoom wheel that works similar to the iPod controls. The zoom wheel also allows for left/right/up/down control too, but they are really difficult to operate for me.

One thing you will notice as well is the lack of LEDS. Where are the indications? They are in the zoom wheel. The backlighting behind the Talk/Send and End buttons as well as the navigation control (zoom wheel) light with white lighting in different patterns to indicate various scenarios.

The bottom of the FUZE has the mini USB jack for sync/charge as well as for the headphone adapter. Just below the headphone icon is the soft reset button. Above the Charge/Sync port is your microphone as well.

All we have on top is the power buttons. The only issue I have that sometimes when I try to power on, the keyboard slides out, but this is just me trying to use it one handed with the same motion as other devices, another week and I’ll be used to it.

On the right side, all we have is the magnetic stylus silo. The stylus itself disappoints me. It’s a short, non retractable stylus.

On the left side, you will find the volume controls and the Push to Talk Button. With my unit, the Push to Talk button did not show up as mappable in the button settings and it’s really annoying when pushed.

The keyboard is one of only two big gripes that I have about the FUZE. I had been using the T-Mobile G1 a bit before picking the FUZE up and it has a dedicated row of numbers along with 4 rows just like most QWERTY sliders. Those that have the AT&T Tilt still will be right at hope with the number pad within the keyboard, but I have grown to like the top roll full of numbers. What this keyboard did that I also don’t like is they did make it 5 rows instead of 4 on the Tilt. They filled most of the top row with symbols. They also moved the Function key to the middle of the left side. I can’t tell you how many times my fingers hit the ok button instead of FN. The keyboard is much more cramped than the Tilt, but still quite usable. There are plenty of hotkeys to common functions on this keyboard on the bottom row too.

FEATURES
The FUZE is packed with features that you expect in a modern Windows Mobile Smartphone. You have your WiFi, A2DP Bluetooth, AGPS, 3.2 Megapixel camera, and TV Out. One thing that isn’t much of a “Feature” is the screen on a phone, but this one is worth listing as a feature. The 2.8 VGA Screen has a resolution of 640×480 and is absolutely stunning.

Phone
Yes. All this and the FUZE is a phone too! I know, it’s hard to believe, but it’s true. As with most Windows Mobile Phones, the wireless signal seems weaker as indicated by the bars than a regular old phone. This holds true with the FUZE too. I am not surprised with this at all. I had no issues getting a strong enough signal to have quality conversations though. The call clarity on my end was perfect and I got not complaints from the dozens of people I talked to with the FUZE, including one of the most critical callers, Matt Miller.

Bluetooth and WiFi
Non scientific tests show great range and simple setup. Not one bit of trouble getting on 3 different WiFi networks and my Bluetooth headset was paired in a jiffy.

Camera
The 3.2 Megapixel Camera does a great job really. Here are a couple of snapshots I took. The one of the left is in low light and the one on the right is super lighting. (Click the image for the full raw photo)

Software
The HTC FUZE runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 with heavy UI modification courtesy of HTC’s own TouchFLO 3D. The FUZE comes packed with extra software added for AT&T including a ton of trials and paid services. There is the normal compliment of Windows Mobile standard applications as well. One thing that is missing is Windows Live Services though. I found that to be quite odd. Below are various screenshots from the FUZE.

The 1st Screenshot above shows the TouchFLO 3D homescreen. Next over is the “People” tab where you can setup some of your favorite or most called contacts. The 3rd screenshot over shows us a new tab in the TouchFLO UI put in for AT&T with links to all their services (paid and free). Next over is the Internet Tab. This tab has quick links to your shortcuts and launches Opera. In my opinion, this tab could have been left off.

From left to right you have the Music Tab, Programs Tab, All Programs sub menu of the Programs Tab, and the Photos and Videos Tab. The Music and Photos and Video Tabs are interactive and quite useful. You can swipe your finger through album art or photos. Each of the tabs have more to do by using the softkeys too. A submenu of the Programs tab lists all the programs in a more “Androidish” look, even though TouchFLO came before Android.

Here is the settings tab with the Communications sub menu. I really dig the indicators for on/off conditions. Again, comparing this to other phones, these menus look iPhone – ish. The right hand screenie shows the HTC Task manager app that has taken away my need for SPB Software House’s “X” function of Pocket Plus.

