Shiretoko Shock | Spread Firefox

Shiretoko Shock | Spread Firefox

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Diggin Digsby

Instant messaging has been around forever, or at least since the 70's when you could IM on your green screen. We used to only be able to IM with others using the same IM client but those lame restrictions were dropped and these companies have opened up and allowed us to chat across company lines for quite a while now.

You could be instant messaging and not even know it! Even if you are not using instant messaging through a traditional client like AIM (AOL Instant Messaging), Yahoo or Gmail, you may be chatting or instant messaging with friends on Facebook or MySpace. Plus, with real-time communication on Twitter and FriendFeed - which are technically micro-blogging, but really could be considered a form of instant messaging ... you could be out there IMing all over the place.

Over the past few years, I have tried out a few different clients for managing ALL of my IM accounts in one place. My latest IM client crush is Digsby. I can manage all of my accounts - Yahoo, Gmail, Facebook, FriendFeed and Twitter in one lovely little Digsby window that I keep anchored on my desktop.

Digsby just put a new release out today that has made the service (per Digsby) - 50% faster. Sounds good to me. Here is how I use Digsby ...

I have three IM clients (Yahoo, Gmail and Facebook), plus three email addresses (Digsby alerts me of new emails) and three of my social networking profiles (Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter) filtering into Digsby. Adding Facebook allows you to see FB status updates, plus friends that are online at any given time.

Because I am a grouper - I filter my IM pals down into custom groups (family, pals, work, etc) so I can quickly see who is online if I have a burning question or some other message that I need to share at that moment. Another new feature added today, Ctrl+F pulls up the Buddy List Search in a handy shortcut.

Most of my IM's are text to text, but I can pop a photo in chat window and send it over or chat with my webcam. The file transfers in Digsby are fairly quick and painless for the most part.

I've read that emails are dying a slow death, soon to be replaced by all of our real-time communication. For me, this is already happening on a large scale. Remember, you can save your chat logs if you need to remember something - they are super easy to search and filter by date and user.

I know, I know, you don't want to hear that email is on the way out. I will break you in on this one slowly. Promise!

Gmail Goodies

Love all of the slick inter-connectedness of web 2.0 tools??? Consider Gmail as your new email client then ... it's full of web 2.0 fabulous-ness.

Here are just a few cool things you can do with Gmail:

1. Pull in ALL - yes all - of your email accounts into one inbox

Many of us have 2 or more (sometimes 5) email addresses - with Gmail, you can pull all of your email into one inbox. Not that exciting as you can do this with most email programs ... but still nice. I have all 5 (UGH 5) email addresses filtering into Gmail and filing under separate tags - work, Diamond, personal, yada yada ... this helps my muddled brain keep things straight.

2. Respond from all your email accounts (sort of)

Gmail allows you to send out (after you verify that you own the email address) from your various email addresses. So, I can send my stef_hahn@yahoo.com emails out under my Yahoo address, my s.hahn@cbhearthside.com emails out as such and so on ... here is the only caveat - when I send out from another account (other than my Gmail account that I am logged into) the Gmail address is always included.

Like this: From: stefanieaingehahn@gmail.com On Behalf Of Stefanie A. Hahn [s.hahn@cbhearthside.com] - Education Director - Coldwell Banker Hearthside, Realtors

Now, admittedly, I paid $20 a year to Yahoo before to mask this (so it really did appear to be coming from the address I wanted - sometimes my Yahoo address, sometimes my CBH address), so it is a trade-off. Gmail is FREE. Nuff said.

3. Tag emails with relevant keywords/names/etc

This is fab - truly - no more folders! Now I can tag an email with several tags - I am no longer limited to a one folder filing system. My tags will allow me to pull up these emails whenever I need them.

4. Chat directly within Gmail and save your chats as emails

Chat (or instant messaging) is the new email. Yes - email is dying a slow death ... being replaced slowly by instant messaging., micro-blogging and text messaging. Also known as, "I want it all and I want it now".

Now you say, but Stef, I have no record of these things - my chats, etc. Not true! You can chose to keep all of your chats in logs, your micro-blogging on Twitter or FriendFeed will live on the interweb forever and well, your texts will save on your phone until you delete them. Promise.

5. Manage your contacts - even get suggested contacts from Google!!!

Google is not a contact manager, but you can do some contact management with your Gmail account. My fav part - suggested contacts. This is HANDS-DOWN the best feature of Gmail - suggested contacts. I email someone not in my address book and POOF - Google says, hey kid, add this person to your contacts. I click OK and WOOT they are in my address book! LOVE IT.

6. Create and manage multiple task lists

I am a list person, so you know I have multiple tasks lists in my Gmail. They are super easy to set-up and use. Plus I get to "cross off" each item, rather than just deleting it. You will only get this if you are a list person.

7. Add all sorts of fun extras, but beware ...

Check out Google Labs for all of the cool Gmail add-on's but be careful ... I added Google Goggles and seriously regretted it during one rather late Friday night of work. Check it out for yourself to see what I mean.

