Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the sheer mass of communication apps and networks, phone numbers and text messages constantly flowing around you? Have you ever carried on a conversation that spanned across multiple communication channels? What starts out as a text message can quickly become a series of tweets and a mountain of email. This is where Meshin comes in.

Meshin, first available on Outlook initially launching for mobile on the Android platform, is an all-in-one solution for keeping in touch. Instead of having an email sent to your phone and then having to respond via a text message, you’ll just centralize your communication with Meshin. Likewise, it can consolidate your communications from Facebook and Twitter.

Why are you wasting so much time using fifteen different platforms and applications to keep in touch? You’re expending time and energy that you simply don’t need to. Meshin’s mission (I bet you can’t say that three times quickly!) is to help you get rid of all of the clutter and confusion. We don’t have enough time in the day as it is and are always looking for ways to save time. What better way could there be than to trim unnecessary lines of communication?

Currently, the application has the ability to understand the information inside of your communications, and is being funded by Xerox. Being able to integrate your phone, email address, text messages, Facebook messages and Tweets into ONE place is simply a beautiful thing.

How do you communicate with others? How many applications and devices do you use each day to talk to people? Let us hear your horror stories in the comments section. When was the last time you had a conversation that spanned more than one means of communication?

This video was filmed during a live broadcast from the BlogWorld & New Media EXPO 2011 in New York.

How to Communicate More Effectively

I dare you to take five minutes and scan the headlines on Alltop’s Social page. You’re going to see a heck of a lot of articles with words in them that probably don’t make sense to you. Unless you’re in a league with the likes of a Scoble or an Arrington, do you really need to know what your ROI is? Does it matter if you haven’t collected a million followers yet? Who really cares if what you’re doing is “viral” or not? The fact of the matter is that only a small percentage of users need to care about these things. The rest of you out there use social media simply to be social.

Hat tip to C.O.O.K.S Social Media B2B RealTalk for this excellent picture!

Yes, it’s important for companies to have a social media presence. They need to understand the terms floating around and how those words might apply to them. Bloggers have to build communities on Facebook and Twitter in order to continue growing their presence. Even though there are millions of those types of people on social sites, they still account for a fairly small percentage of overall users.

So how does social apply to you? I pray you don’t simply Tweet about your dinner, your cat’s hairball or your ingrown toenail. Even if you happen to be some random individual, social networking sites can still be a substantial part of your life. There are so many ways you can be using these types of communication in order to make your day easier, keep in touch with your family and even to make new friends.

Facebook’s Events feature is a great tool. Use it to plan cookouts, birthday parties or graduation celebrations. You can keep track of the invites and RSVPs, details such as addresses and other important information and even figure out who should bring the potato salad. Events works well for small Tweetups, too, should you ever decide to reach out to those in your community you only know through Twitter.

Having a million ways to share photos online is a HUGE bonus of having a Facebook or Twitter profile. Let’s say you’re on vacation. It’s the kids’ first time meeting Mickey Mouse, but Grandma couldn’t be there. Grab a phone, snap a picture or twelve and immediately post it to your favorite image service. Granny and Aunt Linda and Uncle Harry and cousin Ron can all see what you’re up to instantly. There’s no more developing film and making copies of prints. Gone are the days of having to scan or email snapshots so that the family can share your life. It’s all done literally in real-time these days… thanks to social sites.

How many extended family members are you connected to on Facebook? Think a moment about how often you communicate with them on the site. I’m willing to bet it’s a lot more often than it used to be when you relied on snail mail, telephones or even email. We are actually talking to our family members far away on a much more regular basis due to the ease of connection on these wonderful social pages.

You can use Twitter or LinkedIn to find your dream job. Facebook can be leveraged to maximize the amount of time you spend talking to your friends and family when you’re busy as heck. Each of these types of sites can bring something very crucial to your life, my friends: communication and connections.

How Does Social Media Apply to You?

When was the last time you actually made a phone call for no other reason than to simply talk to someone? How long ago was it that you sat down and wrote a letter to send through the postal service? These forms of communication were the way we connected with others for many MANY years, and they are apparently a dying art form these days. I admit that I haven’t done either of these things in far longer than I can really remember. There are just too many other ways for me to get ahold of someone, do business with them or reach out to make a connection.

Why would we send a hand-written missive and pay money for a stamp, only to have it arrive several days later – if at all? We can sign into our email program of choice, type out our thoughts and have the completed message show up in the other party’s inbox within seconds… for “free” (not counting the cost you already shell out for your Internet connection).

