Social Media's Casual Fridays

You can post it on Twitter: #fridaycasuals and/or #casualfridays and tag me.
I do love my casual Fridays: bring on my Jikatabi and Diesel! #fridaycasuals 

or

Social Media's Casual Fridays: wishing a @happyfriday via social networks http://t.co/pGLuwKS

Moi...

You can Twitpic it to your Twitter

You can "Wall" it on Facebook:
There's a reason why we love Fridays...You kinda think that you are working, but in your mind you're already ordering a drink at a bar, chatting with friends and anticipating long sleeps on the weekend... Oh - and Friday casuals (bring on my Jikatabi and Diesel!)

Or you can post it on your Blog: I just did.

Or you can even share it with your fellow Bloggers, like the ones (in my case), who are into #Fashion, #Fridays, #FridayCasuals. Or you can...

Do you need a social media specialist?

Yes, you do. 

Even if you think you know what Facebook and Twitter are.

For about three years I’ve been managing up to 10 social networks/microblogs/blogs for a big organization (naming no names). Before I took on the role of a social media manager, the organization had NO presence on social networks. Yes, you’ve heard me – no Facebook, no Twitter, no LinkedIn… Nada!

Now, the organization is represented on more than 10 social networks and holds a strong position on Facebook and Twitter with thousands of followers… But as every day shows, the strong positioning of the organization in the social media space, does not mean that its management, actually, knows what these social networks are, how they work and so on….As a matter of fact, some of them still think that a twit can hold a 500-word text and that one can go back to the twit that was sent a few days ago and edit it. Hmm, how would I explain it again that it’s impossible to do so with a twitter?

Any Domain You Want: The Era of Domain Indulgence

According to Reuters, no more one would be restricted to a domain. Anything goes now. You name it:  good.food, learnto.salsa, glossy.lipstick - people and companies will be able to set up a website with almost any address by the end of next year if they have a legitimate claim to the domain name and can pay a hefty fee.
 

The Internet body that oversees domain names decided to end restricting to suffixes like .com or .gov. Now the new names (applications for the new names would begin to be reviewed in January 2012) can be in any characters - Cyrillic, Kanji or Devanagari for instance, for users of Russian, Japanese and Hindi.

Competition, Humor, & IPO Drives Social Media Business

Groupon's CEO Andrew Mason

At least that’s what Groupon's CEO Andrew Mason claims. He does not mind the very many plagiarists who are copying his business plan. He thinks of them as healthy competitors.
 

Perhaps LivingSocial and Bloomspot might Groupon’s biggest competitors out there, it does not stop Mason to invent and pursue diversification to over-run the competitors’ businesses.  And he is pretty much accomplishing it. 

Street Fashion Bloggers: Best Sites For Street Style And Trends

Illustration by Garance Dore (follow her on Twitter)

The influence of the street fashion bloggers has been tremendous over the past few years - some of them are more influential than the others, but the trend is still very obvious and noticeable - street fashion dictates the trends, not the prêt-à-porter.

Twitter Catchphrase To Take Over: #FuckYouWashington

Yes. You’ve seen it. You’ve probably even re-Twitted it the other day, when Obama addressed the nation on the situation of the debt and economy. The thing is – whatever can start a buzz, catch up in the trend, raise awareness – it all goes now.

The origins, though, go to the very core of the ongoing on-and-on-and-on debates over the federal budget stalemate with Democrats and Republicans squaring off against each other. And some of us have been slowly, but surely, losing patience over it.

And this is how the tag #fuckyouwashington (Pardon my French) has been born. Impatience with non-ending debates and the politicians behind it - triggered the running-out patience of the new media pundit Jeff Jarvis, and he launched the catchphrase #fuckyouwashington. 

Become Your Own DJ: Turnable.fm Spins Your Jams

I’ve just received an invitation to join a new social network (?). No, it's not Google+. I'm already there!

I'm talking about Turnable.fm. As of the moment, this site is in Beta, and it's by an Invite Only. So, I'll tell you a bit about it so that you'd decide, whether to pursue a membership there or not...

I went to the site, and it looked rather amusing – although neither my professional, nor my personal life has anything to do with wanting to be a DJ. At least - not yet.

