Buying into Google’s platform will cost a developer a $100 up-front fee, and Google would take twenty percent of any revenue made from application sales.  This is in comparison to Apple’s $99 up-front fee and thirty percent commission.  However, as Apple’s “App Store” has proven, the money invested can be well worth it if the developer plays their cards right.

While Google’s new development platform may seem like an imitation of the “App Store”, there is one important difference that sets it apart; while Apple’s “App Store” is marketed mainly to individuals and consumers, Google’s platform will be aimed at businesses and organizations that need reliable, integrated solutions for their companies.  For Google, this is a wise decision, as they will not only stand to make revenue from the sale and distribution of applications, but may see an increased number of businesses and organizations switching to Google Apps (formerly known as “Google For Your Domain”); Google’s hosted email, calendar, document, and collaboration solution.

For business owners and managers, this would ultimately allow for more of their infrastructure to be hosted in Google’s “cloud”, and for their information to be more easily accessible to them by means of computer or Smartphone.  This would ultimately eliminate the need for remote access solutions, virtual private networks, and overall IT infrastructure and staff.  Google’s platform, and the applications that result from it, may also aid in the popularity of telecommuting, as data would be more easily accessible to the end user without as big of a need for IT staff and personnel.

By opening up their development platform, Google will ultimately be allowing developers to develop and distribute applications that are tailored specifically towards specific industries and trades, and has a potential to significantly increase Google’s user base.

In an era where businesses are looking to be more productive and cost effective, Google’s new platform may be the answer to many of the data and infrastructure issues facing them today.  Further, this will allow developers to target the wide range of businesses that currently take advantage of Google’s services.

That’s pretty amazing.  As I mentioned I have used OpenDNS for quite some time now and I love it.  It’s an excellent service and I still believe it’s better, faster, and more secure than Google’s public DNS.

Not only does it provide more features but yesterday I added a new subdomain which pointed to another server for bt.gd and OpenDNS had resolved it before Google.  I will be switching back to OpenDNS.  If you haven’t tried it already I highly recommend you check it out.

Congrats to David and the rest of the OpenDNS team for their new record!

As you may have guessed, the two protocols aren’t compatible with one another. Fortunately, our ISPs are doing everything they can to prepare for the IPv6 switch. Comcast says, “[w]e are making our network fully IPv6-enabled so that Web-hosting companies, Internet sites and content providers that connect to Comcast’s Internet backbone to deliver content and services can do so using IPv4 and IPv6 protocols.” The ISP reiterated its claim by stating, “[w]e are committed to providing our customers with IPv6-ready services before IPv4 depletion reaches a critical point.” In addition to Comcast, Time Warner is also working on preparing its network for IPv6.

By supporting IPv4 and IPv6 for an amount of time, ISPs will avoid a number of headaches. Think of it as the DTV switch done correctly. Nicely done Comcast, you’re thinking ahead and doing something right.

Never register your domain through the web hosting company you are planning on using.  They’re not just offering to purchase the domain for you (or provide a free one) out of the goodness of their hearts.  The idea behind using them as a proxy to register your domain is so they can use it as leverage if you should ever choose to leave them for another host.  Always own your own domain.  Use a registrar service such as Godaddy.

Often times when looking through various web hosting packages you will notice the word “unlimited” – don’t buy into the hype. Unlimited with regards to web hosting means as follows: so long as you don’t use too much bandwidth, storage, and server power you are welcome to use this package. Once you start using too many server resources you will receive an email telling you should probably upgrade to the next package for better website performance – if you don’t, well, chances are you’ll have your website suddenly disappear. Bottom line is unlimited isn’t really unlimited – don’t buy into the hype.

Avoid web hosts with black listed IP addresses and/or questionable terms of use / spam policies. This is important, you don’t want to have your websites IP on a blacklist. Also, as I mentioned, check their terms of use and spam policy if it allows users to send mass emails (spam), then you probably don’t want an account there even if their IP isn’t blacklisted, it can potentially be due to their policies.

When it comes to payments try and pay via PayPal or a debit card. This is to ensure your safety. Some web hosts have been known to continue to charge ex-customers who paid via credit card and the only way to stop it was to get a new credit card. Additionally, check their refund and trial policies to make sure they will return your money if you cancel the service within x number of days.

