Thanks for the gadget i got for Christmas: Samsung BDP-1500

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)

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Originally published at circuitcity.com on December 30, 2008
Written by ScottyWhy?

(This week is "Thanks For The Gadget" week on the Circuit City Blog. We want to pay respect to Santa Claus by sending him letters of appreciation for the great gadgets he brought us this holiday season. We invite you to play along by sharing your thoughts in the comments section of this blog post or by joining the discussion in the Circuit City Forum. I'll start things off by writing the first letter.)




Dear Santa,
I love my new Samsung Bluray player! This thing rocks!!!
My wife's parents gave me a Samsung BDP-1500 for Christmas. They are fantastic folks and really didn't have to give me anything this big (but I'm sooo glad they did.) I have to tell you, I couldn't wait to get home and hook it up. I already had a free HDMI cable running through my wall (an act of wishful thinking I guess.) It took a total of 5 minutes to get this thing out of the box and all wired in. I was watching HANCOCK on Blu-ray before my wife finished unpacking the car (just kidding, Wife.)

The picture quality on my HDTV is hypnotic. It's hard to turn away...even during the head-in-the-buttocks scene. The Samsung upconverts standard DVDs, so Dr. House looks extra cranky when I put in an old copy of "House-The First Season". I can't wait to see what "Thirteen" looks like on Blu-ray in the later seasons.

This thing also has "DTS-HD Master Audio", which means I probably should have kept that Onkyo HT-S3100 5.1 Home Theater System that I got for my parents. Guess that gives me something to hope for next year.

So thank you Santa (and my parents-in-law too) for making this a great Christmas!

Have a Fantastic New Year.
ScottyWhy?

Why I Wear Red 4U "ScottyWhy?"

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)

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Published at circuitcity.com on Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Written by ScottyWhy?

You may have seen Circuit City in the news recently. We've received our share of criticism, in part because we lost sight of what is most important — YOU, our customers. We are 33,000 men and women who are committed to restoring your confidence. A Circuit City Facebook Page was set up as a place where we can respond, receive constructive feedback, and provide accurate information about our Company.

This holiday week, the staff at circuitcity.com/citycenter is dedicating our time to support this fantastic campaign. Each day a member of our team will produce a video that tells, in his own words, why he is dedicated to the idea of "I Wear Red 4U!"

Today's message is from Scotty Why. Scotty is the Manager of the Online Community on circuitcity.com. He's proud to produce blogs, forums, podcasts and other content that is intended to inform, educate, interact and entertain. He enjoys what he does and thinks his work makes it easier for you to make better buying decisions. That's why Scotty Wears Red 4U.

Review: Pioneer XMp3

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)

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Published at circuitcity.com on Friday, December 12, 2008
Syndicated at usatoday.com and computershopper.com
Written by ScottyWhy?

For purposes of full disclosure, I have to admit that I worked for a satellite radio company that produced some of XM's content before coming to Circuit City. I was the Program Director for XM's UPOP 29 in the early 2000's. More recently, I managed XM's online-only channel WorldZone 100. Knowing my background may help you put this report into perspective.

XM Content
I'm not going to spend a great deal of time reviewing XM's content other than to say it is superb. XM likes to brag about its headliners like Oprah, Opie & Anthony, MLB and NHL. They should be equally proud of the other great channels produced in-house by their talented team of radio pros.

I'm also not going to editorialize on the recent changes to the content lineup as a result of the merger with Sirius. If you want to discuss those issues, feel free to comment to this post or, better yet, go to our City Center Forum.
All-in-all, the variety and creativity found on XM can't be matched by your local radio stations. You can learn more about XM's content at circuitcity.com/xm.

XMP3 on left / INNO on right

Size
The Pioneer XMp3 is an update to the Pioneer INNO. If you compare them side-by-side, they are about equal in height from top to bottom. The XMp3 is slightly smaller measured side to side. It is also slightly thinner. The weight is the biggest difference. The INNO has a metal body and is significantly heavier than the plastic-cased XMp3.

Durability
The plastic case makes the XMp3 more portable, but also less durable than its older sibling. In the photos above you may notice a few scratches on my INNO. Its well-built frame has taken a pretty good beating over the years and it's still going strong. The XMp3 will need a little more tender loving care.

