Friday, August 30, 2013

Why teens love Tumblr

Why teens love Tumblr


Tumblr is the ‘easy-peasy’ social media platform used by teens of today to interact online. Currently, the Yahoo-owned company hosts a gigantic figure of over 130.5 million blogs per day.


Although some say that the social media site is blogging made easy; there’s more to Tumblr than what meets the eye. It allows you to express yourself in more ways, be it through image posts or writing a short blog.


Here are some interesting things that can be done on Tumblr:


Tumblr is an exciting way to use images as a way to inform other users about your interests. There are a countless amount of Tumblr pages on any subject of your choice, so you are bound to find a page that produces images that you find interesting.


Tumblr gives teens the opportunity to create their very own site design – allowing you to create your page to your own taste. Similar to Myspace, users can copy and paste HTML codes to change the appearance of their Tumblr page instantly. Reposting or re-blogging is a useful feature that Tumblr have, where you can easily just transfer an image or text from a user’s page to yours.


why teens love tumblr2


With this coding, they can use SCMplayer.net website to create a music playlist which can be then converted into HTML code and used as part of the site design. Things just got made easier as Spotify recently integrated with Tumblr – you can add one song or a whole playlist.


Teens love Tumblr also because it allows user to link all their social media sites into one. So if you have Facebook and Twitter as well as Tumblr you can integrate them. This generates awareness of your Tumblr and attracts more people to have a look.


As of recently, Tumblr have worked on developments such as releasing a Tumblr app for use on the Windows Phone. Also, in May, they produced an app that is compatible with the Google Glasses (see our article ‘Google Glass on Victor’).



Why teens love Tumblr

Amazon destroys Marketplace pricing parity policy across Europe

 Amazon destroys Marketplace pricing parity policy across Europe


We all know Amazon runs a very successful Marketplace alongside its online retails allowing third parties to sell their own goods under the Company banner, but there are also strict rules and policies that must be followed.


Amazon have now agreed to drop a clause which banned third-party traders from selling products cheaper anywhere else, following the intervention of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). It has being said the policy could be resulting in higher fees for selling items online, deterring new competitors, and directly affecting prices for consumers.


Amazon wouldn’t drop such a policy unless it knew the writing was on the wall and they would be forced to kill it soon anyway. From today, traders across the EU can choose to set different pricing on Amazon without consequence, meaning more competition within the online retail market, which in turn is better for consumers. There are about 2m third-party traders using Amazon throughout the world, In the runup to last Christmas, almost two in five items bought on the site were sold by small traders.


Amazon destroys Marketplace pricing parity policy across Europe


The online giant was also among several US corporations criticised for avoiding taxes in the UK in the last two years. The company paid £2.4million tax last year despite a revenue of £4billion.


The company has recently imposed £10 minimum order to qualify for its ‘Free Super Saver Delivery’. With exceptions like- orders which include books, DVDs, Blu-rays, music, video games and software products are still eligible for free delivery regardless of total order cost.


Last month Amazon announced a surprise dip in earnings as it swung to a loss of $7million (£4.5million) for the second quarter of the year, down from a $7million profit for the same period of last year.


For US traders, the parity pricing remains in place and seems unlikely to change unless a similar investigation is started against it. Who knows whats next on the Amazon to do list.




Amazon destroys Marketplace pricing parity policy across Europe

Snowden reveals top secret $52 Billion Intelligence Budget

Snowden reveals top secret $52 Billion Intelligence Budget


National Security Agency leaker and new Russia resident Edward Snowden has leaked a top-secret $52 billion intelligence budget to the Washington Post. The partially redacted budget reveals the successes and shortcomings of the United States’ sprawling intelligence apparatus, as well as the justifications for top-line budget items.


The $52.6 billion “black budget” for fiscal 2013, obtained by The Washington Post from former ­intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, maps a bureaucratic and operational landscape that has never been subject to public scrutiny. Although the government has annually released its overall level of intelligence spending since 2007, it has not divulged how it uses the money or how it performs against the goals set by the president and Congress.


The CIA and NSA have launched aggressive new efforts to hack into foreign computer networks to steal information or sabotage enemy systems, embracing what the budget refers to as “offensive cyber operations,” reports say.


