So much technology, so little time. As AK Tech Girl, I'll bring you frequent byte-sized pieces of technology to help make sense of all those whistles and widgets. How can blogs, Web applications and gadgets really help you in your work and home life? I'll show you how! Ask your burning Internet and gadget questions here - ask us about anything BUT your computer (see your computer guy for that one). This is your life on tech, made easier.
Image by Karen Larsen, used with permission.
BLOGGER
Aliza Sherman is an avid blogger, a freelance writer for national publications, and works as an Internet strategist for companies and nonprofits in Alaska and around the world. She is a resident of Second Life where she owns a virtual island, holds live events, and hosts a business television show. In her First Life here in Anchorage, she is married to a hunky wildlife biologist and is mom to their precocious 2-year-old daughter. (Photo by Clark Mishler, used with permission.)
Selling Your Stuff Online - 7/6/2009 7:33 am
4 Professional Applications to Add to Your Facebook Profile - 6/29/2009 4:34 pm
Two Must-Have Chargers for Travelers - 6/20/2009 9:43 am
All I Want For Christmas Is... - 6/13/2009 7:21 pm
10 Fun and Educational iPhone Apps for Kids - 6/5/2009 5:34 pm
Getting My Dad Online - 6/2/2009 6:49 am
Learning Through Podcasts - 5/19/2009 3:39 pm
When You've Got Connectivity - 5/16/2009 4:11 pm
How to Approach a Blogger - 4/30/2009 7:53 am
5 Helpful Tools to Help You Twitter - 4/21/2009 8:29 pm
Will Oprah Kill Twitter? - 4/17/2009 9:48 pm
Be a Good Friend in Social Networks - 4/12/2009 9:00 am
iPhone Apps for Travelers - 4/5/2009 7:48 am
The "Twitter" Effect - 3/28/2009 4:17 pm
Finding Things on the Web - 3/22/2009 4:26 am
Reporting from South by Southwest Interactive - 3/15/2009 12:48 pm
Gratuitous Dog Photos from the 2009 Tanacross Dog Sled Races - 3/7/2009 4:28 pm
Managing Your Contacts - 3/6/2009 3:22 pm
Friends in Social Networks - 2/28/2009 11:31 am
Twitter's Not the Only Microblogging Game In Town - 2/27/2009 1:38 pm
Springpad It and Get Really Organized - 2/20/2009 2:00 pm
Manage Your Life's Activities with Center'd - 2/15/2009 1:41 pm
JULY 6, 2009 - 7:33 AM
Threadless - cool tshirt designs
We all know about eBay, the granddaddy of person-to-person Internet marketplaces, for selling things online. But there are a lot of other sites where you can create and sell things. Here is a sampling.
1. Etsy - Are you into arts and crafts? Homemade crafty creations are bought and sold at Etsy. The site also has a thriving online and offline community of crafty types.
2. Cafe Press - Do you have a knack with funny slogans or funky logos? You can easily produce branded tshirts, sweatshirts, baseball caps, mugs, calendars, even teddy bears. Producing the items doesn't cost you anything out of pocket. You just mark up the price Cafe Press sets to determine your profit. Cafe Press takes care of printing, shipping and the entire online transaction. Another similar site is Zazzle.com.
JUNE 29, 2009 - 4:34 PM
As more and more people use Facebook as a professional networking site and not just for social interactions, many wonder how they can make their Facebook profile as professional as possible. There are so many fun applications to add to a Facebook profile, but by doing so, you might create irrelevant clutter that doesn't put your best professional foot forward.
Here are four applications you can add to your personal Facebook profile to enhance it as a professional networking and image-enhancing tool:
1. Testimonials - You can add this app to your profile and use it to gather references from your personal, professional and academic contacts.
JUNE 20, 2009 - 9:43 AM
battery charger by iGoI was at JFK airport the other day on my way back home to Tok when I passed by an electronics shop. The Gadget Girl in me drew me into the store as I've been on the lookout for a solar charger for my cellphones. They didn't have one, but they did have two other chargers that I purchased and wondered why I hadn't bought them sooner.
1. Battery powered charger for my iPhone. The iGo PowerXtender takes two AA batteries and powers up your phone when you can't get to a power outlet. You can purchase tips to accommodate a variety of mobile devices. It goes for about $15 on Amazon.com - I think I paid almost twice that at the airport tech store so my advice is to purchase one before you take a trip, not during.
JUNE 13, 2009 - 7:21 PM
_ Kindle Store.preview.jpg "The Kindle on Amazon.com")
The Kindle on Amazon.comI know, I know, I'm thinking about Christmas early, maybe a little too early, however, my Christmas wish list - while not long - is quite pricey so someone is going to have to save their pennies if there's any hope of seeing these items.