Reception
If your a first time users of satellite radio, it is important to note that reception can occasionally be an issue...especially with these portable units. While testing the XMp3, members of my team that are new to XM would sometimes shake it and complain that it didn't work. The more experienced users instinctively lifted the device higher to the sky or moved it closer to a window. In general, when using the device's built-in antenna, the signal will be pretty solid in cars and outdoors, but may drop out indoors. We could not get a signal in the middle of our office building (in Richmond, Virginia) using just the built-in antenna. We had no issues once we hooked up the extension antenna that is included in the Pioneer Home Kit (sold separately).

Battery Life
We tested the XMp3 over a three day weekend, so we didn't have enough time to give the battery an extensive workout. I can say that the unit was on much of that time and we only had to recharge it once.

Display
The display on the XMp3 is a nice improvement over the INNO. The screen is sharper, the images more attractive and you can see up to three channels at once.

Usability
The XMp3 has a couple design changes that took a little getting use to, but worked great once I got the hang of them:

CONTROL WHEEL - Pretty easy to spin and navigate the features.
DIGITAL KEYPAD - Easy to find channels by simply entering numbers.

Upgrades
There are several upgrades to this new unit that makes it a real winner.

2GB ONBOARD STORAGE -Up from 1GB in the INNO. This means more room to store more MP3s.
A MICRO SD CARD SLOT - This topped my list of options I've always wished I had on my INNO. Removable media means you can easily change your MP3 library on-the-fly.
IMPROVED RECORDING FUNCTIONS - This allows you to record up to 5 channels at a time. You can also schedule to record favorite shows and songs. Combine this with the REPLAY FUNCTION that allows you to rewind a live element, and this unit essentially becomes the TIVO of satellite radio.
XM2GO MUSIC MANAGER - Create and edit playlists, schedule recordings, rip CDs, bookmark and purchase songs...basically iTunes for your XM.

Overall
I'm a big fan of my INNO, and I still prefer it's tough exterior. But the increased storage, improved recording functions and especially the MicroSD slot really caught my interest. I've heard some people say they wanted this unit to support videos and photos so it could completely replace the iPod. I'm less concerned about that. I think this is a big step forward for portable satellite receivers and is stocked with enough features to please both the old and new XM subscriber.

Circuit City customers seem to like it. The average customer rating on circuitcity.com for this product is a 4.6 of 5.0. One customer gives it a 5.0 and says "...this thing isn't perfect, but it is great to record up to 5 channels, then pull this off the charger and listen to whatever you want from those 5. I am continually impressed by this."

How To Subscribe To A Podcast On iTunes

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)

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Published at circuitcity.com on Friday, December 12, 2008
Written by ScottyWhy?

"Tech Sandwich", Circuit City's tech and gadget Podcast, is now available on iTunes. Here's a quick "how to" that should help you get easily setup to use this simple and helpful tool.

Step #1: Download And Install iTunes
Go to apple.com.
Click "iPod + iTunes".
Click "Download iTunes".



On the Download page, click "Download Now".
On the Setup.exe, click "Save File".
Save file to a folder on your computer that you can easily find (I save all my downloads to a "My Programs" subfolder inside "My Documents". )



Navigate to folder and open the file.
Follow directions to install iTunes onto your computer.


Step #2: Search iTunes for "Tech Sandwich"
Once installed,click the new "iTunes" icon on your desktop.
Open iTunes.
Click "iTunes Store"
Click "Podcast"
Search "Tech Sandwich"



Click "Tech Sandwich" to open the podcast page.

Step #3: Subscribe To "Tech Sandwich"
On the Tech Sandwich page you can listen to individual episodes.
Click "Subscribe" so each new episode will automatically download each time you log onto iTunes.
Click "Get Episode" to download episodes manually.

Don't forget to leave a review.

DON'T FORGET TO TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS!!!

How To Skype

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)

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Published at circuitcity.com on Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Written by ScottyWhy?

Skype is an online communication tool that combines the best of instant messengers, telephones, video phones, conference calls and more. It's easy to use and many of it's functions are free or moderately priced.

The circuitcity.com/citycenter team uses Skype as a messaging tool, for online conference calls, to record interviews and remote podcasts. You can find us on Skype by searching the username "Circuit City City Center."

Skype has been around for several years and has gone through several strong upgrades, yet lots of people still don't know it exists. We thought we'd help you get started if your not already using this great service. This screencast will give you the basics on HOW TO SKYPE.

The Hi-Def House Of Horror : 8 Reasons Why Haloween Is Better On Blu-Ray

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)

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Published at circuitcity.com on Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Written by ScottyWhy?