Amy Winehouse: The Victim of Fame and Media

Yes. It's official. Amy Winehouse - the young, talented British rock and soul musician is dead. She was only 27. Drug overdose? Alcohol overdose? Depression, Prescription drugs? Homocide? Suicide? They are looking into it, but this is a mere post-factum detail that concerns little, if any people out there. What most people are concerned with is that this UNIQUE talent is gone. 

Many celebrities spoke kindly, warmly and with a certain fascination for her. She was rather outspoken. She had very interesting thoughts. And apparently she was not a twitter (she has more than 370 000 friends), her latest twit was posted on July 7th announcing a new album... However, there are more than 15 twitter accounts that twit on her, about her, of her...The question is, is the MEDIA playing any role in this death? Regardless if you like it or not, but it does - it goes back to Rupert Murdoch, Princess Diana... MEDIA can be brutal, with no limits on what one can report on... Winehouse always fell into the media trap, who picked up the best of her "looks" and "conditions" to showcase to the world. Would you be able to deal with it? I don't think so...

Social Media for Safe Sex: anything goes...

There will be absolutely no need soon for pharmacies, grocery stores, and post offices - the Apps might replace these aspects of our lives. The only thing that might still stay is movie theaters and restaurants/bars - even gyms might soon become as an App program that allows to "customize your exercise routine, choose a trainer you find the most appealing and background motifs that speak to your physique"...either way - the "App-ful" future is here...

But for now, Apple has decided to simplify personal, intimate lives for New Yorkers by providing them with  iPhone App that assists in locating sites with free condoms within NYC. No more worries about going on a date without a condom. You've got it and it's - FREE.

Japanese street wear: Jikatabi

A year ago I’ve discovered Jikatabi - split-toe canvas shoes with rubber soles, the shoe style that, apparently, was adopted from the Japanese construction workers who still favor them.

However, now, it’s more than just shoes for the construction workers – it’s now a fashionable trend on its own.

These shoes now come in many colors and styles, keeping one feature the same – split toes.

Foursquare: Whereabouts + 5 Daily Deals

Foursquare is no longer just a social network to follow the parties that interest you. Of course you can still tell "the world" that you are heading to the near by Subway, only now you might get a few more sandwich places choices, targeted to your whereabouts, from the site.

The thing is that the local social app maker foursquare has signed revenue-sharing distribution partnerships to target deals sites to its users’ locations.

It stroke the deal with coupon sites, such as LivingSocial, Gilt City, AT&T Interactive, BuyWithMe and Zozi — to users of its iPhone, Android and BlackBerry applications in the U.S., UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand — that would now customize deals to your needs. (So, the more you'd attend those Dupont Circle's little book shops, the more you'd get coupons for the nearby shops and books...)

SOCIAL MEDIA: Social Impact on Hunger

Can Social Media Help Feed A Billion Hungry People?

It can. It definitely can, and to celebrate World Population Day, the World Food Program has launched a campaign to pair a billion Internet users with the billion-plus hungry people in the world. 

The Billion for a Billion campaign makes a stark contrast between the daily activities of the digital community and the world’s have-nots. During the one minute you spent watching the above video, more than 145 million emails will be sent, more than 2 million other YouTube videos will be watched, $43,681 will be spent on eBay, 83,273 people will log onto Facebook, 2,083 tweets will be sent and 10 children will die from hunger.

Apps, Apps, Apps: the new digital 'it' thing to do

According to All Things Digital by WSJ, an average iPhone owner will download 83 Apps this year. 

In 2010, typical iOS device owners downloaded an average of 51 apps over the course of the year. This year, they’ll download 83, and they’ll likely pay a higher price for those that aren’t free.

It looks that smartphone users are showing an increasing appetite to use apps to add features to their phones and iOS has the leading app ecosystem. Paid app ASPs appear to be rebounding in 2011. And for some reason it does not surprise me. 

Murdoch, Brooks to apologize: public to forgive?

Rupert Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks have issued full-page apologies for the phone-hacking scandal that has hit his media empire. 

Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks testifies at a UK hearing.

 Watch live coverage of Rupert Murdoch, James Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks answering questions before the British Parliament in the phone-hacking scandal on CNN.com/Live, the CNN apps for iPhone, iPad, Android and selected Nokia handsets internationally.

The question is, however, would the public forgive, what do you think?