When the slide out keyboard is open, the display rotates to landscape and the left hand screenshot shows what the TouchFLO does. It doesn’t matter what tab you were in, it goes here. On the right is a screenie of Teeter, the game that uses the internal G-Sensor.

HTC has also skinned up the keyboard to make it prettier as well as added some enhancements. Not sure why you’d want it, but you can also swap the keyboard to T9 format. AT&T has taken control of your signature too. Notice on the left, I didn’t put that there. Nice touch though!

Messaging
Just like other Windows Mobile Phones, Exchange server was a snap to get rolling on the FUZE. SMS/MMS messaging using the TouchFLO UI is a tad different, but I like Palm’s touch better here. There is an included multi messaging application that supports MSN, AOL, and Yahoo.

PERFORMANCE
The FUZE is sporting a Qualcomm 528 MHz processor with plenty of RAM, but the problem is that the TouchFLO UI runs a tad sluggish despite the power. The screen rotation lags about a second, applications think a bit too long. All these things are not unique to the FUZE though. This is quite prevalent as most of us know with Windows Mobile when we load it up. Despite the sluggish nature, the phone is quite usable still. I could easily live with it and I will.

Battery Life
Oh Boy. I go from the Epix with a massive battery that took me multiple days without a refresh to this meager 1340mAh battery. I am scraping by to get home to charge each evening with moderate usage. I don’t live in a 3G area, so add that and/or some heavy WiFi usage and this may not make it through a day. I suggest an extra battery for those road warriors.

Conclusion
Overall, I am very pleased with the FUZE. I will be purchasing my own, but not 100% sure that it will be my daily driver right now. The battery life has me concerned since I work my phones pretty hard during the week. I honestly do not suggest frugal shoppers to jump ship on their Tilts for the FUZE, but if you like to have the latest and greatest, you won’t be “losing” anything going from the Tilt to the Fuze. Well, you will lose the “TILTING”, but that’s about it.

PROS

Screen, Screen, Screen. Beautiful VGA!
Sexy Design / Quality Build
Very Nice Size and Feel
Despite the TouchFLO complaint, the FUZE is faster than most phones
Something not emphasized often, the G-Sensor

CONS

Extra row on keyboard makes it a bit more cramped.
Battery Life
Price is harder to justify with other stellar devices out there cheaper, even on AT&T.

Price and Availability
The AT&T FUZE is available now at AT&T for $299 with 2 year contract and $50 mail in rebate.

Specifications

Operating System	Windows® Phone OS 7.5
Processor	1.5 GHz
Internal Memory	16GB, 512MB RAM
Display	4.7-inch touchscreen with 480×800 resolution
Network	HSPA+/WCDMA 850/1900/2100MHz and Quad-band GSM/GPRS/Edge 850/900/1800/1900MHz
Camera	8-megapixel camera with F2.2 lens, dual LED flash, and BSI sensor (for better low-light captures). Front camera 1.3-megapixel fixed-focus color camera. HD video recording in 720p HD with stereo audio.
Battery	Rechargable Lithium Battery, 1,650 mAh Talk time: WCDMA: Up to 410 minutes, Standby time*: WCDMA: Up to 460 minutes, GSM: Up to 710 minutes
Dimensions	131.5 x 70.7 x 9.9mm

Photos

[gallery link="file"]

Videos

I’m back BTW! Where am I?

Chris — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:18:46 +0000

I didn’t think I’d be blogging about mobile anytime soon for a couple reasons, but scenarios change. That said, I am writing for GottaBeMobile and Notebooks.com again.

I’ll be covering mobile operating systems, software, accessories, and unlocked phones.

Currently, I am working in the HTC Titan, the Kupa X11 Pro tablet, and the Nook Tablet. Make sure to check out my posts on GBM.

Also, I’ll be in Vegas for CES after skipping the last 2 years. Hit me up if you want to sync up.

Happy to be back in the saddle!

Testing the WordPress app for Windows Phone

Chris — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:51:30 +0000

So, I am rocking the HTC Titan and wanted to check out the WordPress app for Windows Phone 7. The UI is impressive and it’s pretty fast.