Circuitcity.com's Doug Hess is predicting that Blu-Ray will be a hot present this Christmas. I kept that in mind as I built this playlist of Halloween horror films that are must see in HD.

1. 28 Days Later (2002) - Horror fans love the "slow zombie vs fast zombie" debate. For those who want their undead to run like Randy Moss, there is no better Hi-Def experience than 28 Days Later.


2. American Psycho (2000) - The book is cooler than the movie. Paul Allen's business card is cooler than his co-workers. If Patrick Bateman were around today, he would be way too cool to not have a Blu-Ray player.


3. Carrie (1976) - Classic horror films don't always translate well on Blu-Ray. This one does. I have three words for you...prom queen scene!


4. Dawn Of The Dead (2004) - Since I'm a simple boy from Pittsburgh, I prefer the original. Having said that... the sea of zombies scene alone makes this version much better for HD viewing.


5. Descent (2007) - You will realize within the first 15 minutes that the scares are way scarier on Blu-Ray.


6. Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn (1987) - I'm pretty sure director Sam Raimi thinks in Hi-Def. This is HD cheese that came way before it's time.


7. The Host (2006) - Blu-Ray makes it even clearer that the Asians are producing much better horror films than the Americans.


8. The Shining (1980) - I'm not sure that Blu-Ray makes this classic any better. But honestly, does it really need any improvement?

What's gonna be in your Blu-Ray player this All Hallow's Weekend. Post a comment to this article and let us know.

biting into candy-colored gadgets

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)
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Published at circuitcity.com on Tuesday, October 28, 2008
(Written by ScottyWhy?)

Trick-or-treat...smell my feet...give me gadgets good enough to eat!

Maybe it's just because Halloween is so close, but looking at circuitcity.com has been making me hungry lately. Little wonder with all these delectable goodies around.


Apple Nano = Gourmet Jelly Beans
Small, compact and colorful. My favorite jelly beans are the gourmet style by Jelly Belly. I like the pear, popcorn and green apple flavors. The Nano, of course, is made by Apple. Coincidence?

Orange Flip Camcorder = Candy Corn
Candy Corn is visual. It looks like Halloween. Unfortunately, it tastes like ear wax. Perhaps a video of candy corn taken with the Flip Camcorder would be more of a treat than actually eating it.

Pink Sony VAIO VGN-CR507E/P = Bazooka Bubble Gum
Stuff your mouth with several pink chunks of this stuff and you won't be able to talk for 10 to 15 minutes. That's OK. You can spend that time reading the comics. The Sony VAIO VGN-CR507E/P is also a delicious pink and a perfect reminder that National Breast Cancer Awareness Month should be in our hearts even as October comes to an end.

Red Nikon CoolPix S60 = Swedish Fish
Swedish Fish are a small but satisfying cure for a sweet tooth. The red Nikon CoolPix S60 is just plan sweeeet!

Blue WD My Passport 320GB = Blue Razzberry Blow Pop
The best part of licking a Blue Razzberry Blow Pop is that it makes your tongue blue. Imagine how blue it would be if you licked 320 GBs of Blow Pops.

Brown Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T77/T 10.1 = Super-Sized Hersey's Bar
Admit it, a Hersey Bar just looks delicious. Rich, creamy...the milk chocolate melts in your mouth...and your hands. Be careful, you don't want brown hands when someone takes your picture with a Sony Cyber-shot.

Now I'll leave you to carry on the conversation and add your favorite candy-colored gadgets in the comments section. I'm off to the vending machine.

scottywhy? (the blog spy) - urban legends of technology

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)
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Published at circuitcity.com on Monday, October 27, 2008
(Written by ScottyWhy?)



Halloween is just days away. This time of year is already spooky enough with the ghosts and goblins and all. Modern society is making things scarier by conjuring up a brand new batch of terrors in the world of technology. Someone has to investigate these bone-chilling urban legends and uncover the truth. This sounds like a job for the Halloween Blog Spy.

Urban Legend Of Technology #1. Bill Gates is so rich, he dropped a $1,000 bill and didn't bother to pick it up.It's downright haunting how rich Bill Gates is. He has more disposable income than the "Obama for President" campaign. But this urban legend is just not true. Gate's money is in excellent hands:




Urban Legend Of Technology #2. Excessive cell phone use can cause cancer or other health problems. There is no scientific proof to support this legend. Studies have suggested that excessive cell phone use can turn you into a 16 year old girl:

(Translate Text-Talk HERE!)

