The Twitter Zone

Just as we discussed previously in Tech4Boomer’s Post, “Digital Olympics”, nowadays
it’s as though there is a Technology Olympics going on.  What I mean is that the  “rate of change” is astounding.  As a matter of fact, you should receive a  Gold Medal if you can keep up with what’s happening with Social Media.  Just when you think that you have achieved a happy, and somewhat dynamic  equilibrium,  grasping the changes  occurring within the social media phenomenon, e.g., Apps, Foursquare, Google Earth, chatting with friends, and followers (are they bots?) etc., you come to find out that actually it has changed again, and you have just entered another dimension:

The Twitter Zone”.

I had a fortunate reading experience with an article written by Andy O’Donnell at About.com Guide. The article, which is about Twitter, not only introduced me to terminology I had never encountered, it also brought to my attention the importance of periodically checking who is following you on Twitter.

These are some of the topics that O’Donnell  covers in the article:

  1. How to use Status People’s Fake Follower check to see what percentage of your followers are fake, real, or inactive.
  2. How to report followers for SPAM and what happens when you do.
  3. Malicious Twitter bots, which are used to spread links to malware, and how they are often disguised as shortened links.
  4. The importance of checking whether some of your followers are legitimate. Sometimes you can just check if they have any followers.
  5. How to protect your Tweets by putting restrictions in place. Of course in this case you will also have to ‘approve’ each ‘follow’ request. In addition, your tweets will only be seen to those you have approved.
  6. How to Block other Twitter followers.

Use these links to check out the guidelines and get  some of the details of various things you should know about and take action on:

Glossary:
Twitter BotsIn addition to spammers, hackers and internet criminals may send out malicious Twitter bots5 to follow you. Malicious bots are used to spread links to malware which are often disguised as shortened links6 so that the malicious link itself is obscured from view by the shortened link. http://netsecurity.about.com/od/informationresources/a/How-To-Prevent-Strangers-From-Following-You-On-Twitter.htm?p=1

SPAM and SPIM bots
These bots bombard your inbox with SPAM and interrupt your chats by sending you unsolicited instant messages (SPIM). http://netsecurity.about.com/od/advancedsecurity/a/Malicious-Bots.htm

PUBLIC & PROTECTED TWEETS https://support.twitter.com/articles/14016-about-public-and-protected-tweets#

Are all bots bad?  So, now we know how to recognize them. But there is another issue. Is it bad to follow a bot? It might be, if it’s a bot that tricks you into buying things you didn’t want in the first place, or if you think you are really dealing with a person. But maybe not always. via How to recognize Twitter bots: 7 signals to look out for.

Help

Read the entire Andy O’Donnell article using this link:
http://netsecurity.about.com/od/informationresources/a/How-To-Prevent-Strangers-From-Following-You-On-Twitter.htm?p=1

How to Manage your Digital Identity

“You have zero privacy anyway. Get over it”.
Scott G. McNealy CEO of Sun Microsystems Inc. January 26, 1999

Browsers & your Digital Footprint – I don’t think tech4boomers can cover the privacy on-line topic too often. In fact, in March 2012 we published a post “The Scoop About On-line Snooping”) where we covered this topic.

Every time we  revisit this topic, there are new techniques and products, which claim that they can “fix” this very perplexing issue of how to protect our identities and the information being gathered by browsers (e.g. Google) on the World Wide Web (www).

Nowadays, every time we use the Internet our “habits” (e.g. places we like to visit, and spend money and time) are being recorded by “cookies”.

Cookies are messages that web servers pass to your webbrowser when you visit Internet sites. Your browser stores each message in a small file, called cookie.txt. When you request another page from the server, your browser sends the cookie back to the server. These files typically contain information about your visit to the web page, as well as any information you’ve volunteered, such as your name and interests. via What are cookies? – Knowledge Base.