Even though most of us have cell plans which include unlimited calling (or at least during nights and weekends), it’s still easier to use other means of speaking with others. I’m sitting at my computer working most of the day, so it’s just simpler to click that button on Skype when I need to hear another person’s voice. Heck, I’ll admit it: I don’t much like having to voice chat anyway. If there is business communication to be done, I prefer handling it via email. This allows me to keep track of the prior portions of a conversation for future reference. It also lets me be in control of when I reply.

Using voice communication can actually be a burden. As I just mentioned, you have the burden of being “on” during every moment of a conversation. Your attention shouldn’t wander… you need to focus right then and there. If you’re buried in a project, having to stop and take calls can be a huge downer. With an email, you can put off your response until you have the time to dedicate to the person trying to get your attention.

How do you talk to others? I have a feeling that social networks will actually be near the top of the list for many of you out there, along with email and VOiP services.

How to Communicate With Others

If you were to take time completely away from the Internet, would you really miss out on anything? The mere thought of not keeping a constant eye on your Twitter stream or Facebook wall may give you the shakes, but what exactly is it that might go unnoticed? The world isn’t going to end if you aren’t checking in every moment of the day, my friends. You may even be shocked to know that you’re not going to miss a damn thing, because nothing ever really changes.

Author and speaker CC Chapman recently had some emergency surgery. Upon his return home, he noted that he didn’t really miss much of anything during the week he had been offline. I read the Tweet right after it was sent out, and it’s been in the back of mind since then. His words kept poking at me, gnawing at some part of my brain with the simple honesty behind them.

The people you are following today will still be there a week from now – even if you happen to be offline. Sure, they may say something profound or inspiring. Someone will release a book while another person is hired for a great position at a hot new startup. You’ll find out that a small group is putting together a fundraiser and that a bunch of your friends ate something at some point every day. Are these the things you’re terrified not to read the moment they happen?

Step back and think about what’s truly essential for you to know at the end of the day. The things said within your social communities have some level of importance, yes. The people you are connecting with are definitely worthy of your attention. But if you are building your life or – even worse – your business around what is being said and done on Twitter and Facebook then something needs to change.

While these platforms can be crucial to your brand, they aren’t the be-all and end-all of success. With so many “experts” and “gurus” out there telling you that you have to carry a presence on these sites, it can end up being confusing. Yes, you need to be there. No, your business will not go bankrupt if you are not there every moment of your day. You need to find a balance and remember that you aren’t going to be left in the dust if you happen to take a day – or a week – off.

How Important is Social Networking?

Companies everywhere are finally realizing that they need to be social to survive in today’s marketplace. They are scrambling to figure out how to use Twitter and Facebook in order to be where their customers are. Some of them are grasping the advantages of Foursquare. The problem is that many of these brands aren’t doing social the right way. Yes my friends – there is a right – and wrong – way to “do” social media. Big corporations hiring a person or outside company to talk AT consumers are doing it absolutely wrong. Those establishments who talk WITH their community are the ones who are owning the social space.

There are businesses all over my Twitter stream who just can’t seem to figure out the difference between talking at someone and talking with them. Sending out messages about your latest “deal” or sale isn’t enough. Shooting a link or two their way with the hope they will click and buy doesn’t cut it. I don’t care how good your product or service is these days. If you aren’t opening a real dialogue with your patrons, you’re missing the entire point.

It’s great to see corporations such as Comcast and TechSmith really connecting with people. They don’t take the conversation out of the public eye just to shut someone up… they honestly do it to HELP people. However, I feel there is still so much more they could be doing. Creating actual back-and-forth conversations – even on Twitter – is something that each and every one of you needs to be doing.

Ask questions. When you receive answers, don’t just ignore them and congratulate yourself for getting a reply. TALK WITH THEM. Don’t tell people what you’re going to give them or do for them – ask them what they want. Find out how you can make your service better. Discover what the consumers think would make your product stand out from the competitors. Figure out your customer’s lives… what will make things easier for them? What is it you can do to help make their day better? All of this can be done right on social networks, y’all.

Stop counting your numbers and measuring your damn metrics. Quit worrying about that stuff, because it honestly doesn’t matter nearly as much as you think it does. What matters is those people sitting behind their screen attempting to connect with you. Once you’ve established that, the metrics will fall into place all on their own.