Urban Legend Of Technology #3. Airport X-rays wipes memory cards clean.Fear not, ladies...airport x-ray machines will not damage your memory cards. The highly-trained security professionals running these machines have far more important uses for this advanced technology:



Urban Legend Of Technology #4. Windows' Japanese edition uses haiku to communicate messages.Not True...but imagine the possibilities if it were. Centuries of Asian wisdom delivered in a simple three line poem. If only I could read Japanese:


These are but a few of the "Urban Legends Of Technology". To learn more, tune into this Thursday's "Sandwich Of Terror" edition of Tech Sandwich!

scottywhy? (the blog spy) - is Ashton Kutcher really a photographer?

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)
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Published at circuitcity.com on Friday, October 24, 2008
Syndicated at usatoday.com
Written by ScottyWhy?

TV and movie actor Ashton Kutcher has recently been featured in a series of Nikon TV commercials. He's been shown using the Nikon Coolpix S550, Nikon Coolpix S600, Nikon D60 DSLR and Nikon D90 DSLR. This has lead some professional picture-takers to ask the question: Is Ashton Kutcher really a photographer? This is serious stuff and sounds like a job for The Blog Spy.

My deep-probing investigation started at ashtonkutcher.org, a website that promises over "15,0000 Ashton Kutcher images."

Do you have any idea how long it takes to examine over 15,000 images? I found a lot of shots of Kutcher. I didn't find any taken by him. Interesting.

Next I stumbled across the photo section of Kutcher's Myspace page. Here I discovered that this guy travels more than an AIG executive after the federal bailout checks arrived.

Most photographers think of traveling as the perfect chance to get some shots. Maybe he just forgot his camera on these trips.

Next, I checked to see if Kutcher has an account on any online photo-sharing sites like Slide.com, Picasa or Photobucket. Real photographers can't pass up a chance to share their photos with friends. I found a Flickr account registered to "ashton kutcher78."

Judging by all the beefcake and posterboy shots, I'm guessing "ashton kutcher78" isn't our guy. Heck, "ashton kutcher78" probably isn't a guy at all.
Finally, I found this...

It appears that Ashton Kutcher is the only photographer on the planet who goes to the Superbowl without his camera. More importantly, if he were a photographer, wouldn't his Paparazzi Sense tell him that Bruce Willis with his ex-wife and her boytoy is a picture that needs snapped at any cost?

So, no conclusive proof that Ashton Kutcher is actually a photographer. Who cares? I never believed he could travel back in time by reading his journal, either. I still want a Nikon D90 DSLR!

the trick-or-treat of megapixels

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)
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Published at circuitcity.com on Saturday, October 18, 2008
Syndicated at reuters.com and computershopper.com
Written by ScottyWhy?

Halloween is almost here. Before you know it, lines of costumed young-ones will be parading around your neighborhood in search of bite-size Snickers bars and candy corn. Those who keep track of such things are predicting a lot of Kung Fu Panda, Joker and Hannah Montana outfits this season.





Obviously, you're gonna need a good camera!

It's scaaarrrryyy how many people ask us questions about "megapixels" around holidays like Halloween. Holidays (except perhaps "Fat Man In A Speedo" Day) seem to bring out the photographer in all of us. Here's a quick "guide to megapixels" that should help clear up your Halloween camera concerns.

1. The more you crop a photo, the more megapixels you need. An Image taken with a low megapixel camera will appear "spotty" or "grainy" the more you crop it. More megapixels...less spots.


2. The more you want to enlarge a picture, the more megapixels you need. An image taken with a low megapixel camera won't produce as big a print as a camera with more megapixels.

A good way to understand how megapixels works is to look at a game I play on my mobile phone called BUBBLE BREAKER.


See the spaces between the dots when you crop or enlarge an image of the game. That's what happens when you crop or enlarge an image taken with your digital camera. More megapixels means more dots packed tighter together. That means less space in between the dots. That results is a less "spotty" or "grainy" final photo.

The good news is that most digital cameras on the market today are 6 megapixels or more, which is enough to fill most people's needs. The bad news is that megapixels are just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to getting clear, quality photos. Think of it like building a house. Better lumber results in a better house on the inside. Better paint results in a prettier house on the outside. In the same way, more megapixels results in a better quality image on the inside. But it's the camera's image sensor and anti-shake technology combine with general photographic technique that results in clear, crisp, pretty images.