Our dependency on the www makes it very difficult to avoid information being gathered about our on-line habits.  For example, every time we email, pay bills, order on-line, or use skype, information is being gathered about us. Google has in fact confirmed that it gathers information when you use its browser.  Opposite to what you might expect, Google has also produced a set of guidelines on how to protect yourself from its on-line “snooping“.

What Can You Do About It?

Recently I came across an article “How to Erase Your Digital Footprint”, by Jeffrey A. Lambert – Maximum PC. A summary of that article states the following:

visiting web sites produces “tracking cookies” on your computer.  Cookies allow these websites to keep track of your online preferences.

 the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) is working towards providing solutions and making consumers aware of the practices.

 there are tools available that can be added to your computer for constant monitoring and control to help you find out how big your digital footprint is.

Digital Footprint Calculator will estimate your digital footprint.  This is a service from EMC Corporation.

on a daily basis Google “pings” your browser for information about browsing history. This helps them to target advertising.

  “free” software is available which helps to determine how often Google is “pinging” your computer browser. e.g. Google Alarm by F.A.T. Labs  will give you a visual or audio alert when personal information is sent to google servers.

Simply cleaning out your cache of cookies on your computer will aid you in safe browsing. Check your preferences option in your browser and click the “delete cookies” option.  However, be aware customization on sites you visit will also be deleted.

There is much more to learn about various techniques that can help you reduce this concern.  Check out the full details by clicking the link below.

Erasing Your Digital Footprint -via Maximum PC | How To Erase Your Digital Footprint.

I hope this is helpful! 🙂

Are Echo Boomers Creating Social Change?

There are no precise dates for when the Millennial generation starts and ends, and commentators have used birth dates ranging somewhere from the mid-1970s to the early 2000s. Members of this generation are called Echo Boomers, due to the significant increase in birth rates through the 1980s and into the 1990s, and because many of them are children of baby boomers. via Generation Y – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

I am the lucky parent of an Echo Boomer  🙂 and I am wondering . . . Is Social Media … Social Change evolved?  If you’re curious about what our younger generation is thinking these days, read on.

Let’s look at some of the Baby Boomer history:

Cultural identity

Boomers grew up at a time of dramatic social change. In the United States, that social change marked the generation with a strong cultural cleavage …The Baby Boomers were the first generation, at least in Western countries, to grow up with television; some of the most popular shows during the Boomer era were … The Twilight Zone, The Ed Sullivan Show and Happy Days. via Baby boomer – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Social change refers to an alteration in the social order of a society. It may refer to the notion of social progress or sociocultural evolution, the philosophical idea that society moves forward by dialectical or evolutionary means…     Social change may be driven by cultural, religious, economic, scientific or technological forces. via Social change – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

What is Social Media?

Social media are media for social interaction, as a superset beyond social communication. Enabled by ubiquitously accessible and scalable communication techniques, social media substantially change the way of communication between organizations, communities, as well as individuals.  via Social media – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

You Decide
Check out a recent Post by Dina Spector about a Cisco study, and maybe it will give you some insight about what Generation Y ( Millennials) is thinking 🙂   See you at the next Post !

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Young People Think The Internet Is As Important As Breathing

November 3, 2011, By Dina Spector  – Internet Cafe

A new study by Cisco Systems reveals that one in three college students and young professionals under 30 believe the Internet is as important as air, water, food, and shelter (via CNNMoney).

The study, which polled 8,000 people in 14 countries, found that more than half of the participants said they could not live without the Internet, citing it as “more important than owning a car, dating, and going to parties.”

Here are some more study highlights:

* Many respondents cite a mobile device as “the most important technology” in their lives

* Seven of 10 employees have “friended” their managers and coworkers on Facebook

* Two of five students have not bought a physical book (except textbooks) in two years

* Most respondents have a Facebook account and check it at least once a day

o Half would rather lose their wallet or purse than their smartphone or mobile device.

o More than two of five would accept a lower-paying job that had more flexibility with regard to device choice, social media access, and mobility than a higher-paying job with less flexibility.