How to Help Your Company be Social

I am convinced that there are too many ways for us to communicate with each other. We have social media sites, text messaging, cell phones, land lines, snail mail and email – and likely a handful of ways I didn’t even remember to list. It can actually be annoying and time consuming trying to keep up with so many options. I actually had someone email me recently to ask for my phone number. I replied and received the phone call, only to find that the person was wanting my snail mail address. Seriously, people? You couldn’t have asked that in the original email? Having multiple ways of contacting others has its drawbacks, as well as being a good thing.

Step back a moment and think about all of the communication tools in your arsenal. I’m willing to bet you can name a person that you could contact at least ten different ways: and there are likely many people you could do this with. Is this the best use of your time, though? You have to decide which way to get ahold of them, hope they reply or answer and move on to a different way if the first doesn’t work. Tracking someone down isn’t always in your best interest. You should be asking each contact their preferred method of communication and stick with that unless an emergency arises.

Let’s say you need to contact me. I will tell you that email is your best bet. I have that open pretty much every moment I’m awake. I don’t like talking on the phone or Skype and I prefer to not use instant messaging clients. Those are fine for quick questions, but email provides a “paper trail” of sorts that we can refer back to if need be. Yes, there are times when we may need to connect on a call or in person, and that’s fine. But my first preference is always going to be my Inbox.

Instead of trying to send me an IM on every account I have, leaving me a voice mail I may not listen to for a few days or even trying to Skype me, why not just shoot me an email? You’re bound to get a much faster – and more detailed – response.

Now, everyone is different. There are people who may prefer a quick phone call, and that’s fine. My point is to ask people you regularly talk to which method they prefer. Keep other lines of communication as a backup. Heck, you can even break down your daily communications and organize them by type. Respond to and send emails first. Grab people you need to on IM after that and then perhaps schedule phone calls for the afternoon. Separate your correspondences this way so that you avoid overload.

Jumping back and forth between types all day long is going to drain you, frustrate you and maybe even confuse you at some point.

Avoid Communication Overload

Douglas Karr wrote a post today that had me clapping in my desk chair. I’ve stated over and over that there is entirely too much “noise” on the web. Douglas happens to agree strongly with me. In fact, he wants Twitter to come with a Pause function to help cut down on that awful racket.

As he points out in his article, “The noise out there is getting louder and louder folks. Unless you’re saying something of substance, your voice becomes a numbing buzz in the background that everyone stops listening to. Social doesn’t mean that you have to always be talking; in fact, social is probably more about listening than anything else. Give your voice a rest and see what happens.” He himself has been very quiet online lately due to a large amount of work. As a result, he’s noticed that his number of followers has increased, thus giving birth to his thoughts in the blog post.

Take a moment to read what he wrote again. Go ahead, I’ll wait a moment…

Social doesn’t mean that you have to be always talking; in fact, social is probably more about listening than anything else.

How genius is that statement? How often lately have we forgotten to just shut our traps and listen to what others are saying? When we are constantly pushing out update after update of our own, do we have the time to really absorb what’s going on around us?

We learn early on in life that the key to communication of any kind is to be an excellent listener. When a company or person is slamming out 100+ tweets per day, how the hell are they being a listener at all? They’re so consumed with adding to the noise that we have to filter through that they have forgotten that all-important golden rule.

I don’t know about you, but I think I’m going to shut up more often.

Shut Up and Socialize

I noticed a thread today on Geeks that is talking about how discussions always end up turning negative in some way. This got me to thinking about conversations I have all over the web – on Geeks, over at Lockergnome, here in my blog, and even on sites like Twitter. It seems no matter what you’re trying to talk about, someone is going to be negative in some way. The people in this particular thread are right – it truly is annoying.

I’m not talking about differing opinions. Those are great, and I welcome them. Hopefully, you like hearing them as well. Having different viewpoints on things allows us to stretch our minds in directions they may not have otherwise gone. It can make us look at things in a whole new way, from a completely different perspective.

The negativity I’m referring to is exactly as it sounds – negativity, for no reason other than to be rude/demeaning. You’ll be having a conversation that’s going along nicely, and some person pops their nose in and starts going off on a tangent about something that may or may not relate to your discussion. They may even be completely rude about it, or directly “attack” someone involved in the thread/post. I really hate that. What’s the point of it? Why must Internet trolls even exist? Can’t we just like shoot them out of a cannon or something?