There's a lot of education behind taking a good picture. That's where circuitcity.com comes in. We offer tons of tips in the "Related Links" below. Check 'em out! Maybe you'll become such a great photographer, you'll be able to make "Fat Man In A Speedo" Day as photo-friendly a holiday as Halloween.

How To Twitter

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)

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Published at circuitcity.com on Friday, October 10, 2008
(Written by ScottyWhy?)

Twitter describes itself as "a service for friends, family, and coworkers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?" More specifically, Twitter combines the attributes of blogs, instant messages and status updates to create a very easy to use free online communication tool.

Circuitcity.com/blog is going to be using Twitter a lot in the future to play games and communicate with our readers. We thought we'd help you get started if your not already using this great service. This screencast will give you the basics on how to sign up and HOW TO TWITTER:

Things To Consider When Buying A Point & Shoot Camera.

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)

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Published at circuitcity.com on Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Syndicated at computershopper.com
Written by ScottyWhy?


If you're looking for an easy to use and affordable digital camera, a point-and-shoot is a great place to start. The problem can be that the large selection can make it hard to decide. Most buyers are happiest when they select a camera that best fits their specific needs. Here are a few features to consider that may help you pick the best camera for you:

1. Removable Storage - Digital cameras use removable memory (flash cards, sticks ect.) to store the pictures you take. The higher the resolution you plan to use, the more memory you will need. Cameras usually don't come with very much internal memory so you will need to buy more. (Here's a tip: buy two 2GBs cards instead of one 4GBs card. This will allow you to switch cards when needed and will give you a backup if you ever loss one.)


2. Flash - Most point-and-shoots have flash units built in. Be aware of its position. Some cameras are design in such a way that the flash creates strange shadows in photos when the lens is extended.


3. Image Stabilizer -This feature helps reduce image blurriness that can come from shaky hands.


4. Brand - Top brands of point-and-shoots include Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Samsung, Panasonic, Kodak, Fujifilm and Sony.


5. ISO - If you want to take photos in low-light settings, consider the ISO. The higher the ISO, the less light you will need.


6. Settings - Some photographers like to have a wide option of settings that will adjust the camera depending on lighting and other needs. Some prefer manual settings that can be set depending on the conditions. Identify which type you are and buy accordingly.


7. Battery - Most digital cameras come with their own rechargeable battery. If it is removable, it would be a good idea to get a backup.


8. Lens - The important thing to remember is that the optical zoom (from the lens itself) can produce a high-quality close-up image. The digital zoom creates the digital illusion of a close-up by cropping the image size (much like you would do in photo editing software.) If you want a camera that has some zoom strength, concentrate on its optical power and ignore the digital power.


9. Image Sensor - Larger image sensors generally capture more light with less noise. The result is pictures that are clearer, brighter, and sharper.


10. Mega Pixels - Resolution is measured in mega-pixels. Resolution determines the maximum size of a print that can be made from an image. Resolution also determines how much you can crop a photo. Generally speaking, most cameras on the market are over 6 MPs. That is enough to share photos online and make a print up to 11X14.


11. Face Detection - If you take a lot of portraits, consider a camera with Face Detection. With it the camera will recognize faces in the frame and then optimizes the color, white balance, and focus.


12. LCD - Large LCD screens give you a bigger view, but they also use more battery life. They also cause the camera to weigh more. Keep these things in mind when making your selection.


13. Size - Many people like point-and-shots because they fit in a pocket. The smaller size can often result in less features or higher price.


14. Cost - Simply put, more features equals more cost. The question you have to ask yourself is what features are the most important to your needs. You can generally reduce the cost by picking a camera that isn't loaded with features that you won't use.


15. Warranty - An extended warranty is basically an insurance policy. If you want extended protection, factor that into the final price.

using the madden curse for good instead of evil.

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)
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Published at circuitcitycom on Thursday, September 04, 2008
Syndicated at usatodaycom
Written by ScottyWhy?

I admitted in a previous post (8/26/2008: Gadgets Make Better Fantasy-Ballers) that I am crazy about fantasy football. Today is the start of the NFL (and fantasy football) season and I am fired-up!

I've done all my homework...I've watch every episode of Circuit City's FANalysts on You Tube...I've checked my starting lineups...I'M READY! But how does one prepare for something like the "MADDEN CURSE"?

For those not familiar, the "Madden Curse" states that anyone appearing on a cover of MADDEN NFL is destined to a reduction in productivity, a serious injury or a career ending turn-of-events. Look at the history...

• Dante Culpepper was on the cover in 2002. He blew out his knee.
• Mike Vick was on the cover in 2004. He broke his fibula.
• Shaun Alexander was on the cover in 2007. He fractured his foot.

The list goes on and on...this thing is serious!

So I propose that instead of trying to fight the "Cover Curse", let's embrace it. There are too many celebrities out there in need of a good career-ending. Let's put them on the cover of our favorite video games and let the "Curse" do all the work.

I have yet to see a single episode of the new Beverly Hills 90210. I wouldn't know any of these kids if I ran 'em over with my moped. That hasn't stopped me from already being annoyed. Let's put them on the cover of The Sims and let the "Cover Curse" take care of the rest.

I'm sure you have your list of musicians that you detest more than spinach. For me, put Michael Bolton, Paula Abdul and Britney Spears on the cover of Guitar Hero and put these over-and-done-with popsters out of their misery.



Paris Hilton is the cockroach of celebrities...we just can't get rid of her. She has survived online porn, bad TV and more wardrobe malfunctions than a New Oreleans exotic dancer. Perhaps the "Cover Curse" and Halo is the only way to bring this diva down.


C'monplay along...it's a blast. Suggest some celebrity video covers of your own in the comment section and perhaps will do a "Part II" to this post in the future.

Daft Punk (feat Daft Hands) "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger"

Daft Punk Website / Daft Punk CD Store / Fr. Eckles Studio Website

Here's a DIY Sing-a-long. The song is Daft Punk - "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger". By itself, the song has a pretty great DIY message. Added to it is the fact that this video is actually a home-made project by a group called Fr. Eckle Studios.

Time Magazine called this video one of the "Top 10 Viral Videos" of 2007 and wrote..."An impressive hand jive is performed to the tune Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger by French duo Daft Punk. There are seemingly endless pop culture entry-points to this vid: The song title references a line from the intro to the '70s TV show The Six Million Dollar Man and it is sampled in Kanye West's new album. But the video's real virtue is its do-it-yourselfer simplicity. Daft Hands succeeds on the dexterity of one man's dukes."

There ya go...Time Magazine crediting "do-it-yourselfer simplicity". It's exactly what we constantly talk about on this blog. DIY creativity...word-of-mouth marketing...yes the Daft Hands story is simple. But get this...it's nearing 20 million views on youtube! 20 million views. Could your company website profit from an increased of 20 million views? Do you think there are lessons to learn from this video?

(note: the first 52 secs are slow. don't give up...it gets better.)

Try This Tool:Twitter

Another interesting tool for the D.I.Y. Marketer is TWITTER.

Wikipedia says..."Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows users to send "updates" (or "tweets"; text-based posts, up to 140 characters long) to the Twitter website, via short message service (SMS), instant messaging, or a third-party application such as Twitterrific or Facebook."

In other words, it's another free way to use your mobile phone or IM service to update your blog. Most people are using Twitter to update friends of where they are at any given time. I can see an evolution in which Twitter is used to give updates of what you are thinking or seeing at any time.

I set up a Twitter account to use for WHY? Media: the Blog. I embeded the Twitter RSS feed to the top of this column. It will stick there and update any time I make a twitter report. I plan to use it to send examples of D.I.Y. sightings in my everyday life. It also has a community aspect, so I can allow site visitors to access and make reports as well. It's easy to use...it will take 2 mins to write a post...and then I'm back to my life.

See above where I reported that I need to remember to do a blog post on the D.I.Y. concept in the 1980s Punk Rock movement...

...I hope I remember to do that.

Try This Tool:The Mobile Blog

Another easy D.I.Y. Web tool that anyone can use to add content to a website is the Mobile Blog. Mobile blogging (also called MoBlogging) is the process of using your cell phone to produce a blog post. There are many services (Blog Planet, KaBlog) that allow you to send photos, short videos and blog posts from your cell phone directly to your blog. I use Google Blogger to produce this blog (I'll talk more about why in future posts). Blogger has a built in tool in which you can setup a text message and email account to receive mobile phone blog entries. The title of the email message becomes the title of the blog...the text of the email message becomes the text of the blog.

We use this tool in radio alot. Imagine...backstage at a concert...Mick Jagger walks by with a duck under his arm...a quick cell phone photo...a quick text message back to the station blog...we have a one-of-a-kind Rolling Stone sighting as content to attract users and increase hits.

