Generally we just expect our important documents to always be available and we silently hope and pray that our computer never crashes. But inevitably there come a time when malfunction or user error results in the loss of your valuable information.

Well just last week my laptop took an unexpected dive stranding many important documents. Well as you can imagine I freaked out and quickly strutted down to the local apple genius lab but they where unable to help. In an effort to keep the hope of getting my information back  alive I searched for some local data recover experts but their prices where extortionate, ranging from $600 to $1,000 dollars. Fortunately I found Simon Partridge at Data Recover Man who was able to restore my data in minutes for a fraction of the cost quoted by other companies.

To help safe guard you and your company from data loss I would suggest implementing the following procedures.

1). Back up all of your information weekly at a minimum using an external hard drive. External hard drives are becoming increasingly affordable allowing users to get 250+ gigabytes for under $100 dollars.

2). Utilize online data storage. There are a lot of good web based data storage companies that allow you to effortlessly back up your computers files.  Online data storage gives you flexibility to access your files remotely and protect you from misplaced or lost external hard drives.

Online Data Store Resources:

Mozy:  You can get 2gb free storage including unlimited file size/bandwidth. For business users you can upgrade to a low cost pro accounts for under $5/month.

Box.net:  Offers 1gb free including collaboration folders, mobile access and public file sharing making it a handy business tool as well as a storage service.

First and foremost, SoundCloud is an online music community where you can upload music that you have created. The really cool aspect of this is that your files can be uploaded in any format (mp3, wav, flac, etc.). You can also download other people’s music as well, an option MySpace is lacking on its music network. The reason why it’s called a ‘music community’ is because you post your music so other wandering musicians can find it, and have a fanbase starting up for you. This is how record labels will get more interested in you. Once you start having your own fanbase and start playing at more venues, then they will eventually come to understand you as a determined musician who wants your sound out.

Not everything on the website is free, however. For starting members, you get to upload 5 songs per month. If you start paying for a ‘pro’ membership, you get access to more features and you get to upload more songs.

What I like about the website as a whole is how clean everything is. It’s what SoundCloud is to music as Facebook is to social networking. Many artists use MySpace nowadays to help promote their work, but if you’re like me, and I hate MySpace for its ugly interface and busy layout, then you should try out SoundCloud. This is not to say that you shouldn’t use MySpace at all, though. In order to put your name out there, MySpace is one of the bigger networks to do so. SoundCloud can be a supplement to that if you already have one. The website went public in October 2008, so be one of the first musicians to utilize this amazing website.

Check out my profile and give my music a listen. Comments would be helpful.

Stephen Chang

SearchWiki is a dynamic tool that allows users to manipulate the positioning of results on their search inquires. With a simple click of a button users can add notes or comments and rearrange results.

Users can move their favorite sites to the top of the page or include a site that does not show up in the results. Users can also remove results they think don’t belong on the page.

The changes that are made only affect the users searches. Whenever the user is signed into their Google account their altered search results will show up for identical search inquires. Other Google users in the community can view the changes and comments users make. An official statement from Google states:

The changes you make only affect your own searches. But SearchWiki also is a great way to share your insights with other searchers. You can see how the community has collectively edited the search results by clicking on the “See all notes for this SearchWiki” link. See the Link

From a Search Engine Optimization standpoint this new feature strikes an interesting question. What will Google do with all the data collected from user generated rankings and notes? Will this information affect search rankings? And if they do will SEO firms be able to take advantage of this feature?

Google is a very innovative firm and it is in their best interest to have relevant items returned in searches. We have seen how user generated search results can have a profound affect on the integrity of results think DMOZ.

Googles new web 2.0 search feature will be an interesting one to watch. And it appears to be a move towards including user generated result suggestions into their search algorithm.

My suggestion would be to add notes to your site and improve its page position, it can’t hurt and you never know it might help improve rankings! It could also drive traffic since notes for the SearchWiki can be viewed by all users at the bottom of the page.

So be proactive and get notes on your site and rank it to the top!