Seriously, though, why does it seem so difficult these days to have a completely intelligent conversation with others without the fear of someone taking it down a road it should never go? What are your thoughts? Are you seeing more and more of this lately, and how do you get past it to continue your discussion? What else are you reading and/or participating in online that has your mind stretching?

• Harvest Moon: Animal Parade for the Wii has marched straight to retail.
• Identity Theft from the inside can be the most dangerous of all.
• Blockbuster is planning to rent movies on SD cards?! Maybe we should stick with Netflix.
• What flavor of Linux do you recommend for someone completely new to the operating system?
• Your Nokia phone charging cord could possibly be a shock hazard.
• Why don’t our cars tell us when our batteries are going bad or getting low?!
• Parallels reups on VMWare
• So many Apps – so few ever used.
• Could YouTube be a crime-fighting tool?
• Topsy is fast becoming the new currency of the Web.
• Nearly 60% of US doctors report that their patients are having difficulties paying their bills.

We have several excellent new Apps and Programs available today in our downloads center for Windows Mobile operating systems, as well as for OS X!

[awsbullet:conversation starter]

Can Online Discussions Always Be Positive?

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

My experience in Hawaii this time, as compared to last, is night and day in how I came away from it. This time, I went there with an open mind, ready to jump into the social culture, wanting to make connections and meet new friends. I was overwhelmed, to say the least. The people I met were awesome, very conscious of the impact that social networking has on the World. Many of them, like Ryan (@Hawaii on Twitter and just about everywhere else!), immerse themselves in social media on a daily basis.

Years ago, Ryan used to run a Mac-based dial-up bulletin board. He calls himself a “middle-aged Dad who loves Web 2.0″. He absolutely GETS social networking. He makes good use of all the services we know and love, such as Facebook, Twitter, Digg, and Delicious!

Back when I made the video a few years ago about reasons I wouldn’t move to Hawaii, Ryan took me to task. He wanted to make this experience different, so he made sure it rained! I felt so much more at home.

I was really impressed at how many people showed up to our little Tweetup. We had about 60 people in all. Ryan says that he has had ones with well over 100 people at times. People don’t realize how social of a culture Hawaiians are. They always have been, but the convergence of Web 2.0 and social media have made it even easier for them to connect.

Ryan says that all these years, he has felt that technology wouldn’t just sell you things… it would connect people and build communities, which is what he loves seeing hapen. He’s born and raised in Hawaii.

I asked Ryan what the general feel of social media is in Hawaii. It’s not confined to just us Geeks. You’ll see businsses there, as well as your everyday “joe”. People are learning, and the concept is quickly growing.

Hawaii definitely has personal interaction wrapped up. They have always been a sociable community. Now, by making use of places such as Twitter, they are showing the World exactly what impact social networking has had on Hawaii.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xk16ZBsKddw"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xk16ZBsKddw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://chris.pirillo.com/">Chris</a> | <a href="http://live.pirillo.com/">Live Tech Support</a> | <a href="http://media.pirillo.com/">Video Help</a> | <a href="http://feeds.pirillo.com/ChrisPirilloShow">Add to iTunes</a>

Social Networking in Hawaii

It’s time to stand up and stretch. Get out of those chairs. Come on – you can do it. Stand up, and reach your arms above your head as high as they will go. Now bend over, and attempt to touch the ground (don’t worry, I can’t quite do that, either). Hold your arms out to your sides and stretch them wide. Heck, why not even twist a little to each side, much like a tree swaying in the breeze.

You have now successfully stretched out your body… but have you stretched your mind? I just stumped some of you, didn’t I? You thought for a second “what the heck, there are no exercises for that!”.

Ah, but that is where you would be wrong, my friends. Every time you read something, you stretch your mind. Every time you think a decision through, you stretch your mind. Every time you look at something through someone else’s eyes, you stretch your mind. Every tiny spec of information you absorb… you get the picture.

Many times, we don’t even realize that we have stretched our minds. We are so rushed through our day that much of what we have seen and done hasn’t even sunk in or made an impression by the time we pass out at night. It’s often much later, when a situation arises that forces us to recall certain pieces of information, when we realize “oh. wow. I knew that/learned that/remember that”. We forget to take the time to stop and marvel at everything that is out there, waiting for us to feast our brain on.

Spread your wings, little birds. Fly beyond your own nests and find those juicy little morsels that will feed and stretch your mind and soul.