My Twitter hiatus and why I shut down this blog

Chris — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 03:31:52 +0000

Last night, I posted a test post to ensure everything still worked after I brought the site back online after having it forwarded to a landing page. Well, Twitter worked but Facebook didn’t. Everything else went well. When I made that post, I promised a follow post on why I took it offline after 5 years. Well, here it is…

1st off, why did I quit Twitter?
I haven’t really decided if I will quit for good, but some things have transpired over the last few months that make it where I feel I can’t be myself on Twitter any longer. I don’t really want to put it out here where everyone can see, but I feel that I can’t really use Twitter how I’d like to anymore. I can’t put out the good without throwing in the bad comments about certain products and services. If I can’t have it both ways, I should just shut up. I might pop back on after my 1 month, self imposed ban and read here and there, but for now, I am calling it quits. Posts I make from this blog will still be piped into my Twitter channel, but I won’t be commenting on replies on Twitter. It’s not as simple and saying “Screw it, I’m going to say whatever I want” either. It’s kinda complicated.

It’s not just Twitter.
I have also decided to discontinue use of some other social media sites as well. Foursquare is the main one. Foursquare has no real use in my life. Do any of you really care where me and my family are eating? I didn’t think so.

Why did I shut this blog down?
Truth be told, it was an impulsive act that coincided with my decision to quit on Twitter. I decided since I can’t blog about mobile tech anymore, I need to distance myself from the past. The Aximsite years were awesome, but I am not a journalist, I am not a current site owner/admin, I left the Microsoft MVP program, I can’t blog about mobile any more, and I am no longer a part of the mobile community, so there is no real reason to hang out on twitter anymore. There also is no reason to operate a personal blog anymore since I can share on Facebook. I am also trying to privatize my life a little since I am no longer any of those things. Short and simple version is that I am not important enough to really have more than Facebook to share on.

It’s back online now, why?
Simple. I missed having a place to bitch and complain that I control. My own piece of the internet. Facebook is cool and all, but I don’t own my own content there. Here I do. Not to mention, making $2-3/day with 1 single ad doesn’t hurt. It’s not gonna pay for devices, but it almost covers the server (although another site here I host for a friend covers that already). I have so many gripes and complaints I want to share that I needed to have this back online. I might not have much to say about mobile here anymore, but I will have some things to say.

Should I change the site’s domain again? Maybe www.talesfromawashedupcommunityleaderthatnolongerhasavoice.com?

Reopening the blog, testing plugins

Chris — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:04:34 +0000

More on why I shut this blog down in the 1st place later, but right now I am just making sure I have everything back in order.

Upon publishing, the following things should happen:

Link to this post tweeted on my @ChrisLeckness account (even though I am abstaining from Twitter right now).
Posted to my Facebook Wall with link back to the post.
RSS Updated

I just want to make sure, after tearing the site down, that it’s ready for public consumption again.

What is Social Media Marketing?

Chris — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 20:48:24 +0000

I always wondered how people became social media experts. Was this a title they gave themselves? I am still learning what makes these social media people tick right now. In all my reading and researching lately, I’ve discovered that I am actually a social media marketing guy too. I just didn’t know it and didn’t try. I am no “Rock Star” in Social Media, but I have been doing what businesses need in Social Media all along.

What is Social Media Marketing?
Wikipedia has all the general answers you need to know. In a nutshell, Social Media Marketing is marketing through Social Media channels. No too hard to figure out is it? The next question is what are the Social Media channels? There are 100′s of Social Media channels online today. Some of the most common are obviously YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, but there are so many more. Here is a list of some of the more common Social Media channels being used today.

Twitter (Micro blogging)
Facebook (Social networking and now location services too)
YouTube (Video Sharing)
Foursquare
LinkedIn (Social networking with an emphasis on job related networking)
Digg (Social News Sharing)
Del.icio.us (Social Bookmarking)
StumbleUpon (Social Bookmarking)
Flickr (Photo sharing)
Blogs

Did notice the last bullet item? Yes, blogs. Many people don’t really realize that blogging is a form of Social Media Marketing. With blogging being considered a Social Media channel, you have to throw forums in there too. That said, the earliest forms of Social Networking has to be the old dial-up BBS systems prior to Compuserve and AOL. Breaking it down like that, I have over 23 years of Social Networking experience. I started using BBS systems in 1987-88 time frame since my dad ran a couple of them for programmers in my town. My work running Aximsite and Mobilitysite since 2002 puts me in the role of a Social Media Community Leader as well. With all that time and experience, you would think that I am a Social Media “Rock Star” right? No, I am far from that. I was quite successful in running my communities, but when my web properties were aquired back in March 2010, the landscape of Social Media had changed so much with Web 2.0 and all.