Media succumbs to smartphones, but not to tablets yet

No matter how hard the editors and writers of the New York Times, featured in the recent documentary from the director Andrew Rossi Page One: Inside the New  York Times, tried to argue that the traditional media is neither dying out nor it’s being survived and replaced by the new media, the future, however, looks much brighter on the side of the latter.

David Carr at The New York Times stays true to the traditional media

David Carr, the notorious columnist of the Media Desk of the NYT in the film refuses to be succumbed to Twitter and Facebook, calling his colleague Brian Stelter who mastered up the new media better than anyone in the department (wanna succumb to Brian's Twitter?) - the DEVIL (or similar to it), who might soon drive the players of the traditional media out of business. However, at the end of the movie, the audience sees Carr using Twitter for his articles and updates and using iPad apps to read the press. (Check out The New York Times App for iPad here.)

I’m, personally, falling David Carr on the Twitter – as well as some of his colleagues, including the press I’m reading on a regular basis, like The Huffington Post, National Geographic, Daily Beast, CNN, and such. And this IS the future of the media, want it or not – the media future is in your phone.

Despite the fact that the “old school” journalists have it harder to adapt to the changing realities of the media - especially the execs - big media companies have never been comfortable with the web – they are, however, much more optimistic about smartphones.

MEDIA: British Journalists and Phone Hacking Devices

In September 2008 a reporter at the well known British newspaper The Guardian wrote: “I could not believe my eyes. The News of the World ran the diaries of Kate McCann, the mother of missing Madeleine. Why, I wondered, would the McCanns suddenly agree to a red-top publishing such an intimate document? And surely they could not have sold the rights?”

Well, but now we all know HOW and via WHAT MEANS the reporters at the News of the World were able to dig out this information. We also know how they “knew” personal conversations of the celebrities, members of the Royal family, politicians and more. Hugh Grant is still pretty upset about it – can’t you just let Grant and his personal hook-ups with certain ladies be? So is upset Gordon Brown – can’t you just let a person be with his very ill son? Public should learn to NOT know EVERTHING about public people, they are entitled to a privacy like any of us.

Believe me, British people are as disguised with the News of the World’s hacking schemes as is the rest of the world. It also disqualifies and demoralizes the rest of us – the journalists who work very hard to obey and follow the Journalism Code of Ethics.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Obviously, Twitter's Founders Need Obvious

It's official. Twitter has become as popular as Facebook and Google Search. Well, maybe not LIKE THAT popular, but according to the keyword search results, Twitter is in top daily search ratings on a daily basis.

It's used by more than 175 million people around the world (vs. 600 million on Facebook). Its platform allows to communicate in various languages. Presidents use it. Celebrities use it. Athletes use it.  Revolutionists use it. Businessmen use it. Journalists use it. Even terrorists use it. Who does NOT use it? Maybe only toddlers and animals - although they still get their accounts - for the "cute" effect of it. And now, Twitter has finally figured out how to monetize it. So there is no really any need to "grow" it, anymore because now the popular microblog is growing organically - pretty much everyone know what it is, where to get it and how to use it.

That's why it comes to no surprise that Twitter co-founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams (who I've met at the Fast Company's "The 100 Most Creative People in Business" last June) plan to leave their love child be and go back to the neglected child - Obvious.

FAB: TECH: Digital cameras for presidents and… fashion

Russian president Dmitry Medvedev with his Leica S2 camera

Do you want to know what cameras your presidents use in their spare times – to take family, on vacation and travel pictures? 

Aside from having personal presidential photographers present at all times during the official outings, the presidents – as the regular folks – do have personal cameras that they’d like to use, when no public is in presence.

According to the Russian press, for example, the Russian president own not one, but a few cameras, and these cameras are such that any professional photographer would be at envy for.

TECH: Google+. Google's third attempt to create a social network

Google Inc. has presented his third social network – Google+. Two other social networks – Orkut and Buzz - didn’t prove to be as popular in the past, one of which – Buzz – had to be shut down the same year of its launch.

Google+ offers Circles, Sparks, Hangouts and Huddle – the functions that make up the new social network, which were first tested on a “selected few”, with the others waiting to be invited to join (how silly, that is.) And we are still waiting. Even the invites were shut off. So, when it comes to providing you with my personal review of the product, I can only trust the experts I trust…and my friends.

