Teambox Adds Features for Consolidating Collaboration Efforts |  |
- Teambox Adds Features for Consolidating Collaboration Efforts
- Hard Skill, Soft Skill: Which One Matters Most?
- How Google’s Recent Moves Matter to Business
- “Trust Me I’m Lying” Will Make You Question Everything You Read
| Teambox Adds Features for Consolidating Collaboration Efforts Posted: 12 Aug 2012 01:00 PM PDT Cloud-based team collaboration company Teambox has just announced its latest product, which includes new features such as group chat and integrations with popular services like Dropbox, Box, and Google Docs.
Teambox offers users a cloud-based collaboration platform that can make it easier for teams to manage tasks, exchange files, and communicate with one another. The new integrations with Dropbox and Box will allow Teambox users to easily and seamlessly synchronize their files. In addition to those services, Teambox users can also plug in documents, files, and other information from services like Gmail, Google Docs, Outlook, and other web apps such as HootSuite and Evernote. The new group chat feature, along with Teambox's interactive notes and web-based apps allow users to communicate and collaborate in a variety of different ways all within one centralized platform. Basically, Teambox is trying to build a one-stop-shop for users to set up a platform to run businesses using a variety of other cloud-based apps and services. Though there are many other products and services out there with similar features and aims, companies that want to consolidate their communication and collaboration efforts could definitely save time and energy by using a service like Teambox. In addition to its new features, Teambox has also announced new funding, a new CEO, and a new headquarters located in Silicon Valley, its first venture into the U.S. market. Currently, Teambox is available as an app for iPhone, iPad, Gmail and Chrome. The Teambox service is free for up to 5 users, and $5 per user per month for more accounts. Other plans and discounts are available for larger organizations. All business plans include priority support and unlimited projects and storage space, along with a number of other productivity and organizational features. The company was founded in 2008 in Barcelona, and now runs a service that is relied on by over 150,000 companies. From Small Business Trends |
| Hard Skill, Soft Skill: Which One Matters Most? Posted: 12 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT There was a time when we believed that hard skills determined your success. And for some positions it still does. But hard skills are not the only components impacting your ability to excel within a company or an industry (and they never have been).
It's a lesson you usually learn right after you come out of college and take that first job. Or you loose it after you loose a position because of a few painful personality traits (of course they would never say it like that). Soft And Steady Saves The DayHow you talk to people, how you handle them, makes it harder or easier for you to meet your goal. Hard skills are technical abilities that you can typically learn at school. But soft skills are quiet little deal makers that also help to determine your fate. They are primarily personality driven — you know, those things that did NOT learn at the university (at least not in class). Here are a few questions to help you lock into a few soft skills:
Times Have ChangedAccording to Daniel Pink, Author of A Whole New Mind,
It looks like we'll have to be more and bring more to the table in order to excel. As for which matters the most? Develop your hard and soft skills. Because given the choice, the contract goes to the one who is skilled at what they do - and is easier to talk to. Balance Photo via Shutterstock From Small Business Trends |
| How Google’s Recent Moves Matter to Business Posted: 12 Aug 2012 08:00 AM PDT We have seen a lot of coverage of the Olympics and now, some tech stories have recently received a lot of coverage as well. The Apple versus Samsung court fight, the Mars rover, and breaking info about the iPhone 5 seemed to have dominated, but one player has been making some headlines that are rather significant.
That would be Google. A Domain Fight in 2012?Google has had some recent significant news, minus one setback. In a story reported by TheNextWeb, Google managed to lose a dispute over Christopher Neuman’s 13-year old domain, Oogle. Even with some doubts in mind, the panel in charge, as DomainNameWire writes, decided that, “Neuman can keep the domain for now.” That’s not to say Google won't attempt to take down, or take control of, this domain in other ways. Google Fiber is fast. Very fast.Google pushed into the Internet and television provider market as it announced the beginning of Google Fiber. The plan had been in the works for quite some time, but now Google is ready to get to work. Google themselves wrote:
The service will become available in Kansas City, MO and Kansas City, KS, and pre-registration has already begun. Google+ and BloggerAt the beginning of this month, Google made a move further integrating their social media platform, Google+, with another service, Blogger. This cross-platform integration basically makes managing and sharing blog posts with social media much easier. This means individuals, and especially businesses, have a much easier tool to create, manage, or improve their web presence; this is something that is becoming increasingly more important. Google Takes on Social Media with Wildfire PurchaseKeeping the same pattern of beefing up their social media capabilities, Google purchased a start-up company around the same time they announced the Google+ and Blogger integration. Businessweek reported that Google paid “$250 million plus performance incentives for … Wildfire.” So what? Wildfire is a platform that specializes in allowing brands to manage all of their online content (Twitter, videos, apps, ads, promotions, social pages and more) from one spot. Google already has impressive analytical tools. When you combine that with Wildfire’s ease-of-use, you get an ideal way to manage your business’ online presence. Google Opens its WalletGoogle just