Still not convinced??? Gmail is not for everyone, it's definitely more web 2.0 that most web mail programs out there, so make sure you are comfortable with these tools before jumping in.

Facebook Usernames a.k.a. Vanity URL's

Whoa - great news today ... Facebook is finally launching Facebook Usernames - www.facebook.com/username/ - where YOU, yes YOU get to pick your custom vanity URL. Holy crow it's about time!!!

No more funky link with a long number at the end ...
http://www.facebook.com/people/Stefanie-Ainge-Hahn/769026843

Now, if I go to www.facebook.com/username/ at 12:01 am on Saturday, June 13th, 2009 - I can get my own name ... or a variation of my name that FB suggests. It's important to note that the usernames are on a first come/first serve basis, so I KNOW you will all be logging into FB at 11:59 on Friday, June 12th to get your name!

Why bother? It's all about being Google-tastic. Getting to the top of the heap. The same reasons we create a vanity URL for LinkedIn, set up a Google Profile and so on ...

So - my advice - get online and get your FB vanity URL. Have I ever led you astray??? No.

Click here to get all of the details from the FB blog.

Get in the Know with these Suggested Follows

Since a growing number of you are getting on and using Twitter, I wanted to give you a list of "suggested" people to follow to get you started off in the Twitterverse. These are merely suggestions, no pressure, but if you know what's good for you ... :)

Hold up, wait a minute - how do I follow someone on Twitter? Let's review:

- Click on Find People

- Type in a first and/or last name or username (if you know it)

On the 2nd tab over, you can search further ...

- Enter your email & password for your Gmail, Yahoo or AOL account and Twitter will search your contacts to see who on your list has a Twitter account

- Click Continue and Twitter will give you the option to select who you would like to follow

Your third option is to invite people to join Twitter via email ...

- Click "See what you'll send them" to preview the invite text

- Type in the email addresses

- Click Invite

Want more? Twitter offers a list of Suggested Users for you to follow ...

- Check out the suggested list and check off anyone you are interested in following

- Click Follow when you are done

Finally, the EASIEST way to follow? Check out the folks below, click on their name and if you like what they are selling, click follow (just underneath their name).

So, now for my little list to get you started:

@coldwellbnkr - guess who? Your brand! Easy.

@trulia - Rudy from Trulia - smart and cute

@chrisbrogan - Beadling loves him, plus he's kind of a big deal ... a definite follow

@jburslem - founder of the Future of Real Estate Marketing blog

@PAR_Meg - our PAR e-Communication Specialist and all around cool chick

@dougdevitre - RE and tech trainer - uses all forms of soc med ~ shares tons of info

@amychorew - National Speaker/Trainer for Real Estate & Technology

@AndyKaufman - founder of RE Bar Camp(s), RE agent and tech guru

@bnix - RE broker in Georgia, half of RE Tech South, he knows a ton, just listen ...

@KimWood - local PA agent rockin the Twitterverse & so much more

It was yesterday when I started writing this post ... Happy FRIDAY!!!

A Few Basic Twitter Tips

So, by now you know I've made up with Twitter (sort of) after our break-up in March. I am currently pushing my FriendFeed posts to Twitter when possible (new blog post alerts, sites to check out and a few other things).

For the longest time, when I checked my Gmail contacts to see who might be on Twitter when I was actively tweeting, there was no one. I mean zero - nada - ziltch ... no one to find and follow from CBH, our vendors and well, the rest of my contact list.

When I made-up with Twitter the other night, WHOA - 33 contacts now use Twitter!!! YOWZA!

So of course, I followed you all. Now, a few things have come to light ... which of course, I will share with the world - or at least those of you that read this post.

1. Many of you signed up for Twitter, wrote one post and then ... well, I don't know, you haven't tweeted again. Some of you just signed up and have never posted? Don't get on a site just because you hear that it is the next big thing. Research - evaluate and then decide if you want to participate.

2. I see lots of blank bios. If I didn't already know you, I would NEVER follow you without a bio. It's only 140 characters, you can think of something. Sum up yourself and let folks know a little about who you are ...

3. Many of you posted about work only - give me a social post or two - let's get to know each other.

4. Give me substance or get off. Don't just tell me what you are doing - tell me what you are reading and give me a link so I can go and check it out. Tell me what you are listening too and give me a link so I can listen in ... get it? Share photos, links and substance - most of all be relevant. URL to long for 140 characters? Check out TinyURL - www.tinyurl.com and convert your link in seconds to something smaller and more manageable.

5. Learn the basics. Here are a few definitions to get you started:

Tweet: a tweet is your 140 character or less post on Twitter








@Reply: you can reply directly to anyone's tweets or mention them via their @username















DM: these are direct messages from that are private from the twitterverse (between you and the twit you DM)


Followers: twits that are following your tweets

Following: twits that YOU are following and therefore showing their feeds in your twitdom - find by name, network, email or check out the suggested users










One more thing, check out your Settings - make sure you fill out your one line bio!!!

Happy Tweeting :)