TECH: MEDIA: National Geographic's Best-Selling Apps

Personally, anything by The National Geographic is fascinating to me. I’ve been subscribing to its Traveler magazine for a while now and aside from very lengthy, to the point of scientific description and exploration of a subject matter – anything from a Mammoth tooth to a deep sea soil, the content of the magazine is relatively entertaining. It’s diverse. It’d deep. It’s objective. It’s visual. And it’s – in a way – revolutionary, as it covers the subject matters way ahead of any other “travel, geography” publications. And now it's available in Apps.

FAB: TECH: Italian Vogue, curvy women and iPhone apps

 That's truly fabulous to see that some of the most influential fashion publications, like  Italian Vogue, - and at least in other countries - are slow, but surely, starting to promote a healthier woman's body.

Despite the fact that 'they' (editors and writers of a fashion magazine) call the healthy body type - curvy, it's still very refreshing - and welcoming to USA - to see that beauty is not in the "skinniest", but in the "healthiest" body type.

Italian Vogue already hit NYC, and hopefully will soon come to the other corners of the country. If you like it, show your support - buy it, or at least browse thru it at a book store (I do so myself!). So does Scott Schuman, who credits his fame, popularity and success of the street fashion photography to the photographers @ItalianVogue

However, if you can't do know Italian language, I should  mention that Apple Inc. has Apps to learn Italian - and for traveling in Italy.

But please note, while some of these iPhone Apps are helpful in learning a bit of the language before your trip, others are not as much.

TECH: Obama 2012 website: secure?

Not even an official website for the President of USA Barack Obama is secure enough to keep the 'devils' away. But no matter what the officials say, anything that is posted on the official site of the president should be taken as a sign for someone out there being very disappointed with the current administration.

Reuters (Washington, DC) reports that "message inviting supporters of President Barack Obama to nonexistent events hosted by "Commy Obama" made its way onto the president's campaign website but was removed on Tuesday".

These are just one out of quite a few of the "socialist/communist" visuals that are present on the Internet

MEDIA: New York Internet Week 2011. A RECAP

Once again New York Internet Week introduced to the eager gadget- and Internet-fanatics to the new online projects of the future.

It’s no longer just an expectation, it’s a fact that the growth of Internet popularity and mobile communications is directly proportional to the growth of the popularity among the products and services that make our lives easier, more comfortable and help us to communicate, entertain and relax. And each year startups flow to New York to showcase their new projects, from silly to serious, from simple to advanced. They are greeted by no less excited folks in NYC, the city that holds more than 300 000 Internet and high tech specialists.

MEDIA: Obama's Twitter town hall to focus on the state of economy. Q&As are welcome

Today, on Wednesday, July 6, 2011 @ 2PM EST (Washington, DC/NYC) President Barack Obama will answer questions about the economy and jobs during his first Twitter town hall meeting. 

Twitter users are being asked to tweet their questions to the hashtag #AskObama.
You can follow all in-real time town hall updates and messages at @townhall.

TECH: MEDIA: «The 100 Most Creative People in Business», by Fast Company

It’s not longer a secret that USA attracts the best out of the best specialists from around the world. Many people come and immigrate to USA with a purpose to invent and build a progressive company and/or organization and many of them succeed.

Many of those inventors whose companies are now defining your lifestyle, of some sort, are – the former immigrants. Take, for example, Sergey Brin, the founder of Google, who is an immigrant from Russia, or Martha Stewart – a polish immigrant, and/or the PayPal’s founder - Max Levchin, who is an immigrant from Russia. All of them came to USA and built an empire, because USA is one of the rarest countries that promotes the idea of a small/big business and gives everyone a chance – be it a citizen and/or an immigrant, to invent, and many American organizations support it as well. One of such organizations that promote, support and award the inventors of our day and age is Fast Company.

Each year Fast Company celebrates the most creative people in business by identifying the world's most innovative minds in «The 100 Most Creative People in Business» event.

Not only I’ve attended the event, but I’ve got to meet these “best of the best” innovative people. According to Fast Company’s Editor-in-Chief, Robert Safian, their list of the creative people is growing each year. Today they recognized 100 people – it was 25 people last year. Maybe not surprisingly, nearly every person in Fast Company's top 10 is involved in work that is tech- and Internet-related. Here are 2011's most creative people in business according to Fast Company: