No More Silent Chrome Extensions Installs

Lets start with a question upfront. Did you update your Chrome yet? In case you are wondering we are taking an update of your Chrome to version 25. If not your are doing a favor to neither you nor your Chrome browser. Nee to know what you are missing? Read on.

Ever wondered where that extension came from to your chrome? As mentioned on the Chrome Blog, "Until now, it has been possible to silently install extensions into Chrome on Windows using the Windows registry mechanism for extension deployment. This feature was originally intended to allow users to opt-in to adding a useful extension to Chrome as a part of the installation of another application." But as is obvious, the feature was used in a wrong sense by quite a few third party programs to be able to install some extensions without any intimations or permission from the user. But now with the version 25 update of the Chrome browser, the extensions installed via the external extension deployment options will be disabled by default.

Now on the install of such silent extensions, your chrome menu will be badged. The menu will have options to take you through a click process where by you will be able to choose either to remove or disable the extension.

But as we know with Chrome developers, the intent is not only to prevent the future problems but also fix the ones that existed previously. So apart from the information on future installs of the silent extensions, this version update also has the feature that will disable all such extensions that may have been installed silently by any third party programs. There will be a one time notification for the users so they may take any actions ini case they want to.

Chrome just got better and more user friendly :). Agree ?

Read More

Mentions in Blogger Posts

Remember sometime back when Google gave you an option to start using your Google+ profile on your blogger account. What that essentially meant was a way to promote your Google plus profile so gets linked with your blogger account and you could use it to display in the author' block widget on Blogger. But there was more to it that met the eye. How did we come to know about it? We saw this when we landed on our Blogger a couple days before:

We have been talking about Google' product merge policy. This, for whatever a small reason, can again fall in to that list. Now that you use your Google plus profile on your Blogger account, you could make mentions of people that are on Google plus in your posts. Not only people but pages too. The mentions can be done even if you are not in contact with the person or page being mentioned. And based on that account' notification settings, a notification will be sent to them once the post is published. And once you mention them, the post will be shared with them as you share the post on Google plus (this is if you have the share auto settings enabled).

As for how to, we are sure you don't need guidance on that. But still here is what Google has to say:
"To use this feature, just type "+" or "@" followed by the name or page. As you’re typing, you'll see a list of names appear below. You can click to select the person or page that you'd like to mention."

Read More

ApnaCircle Search and New Recruiter Space

Besides the Facebook and Google taking their war to another level and the Twitter Instagram tussle, the Indian PSN ApnaCircle has advanced in producing some little but effective changes as far as the Members are concerned. There has been some good news for the recruiter's on the network with the new Recruiter's tool introduced on the site by the company. We take a quick look on the changes.

The search pages on the site have seen a makeover. They now display the search results in a more short profile view that is now characteristic all over the site. The page now also has a default quick view as well as the detailed view. Both of the views are shown in the below screen captures. Take a special note that the search pages now also return company page for the keyword matches, as is the case in our search in these screen captures.

Search (Quick View) : Default view

And here is the detailed view, as shown in the top right corner of the capture:

Search (Detailed View)

As you see this view has a bit more information on the Member' cards. You choose your view!!

Before we move on to the recruiter tool, there is a small change that we noticed on the profiles page in the skills area. It seems you are now able to suggest your contacts some skills that they should consider adding to their profiles. Look at the bottom section of the below screen capture:

OK, so as we said.. good news for all recruiters on +ApnaCircle . The company has released a new version of the recruiters tool that allows easy management of the talent available and as well as the contact response flow.
Create Projects and Watch Your Job Offers

Post, Search and Find. As Easy As This!!

Smooth Searching and Easy Access To Cart

One Click Access To The Talent Pool

Impressed? You will be more once you try the new tool. Got enough details? Now go ahead and get a start on the ApnaCircle Recruiter Tool.
And by the way, don't forget to have a look at the important links on the footer. Just to mention that the footer on this tool is different from the rest of the site.

And before we end the post, it seems the company has some goodies planned for its Members via a New Year Contest that seems to be up soon on the Facebook page. So you guys better keep an eye on that page and here is the official announcement from them:

Let us know what you think of the new features and more importantly on the new Recruiter's Tool. Merry Christmas to all of you !
[Recruiter section Image Courtesy: ApnaCircle Recruiter's Tool]

Read More

Facebook Tests $1 Non-Contact Messages

Where does this one comes from? We are sure you will find this message ringing in quite a few ears who by now know about this new Facebook feature. We are more sure you will be thinking about this more n more once you know the feature. Facebook has started testing a feature that lets anyone message you for as low as $1. If you think that's ok, read carefully. When we say "anyone", it means people who are not in your contact list. Getting jitters now?

Facebook, we are sure didn't mean to create wrong flows. What they actually mean to do is this:
"If you want to send a message to someone you heard speak at an event but are not friends with, or if you want to message someone about a job opportunity, you can use this feature to reach their Inbox,"
"For the receiver, this test allows them to hear from people who have an important message to send them."

Obviously the intent is good. How well is this grasped is a different story altogether but is something that Facebook may suffer from. I mean yes people occasionally would like to receive messages from that pleasant someone they met at the party the other day, but then since when there have been restrictions on the web users. We are not pointing fingers but you get the point right? People may get on the receiving end and as of now we are not sure what Facebook plans to protect them. What we are putting here already seems to be in Facebook minds though and this is what they think about it:

"Several commentators and researchers have noted that imposing a financial cost on the sender may be the most effective way to discourage unwanted messages and facilitate delivery of messages that are relevant and useful."

Besides they think a limit is good way as well, so they decided this:
"This message routing feature is only for personal messages between individuals in the U.S. In this test, the number of messages a person can have routed from their Other folder to their Inbox will be limited to a maximum of one per week."

The test will evolve as per the company statements so we will keep an eye on what they do and how?

Read More

Track Santa Through Maps and Apps

When it comes to creativity and surprises with benefits, Google leaves no stone unturned. This time the festival time of the year when kids and bigs are waiting for a call and present from Santa, the company has started a track Santa theme around the things. Starting from just 10 min from now (at the time of writing that is), which will be 2:am PST time, you can start tracking Santa' route; courtesy a tracker and some apps developed by the guys at Google.

Previously since 2004, the company was tracking Santa' route via Google Earth. This year however you will be able to track him as he travels across cities and boundaries on possibly the fastest airborne vehicle (his sleigh), both on Google Earth as well as Google Maps. How? Just visit google.com/santatracker. You will be able to see his position and stats right from 2:00am PST on Christmas Eve.

Apart from this, you could use the Chrome Extension or download the Android App especially built for the purpose. All this so you can keep up with wherever Santa may be right from your Smartphone's and tablets. And if you wish to keep an update on his route via any page streams or wall updates, here are the links you would want to keep an eye on:
Circle him on Google+
Like him on Facebook
Follow him on Twitter

And as a special gift you could always as Santa to call a dear friend and deliver your messages. Merry Christmas to all our Readers :)

Read More

Viadeo Mobile App Marketing

In today's era when more and more people have gone smart with the hand held devices and prefer to be in contact with their network even while on the move, it becomes a compulsion that apart from the web version of their site the webmasters also focus on how they make the services available on these smartphones or the hand held devices in general. Not a surprise that Viadeo has been quite up to the mark (although they are still a bit slow on getting off the mark in a few mobile areas). Today we discuss their updates that are being released in the respective areas of the respective smartphones and a surprise on their website and video marketing.

The mobile detail section on their website has been updated in the recent time. The pages now give a more professional designed feel to the users. Besides the pages now have enough details and in a nice layout. Viadeo has an app for all major smartphones. Go to play store for the Viadeo Android App, or Apple app store for the Viadeo iOS app and Windows phone users have the Viadeo app for Windows as well as the Samsung Bada version is there too. And so the Blackberry users don't feel left out, here is the Viadeo Blackberry app.

If you want to get more details on each of the smartphone app, click on the 'Find out more' links that sit on the right side of the page in the first screen capture above(just below the QR
code on right top) or see the footer, where you will find the mobile section as you see on the screen capture on your left. The Android app has seen another update today on the play store and now sits on version 2.2.0 and as far as the app is concerned, it seems users are happy with the new layout on the news section and the fact that you can now store your Viadeo contacts to your phone address book. Any Russian users out there? Be happy as the app now supports your native language as well

And here is the surprise that we saw today on the Viadeo dashboard.

Looks nice? We agree!! The ad that you see on both sides of the screen relates to a YouTube promotional/marketing video. But we were sad to see that t disappeared once we refreshed the page. Here is a look to the good marketing and promotional video:

It's quite evident that the guys at Viadeo have been taking the mobile apps a bit too seriously. Good for the user but it also seems like they are missing a line of action. We hope you remember that Viadeo is also the parent of Indian based PSN ApnaCircle. So while the work related to the mobile apps have been great on one hand, there have been some points that have been missed which should have been easy to have been taken care of on the first hand. We compiled a list of what we found and think represent a lazy look on part of the brands.

• The mobile pages on the Viadeo site seems not to have been created for ApnaCircle. The moment you go to the ApnaCircle mobile pages, you see a mix of Viadeo and ApnaCircle. In fact the page title itself reads "Viadeo | Mobile".
• As far as we are aware, there are no mobile apps for ApnaCircle apart from iPhone and Blackberry. But the mobile pages detailed in above point and as well as in the footer, the site shows the site has a mobile app for Android, Bada etc and worse they lead to Viadeo apps for respective smartphones.
• Try opening www.apnacircle.com on your Android phone and you are redirected to the Android mobile page for the site that asks you to install the Android app fr ApnaCircle and tells you the features available. Click on the download link and it takes you to the Viadeo app on the play store. You got the point, right?

Hope someone from the company is listening to us on these questions and also that the fices are on their way soon. Users obviously won't like getting stuck on the line.

Read More

YouTube Rewind : 2012 Trending Vids

2012 comes to an end and there is some nostalgia in the air as far as YouTube is concerned. YouTube yesterday launched YouTube Rewind, a channel devoted to the top trending videos that you have viewed on the video site for the year 2012.

As per YouTube this year online users have viewed around 4 billion hours of videos in a single month. They have said what percentage was owned by the smartphone users but still considering the number is so huge, it isn't a surprise there were trends across multiple categories. Kevin Allocca, YouTube trends manager said on the site' official blog that people have been using the platform quite creatively. The innovation has been extensive and the passions and interests have taken the culture to a different level. The same could be seen in the this year's trending videos showcased on the channel. 

Here are the top trends from India. And here is a tribute YouTube prepared for the top trending videos, and is this a surprise that Gangnam style was the top trending video with nearly 1 billion views.

This is what Kevin Allocca had to say on the blog post:

This year, Korean Pop music transcended boundaries and took the world by storm. Cover songs, parodies, and "do-it-yourself" music videos from all genres entertained us in countries near and far. And you participated in conversations at a global scale, uploading videos to share ideas on everything from nonprofit campaigns, to political satire, to new and surprising voices and talents. Plus, all over the world, you tuned in for the most up-to-date news footage of presidential elections, natural disasters and more.

Read More