Archives for Advice

Mike Amman: eCommerce and Globalization 2014

Mike Amman: eCommerce and Globalization 2014

December 29, 2013 | Comments Off on Mike Amman: eCommerce and Globalization 2014

The hunt for new talent

My view is that California is doing very well and growing faster than the media will talk about.  We are about 3 year from when the baby boomers retire or pull back to enjoy life and not press ahead for one more swing of the bat. This will give talent the opportunity to move up and all employers will have to change their minds on the ability to “just replace the retirees” since supply will remain low and demand is about to really increase for Talent.

I know that optimism doesn’t sell but everyone is going to turn optimist in 2014. My view was Emily Hay’s in 2013 using the lucky “13 theme in my annual report. And she was right it was a great year even though most could not come to believe it and where looking for a head fake and a crash in the economy especially with Washington closing the Federal government.  However, 2013 did set us up for a booming economy “around the world” in 2014. So don’t miss it.  Here’s the old book that saw this trend in 1999 – The Long Boom: A Vision For The Coming Age …


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Emily Hay Recap 2013 and Predictions 2014

Emily Hay Recap 2013 and Predictions 2014

December 29, 2013 | Comments Off on Emily Hay Recap 2013 and Predictions 2014

Social Media Recap of 2013x

By Emily A. Hay, Hay There Social Media

Lucky 13, right?  It may be more than luck that caused social media adoption rates to continue to grow among brands, small businesses and individuals alike.

Here’s a quick recap we’ve prepared for the end of the year Internet Advisor Show on WJR.  What social media trends do you remember from 2013?  What predictions are you most looking forward to in the new year?  We’d love to hear from you!

For Brands

–       In 2013, 54% of all marketers have acquired a customer through Facebook.  YouTube and Twitter come in second and third respectively as social networks that also allow brands to meet and do business with individuals they connect with.  (Source: DigitalSherpa.com)

–       Social media use during the SuperBowl was 3x higher than in 2012.   2013 was the year of the famous social media win by Oreo for reacting quickly enough during the power outage with a tweet that said, “Power Out? No problem.  You can still dunk in the dark”  (Source: GibbonsDigital.com)

For Small Businesses

–       From a Q3 report, total reviews on Yelp’s sites, where consumers rate and leave comments about local businesses such …


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Gary Baker 2014 IT/Enterprise Predictions

Gary Baker 2014 IT/Enterprise Predictions

December 29, 2013 | Comments Off on Gary Baker 2014 IT/Enterprise Predictions

We talked a little SMAC last year, but we are really going to talk SMAC in 2014.  My job is to make predictions about technology in the enterprise, so we are going to be talking enterprise-level SMAC.

SMAC stands for Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud.

Social – Most businesses have dabbled in it so far with maybe a Facebook page to compliment its Web site.  Most business people see the advantages of using LinkedIn and are probably getting some targeted news and maybe participating in a discussion or two through their affinity groups.  But, 2014 will be the tipping point where businesses will be expected to have more than a passing presence.

Mobile – There are two sides to the mobile equation.  Of course there are more and more mobile devices in the work place even though business are reducing the number of employees that are provided a smartphone or tablet.  BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is an official policy at some companies and employees are encouraged to BYOD and the company will allow them to access the wireless network and gain access to their company email and other information.  At other companies without a formal BYOD …


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Black Friday/Cyber Monday Shopping Resources

Black Friday/Cyber Monday Shopping Resources

November 23, 2013 | Comments Off on Black Friday/Cyber Monday Shopping Resources

This list of shopping resources is good all year ’round since these two shopping “holidays” were simply created to promote online sales. Right now those digital sales have now nearly swamped “brick and mortar” commerce in the US.

The resources listed here are among some mentioned by Rick Broida, The Cheapskate, and Internet Advisor Gadget Guy.

…


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Ed Rudel's Excellent Disaster Relief Checklist

Ed Rudel's Excellent Disaster Relief Checklist

November 23, 2013 | Comments Off on Ed Rudel's Excellent Disaster Relief Checklist

2012 EdEd Rudel
The Internet Advisor 11-23-13

 

– DTE has a smartphone app and Consumers Energy has a web site (come on, get with the times)
– Flashlight
– Weather tracker app
– Hotel finder apps
– Bank or credit union application (transfer funds to a family member)
– Insurance claim apps
– Locate my family (GPS based?)
– American Red Cross has 2 apps – Tornado and First Aid

Even something as simple as storing all of your local emergency contacts (local police and Fire), utility companies, and neighbors phone numbers. …


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Shane Hamelin's "High Tech Thanksgiving"

Shane Hamelin's "High Tech Thanksgiving"

November 23, 2013 | Comments Off on Shane Hamelin's "High Tech Thanksgiving"

Shane Hamelin, CompuQuest Tech ExpertBy Shane Hamelin
Internet Advisor – WJR AM 760

 

Making Thanksgiving a little less stressful and more fun this year with a “High Tech Thanksgiving”
We scoured the internet for holiday products with one thing in common, better technology. After all,
this is the future right, we may not have flying cars yet but at least we can have a fried turkey without the fear of burning down the garage this year…

1.)    Thanksgiving Menu Apps – As the family cook, I’m always looking for ways to improve the Thanksgiving Day Fest. You would think, there must be a better way to server canned cranberries right? Well there is…
I’ve listed two menu apps for both iOS and Android, which should help take a lot of the guess work and wasted time thinking of new receipts and free up some extra time to spend with the family this year.