* At least one in four said the absence of remote access would influence their job decisions, such as leaving companies sooner rather than later, slacking off, or declining job offers outright.

o Three out of 10 feel that once they begin working, it will be their right — more than a privilege — to be able to work remotely with a flexible schedule.

via Young People Think The Internet Is As Important As Breathing | Embargo Zone.

A Tribute to Steve Jobs

I should not  write my post this week without first acknowledging the passing of Steve Jobs.  I have often expressed my delight with the ‘i devices. However, what I believe is most extraordinary about Steve Jobs  is that he connected an entire universe with his inventions. All over the world people enjoy Apple products.  He was Apple’s Rock Star.  Every time he brought us something new, the response was phenomenal!  We couldn’t wait to buy it, learn to use and enjoy it.  And, the newest invention was immediately at the top of the computer charts! 🙂

Steve Jobs infused his creations with love and care, and we were the recipients of that love, and care.  So, as I think about Steve Jobs, I’m feeling thankful that I have experienced his passion, his genius, his drive for perfection through his inventions.  Yes, there are other inventions, but the way I see it he was the first to take the computer experience and convert it to personal entertainment with a business component.
He engendered diversity on a grand scale:  young, old, various cultures, languages, professions.  The list goes on and on. His influences and his footprints will remain forever on our universe.

Thank you, Steve Jobs, for helping us to connect worldwide through your visions!

Some people positively change the Universe !

Why I Blog

Thoughts from: @autocreate740

I invited someone to look at my Blog recently, just to tell him that I am doing something new.  He happens to be somewhat computer literate. When I heard back from him, he wanted to know what he was looking for.

Ha!

After receiving that response, I wondered how many Bloggers are out there, who are feeling lonely, and become discouraged about blogging because NO One is reading, or viewing, let alone, commenting, or ‘liking’ their Blogs.

I’ve been blogging since May 2011.  As of October 1, I will have started my 6th month, so it seems right to check what I am doing at Tech4Boomers.com, and to confirm for myself what I think I’m doing.

I have been interested in technology, after leaving a career in film and television, for about 25 years now.  My true ‘likes’ are Outlook Email, and oddly enough,  Word Processing.  I am an iPhone/iPad ‘groupie’. I also dabble in PowerPoint. I Love Apps!

Blogging is my newest avocation; I enjoy learning about this new (for me) technology. It’s a wonderful challenge to acquire a new computer skill, and it seems to be very popular with young people, and that’s always good.  I mean staying in touch with the young people; they are our future. 🙂

I am a Baby Boomer.  Most of my friends are trying to get away from the computer, and would rather not learn yet another thing that involves a computer challenge.  I truly like WordPress.com. And, that I was able to start blogging for free! was truly a treat.  🙂

Blogging provides a way for creativity on my own terms.  I can cover the topics I find interesting, put my artwork in, say it the way I feel I want to, and that gives me a wonderful feeling of freedom.

Blogging keeps me informed and connected with an outside world.  I find it intriguing to read what others are thinking.  Blogging is a universal ‘connection’ tool.

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What is Tech4Boomers designed to do?  Here’s what I think briefly:

It’s an electronic newsletter, where, once a week I post something I think  is worthwhile knowing. It’s also a reference guide for me 🙂

It attempts to simplify technical issues for my generation, and younger people who want to learn something about Twitter, Linkedin, WiFi, 3G, iPhones, iPads,  Blackberry phones, Apps, and various other computer related topics.

It’s designed to give a knowledge  level to those who are not ‘computer savvy’, but would like to know more.

It’s designed to help others when possible.

It’s fun for me!

In addition to providing a platform for me to improve my skills overall, and blogging skills in particular, this activity allows me to introduce friends and family to the blogging experience:  What is it? How does it work? What is its reach, and knowing is it a worthwhile undertaking.

So here’s the conclusion: I’ve decided to continue! 🙂  I hope this was helpful in further clarifying what Tech4Boomers is about.

See you at the next post !

