by Kamrul
Ok looks like this week is a great web development week. Microsoft brings out IE7.0 almost five years after its predecessor IE 6.0. And just several hours ago Google introduces its Website Optimizer beta. Surprisingly both of this will directly or indirectly effect blogging. How?
IE6.0 or Internet Explorer Six was an Evil that always used to break up blog layouts even after patches after patches; you have to agree with that. Example our rich text editor for blogger’s had to disable, since some layout function makes IE break your page layout. Firefox & safari is showing the same page accurately, but hell IE6 is showing broken pages making the blog the ugliest page ever created. Do I have to even dare add the security flaws IE6 have, even until yesterday. But now as Microsoft claiming IE7.0 is way more secure and support cross browser Tags (Our blog layout won’t be destroyed, hopefully!). IE7 also added Tab browsing functionality and built –in RSS reader and book-marking, just like Firefox. Read the rest of this entry »
by Kamrul
Looks like finally a blog network trying to give Web 2.0 ideas touch of reality. India based blog network Instablogs announced to introduce Instablogs 2.0: The Next Generation Blog Network due November 5, 2006. They are planning to binding bloggers and readers much closer ties. Most of the new features are targeted to increase interactivity between readers and bloggers, a whole lot of customization options for readers.
The features announced to be included at Instablogs 2.0:–
- Buddy network.
- Rating stories as well as comments.
- RSS customization for any channel, topic, writer, tag, etc.
- Topic-specific communities and block creation.
- Network-wide tagging and searching.
- Newsroom which will notify readers the news from around the network.
- A reading room where the entire topic around blog can be aggregated, just like customized homepage feature of MSN, Yahoo.
- Readers’ Rewards whereby they can be editors for any channels of their choice.
Around 200 beta tester invitation has been sent, to ensure the quality of the new release. The steps taken by Instablogs are futuristic indeed, since no other blog network yet tried or successful to this kind of major web 2.0 like interfaces. Needless to say whole blogosphere will anxiously monitor the next big thing in blogosphere, including growing blog networks community.
Instablogs, web 2.0, community, blog network, tagging, rss customization,
by Kamrul
Popular TailRank has launched it’s nearly a year anticipated version 2.0. The first thing you’ll probably notice is classy slick new user interface. The majority of the work on this release has been on their ranking algorithms. The new noticeable features are-
- Archives
You can now view the archives for a given topic.
- Entertainment
A new category added - entertainment.
- Memetracker
You can now track stories via RSS or Instant Messenger.
- Expand and Collapse
TAB based expand & collapsible system. You can now easily expand & collapse cluster view around a given story.
TailRank also announced a possible 2.1 release within few weeks with some more user interfaces and upgrade. But didn’t disclose any specific date for that release.
ranking, algorithms, blog news, blog network, blogging, blogosphere, TailRank 2.0, bloggism, Memetracker
by Kamrul
Blog ad network isn’t new at all for bloggers, so many of them. But only handful of them respected for quality of service. Well what you know, a new leaf just grown over “Blog ad network” tree. Performancing have lunched blog ad network.
The long wait is over and Performancing is now accepting new bloggers to their network. Performancing partner program which is an ad network will be possible adversary of BlogAds like system. And pull bloggers wishing to make money through blogging. It was an open secret that they were planning to build up this kind effort but finally it’s ready to roll for both advertisers and bloggers. The process is fairly simple, just like most of the ad network you place their JavaScript code on your page and Advertisers can then sign up to place their ads on your site. Your revenue share is 70%, Performancing will take 30% as royalty and you get 5% of income generated by any publisher or money spent by advertiser you refer. Few criteria of Performancing partner program:-
- You can run other network ads. Ex-Google Adsense, YPN etc.
- Maximum six ads
- No minimum pay-out.
- PayPal is the payment option
by Kamrul
Video blogger should be concern about EU directive that could extend broadcasting regulations to the internet, hitting popular video-sharing websites such as YouTube.
A fresh new EU commission proposed a bill, which will require Mobile phone service and web service that feature video images to match to standard set by that commission. Though a British govt. officials already objected on this, saying its overlay broad. According to British broadcasting Minister Shaun Woodward, the draft proposal is catastrophic, saying it could end up forcing someone to get a license to post videos of an amateur rugby team. But European Union officials say the “Television without Frontiers” rules are necessary to set minimum standards for items such as advertising, civil speech and child protection, asserting that the same rules should apply to broadcasters whether their material goes out over the airwaves or over the Internet. The Government’s definition of online broadcasting covers feature films, sports events, situation comedy, documentary, children’s programmes and original drama.