Sure, I was utilizing Social Media to enhance and promote my main community, Mobilitysite, which was the result of the evolution of all my websites into one super sized site. I used Facebook and Twitter to promote our content. I used Flickr to host device photos in hopes of bringing some more traffic towards the site. Even though I was a pioneer of mobile phone videos on YouTube, I didn’t use YouTube the best way possible. I joined YouTube on June 07, 2006 and posted my 1st video 10 days later. My informal style and regular old Joe attitude towards videos took me to 5,000 subscribers very quickly. The problem is that I didn’t realize what I had until it was too late. I had an opportunity to create a new community on YouTube where I could grow through YouTube, but instead, I insisted that anyone wanting to interact with me had to come to my website to do so. I only looked to YouTube as a place to host my videos. Had I evolved with Social Media better, I would have realized the potential I had on YouTube. Instead, I didn’t interact with my commenters and other sites and channels started on YouTube doing videos better, more professional and to top that off, they interacted with their viewers. IF YOU USE SOCIAL MEDIA, INTERACT WITH YOUR VIEWERS, FANS, ETC. If you don’t, you are missing an opportunity to grow and have your audience feel a part of it all.

All in all, I feel that I could have done a much better job promoting my brand through Social Media had I taken the time to understand why Social Media Marketing is important earlier. I am not crying over spilled milk here, but I hope others don’t make the same mistakes I have.

Blogging, as I mentioned above, is considered Social Media. In fact, Twitter is a form of Blogging called Micro Blogging. Every company with a blog is already involved in Social Media Marketing. Are they doing it right though? There is no right or wrong really, but I do have some tips that can help for businesses and individuals alike.

Post often. If you want costomers to become interested in what you are blogging about, you need to have consistensy. Give them a reason to subscribe. If you are only updating your blog once a week, depending on your industry, you will get left behind. Readers will stop subscribing to your RSS feed.
Intergrate blog posts into other Social Media Channels. At minimum, add your RSS feed to Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin. RSS Feeds are great and many still consume content through RSS readers, but some are looking to Facebook and Twitter streams only for their content now, especially today’s teenagers.
Engage the readers. Don’t throw up content that is fact only with no personal touch. Share experiences and opinions. Ask questions. Get the readers talking. I am not suggesting that you incite debate, but incite conversation. Ask readers what they think.
Be passionate. Don’t hire some kid that is only interested in getting off of work to play Xbox 360 to talk about Candle Holders. Their lack of passion will be transparent to readers that are passionate about that subject. For instance, if you are a software company that develops games for the Xbox 360, that kid I said not to hire might be a good fit for your business.
Do you need Journalists? Here is a subject that is highly debatable. I tend to lean towards the unpopular opinion on the subject. My answer is NO! If you are writing the job listing, please don’t write out some applicants with mid level manager requirements for something that anyone with a basic understanding of the English language can do. You don’t need a 4 year marketing or journalism degree to maintain or write for a blog. Trust me, I know some companies are over-writing the requirements for some of these Social Media jobs.
Visuals. This might or might not be a huge deal to some, but to me, visual appeal is important. If I can read the same quality of content on two different sites, it will come down to which site is easier to navigate and read. 1st impressions also mean a lot. Make sure you design your blog to be visually attractive, still focusing on readable content. Make your blog posts as nice looking as possible too. Use multimedia when possible. Videos and pictures help break up the monotony.
Along the same lines of visual appeal, work on structure of a post. Don’t use big paragraphs. Do use bullet lists. Bite sized chunks are great for most readers. If you hit them with a wall of text, you will limit the ammount of readers that will take time to finish reading the post.
Be yourself. Don’t read more into this than there is, just be yourself.