Even if you are not very technical yourself, you should try and learn the basics of web hosting – the terminology, what everything means, etc. I would also recommend (If possible) to test their customer support before purchasing from them. Call or email them (calling would be better) and ask them some questions to make sure they understand the basics and know what they are offering.

Read about the web host you are considering using on forums such as Web Hosting Talk and Webmaster World to see what people are saying about their personal experiences.

Lastly, make sure you backup your website too. Do not just rely on the hosting company to backup your site.

Do you have any additional tips? Leave a comment!

First of all, the claims they make are completely ridiculous. You cannot speed up your Internet connection by 375% by simply running an application whether it be Cable, DSL, or Dial-up. Their advertisements are completely bogus if you notice they use Macintosh computers in the ads, while the application only runs on Windows. Additionally, they say on their website that they were featured in Newsweek, Forbes, and the Wall Street Journal however do not provide a link to the write-ups on any of the websites – a bit strange if you ask me.

I do not trust any application that claims it will clean out registry errors or remove “orphaned” entries. These applications generally can find problems on brand-new computers with a fresh install of Windows. Do not buy this software. If you need to remove spyware and/or adware from your computer please download and install Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware.

Windows troubleshooting tips:

Check the Event Viewer located under Computer Management (right click My Computer, choose Manage, and you will see it listed). You can view three different options – System, Applications, and Security. If you go through the list of recording actions you can spot entries with either a red X or a yellow !. Go to the properties of those entries and it should provide a detailed summary of what happened at that time. This can be useful for crashing applications and/or driver conflicts.

Disable automatic reboot on system failure through the System environment settings (right click My Computer, choose Properties, and go the Advanced tab). By doing this when there is a system failure instead of rebooting (which actually will not help fix the problem) it will force a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). The Blue Screen of Death is actually a very useful tool for troubleshooting on Windows. If you write down the exact STOP error code it can be researched on Google. If you need additional assistance in troubleshooting BSOD error codes feel free to post on our forums.

OSX troubleshooting tips:

The Console built into OSX is a useful tool for troubleshooting on the Mac.  It is similar in a sense to the Windows Event viewer and can be found in Applications in the Utilities folder.  Additionally, if you would like to track the system log and console activity more in depth – check out GeekTool.

Activity Monitor and Disk Utility can also be used for other various troubleshooting techniques.  Those can also be found in Applications in the Utilties folder.  Activity Monitor is similar to the Windows Task Manager in which you can see which process and/or application is taking up your resources (CPU/RAM).  Disk Utility on the other hand is an enhanced version of Windows disk management and is an excellent tool for repairing disk permissions and/or other various issues.

If you are having problems with your computer whether it be Windows, OSX, or even Linux feel free to post on our forums.

In addition, Justin mentioned he was using WEP encryption to protect his WiFi, I would recommend that you look into WPA as an alternative to WEP for when you reconfigure your router and network.  WEP is an older encryption method which is flawed and easily crackable nowadays if you have the right tools (which can be found easily on the web).

You should never charge too little – it makes you look bad. How so, you ask? Well, by charging much less than everyone else it makes people (possible customers) question your abilities and wonder why you charge so little. However, you do not want to over charge, especially if you are just a local shop or do this occasionally as a side job. I have found that anywhere from $50-$75/hour is relatively common and affordable for most people.

People are willing to pay for your services (provided you can give professional support) so do not be afraid to charge people, of course you can give discounts to your friends if you are feeling generous.

How much do you charge for your services? Leave a comment!

The phone also sports a 1.3 mega-pixel camera which can take video as well. It has all the regular built-in functionality such as Mobile IM, Web Browser (which uses the EV-DO connection), VCAST, and even a SD Memory slot for additional storage.

The Alias is an excellent choice for a simple and easy to use phone that just works and provides all the features and functionality.

What phone do you use? Leave a comment!

So let’s break down the event, two days of excellence.

Friday (April 25th, 2008):

10AM with Ben Kartzman from Spongecell who discussed using widgets and social media to market events, generate sales and stimulate sign-ups.