1. An iPhone3G. I can't tell you any other reason why I'd want the latest, greatest iPhone while living in rural Alaska where I won't get all of the latest, greatest benefits, other than the fact that I love my current iPhone and if there's a better one out there, I'll take it! Of course, since I do live in Tok, this doesn't have to be a high priority purchase.
JUNE 5, 2009 - 5:34 PM
Where's Gumbo? is one of a number of storybook apps for the iPhone
Are parents really using their cell phones as the modern day baby rattle? Well, according to an Associated Press article they are. And yes, I am one of those parents.
I've blogged about iPhone applications for kids last year, and the choice of kid-friendly, entertaining and educational applications has exploded.
JUNE 2, 2009 - 6:49 AM
holding hands in cyberspace
I remember telling my parents about the Internet back in the early 1990s. I had a PC laptop with America Online on it, and I showed him how to "get online" and how email worked.
"I don't get it," he told me back then. "I just can't see a use for it."
At the time, my only argument for the value of the Internet was that he could stay in touch with his daughters because we both had email.
Fast forward to today. My Dad appreciates the emails and photographs my sister and I share with him through email, especially now that he has a granddaughter. But email isn't the only thing he uses. He's been teaching algebra classes online for several years through the University of Phoenix.
MAY 19, 2009 - 3:39 PM
iPhone by AppleNot everyone can listen to an audio lesson and get something from it. I actually used to struggle even listening to an audiobook - especially while driving - and come away with any understanding of the story. These days, even though I'm so much more able to concentrate and absorb the content of an audiobook, I'm so busy that the thought of listening to an entire book - even over days or weeks - is overwhelming.
Enter podcasts. I love podcasts. In addition to recording my own podcasts (Digital Marketer; Cybergrrl Oh: Living a 2nd Life; MediaBabes; and Social Media Goodness), I've been listening to more and more podcasts lately. I especially listen to them while working out, and yes, while driving. While some of them are about an hour long, most are under half an hour, some even as short as under ten minutes and yet still chock full of great information.
MAY 16, 2009 - 4:11 PM
chena hot springsI think it is easy to take connectivity to the Internet or a cell signal for granted. It seems almost a given that we can --and should-- be able to get connected wherever we go. Those of us living in rural areas, however, know how precious connectivity can be, if you can get it.
I'm at a three day conference in Chena Hot Springs, and I think everyone attending took it for granted that Internet connectivity was a given. I was asked to speak about social media and online community building so never questioned being able to get online. Boy were we surprised!
APRIL 30, 2009 - 7:53 AM
Bloggers are people, tooA lot of people look to bloggers these days to help them publicize their products or services. I'm approached many times a week to do this so have come up with a short list of things to consider when asking a blogger to promote something for you.
1. Do your homework. Before you approach a blogger, read some of their past posts and recent posts to get a sense of the themes and topics they cover. Have they blogged about a product or service before? Reference this in your pitch to explain why you're approaching this particular blogger. And before you hit the send button, make sure that your product or service is actually relevant to the blogger's blog.
APRIL 21, 2009 - 8:29 PM
Twilert: like Google Alerts for Twitter
I use Twitter every day. When people ask me what I get out of Twitter, I can rattle off a list of ways Twitter helps me with my work including providing:
1. connections to my colleagues thousands of miles away;
fast answers to my immediate tech questions;
2. insights into what my industry leaders are thinking - and reading;
3. a sounding board for ideas;
4. a marketing tool for my online events; and
5. a gateway to my podcasts and blogs.
One of the most interesting things about Twitter is how so many companies are jumping on the Twitter bandwagon, producing applications and tools to help Twitter users tweet more efficiently and measure aspects of their Twitter use. Here are five tools I'm using these days:
APRIL 17, 2009 - 9:48 PM
 on Twitter.preview.jpg "Oprah Twitters")
Oprah Twitters
The "Twitterverse" has been all abuzz with the recent uptick in celebrity participation on Twitter. Actor and producer Ashton Kutcher (@aplusk) has been spending an inordinate amount of time Twittering his life with wife--and superstar--Demi Moore (@mrskutcher), including personal and intimate photographs behind-the-scenes of their jet-setting lifestyle.
APRIL 12, 2009 - 9:00 AM
social networking is about "friends" and being "friendly"
The more we use social networks in our everyday messaging, the more we need to consider how we are using these new forms of communication. I've blogged about the need to establish your friending policy to better manage which friend offers you receive, accept or make. Here are a few more tips about making friends and not annoying people in the world of social networks.
1. Fill in Your Profile. Before you start inviting people to become your friend, make sure you fill in your profile so people know who you are, what you do, and why they might be interested in connecting with you.