• A University of Houston team is revealing the secrets of electricity.
• Protect your digital information with the coming of the new school year.
• If you believe everything the CEO of Yahoo has to say, then life is indeed wonderful.
• Some people are waiting with baited breath for Apple’s Kindle killer.
• Microsoft and Yahoo – will market share be enough?
• Do you Bing-Hoo?
• How do you keep your notebook secure when traveling?
• Many of us name our computers – but do you name your gadgets, too?
• Be aware of the newest domain-name “appraisal” scam that is circulating.
• Will Linux top Windows 7?

Stretch Yourself

Reading this blog post on Geeks earlier stopped me dead in my tracks. I saw myself in what the author wrote, as I’m sure many of you will. He talks of how we have so many gadgets and gizmos to make our lives easier… and then wonders if it’s in fact making things more difficult:

People around the world are moving so fast, trying to do so much, that humanity as a whole is slowly choking itself with its own progress. We’re trying to cram so much into a day, so much into our minds that we don’t know how to do anything else. What we need to learn how to do, more than anything else, is to slow down. If you’re worried about progress, think about this, the best way to gain a clear perspective is to back away and let everything focus. People are supposed to smell the flowers that they plant. Just take some time to enjoy what mankind has done, rather than waste your time coming up with the next best thing that no one will take the time to enjoy.

All the ‘conveniences’ that we use and abuse only serve to get you to the next minute faster. Every inch of the way is packed with time savers that allow you to use more time savers. Just slow down, take a breath, get to know people, go to new places. Enjoy life before it passes you by, just to get to the next generation.

Wow. I’ve been pondering something very similar to this in my own life lately. That is why you’ve seen me out of the office more – trying to take time to relax and have fun. We tend to get so caught up in the daily grind of life that we often forget to live.

When is the last time you took a day completely “off”? I don’t just mean off of work… I mean OFF. OF. EVERYTHING. When did you put away all of your gadgets, your phone, your laptop and even your iPod and just chilled out? Can you even remember when it was, or what you might have done?

If you can’t bear to part with your computer, maybe you can take time out from working yourself into the ground, and enjoy what others are hard at work doing. They are writing excellent articles, like the one mentioned here, every day. They are sharing their thoughts with the world, and I sincerely hope you will consider doing the same. There’s something to be said for being able to write out what’s in your mind and heart, and it takes a very special type of person to be able to do so. The next time you’re stressing over the little things, and everything yet to do on your list, why not just let it all go and write? We’d love to have you join us on Geeks or Lockergnome.

• Rest in peace, Yahoo (as we used to know it).
• Where do you begin on a journey to living a Greener life?
• Microsoft vs. Google – the battle rages on.
• Could your Wi-Fi be killing you?
• Try using YouTube to research your next trip.
• Are browsers starting to copy each other?
• The good news for hackers is that security budgets are being lowered.
• Where in the blink is Blekko?
• If you think you know everything – think again!
• If you’re a Safari user, have you tried out Glims yet?

Could all of Life’s Conveniences be Killing Us?

Earlier tonight, I saw people in our chat room talking about time travel. They were laughing about the places they’d like to go back to, things they might want to change in their life. Some of them wanted to meet a famous person who has long since passed on, and others wanted to simply have a “do-over” for a wrong they had committed.

This got me to thinking – would I want to travel back in time? The answer to that is no, really. Sure, there are historical figures I wouldn’t have minded knowing in person. Wouldn’t it be cool to shake Abe Lincoln’s hand? Or maybe you’d rather hug Amelia Earnhardt. I wouldn’t mind doing some of those things, I suppose. But I definitely wouldn’t want to go back and redo anything in my own life.

If I were to do that, then I wouldn’t be exactly who I am now, nor in the place I am with my life. Sure, there have been some rough patches recently. But all in all, I’m very happy with who I am, and what I’m doing on a daily basis. Going back and changing even one thing in my past would change everything that comes after. I don’t want that!

Would YOU want to go back in time within your own life, and redo things? Why or why not – I’d love to hear your answers.

While you’re debating what you would do, make sure you check out what the rest of the community has been up to!

• What do you think about iTunes blocking the Google Voice app from their store?
• Have you looked inside the Microsoft store?
• Microsoft has freebies!
• It took a 6 million dollar study to figure out that texting while driving is dangerous.
• Can brain scans read your mind?
• There is real value in personal security.
• Cozi simplifies your daily life.
• The Apple/Palm catfight
• Will moving from XP to Windows 7 be a bumpy ride?
• To beta or not to beta – that is the question.

