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Showing posts from July, 2012

New Translations: The Internet Reinvents Time

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Much of the focus of the Web is innovation. New ways of communicating, relaying information and marketing are constantly being developed. And with the Web, every part of the world is connected, at all times. People are constantly interacting across time zones. Time itself is the focus of many websites, such as timeanddate.com, and many companies, such as those that provide document translation or design custom computer applications, need to be aware of the time where clients are located. Swatch, a Swiss company, has introduced the .beat, an alternative to the seconds and hours we are all used to. This is intended to simplify the 24 hour, 60 minute per hour system that has defined time since antiquity. Each day comprises 1000 beats, with the standard for the time based on a meridian drawn through Biel, Switzerland. The units equal to 1 .beat per 86.4 seconds, or 1 per 1.44 minutes. In this new time format, various aspects of the Internet are reflected. Time af...

Advertising Hits the Road!

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Just when you thought advertisers had placed ads on just about everything we see every day, something else comes up. You’ve heard of cars that have ads on them, and you may have even seen some driving around that are completely covered in advertisements. Now, advertisers are setting their sights on a bigger canvas: trucks and RVs. These vehicles will be sent out especially to promote their products, driving around close to places that people frequent in the summer: amusement parks, tourist attractions, beach towns and outdoor concert venues are just a few of the ideas promoters have. An Old-Fashioned Concept In these days of technology-driven ads, isn’t bringing the ads to the people an outdated notion? Can’t people just look up C. Luce dresses on Facebook and “like” that particular product? That may be true, but advertisers feel they want to put a little more humanity into advertising. The people aboard the vehicles will take the opportunity to actually interact w...

Can You Sue for Net-Based Libel?

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Whether you sell industrial sweepers , maintain a charity website or just chat on forums, if you're online you could run into someone who tries to defame your character. Sometimes such people are genuinely angry, sometimes they're just trying to get a rise out of you, and in some cases they're mentally unbalanced. Whatever the reason, online defamation can ruin your reputation, damage your career and even leave you vulnerable to legal investigation. Defining Libel Defamation falls into two categories: libel and slander. Slander describes spoken words that injure your reputation, while libel describes written defamation. Online definition is considered libel. To be libel, a written statement must be a false statement presented as a fact, not an opinion. Under the First Amendment, an idea cannot be considered false. Therefore, if someone posts an online message that you're a jerk, it may be hurtful, but it's just an opinion and therefore nor libel. If,...

The Internet is More Important to Investing than You’d Think

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The oil industry is like every other in that the Internet plays a variety of crucial roles. Professionals use the Web for anything from learning how to invest in oil to researching the best geological areas to drill in. Investors do business by communicating online. It’s clear the Internet has changed the fundamentals of how companies operate. Bidding and Investing In the past, investors met in person to discuss deals, but now many of them communicate online. Directories and indexes are available to connect with the right people, while property, asset and other sales can be driven by a variety of e-Commerce entities. Aside from bidding on projects, other resources serve as centers for market and product news, such as Hydrocarbonline. Sales prospect and property listings are maintained at Petroleum Place, which also lists equipment for sale. Geological Data Online data resources make it easier to access vital information on geological formations, gravity dat...

Reality TV on Mars?

Some people are adventurers by nature, whether they're jumping out of planes or Ocoee white water rafting . Other people are exhibitionists: how else could reality television work if people weren't willing to do anything to get in front of the camera? And some people dream of the stars, hoping one day humanity will settle other planets. What happens when you take all three of these personality types, put them in a large bag and shake until they merge? If recent news is any indication you get Mars One, a Dutch company that plans on launching humans on a one-way, completely televised, trip to the Red Planet. Depending on whom you talk to, the idea is an inspired means to finance interplanetary travel or an insane version of Jersey Shore in space (okay, so an insane version of Jersey Shore may be redundant). Voted off the Planet Mars One plans to televise every aspect of the trip to Mars, starting with a Survivor -like contest that reduce 40 hopeful astronauts t...

Foursquare? Try Moresquare!

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Foursquare is an app that uses your location to “check” you in at various places you visit. It also combines social networking with this location application to create a unique platform that allows users to connect with others that have visited these spots. You can earn badges for checking in to certain spots or doing certain activities. Foursquare is ready to branch out and has basically redesigned their entire app to make it a more interesting, user-friendly and engaging application that will bring in some new users along with re-engaging old ones that may have left the app behind. What Changes Will Be Made? Instead of simply checking in at the store where you are purchasing men’s cufflinks , for example, you’ll also be able to see cool places that are near your location. The app uses GPS technology to determine your location and  then suggest other places to visit nearby They even use weather as a factor when recommending places to visit! Users will also find F...