APRIL 5, 2009 - 7:48 AM
LonelyPlanet apps for iPhone
You may recall my iPhone envy from last year. Once my other mobile phone contract was up, I rushed to the AT&T store to get my iPhone and haven't looked back since.
In past posts, I've covered a few iPhone topics including iPhone for Kids and 7 Really Useful iPhone Apps. To contribute to your iPhone envy - if you don't already own the amazing device - let me tell you about some great iPhone apps for traveling.
MARCH 28, 2009 - 4:17 PM
logo - twitter.com
When I first posted on this blog about Twitter, most people were saying "Twitter what?" After all of the media attention Twitter is getting, people still may not know what Twitter actually is or how it works, but at least their response is more likely to be "I've heard about Twitter." In case you are still wondering, Twitter is considered a microblog - a place where you can post micro messages that are made up of 140 characters in length or less - to a web page.
MARCH 22, 2009 - 4:26 AM
kartoo resultsBelieve it or not, there are many search engines out there besides Google and new ones popping up all the time. If something exists on the Web, chances are there is a tool out there that can find it. Here are a few search engines you may not have tried that can hone in on the things you are trying to locate.
Dogpile is a meta-search meaning that it searches all the best search engines to cast a wider net when you are looking for something. Their engine taps into Google, Yahoo, Ask.com, Windows Live among others. Think of it as your One Stop Search Engine.
MARCH 15, 2009 - 12:48 PM
It has been a whirlwind week of packing for travel, driving from Tok to Anchorage, 15 hours and three planes with a toddler from Anchorage to get to Austin, Texas for this year's South by Southwest Interactive conference. For those of you "in the know" about conferences, SXSW - as it is known - started out as a conference for indy bands, expanded into film and then broadened its reach into SXSW, proving out the importance of the convergence of music/film/digital.
The conference, held at the Austin Convention Center, is huge and overwhelming. Even the Interactive portion is chock-full of luminaries, wannabes, newbies, numerous concurrent sessions, and a slew of parties across town. Sessions have covered the current state of and the future of mobile technology; the power of moms online; web design techniques; daddy bloggers, girl gaming, and social media for nonprofits.
MARCH 7, 2009 - 4:28 PM
sled dog at Tanacross
I'm posting a few digital photos from the 2009 Tanacross Dog Sled Races for no other reason than I welcome any excuse to post photos of dogs online. But to stay within the theme of this blog, let me just tell you that I used my iPhone for all of these photos.
The lighting isn't always perfect, but many of these photos were taken while walking past the dogs so I'd say the iPhone does a pretty good job of capturing impromptu and instant snapshots.
You can view more digital pics from the races on my Flickr page.
MARCH 6, 2009 - 3:22 PM
your contacts are important - manage them wellThere are many contact management solutions out there that help you organize your contact lists or address books. The usual solution works like a searchable rolodex. The better solution helps you actually manage your relationships with your contacts. Using those more robust solutions is referred to as CRM or Contact Relationship Management.
One of the most well-known CRM services is Salesforce, however, for a small business with a small budget, Salesforce has a group edition for $9 per user per month. For the individual, that comes to $108 for the year. Salesforce helps you manage your contacts as well as client accounts, opportunities, and leads. It integrates with many popular email applications and keeps your information safe and secure.
FEBRUARY 28, 2009 - 11:31 AM
Friending has a whole new meaningHow do you decide who you will friend on a social network? How do you decide whose friendship request to accept?
Here are some tips on how to handle friending and being invited to friend on social networks.
1. Define your own friending policy. I'm a firm believer in having a "Friending Policy" for both your personal life and your professional life that clearly defines who you friend and why and whose friendship requests you'll accept for fun versus work.
2. Say why you want to friend. When you send out a social networking friend invitation, make sure to include a sentence about why you want to friend that person. Saying that you are a fan of their blog is a perfectly acceptable reason for friending. I can't understand why 99% of the invitations I get from people who I do not know personally only contain the canned message from the social network rather than a personal request. That isn't just lazy - it's rude.
FEBRUARY 27, 2009 - 1:38 PM
Twitter Still RulesBy now, you and your grandmother has heard of Twitter. What you may not know is that Twitter is considered a "microblog" where you can easily post very short messages from the Web, from your computer desktop, even from your mobile device.
I've been microblogging on Twitter for over a year and love it. I can post a message and even include a photo directly from my iPhone (as long as I have cell signal, of course). I enjoy the speed and efficiency of using Twitter to keep up with my friends, colleagues and to quickly let them know what I'm up to at any given moment.
Important warning about e-mails purporting to be from the adn.com staff.
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