Wrapping it up!
Social Media Marketing is a broad brush which is relatively new term, but it’s nothing new really. Some of the channels we use today are new, but it’s still marketing. How much you put into it depends on the size of your company and budget. If you are a large corporation, you will need to hire people to carry out your plans. You can’t be everywhere all the time. You will need to spread your efforts out over Social Media channels that fit your plan. Smaller companies can get by working their plan in-house, but even then, would you be taking away from other areas of the company that you should be focusing on too? Social Media Marketing is a MUST for all businesses. I can’t think of a business that wouldn’t benefit from Social Media Marketing.

Don’t worry, if you liked my tips regarding blogging, I will have some more soon. I plan to share through my own success and failures online what you can do to win the Social Media Marketing game here. Here are some of the post ideas I have already brewing.

Social Media Marketing: Consumer Perspective.
Promotions. Giveaways are cheaper than advertising!
Tips and Tricks for maintaining a Forum Community.
Saving Money with Social Media Marketing.
What is Twitter?
Should I host my own blog?
Your Twitter Profile is Important.

I will leave you with an big list of Social Media channels from WikiPedia. Social Media channels are everywhere. You have to find the channels that fit your Social Media Marketing plans!

Communication

Blogs: Blogger, ExpressionEngine, LiveJournal, Open Diary, TypePad, Vox, WordPress, Xanga
Microblogging: FMyLife, Foursquare, Jaiku, Plurk, Posterous, Tumblr, Twitter, Qaiku, Yammer, Google Buzz
Location-based social networks: Foursquare, Gowalla, Facebook places, The Hotlist
Social networking: ASmallWorld,Cyworld, Facebook, Hi5, LinkedIn, MySpace, Orkut, Tagged, XING, Hyves
Events: Eventful, The Hotlist, Meetup.com, Upcoming
Information Aggregators: Netvibes, Twine (website)
Online Advocacy and Fundraising: Causes, Kickstarter

Collaboration/authority building

Wikis: PBworks, Wetpaint, Wikia, Wikimedia
Social bookmarking: CiteULike, Delicious, Diigo, Google Reader, StumbleUpon, folkd
Social news: Digg, Mixx, NowPublic, Reddit, Newsvine, MyWeboo
Social navigation: Trapster, Waze
Content Management Systems: Wordpress
Document Managing and Editing Tools: Google Docs, Syncplicity, Docs.com, Dropbox

Multimedia

Photography and art sharing: deviantArt, Flickr, Photobucket, Picasa, SmugMug, Zooomr, BetweenCreation
Video sharing: sevenload, Viddler, Vimeo, YouTube, Dailymotion, Metacafe, Nico Nico Douga, Openfilm, TubeMogul
Livecasting: Justin.tv, Livestream, OpenCU, Skype, Stickam, Ustream
Music and audio sharing: ccMixter, Pandora Radio, Last.fm, MySpace Music, ReverbNation.com, ShareTheMusic, The Hype Machine
Presentation sharing: scribd, SlideShare

Reviews and opinions

Product reviews: epinions.com, MouthShut.com
Business reviews: Customer Lobby, Yelp, Inc.
Community Q&A: Askville, EHow, Stack Exchange, WikiAnswers, Yahoo! Answers

Entertainment

Media and entertainment platforms: Cisco Eos
Virtual worlds: Active Worlds, Forterra Systems, Second Life, The Sims Online
Game sharing: Kongregate, Miniclip

Brand monitoring

Social media measurement: Attensity, Statsit, Sysomos, Vocus

Disclaimer: I do not consider myself an expert in Social Media Marketing at all. I am just sharing experiences I have learned online. I have been involved in online community building for 10 years and I have been blogging since before blogs were called blogs. My opinions are my own and I am not speaking on behalf of companies I work for.

Test post via iPhone WordPress app

Chris — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 13:19:10 +0000

Good morning, it’s Black Friday and instead of heading out for sales, I’m heading out to work.

I have used the iPhone WordPress app before to check out comments, but as far as I can remember, I’ve never posted with the app. I wanted to test it out this morning. I might start blogging a little on the run and knowing how simple this will be will help make that choice. So far so good. There is definitely a lack of features, but that is to be expected. I’ll definitely need to edit on a PC later.