Snowden reveals top secret $52 Billion Intelligence Budget


The most notable findings are:



  • Long before Edward Snowden leaked details about telephone and Internet monitoring, authorities were worried about rogue contractors with access to top-secret information.

  • The NSA’s ability to monitor al-Qaeda communications is described as “often the best and only means to compromise seemingly intractable targets.”

  • The NSA has a massive army of hackers, analysts and code breakers in a “sweeping category called “Consolidated Cryptologic Program.”

  • The NSA plants so-called “tailored radio frequency solutions,” which the Post describes as “close-in sensors to intercept communications that do not pass through global networks.” Similarly, the CIA devotes 1.7 billion (12 percent of its budget) to covert programs for collecting radio and phone communication in hostile territory.

  • The U.S. installs ground sensors to monitor construction of nuclear sites in North Korea.


While the redacted budget itself doesn’t reveal any shocking new details (or reasons to put another layer of tinfoil on your head), it is surprising just how much information that independent analysts like Snowden had access to.


Readers can explore the full budget in an interactive graph here.


Techcrunch, The Washington Post



Snowden reveals top secret $52 Billion Intelligence Budget

PING! Magazine Do"s and Dont"s of Keek

PING! Magazine Do’s and Dont’s of Keek


It’s about the do’s and don’ts of Keek. Keek is a Twitter/Youtube mash-up, a free online social networking service that allows its users to upload 36-second video status updates called ‘Keeks’. You don’t only just view people’s keeks but Keek also allows you to ‘keekback’ and send a response to one’s video. Similar to Instagram, you can get a ‘News Feed’ which shows you the recent activity of your followers, i.e. what keeks they liked, keek backs etc.


Many people have heard about this new social video platform through word-of-mouth, however they do not know how to use it to the fullest.


Here are some of what we at PING! Magazine think are the ‘Do’s and Dont’s’ of Keek. See it as our mini instruction guide to you.


Do’s


1. Make good use of the social video app – produce interesting videos. Take into account good quality with visible imagery and clear sound.


2. Remember to add your friends in your videos, so other users can have sneak peak at their profile as well.


3. Build your network! Follow friends (and friends of friends) and also follow other users. The wider your network, the more posts you will get on your ‘My Stream’.


4. It’s easy to forget but ensure to post all your saved keeks. Even the ones with the bloppers – not every video has to be perfect.


5. Don’t be shy; comment on people’s keek videos. Clicking the ‘like’ button is the easy way to show users that you found their keek enjoyable; but it is nice to comment and say what you think every now and then.


PING! Magazine Do
Dont’s


1. Don’t be antisocial – just following people and not posting videos. Users may have the tendency to unfollow you if you are making an effort to use the Keek app properly.


2. Hashtagging your keeks are fine but too many… that’s a no-no. Yes, ‘keekers’ want their videos to be seen worldwide, however keep the hashtags to a minimal.


3. Be original – don’t copy people’s video. Use Keek as a way to showcase the best bits about you and your personality. We are all unique.


4. Don’t post too many keeks in one day. You don’t want to be the only user on someone’s ‘My Stream’ feed.


5. Don’t post videos that have bad quality. Users want to be able to hear and enjoy the 36 seconds they take out to watch your keeks.


So there you have it, several Do’s and Dont’s to help you make better use of Keek. If you don’t already have Keek, you can download it free on Android, Blackberry, IPhone and Windows.




PING! Magazine Do"s and Dont"s of Keek

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Top 10 Tech News

Top 10 Tech News


1. Microsoft  working on 3D video call for Skype


Microsoft VP Mark Gillett confirmed in a BBC interview that they are working on 3D video call for Skype. According to him “the capture devices are not yet there”. He said “We have it in the lab, we know how to make it work and we’re looking at the ecosystem of devices and their capability to support it in order to make a decision when we might think about bringing something like that to market.”




BlackBerry making BBM into a separate company - PING


2. BlackBerry is considering  a separate company for BBM


The Wall Street Journal reported that BlackBerry is considering spinning BBM into a subsidiary or separate company especially with BBM coming to  iOS and Android devices.



Flickr iOS update-PING



3. Flickr iOS lets you apply filters before you snap a photo


Flickr update for iOS  released today lets users try out filters before they take a photo. This  update adds a new features to the app such as camera animated transitions, new tonal level editing tool and more.



