BrothaTech » Internet

Notification Control: One Place To Change Email Notifications

Terrance Gaines — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:32:00 +0000

Every time you sign up for yet another web service or social network, you have to decide what email notifications you want to receive. At first you think “I want all the emails because you guys rawk!” As time goes on you say to yourself “All these email notifications are getting on my last nerve!” Going to each service to adjust your notifications can prove to be a time-suck. Setting up filter, after filter, after filter in your email inbox may force some emails you actually want to get lost in the shuffle.

With Notification Control, you can adjust your settings from a number of services all in one location.

The cool thing about Notification Control is that you don’t have to go down the list to authorize NC to access each and every service you want to manage. If you’re already logged in to those accounts, NC will jettison you right to the correct page where you can change your settings. So far, the list of services you can access by using NC include:

One stop Notification Shop

…You know, all the important ones. According to the website, if there is a service you want to add that’s not on the list, you can easily send a message with your request. So I suggest bookmarking Notification Control and very quickly rid your email inbox of notification that you probably already receive on all your mobile devices.

NAACPConnect Website Goes Social to Reach Younger Generations

Terrance Gaines — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:38:24 +0000

NAACP Steps it Social Game Up To Engage its Future Leaders

I’ve heard the question asked time and time again: “Are organizations like the NAACP still relevant?” I think the question arises NOT as a result of the lack of issues that need to be addressed by the NAACP, but more as a result of some of the tactics NAACP used to inform and engage its members, especially our youth who will (for better or worse) be the future of the advancement of colored people.

Maybe that sentiment is starting to change (at least in my eyes) as the organization has officially launched NAACPConnect, a social networking site geared specifically towards members of the NAACP Youth & College Division and participants in the Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) Program.

Site users can look forward to regular online conversations with distinguished NAACP Youth & College Division and ACT-SO alumni. Look at as a place online for the youth who currently represent the future of the NAACP to connect, socialize, and find out what their fellow ACT-SO colleagues are doing around the country. NAACPConnect also recognizes the amount of time our youth spend on social networking sites, and has created profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Youtube and Google+ to keep users engaged and informed.

In addition to just connecting with other NAACP youth, NAACPConnect will also offer everything from exclusive written and multimedia content, to skills trainings, to micro-mentoring aimed at educational and professional development. Check out this video of Actor Lamman Rucker discussing the importance of being resourceful for NAACPConnect

Recognizing that our youth also spend an enormous amount of time texting, NAACPConnect offers the ability to offer mobile updates on important news in information coming from the website.

In other words, popular to contrary belief, the NAACP recognizes the importance and influence of today’s youth, and has built a site for connecting and empowering them to not only advance “up the ranks” within the NAACP, but to make them better leaders period. For more information, check out the NAACPConnect site. If you have or know of any youth who could possibly benefit, make sure they check out as well.

Cyber Monday – Where I Shop for Tech Gear Online

Terrance Gaines — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 04:03:55 +0000

Image courtesy of Zazzle.com

I hate shopping!

I know I’ve said that many times over the years. When I do have to actually buy stuff for myself…or other people (’tis the season) I would prefer buy it online and pay the extra couple of dollars for the gift wrap option and have the gift shipped right to their doorstep.

When I do fire up the laptop to do some online shopping, there are a couple of go-to spots where I know I can get good products at good prices. So here are some of BrothaTech’s website picks to help you get the most out of your Cyber Monday tech shopping.

Crutchfield.com

If you like customer service, you might want to check out Crutchfield.com. Its online and live service is 2nd to none. So if you’re shopping for a picky someone and you want to make sure your gift is just right (or fits just right as Crutchfield sells a number of consumer electronics, but has always been known for its car audio gear.), you can contact Crutchfield staff to advise you on your purchase. Crutchfield does have some Cyber Monday deals going on in addition to free shipping and a 60-day return policy.

Newegg.com

Newegg is an online dealer where I go to get my computer gear (Hard drives, memory, etc.), but also offers a wide selection of consumer electronics with fast shipping. Newegg offers new products, but also has an outlet area where you can get even deeper deals on refurbished items – I’m sure Newegg will have a Cyber Monday deal going on since they had a Black Friday deal, so check them out before you hit up your normal online retailers.