The “cheap chic” marketing machine of target has come out with a novel idea for this holiday season. Instead of just giving a thoughtless gift card how about giving a gift card that is a gift it’s self! Sound confusing?

Target recently introduced the new Target Digital Camera Gift Card ($50-$1000). This is the Hybrid of the retail world. The gift card features a 1.2 mega pixel camera that holds 50 pictures. The camera / card comes with a USB cord, driver disc and voucher for 40 free prints at Target.

The gift card works the same as all other gift cards you chose how much store credit you want to load on to the card ranging from $50 to $1,000 of store credit.

This is a great idea to help spark lagging retail sales during the holiday season. The camera is fairly useless but it offers a fun cool factor that is sure to attract attention to the otherwise boring gift card.

From a marketing standpoint this move makes a lot of sense for the retail chain.

1.) It is a novel concept that is sure to attract attention and excitement.

2.) Encourages shoppers to purchase gift cards and it will also entice gift card purchasers to up their spend to a minimum of $50 so they can get the camera.

3.) It empowers the lazy gift givers, it is a simple holiday gift solution that keeps the giver from looking like a thoughtless shopper.

4.) It is cool ideas that will attract lots of word of mouth and positions target as a hip creative innovator in their market further differentiating Target in the minds of consumers from the relic Wal-Mart. This is a strong move since Wal-Mart has attempted to re-energize their brand with a more positive, youthful look. Their new logo looks remarkably similar to Targets. And their new tagline: Save money. Live better seems inspired by Targets tagline: Expect more. Pay less.

We will see if this gift card campaign is successful as we approach the holidays.

But it feels like this trend of incorporating utility into gift cards is going to carry on. I could see a company like Apple jumping on this trend with an IPod gift card hybrid. With the high priced items in an apple store they could justify the cost of a music playing gift card. With a minimum spend starting at $300 dollars or so.

I am sure Jobs is already on this and if not Steve better give me a shout out on this one!

If Internet marketers are running out new global markets to tap there might be a solution on the horizon. The Internet is truly a global medium now it will be a universal medium. In an article in Time magazine’s best inventions of 2008 ”The Orbital Internet” has been listed as the 9th best invention of the year. 

A new protocol titled the ”The Orbital Internet” is being developed for use in space and will allow e-mail to be sent and received in outer space. Is there any one out there…? Check you’re in-box.

The system is not flawless and it is hard to maintain a stable connection in orbit, so the interplanetary Internet will have to be especially tolerant of delays and disruptions. In September, a satellite used the new protocol to relay an image of the Cape of Good Hope back to Earth.

I can just see all the spam being forwarded from an intergalactic IP address. I guess ET wont need to phone home he can just send an e-mail.

When this month’s issue of Esquire arrived in my mailbox the cover didn’t Immediately grab my attention, it felt like a predictable modern cover design. However as I read through the issue something caught my attention. It turns out that the cover was designed to be printed using a revolutionary new feature “Electronic Ink”.”.

Electronic Ink? Yes Electronic ink!

A limited number of Esquire’s 75th Anniversary issue will feature an experimental cover that is printed with electronic ink. The electronic ink cover displays moving words and flashing images all on a paper-thin sheet know as “e-paper”. 

Esquire is the first publication to utilize this ground breaking technology that is sure to change the way we view and read paper magazines in the future.

The technology for “E-Ink’ has been around for over 7 years but until now the logistics and cost of using it for print media have been to high. We are still a few years off before we start seeing “E-Ink” on newsstands but this initial move is very exciting.

From a graphic design and marketing stand point electronic ink opens up a whole new avenue of design and message flexibility. This application would allow advertisers to provide customized adds to specific consumers quickly and easily. It would also give readers a chance to customize the content of their publication. No longer will we be forced to wade through irrelevant ads and content. Or at the least bad adds will be in bright flashing “E-Ink”.

The future applications are endless but until the cost of “E-ink” comes down we are still left to dream.

Check out a video featuring the cover! Esquire\’s E-Ink Video