My thoughts: It was definitely informative and useful – I learned a few things about widgets and what a good widget should consist of to be functional. Usability, features and considering a users potential uses for your widget is essential when building a useful worthwhile widget.

11AM with Alan Levy from BlogTalkRadio who discussed how to build and Sustain a Social Community.

My thoughts: It was decent, I picked up a few things, however, it seemed to be more of a Q & A about BlogTalkRadio then an open discussion about tips and tools on how to maintain that social community.

12PM Lunch with WirelessPacket and FourOnes of TheLeetGeeks.com these guys are great I spent both days with them. Make sure you keep an eye on their work, it is going to be great.

1PM with Todd Cochrane discussed Securing a Sponsor in the New Media Space.

My thoughts: Very interesting and definitely worth attending. Many different points were brought up – not all of which I agreed with; for example – charging to download and listen to your Podcast. My first problem with this is the question “Who are you?” – who are you to be charging, especially if you have no credibility – I have a major problem with that. However, points made about treating your podcast or whatever it is you may do as a business and not a hobby I thought were excellent points.

2PM with Lee Gibbons – The Intersection of New Media and Social Media.

My thoughts: Pretty good presentation, my favorite point of his was that on what Lee calls “Value Wake”. According to Lee, “It is pretty simple, really. Value wake is the trail of value you leave behind you as you go through life. The Value Wake proposition holds that life, at its best, is all about learning and then passing the value of that learning on to others. I have observed that those to whom learning is the center activity of life are simply happier, and to those who devote much of their life to also teaching others come the richest rewards of all.”

3PM with Tim Bourquin and Michael Geoghegan who discussed “How To Promote and Make Money With Your Podcast in the Next 30 Days”.

My thoughts: It was okay, I’m not a big believer in those “get rich quick” schemes so I had a little trouble going on everything they said.

4PM with Tom Webster who discussed The Podcast Consumer Rrevealed- New research on the Podcasting Audience.

My thoughts: If anything this was an eye-opener as to the detailed information of who really is a podcaster’s audience. Definitely something to consider when started a podcast.

Saturday (April 26th, 2008):

10AM with Andy Sernovitz who discussed Word of Mouth Marketing.

My thoughts: Thank you, thank you, thank you for talking about this Andy. It really was informative and useful to me as someone who is working on a startup. All of the tips and tricks one would need to know to get people talking about your product or service were in this presentation. Well done!

11AM with David Recordon of Six Apart who discussed “Using distributed technologies to change the World”.

My thoughts: David knew his stuff I was able to pick up more information into the way the web is gravitating towards and really got me thinking about the distributing technologies that in essence make advertising on the web much harder and face similar issues that broadcast TV is facing today.

12PM Lunch with WirelessPacket and Alana Taylor. Food was great, so was the conversation. Really enjoyed it. Keep an eye on both of them as they are going to be doing some huge stuff.

1PM with Chris Brogan, Laura Fitton, and Roxanne Darling who discussed Finding Your New Media Voice.

My thoughts: Bottom line: be yourself online. Plus I learned about utterz.com – pretty neat.

2PM with John Havens of BlogTalkRadio and also the leader coordinator of Podcamp NYC 2.0 who discussed Tactical Transparency.

My thoughts: Very very interesting. I loved the openness of the conversation in this session. In fact, it’s where I met Drew Olanoff who has a lot of very interesting ideas and projects. Made me think about how people should act and maintain themselves online and if in 5-10 years from now when my generation is in the corporate world how it will be when it comes to hiring people.

3PM with Kevin Gamble who discussed Tiki Bar TV.

My thoughts: The guy is hilarious and really knows his stuff. No wonder why he and his crew have been so successful.

4PM with Drew Olanoff who discussed “bringing it all together”. Using social media as your toolkit and not a distraction.

My thoughts: Drew is a great guy and funny too. I feel him and I are on the same page when it comes to using social networks efficiently and effectively. The session was excellent, really made me wonder why I have all these accounts which I rarely use.

Podcamp NYC 2.0 was excellent. I am definitely attending next year, maybe I will even speak. I will be posting another blog entry discussing the people I met at Podcamp so keep an eye out for that.

What did you think of Podcamp NYC – leave a comment!