If this draft proposal got passed in European Union scheduled summit in Brussels (Nov 13,2006), EU Video bloggers will be in trouble together with Vlog hosting sites that operates within EU.
by Kamrul
Getting paid showing ads or sponsor of blogs isn’t new in blogosphere. It was practiced since way back, and still practiced. But some recent incident or better you can call some business model regarding blog as raised some serious thoughts. I am talking about getting paid for blogging a certain products/services without disclosing as sponsored blog. You all will agree with me showing contextual ads on sidebar is totally different than posting blog where subject matter is advertising someone.
PayPerPost.com was the first to introduced system like this where a blogger getting paid for blogging about a certain company’s products/services/website containing links directed to them and blogger get paid to do so. There is nothing wrong with getting paid for your work, a blogger certainly deserve that. These companies who launched this kind of service, most of them do not allow you to disclose your post as sponsored post, and since you are posting it in your blog means you are advocating that without letting your reader know that you got paid for it. When you advocate product/services to your reader, you should disclose its positive and negative both side. Since you can’t do that with this kind of sponsored post, certainly you are misleading your readers. Ultimately your credibility comes to a question, isn’t it? Read the rest of this entry »
by Kamrul
Shiny Media teams up with British blog site Hecklerspray and kicking 1.9 million unique visitors per month. Shiny Media, the UK’s largest commercial blogging and on the other hand Hecklerspray one of the UK’s most successful and high profile blogs.
There could be nothing better for Shiny Media to chop this deal, and for Hecklerspray this will be the passport to commercial promotion. Basically Hecklerspray has joined the Shiny Media which means shiny Media sell ads for them and work together on new projects. Shiny Media will manage advertising sales for Hecklerspray.com, which currently attracts about 550,000 unique users and 850,000 page impressions per month. The deal also extends to cross-promotion between Hecklerspray and the Shiny sites, which are read by some 1.4 million people every month.
No doubt that Shiny Media is UK’s first and largest commercial blog publishing company, but this merger with Hecklerspray will make it “The One” , is that the right word?
by Kamrul
Six Apart Ltd. launched its invitational blogging service. It’s free, but you do need invitation. Those bloggers who are tired of coding, or wants to avoid that coding part and concentrate on writing Vox is for them.
Vox is more like a merge between a social network and a blogging. Six Apart is taking a nasty style to promote it, by restricting it invitation basis just like early Google mail. Though you can still take a so called tour inside Vox and also request for an invitation.
Looks like it combines features like Audio, video, images, quick posts and bring simplicity, but remain lack of customization. Those who like to stand apart certainly won’t like Six Apart’s new Barbie.
by Kamrul
I won’t even dare to explain Feedburner, since it’s so basic to all bloggers. Well our ever lasting adorable Feedburner pops up some new cool feature that will definitely help blogospehre. The new features are as follows:
- Pingshot section added Google blog search pinging option. This will allow pinging Google blog search automatically. If you haven’t done it yet go to your Feedburner account’s publicize->pingshot section than activate and choose the services you wish to ping, ad do not forgot to save after you are done with that.
- Pingshot also added Blogblogs, a search engine and social media platform for Brazilian blogs which is getting a bit of buzz as well as FeedBlitz, the email service.
- Feedburner E-mail notification- Your subscriber can choose to get the opportunity to subscribe via e-mail instead of feed readers. Formatting in Gmail involves some additional element-level style sheet poetry. Now, Feedburner Email looks pretty when viewed in Gmail.
- New & Improved Feedflare-Added Scape this, Technorati Cosmos link, Feed Circulation. Now you can add your own Feedflare too.
Have fun with these toys. I have to agree, some of them are pretty cool.
by Kamrul
FAMOUS Magazine and Yahoo! is looking for an Online Content Producer to work on the FAMOUS Magazine website. Working with the editor and editorial team, the content producer is responsible for the overall editorial integrity of the site, and will be responsible for developing innovative ways to maximise the brand as a compelling and category leading site. The successful applicant will have a deep and passionate knowledge of the celebrity landscape and would consider shopping a viable event for the 2008 Olympics. The successful applicant will work closely with the stakeholders in the magazine business, creating strong interaction and promotion between online and the magazine.
Skills/Qualifications Read the rest of this entry »