recently announced improvements to its Google Wallet service. Google Wallet has moved to the cloud. This means anyone with a smart phone can use any credit or debit card to use their phone to make purchases online, or in the real world. Google has even managed to make the service more secure by using their cloud service and, as CNet reported, users “should be able to remotely disable their mobile wallet apps using an online portal.” What Google’s Moves MeanGoogle has taken some vital steps in securing its future. The move into providing physical content like Internet access and cable television with Google Fiber is a solid example of the company expanding its market. Its actions also show where Google believes the future of the Internet lies. It lies with social media. As a business owner, one should be delighted with the changes. It’s going to be increasingly easier to create, manage, and implement an online strategy for your business. The purchase of Wildfire and integration of Blogger and Google+ are strong examples of this. Even the expansion of Google Wallet means that consumers will have an easier way to purchase anything. And that means more business for you. Of course, Google is setting itself up to be a business’ sole tool to access the online market. Google also wants to be the primary tool that consumers use as well. They have to continue to provide innovations and changes like this to conquer Facebook’s 900+ million users. This certainly demonstrates they know where their company is headed, and they are willing to make the moves to make it happen. What Google has done recently is likely to continue. Are you as a business ready to make the changes necessary to move or expand onto the online battlefield? Google is ready for you. Questions Photo via Shutterstock From Small Business Trends |
| “Trust Me I’m Lying” Will Make You Question Everything You Read Posted: 12 Aug 2012 05:00 AM PDT
Do you want to keep reading? If this grabbed your attention – then the answer is yes. Here's why. You are Being Manipulated From the time you open an email, read a blog post, check your twitter stream – your perceptions are being set; not by the information that you are reading, but by the machinations of information consumption pros on the back-end of everything you see, read and hear. But you knew that. What you may not have known is exactly how these media pros actually create your impressions. Believe me, it has nothing to do with subliminal suggestion like we thought back in the 70's and 80's. It has everything to do with knowing the technical and behavioral intricacies and human tendencies of processing information. Interested? You should be. And Trust Me I'm Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator will tell you everything you wanted to know and much of what you wish you didn't. Is Ryan Holiday a Reformed Master Media Manipulator? Ryan Holiday (@RyanHoliday) is a media strategist for many clients and brands. Some you may have heard of him and others may not. And if you have heard of him – it's because of his guerilla PR tactics that build buzz around books, movies and such that would have easily gone the way of the horse buggy were it not for Holiday. Holiday dropped out of college at the age of 19 so that he could apprentice under Robert Green, author of The 48 Laws of Power. Holiday is currently the director of marketing at American Apparel, where his work is internationally known. His campaigns have been used as case studies by Twitter, YouTube and others. In other words, Holiday is a true master media manipulator that will grab your attention and not let go – even though you want to turn away. The Media Secrets Revealed In Trust Me I'm Lying Will Make You Sick Like the proverbial train wreck, you're going to start reading this book and then you're going to want to stop. And then you're going to read some more because part of you wants to know – and then the other part of you doesn't. Holiday plays on this sick human compulsion to see and do exactly what you've been told NOT to do. It's brilliant. I received a review copy of this book from the publisher and I have to say they played me but good. I saw the cover art and the title and was immediately repulsed by the whole thing. "I'm going to hate this book," I thought. I'm an optimist at heart and I want to trust and believe in what I'm hearing and reading. And to think that so many of my opinions have been pre-programmed and influenced by media channels that I want to trust – is just so disheartening. And at the same time, it's my job to know about these things. I also believe in being realistic about "what's so" inside of communications. So I reluctantly started reading Trust Me I'm Lying. Okay, Why Are You Telling Me This? At first, I didn't quite understand Holiday's motivation. Was he advocating media manipulation or is he trying to inform and educate consumers about how to consume information? Maybe he's trying to teach other marketers and communicators how to replicate what he's done? Judge for yourself from Holiday's own words in the introduction:
Red Pill or Blue Pill – You Decide As I was reading Trust Me I'm Lying, I couldn't kick the pill Scene from the movie, The Matrix from my mind:
Neo takes the red pill and swallows it with a glass of water. I Wonder Why… As I mentioned to you earlier, I received this book as a review copy (like so many others) and after reading it, I'm curious now, about the more traditional stance that their marketing is taking. I guess you can say that I've taken the red pill and I'll be keeping my eyes and ears open for what happens next with Trust Me I'm Lying. Read this book – and maybe I'll see you in the media matrix. From Small Business Trends |
Trust Me I'm Lying is an assault to the media and the very last thing you should do is read this book. It's a full-out insult to your intelligence. Don't let your kids read it, don't let your dog chew it up. Just DON'T! In fact, we should have a book burning and use this book for tinder!| You are subscribed to email updates from Small Business News, Tips, Advice - Small Business Trends To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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