Tech4less.com

Speaking of refurbs, Tech4Less is a smorgasbourg of deals because all the site offers is refurbished merchandise. Stuff that it pretty much new, but can’t legally be sold as new gets the refurb tag in most cases. I personally look for good refurbs for myself first no matter what site I’m on, so I can vouch that most refurbished gear is just as good as new. Since Tech4Less deals primarily in refurbished items, you can be sure that the electronics get a thorough “once over” before its products hit the virtual shelves. So if you’re looking for a good gadget for that not-so-techie person that doesn’t care about the latest and greatest, check out Tech4Less.com

Zazzle.com

Anything I want personalized (tshirts, mugs, etc.) I go to Zazzle. I’ve bought many of my geeky shirts as well as my latest QRCode necklace from the site. You can buy, create, and even sell products quickly, and I always get good deals from Zazzle in my inbox. So if you want to add some flare to your gifts, check out Zazzle.com

Sure, all the big online retailers will be in full effect this year begging for your stressed-out cash. Nine times out of ten, they know they’re going to get the majority of the play this holiday season and as a result, may or may not have the best deals. So if you want to get a good deal and not be stressed out trying to log in at midnight just to get table scraps from the big names, check out some not so known sites where you’re sure to get the same bang for your buck, if not more.

If you have your own go-to online spot for good Cyber Monday deals, let me know via the comments section.

BrothaTech and Lalah Hathaway Talk Tech

Terrance Gaines — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 18:41:00 +0000

Supreme Gadget Girl

I’m a big fan of Lalah Hathaway – So much so that Lil’ Tech is named after her (spelled just a lil’ differently). Needless to say that when I got the word that I would be able to interview her, I got maaaad excited.

Shout out to Miles Ahead Entertainment

Word on the street is that Lalah is a major gadget girl and shows through in how she is promoting her latest CD “Where It All Begins”. Her main website is mobile-friendly, so you can view it EASILY on any phone with internet connectivity; and she is using a special Facebook App to giveaway free autographed copies of her latest CD.

I also was able to dig into what makes her a gadget girl, and she successfully managed to ~~put me in my place~~ wow me with her tech background…especially in gaming! She’s an iPhone/iPad/MacBook fan, so that warms my heart…

…I’m not gonna give anything else away, so check out my audio interview with Lalah Hathaway and cop her latest CD “Where It All Begins”

Lalah Hathaway Interview

[Cracked and Improved] iPhone 5

Terrance Gaines — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:22:37 +0000

Big fan of the Dormtainment crew and just HAD to throw this video up on my site.

Turn off the TV and and turn on the web!

Nice job. Keep the videos coming!

Social Media Shirts

Terrance Gaines — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:00:30 +0000

Got my shirts just in time courtesy of zazzle.com

Get Noticed at Your Next Event with QR Codes

Terrance Gaines — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:00:20 +0000

How Am I Doing?

So, you’re headed to your next conference, eh? Be prepared for some learning, networking, empowerment, and some fun sprinkled in there somewhere. The networking part is mainly why I attend conferences. To finally meet people in person whom I’ve already connected with via various social networking channels is the highlight of any conference if you ask me. Meeting new people is definitely an added bonus.

One of the main goals behind meeting people is to make a lasting impression. Since I’m a techie, the way I make an impression is using those QR codes that others can scan and unveil all kinds of information about me. When people see the code, it always seems to strike up a conversation. I am still amazed about how many people are not hip to QR codes. So allow me to give you some QR code tips, tools and services that you can use to make your own impression at your next event!

Code Generation

QR code is short for “Quick Response code” so the first thing you need is the actual square-looking code that people can scan. You don’t need to be a programmer to generate the code, as there are many ways to get a code for free. The site I use is XZing Project QR Code Generator. From my experience, you can enter the most amount of information (Name, Title, phone, business name, url links, etc.) and the end result is a high-resolution code that you can then put on…whatever media you like.

- Moo.com is very QR code friendly – Upload your code, add some flare, and the end result is a beautiful and interactive business card.

- Stickerscan: Add your QR Code stickers to existing business cards (cause you still have a ba-jillion left), folders, your own gadgets, etc.

- Zazzle.com: You can add your code to business cards, stickers, tshirts, mugs, hats, tshirts, just about anything you can buy from their site, you can add a QR code to it.

Mobile Contact Pages

A cool way to compliment (or completely discard) your business cards is with a mobile contact page. They’re websites that are optimized for viewing on mobile phones. Visitors to your mobile contact page after scanning the QR code that is generated after you populate the site with your info, can click on any of the contact links to call you, send you an email, visit any of your social networking sites, or download your contact information directly into your phone.

GetContact.Info Code

- GetContactInfo: Create multiple profiles and get alerts when anybody scans your QR code and interacts with your page (basic analytics).

ScanMe Code

- ScanMe: You can add, update, and edit your contact information on your mobile site, but use the same code – No need to create another code.