Twitter for Android Phone Users

As I searched for the best Mobile Twitter App for Android, what I discovered is the best app to use is the one endorsed by Twitter itself.  This app is free of charge, and can be found at the Android Market. Just click the link below.

  Twitter – Android Market


After you install the Twitter app, I suggest that you use the guidelines I found written by Dan Gookin, which explain how the program works for the Android phone.  These guidelines will be least confusing, and give illustrations, which explain the various parts of the screens (please don’t take the name of the article personally).  I have found articles by Dan Gookin, and by other authors in the ‘Dummies” book series, very helpful. Click the line after the word via.

How to Use Twitter on Your Droid X

By Dan Gookin

You can use Twitter through your Droid X to share your existence with others or simply to follow what others are up to or thinking. You can create a Twitter account by using your Droid, but it’s a lot more work that just using a computer. After you create a Twitter account, use the Twitter app on your phone to view Twitter updates or to tweet.

A good Twitter app was developed by the Twitter people themselves. The Twitter app is free and available at the Android Market.

The Twitter application provides an excellent interface to many Twitter tasks. The two most basic tasks, however, are reading and writing tweets.

via How to Use Twitter on Your Droid X – For Dummies.

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For those of you who want to do a bit more research, check out the article below by TechShout, posted August 2011.

8 Best Twitter apps for Android phones to download – TechShout.

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This post completes the sessions for using Twitter on your cell phones.  I hope this is helpful 🙂

How to use Twitter from your BlackBerry – Simple Help

How do I find a Twitter mobile app?

As I mentioned in last week’s post, Twitter mobile apps are probably among the more widely used for sending Tweets, and for keeping up-to-date with what’s happening on Twitter.  This week we cover how to use one of the most popular Twitter mobile apps recommended by Simple Help, a blog I often go to for information about various Social Media guidelines.  Simple Help provides easy to follow  illustrations, which I expect you will find useful in loading a Twitter app on your Blackberry phone.    Be aware:  these guidelines assume that you understand how find the web browser on your Blackberry device.  If you are not familiar with these techniques, now would be a good time to check out the manual for your phone.  You can find  Blackberry manuals at this link –  BlackBerry Smartphones – Manuals and Guides.

Twitter for Blackberry Users

Loading Twitterberry

This tutorial will guide you through every step of installing and using TwitterBerry, arguably the most popular Twitter client for BlackBerry devices.

1. First up, launch whatever web browser you use on your BlackBerry. Head over to http://orangatame.com/ota/twitterberry (or http://bit.ly/jE4rM – which is just a shortened version of the same link). After scrolling through the text, select the Download Now button. Then when prompted, click the Download button on your BlackBerry screen.

via How to use Twitter from your BlackBerry – Simple Help

I hope this is  helpful

Twitter via Smartphones: An Introduction

How do you network socialize?

In this week’s post we are focusing on Twitter Mobile Apps. As we discussed in a earlier post, mobile apps allow you to use the Internet and social media environments.


Here is a description I found, written by Amy Gahran, which explains mobile apps.  Please click on the link to her website for a more detailed description.

What are mobile apps?

A mobile app is software that runs on a handheld device (phone, tablet, e-reader, iPod, etc.) than can connect to wifi or wireless carrier networks, and has an operating system that supports standalone software.  via What’s a mobile app? – contentious.com.

Please note:

In upcoming weeks I will continue to provide  you with links to sources that  I rely on to bring you technology information.
In computing, a hyperlink (or link) is a reference to a document that the reader can directly follow, or that is followed automatically.
via Hyperlink – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

How to use Twitter on your smartphones will have links to  Twitter Help, and  Simple Help. These are sources that I use for information frequently. However,  due to the popularity of the Simple Help site, there may be numerous advertisements on the page.  Nevertheless, the illustrations will be very easy to follow.

Also, don’t be discouraged with the new techniques required to view the information. These built-in transitions  will give you some ‘hands-on” training in navigating back and forth to more than one blog.. That’s part of what it’s all about, right?