Travel Back in Time

I can’t believe we’re already into July. Where the heck did June go? How did I miss it? I haven’t gone out to tan yet, nor have I played any beach volleyball. Wait a minute… I must have had some odd out-of-body experience for a moment there. Let’s call it a momentary lapse of sanity, ok? I don’t tan. I’m as ghost-white as it gets. The only “sun” I get are the rays that come from my monitors. We all know I’m not one to play sports, either. I’m not sure who took over my keyboard and wrote that garbage!

In any case, summer is half over I suppose. Time flies when you’re too busy to stop to breathe. Gnomedex is only six weeks away, and the team is working hard to get everything ready. I want to thank all of you who have offered your help and services to help make this year rock more than ever before!

Never fear, young grasshoppers. Even though I’m busy, I still make the time to see what you have to say! Your community contributions are the backbone that makes everything I do so much fun.

• Do you use a Google cheat sheet?
• What are your thoughts on Google Wave?
• “Instant-on” Linux faces stiff competition.
• Two weeks after buying the iPhone 3G S, are you still happy?
• Can anything interesting come from a lunch date between Bill Gates and Eric Schmidt?
• Google Apps is going to become an OpenID provider.
• Thousands of medical records have been compromised due to a Trojan.
• Despite the recession, Macs are selling like hotcakes.
• Over half a million laptops are missing or stolen each year.

Summer is Half Over Already?!

What a powerful and loaded question that could be, eh? I came across a blog post on Geeks earlier, where the writer discussed this subject. He talked of the ways that social networking has changed his life. I can’t help but to sit here, and think of all the ways being so “out there” in the social media world has changed me. Have you ever stopped to think about this? How has being on Facebook changed you? What about Twitter and maybe LinkedIn? Heck… what about Geeks? What about you is different, now that you have incorporated all of these fantastic ways of meeting others into your daily routine? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, so leave me a follow-up comment with your story!

This author wasn’t the only one to put something thought-provoking on our sites today. So many of you are busy, writing your thoughts and opinions. Make sure you take the time to nose around, and see what others are doing, as well!

• Broken screens are no problem for Apple Stores.
• Is it important to buy your own domain, rather than use free hosting?
• What do you think of the possibility of buying Twitter followers?
• Is the Internet as powerful as we think it is?
• What is your definition of a good day?
• AT&T indicates that the iPhone 3G S is a “raging success”.
• Could the iPhone change Michelle’s life?
• It’s sad when Twitter Spam is a trending topic.
• What do you think about President Obama’s new “school rules”?
• Is the closing of Pirate Bay a turning point?
• Some online retailers are dropping affiliate programs.
• What are your thoughts on Microsoft Security Essentials?
• Change your remote so you have control.
• Add an extra clock to your taskbar in Windows 7.

How Has Social Media Changed Your Life?

After today, it feels as though Gnomedex is my life! I’m not complaining, though. We’ve been quite busy getting things ready for all of you to descend upon Seattle in just a few short weeks. We announced some ticket price drops today, in the hopes those of you hit hard by the economy may be able to join us. We’ve opened up ticket types, as well. I also wrote an in-depth blog post, answering some questions from a potential attendee. I certainly hope the answers I gave will help any of you who are still on the fence as to whether or not Gnomedex is a “must attend” conference for you.

Even though we’ve accomplished so much today on the conference front… I didn’t forget the rest of the community! I spent much time reading everything you’re doing. Keeping up with your thoughts, dreams, passions and ideas is something that I make a regular part of each and every day. To me, this wouldn’t even BE such a great community without all of your contributions. It’s not MY community – it’s OUR community.

If you aren’t posting anything… what are you waiting for? You can blog on Lockergnome or Geeks, or you can contribute to a forum discussion on Geeks. Heck, you can start your own Group, even! Come hang out with us in chat… and just try and keep up with everything going on in there!

In the meantime, here’s what your peers have been busy with:

• Akaska has released an Apache fan.
• Do you like playing with old technology?
• Are we giving machines too much control?
• Is it really worth it to belittle Windows?
• Save yourself $100.00 off of Windows 7 Professional upgrade by pre-ordering now.
• The rumors were true – Firefox 3.5 has arrived!
• Should the military ban smoking?
• The case of the missing “M” key…
• What is in a sticker?
• Are we really civilized?
• Finally – Franken officially wins.
• Tweet your way to consumer justice.

Is There More to Life than Gnomedex?