RedLaser QRCode App for iPhone

QR Code Readers

Finally, you and the people who come across your QR code need a way to scan it. So here are some of the popular (and free) mobile reader apps for the major smartphone platforms to ensure people are interacting with your codes:

- iPhone: Red Laser, Optiscan

- Android: Red Laser, BarCode Scanner

- BlackBerry: ScanLife, I-Nigma

- Windows Phone: QR Code Reader

Share Your Code

Your fancy new code isn’t going to share itself. Now it’s up to you to get creative and give your new connections something more than just a plain old business card that nine times out of ten, is filed away and forgotten about (You know it’s true). My next event will be at Blogalicious Weekend later this week down in DC – Any attendees should have enough time to implement some of these tips, so get started…Additionally, if you see BrothaTech…

Show me your…

Codes!

…I’ll be passing out free 3-Month trials (Pro version) of the TripIt Travel Organizer service for the web/mobile to anybody who shows me how they use QR codes during the event

Vibe and Vegas Show – Who is BrothaTech?

Terrance Gaines — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:43:50 +0000

Back from a much needed vacation and what do I find in my Twitter inbox? The link to my guest appearance on “The Vibe and Vegas Show”. We talked about number of things of course related to technology:

- smartphones
- laptop vs. tablet
- cloud computing
- What’s up with BlackBerry
- How African Americans can survive and thrive in Social Media

My main man Dr. Vibe also dug a little deeper into exactly who is BrothaTech – Where the name came from, my tech background as well as some information about my family, and what I think Black men can do to uplift each other.

A Very interesting show indeed and I am honored that Dr. Vibe reached out to me for the show. Wouldn’t mind coming back on the regular to give the show’s listeners the “Low Down” on all things Tech (Hint, Hint)

So do me a favor and click here to listen to the show

The 2011 East Coast Quake According to Twitter

Terrance Gaines — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:46:25 +0000

"We fall down..."

I was north of Washington DC (Bethesda, MD) when the quake hit yesterday. I’ll be honest, before I had the time to process what was happening, the quake was over. After the fact, we all came to the realization that what we just witnessed was an actual earthquake. Immediately (before I even called my wife or checked on my kids *sad face*) I hit up Twitter in order to find out what was going on. Which brings me to my point – In no way am I trying to minimize the affect the earthquake had on the entire east coast from as far as Charlotte North Carolina, all the way up to NYC and beyond; but, the World Wide Web’s reaction to the East Coast Quake of 2011 was far more fascinating than the quake itself.

As previously mentioned, my [internet] poison of choice is Twitter, and low and behold, my timeline was FLOODED with quake information. Within a minute or so, I found out where the Quake came from: Mineral, VA which is about an hour north west of Richmond Virginia. How big the quake was: 5.9 on the Richter scale. If anybody was injured or if any buildings were seriously damaged: Everybody and everything was okay for the most part. In addition to other [tech] information: Many folks in and around the DC area could not make calls from their smartphones, but text, and the web was working…Yes, I did get in touch with Mrs. Tech via Facebook Messenger, and Tech 2.0′s daycare provider (my youngest daughter) sent out a sms message to all the parents. Mrs. Tech did call Lil’ Tech’s daycare provider (my oldest daughter) and they actually slept through the earthquake.

Shortly after that, that’s when the REAL Twitter came alive with funny [and maybe a little offensive] tweets and images of how people reacted to the quake.

Twitter / @DannyZuker: Oh, God. What did you do … via kwout

Twitter / @Gramophone_MD: So, sometimes our building … via kwout

Twitter / @Rasiej: I didn’t realize this till … via kwout

…and that was just a few from my timeline. I can imagine some of the crazy-ness that filled up your timeline (by all means, share them via the comments section). Laughter is calming for me, so to use a web service like Twitter to get a chuckle or two…AFTER I was able to fiund out important information is in my opinion, what the interwebz is all about.

I’ve Been Unfaithful…to Apple: The ChatterBox Edition

Terrance Gaines — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:08:23 +0000

Yes, I used protection

That’s right, during a trip to Atlanta this past weekend to hang out with a good friend of mine to celebrate ~~his last days a freedom~~ the beginning of his journey into wedded bliss, I was tempted and subsequently succumbed to the temptation to visit the ONLY Microsoft Store on the East Coast.

The temptress was none other than my Social Media “Wonder Twin” Christie “ChatterBox” Crowder and she insisted that I check out the store. She was blown away when she first visited the store and just knew a die-hard techie (and Apple Fanboy) like myself could at the very least appreciate all the store had to offer. So she accompanied me on my trip to the “Dark Side” as I “stepped out” on my beloved brand in favor of “Something New” (Side Note: If you’re tired of me using “Quotes” around all my “phrases” than “too bad”).

After my eye-opening experience, she brought me on her latest ChatterBox Show on BlogTalkRadio to talk about my experience…and what we have planned for Microsoft as part of larger campaign.

Listen to internet radio with The ChatterBox Show on Blog Talk Radio