Remember: tech4boomers is focused on helping you acquire, and familiarize yourself, with  the skill sets necessary to operate in a social media environment.. Enjoy the transitions…. Here we go…

Twitter for iPhone: An Introduction

Users who are getting started with Twitter for iPhone often have concerns about the following:

1. Where do I find the Twitter for iPhone application?

2. Will Twitter for iPhone work with my iPhone OS?

3. What’s new in the current version of Twitter for iPhone?

4. I need help with Twitter for iPhone!

5. I’m having trouble with an older version of Twitter for iPhone.

6. I want to know more!

Where do I find the Twitter for iPhone Application?

From your iPhone, click the App Store icon, type ‘Twitter’ into the search, and select Twitter for iPhone from the results.

Ok folks take the next step. Click the link below for detailed illustrations and guidelines.  🙂

via Twitter Help Center | Twitter for iPhone: An Introduction.

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In coming weeks we will focus on how to use Twitter on the Blackberry, and Android Smartphones.

See you next week 🙂 !

5 Great Twitter Apps For the iPad – Simple Help

FYI

For Boomers who use an iPad ..♦.. FREE TWITTER APPS !

  • Tech4Boomers Intro to Twitter Sessions 1-4 illustrated how to use Twitter on your PC.
  • Twitter for iPad  is  a ‘mobile app‘.
    {It is a term used to describe Internet applications that run on smartphones and other mobile devices. Mobile applications usually help users by connecting them to Internet services more commonly accessed on desktop or notebook computers, or help them by making it easier to use the Internet on their portable devices.}via What is mobile application? – A Word Definition From the Webopedia Computer Dictionary.
  • I visited a website recently that has some of the best instructions I have seen on-line. Take a look at the suggestions made for iPad Twitter. The illustrations are very clearly presented for iPad users to understand. The instructions are brief, and easy to follow. 🙂

To view the illustrations, click on the link below.

Twitter is quickly becoming one of the main social media services to promote your brand, sharing interesting links, and keeping in touch with others. Here we’ll take a look at 5 free Twitter apps for the iPad so you can tweet while on the go. Official Twitter iPad . The first one we’ll look at is the official Twitter app for iPad. It works great, but the user interface is unique compared to using Twitter on your site.

via 5 Great Twitter Apps For the iPad – Simple Help.

Intro to Twitter_Tech4Boomers_Session 4

Who’s your Twitter in-crowd?

On Twitter, it’s all about who and what you Follow.  Following is a huge part of what’s happening in this particular social universe.

‘Following’ is a personal choice.  A good place to start is with  ‘friends’ whom you already know, in your personal ‘social circle’, those who are also Tweeps.  In this way, they can guide you on how to send Tweets, and give you a sense of belonging to the Twitter community until you get comfortable with tweeting in a larger social network.  Ask your friends what their Twitter ID’s are.  Once you have the ID’s, you can search for them using the SEARCH field.  When you find an ID, click the Follow link.

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Another way to get started with Following on Twitter is to find people or publications that interest you.  When you find them, just click on the Follow button as illustrated below:

1 – In the SEARCH field, I have entered the word News.  On the right of the panel various news options appear with the word Follow next to them.

Click on the images to see a larger version.

2 – After you click on the Follow link.  Click the Back Home link to see your Timeline.

3 – When you are back at the Home screen, the News has been added to your Timeline along with everything else (Tweeps) you are following.

4 – If you do not want to Follow a particular choice (e.g., News)  anymore, type News in the search field, click the magnifying glass to start the search.  When you find what you are looking for,  click the Unfollow link.  You can also go to your Profile, view all you are following, and select to Unfollow from there.

Following is entertaining, informative,  and fun when you become part of the Twitter social network.  There is much to learn, and be a part of in this  social environment.   I hope you will join us soon 🙂

This completes our Beginner, Tech4Boomer Twitter sessions. See you next week.  🙂