Panasonic IFA 2013 Berlin - PING


4. Panasonic to unveil a 20-inch tablet at IFA in Berlin


Panasonic is planning to unveil 20-inch 4K (3840×2160 pixels) OLED screen tablet. The tablet is supported by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 or NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor to make it run smoothly.




wikipad-PING


5. Wikipad gaming tablet  hits UK shelves September 27th


Wikipad the 7-inch android gaming tablet is set to hit the UK on September 27th. The tablet will be available on sale for about £249.99.




Vodafone 4G-PING


6. Vodafone 4G Switching on Every 30 Minutes


Vodafone 4G service has gone live in the UK. The company promised that it will be  switching on a new site every 30 minutes over the next 2 month in the capital.




Google Hugo Barra - PING


7. Google Android VP Hugo Barra is leaving and joining China Xiaomi


Google Android production VP Hugo Barra is leaving Google to join Xiaomi Corp.  Xiaomi is a Smartphone company in China that outsells apple products and his hoping by adding Barra to the team they can take on the Smartphone market outside China.




Saints Row 4 -PING


8. Saints row IV sells over 1 million units in launch week


Saints Row IV has sold over 1 million units in its first week of sales report Deep Silver. It has out sold Saint Row 3 on a 3.1 margin.




Samsung IFA 2013 Berlin - PING


9. Samsung new ultra HD 4K displays to preview at IFA 2013


Samsung plans to show its new 4K displays at IFA 2013. It will be showing the 98-inch commercial Ultra HD “video wall” and a 31.5-inch Ultra HD monitor at the Berlin event.



10. Wii U price drop in September & October


Nintendo is dropping the Wii U Deluxe model by $50 at the beginning of September 20th. However the price won’t be drop until October 4th in the UK by £30.



Top 10 Tech News

Instagram Dos & Don"ts by PING Magazine

Instagram Dos and Don’ts


Instagram is an online social network, which allows you to photo share and video share. It comes with 11 Filters for photo manipulation, enables you to follow other users, leave comments and like photos. Okay, while we were thinking the whole world knows about Instagram, it appears that there are still people UNAWARE.


We at PING Magazine do wonder sometimes ‘where have you all been? ’ If you don’t know about Instagram by now, you certainly need to mingle more, get out there and meet new people.


A lot of people love Instagram because to them it’s probably the “Closest” they can get to know their favourite celebrities. Some describe Instagram as a running documentary of your life (it’s nice to flick through pictures, see what happened then and now)


We must say Instagram is very easy to use and pretty much straightforward, but as always there some people that are UNAWARE (L). Some people have Instagram already, but still DO all the WRONGS, these results to them loosing followers or in some cases have none at all.


So we decided to help you guys with some of the Dos and Don’ts, we think will help you get followers on Instagram.Instagram


Instagram Dos



  1. Be social, I mean really? It’s a social network. Follow people, start a conversation by leaving comments (don’t forget to @ the username, so he/she gets notified)

  2. Upload interesting photo. Consider lighting.

  3. Use hash tags tastefully such as #tbt (throw back Thursday), #nofilter (to show a natural photo) #photooftheday, all these hash tags and many more fetch you likes and nice comments.

  4. Write Captions that explain your photo, makes it easier for people to interact and like a photo.

  5. Take advantage of add ons such as picframe (good for before and after), and wish you were here using postagram


Instagram Don’t



  1. Don’t ask people to follow you: its tacky, just don’t do it

  2. Don’t like every photo: Liking every photo diminishes the value of your approval stamp. And no one really likes an instagram groupie

  3. A Photo a day I think is a good rule of thumb, uploading 5-6 photos of them same thing all the time, you will lose your followers so fast.

  4. Don’t take horizontal pictures, you only get so much space, so use it to its full potential

  5. Don’t “lategram”; it’s called “instagram” because your scenes are captured instantly. Posting pictures of the day before ruins the live-feed intent.


So there you go the dos and the don’ts of Instagram. Easy Peasy right? Just take your time and were sure you will get it right….


Remember:  Horizontal pictures only, Hash tag your pictures and socialise, socialise and more socialise. You never know who could be your new friend



Instagram Dos & Don"ts by PING Magazine