iOS –                           Thanksgiving Menu Maker from Fine Cooking

Android –                  Thanksgiving Recipes HD

2.)    Char-Broil OIL-FREE Infrared Turkey Fryer – There will be NO fire trucks at this guy’s home this year.  I know, some people love the adventure of cooking their bird in molten lava with the chance of …


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5 Must have social media tools for Small Businesses

5 Must have social media tools for Small Businesses

November 1, 2013 | Comments Off on 5 Must have social media tools for Small Businesses

Emily Hay, CEO and Founder of Haytheresocialmedia.com, Oct. 24, 2013

Are you a small business owner? Does social media have your head spinning and thinking there just aren’t enough hours in the day? We know small business owners have a lot on their plate already simply with the ins and outs of running a business. Adding social media marketing can seem daunting (you ARE using social media marketing, right?).

Whether you are managing your own social media or have help from your team, here’s a list of five must-have social media tools that our experts at Hay There use regularly, talk about often and suggest you use to make your life easier. Perhaps you’ve heard of them or maybe you’ve tried a few. As heavy social media users, we think these are worth two “Likes” as they make your social media efforts and other work streamlined and more productive. Please be sure to let us know if you have questions!

Full Article …


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Digital Asset Form Example

Digital Asset Form Example

October 27, 2013 | Comments Off on Digital Asset Form Example

NOTE:  THE VALIDITY OF THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS MAY NOT BE RECOGNIZED BY AS VALID UNDER YOUR STATE LAW OR BY A PROBATE COURT JUDGE.  YOU SHOULD CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY WITHIN YOUR STATE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO USE THESE FORMS AS A VALID APPOINTMENT OF A DIGITAL ADMINISTRATOR.

FURTHERMORE, YOU SHOULD NOTE THAT THESE FORMS COULD BE IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE TERMS OF SERVICE YOU ARE BOUND WHICH COULD RESULT IN THE TERMINATION OF YOUR ACCOUNT AND REMOVAL OF ANY DATA UPLOADED TO YOUR ACCOUNT WITH REGARD TO EACH INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER YOU ARE A SUBSCRIBER.  YOU SHOULD CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO TRANSFER OR AUTHORIZE ACCESS TO ANY OF YOUR INTERNET SERVICE ACCOUNTS.

 

[Incorporate this Article within your existing will]

Article _______

Appointment of Digital Administrator within Will

            I nominate John J. Representative as my digital administrator.  If John J. Representative is unable or unwilling to act as my digital administrator, I nominate Susie Q. Representative as my digital administrator.  If both John J. Representative and Susie Q. Representative are unable or unwilling to act as my digital administrator, my then acting Personal Representative shall have the limited authority to access my primary personal email account …


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Estate Planning with Digital Assets

Estate Planning with Digital Assets

October 27, 2013 | Comments Off on Estate Planning with Digital Assets

Planning Your Digital Estate:

Is your legacy lost in cyberspace?

Daniel S. Hoops, J.D., LL.M.*

 

I.          Introduction

II.        Planning the Disposition of an Estate

A.        What are digital assets?

B.        Administering an Estate

III.       Existing Laws neither Preserve nor Encourage Preservation of Digital Assets

A.        Generally

B.        Property Rights

C.        Contractual Rights

D.        Uniform Probate Code (“UPC”)

E.         Federal Transfer Taxes

IV.       Estate Planning under Service Provider Terms of Service

A.        Rights Effected by Terms of Service

B.        Rights of Deceased Users

V.        Estate Planning for Digital Legacies under Current Law

A.        Prepare a Separate Writing Related to Digital Assets

B.        Appointment of a Digital Administrator

VI.       Proposed Standardization of Internet Terms of Service

A.        Overview

B.        Recommended Terms of Service

VII.      Proposed Changes to United States Law to Manage a Digital Legacy

A.        Federal Law

B.        State Law

VIII.    Conclusion

 

 

I.          INTRODUCTION

 

After death, who controls the digital legacy for users of service providers like Facebook and Twitter?

This simple question prompted the research contained in this article and will hopefully continue the conversation[1] about whether laws should be updated for email, social media and blog users to advance plan their digital estates.…


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Don't buy a new PC or Mac before you read this

Don't buy a new PC or Mac before you read this

September 14, 2013 | Comments Off on Don't buy a new PC or Mac before you read this

Is the laptop, desktop, or tablet you plan to buy stuck with a last-gen CPU? That may be a reason to wait — or a way to get a great deal. Here’s how to tell.

by Dan Ackerman  August 22, 2013 8:33 AM PDT
(Credit: CNET/Sarah Tew)
Editors’ note: This article was originally published June 27, 2013, and was updated August 22, 2013, to reflect that many more systems are now available with Intel’s latest processors, with still more to come later this year.
Before swiping your credit card on a new ultrabook, all-in-one, or convertible, you’re going to want to dive a little deeper into the spec sheets. That’s because the latest Intel CPU upgrade, introduced in June and code named Haswell (but officially known as “fourth-generation Core i series”) offers significant battery life improvements in the laptops we’ve tested so far. So, unlike the more ho-hum Intel updates we’ve seen in years past, there’s a real-world payoff in seeking out a Haswell-equipped laptop.
But, many popular laptops, such as the Lenovo Yoga 13 and Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display, still use third-generation Intel CPUs, with no official upgrade plans yet announced. If better battery life isn’t a …


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