Now imagine how you could use this tool in your industry. A Real Estate blog could send photos from a new property. A Travel Agency blog could send photos from a great vacation site. A Wildlife blog could send photos of Mick Jagger's duck...

I've said it before...entertaining, informative content keeps users coming back to your website. If you think creatively, Mobile Blogging can be a big help in achieving those objectives.

(photo and blog post sent via mobile phone)

Try This Tool:Snapvine Voice Blog

Here's a handy tool for the D.I.Y. Web Marketer to help you keep fresh content on your blog even when you can't be at your computer. It's snapvine.com. With snapvine, you set up a telephone number that you can call and leave a voice message. Your voice message then becomes a Voice Blog that can be embeded on to your website or blog.

Click the "play" button in the widget below and I'll tell you some creative ways you can use this tool to offer uniqe content and build a better web brand.

How To Package Blog Content In A Widget.

Now that we have a few posts under our belt, let's unleash "WHY? Media: the Blog" virally. This is where the widget comes in.

Observe...

Get this widget!

A widget is a small, sharable, sticky website that packages the content of your blog into a format that users can embed into their blogs, forums, websites, facebook & myspace pages, igoogle pages and more. Once your users put it on their pages, it's then available to their users to grab and share. It's like the old shampoo commercial...

"you tell 2 friends...and they'll tell two friends...and so on..and so on..."

There are several ways to make widgets from the content on your blog.
>You can make one on your own if you know html and flash.
>You can pay a professional like WHY? Media to build one for you.
>You can use one of the many free online services to make one.

Since this blog advocates the concept of DIY, we are going to use the last option because it's cheap and easy.

Here's the basic steps...
1. Burn your feed. We recommend you do this at www.feedburner.com. It's free and easy. There are advanced options to maxamize your feed and analytic tools to help you track your widgets traffic. I'm not going to go into the step-by-step. It's pretty cut-and-dry. I would recommend on the first page that you check the box that says "I am a podcaster!". If you are not currently podcasting on your blog, i hope to talk you into it in a later post.
2. Once you've burned your feed, copy the XML code from feedburner and use it to build a widget. There are several services that do this...
www.widgetbox.com
www.yourminis.com
www.springwidgets.com
there are more...do a google search on "build a widget". I like the springwidget because it will allow you to play a podcast directly from the widget, but they are all equally good. We recommend that you take the time to build a widget using several of the services. Each has it's own gallery that is often searched by it's own users. It gives you just one more way to spread your message.
3. Once you build your widgets, post them on your blog and invite your users to "Grab It" and "Share It".

(Oh, by the way...your welcome to "Grab" and "Share" the "WHY? Media: the Blog" widget from above. Just click "Get This Widget".)

Building and sharing a widget this way is simple, cheap and very effective and promoting your brand. If you run into any problems or have any questions, leave a comment below. We'll walk you through it.

The Power Of Content

In the last post, I talked about the power of words. To help make my point, I embedded a video of some inspirational words produced by Sam Parker and his team at "212: The Extra Degree". My message of carefully picking good words to tell your product's marketing story...that's a strong message on its own. But look how much more powerful it became by using media to reinforce the words.

We are in an age in which audio and video can often have a more lasting effect on consumers than do words. We are also in an age in which we have much more access to audio and video than ever before. Part of what we do at WHY? Media is produce targeted media for our clients to use on their websites to reinforce their brand. But in true D.I.Y. fashion, we recommend that you think creatively and use what's already available.

Let me demonstrate...

Let's create a new feature for this blog called "the D.I.Y. SING-A-LONG". I'm going to pick a music video from youtube.com that has a good D.I.Y. message. Let's embed the video on the right hand column of this blog. This will give visitors something relevant to listen to while checking out new posts. Now imagine that I announce that I'm going to update that feature every Wednesday. What I've done is created an appointment with my audience. Those that like the feature will return every Wednesday to see what I put up next (and hopefully they'll tell their friends). SETTING AND APPOINTMENT is a tried-and-true radio tactic and a very effective D.I.Y. Web Marketing tool that you can use on your website.

Now to the video. This weeks D.I.Y. SING-A-LONG is a perfect do it yourself anthem...

Ben Harper-"With My Own Two Hands"
(Ben Harper Website / Ben Harper CD Store)

The Power Of Words

Once upon a time, I worked for a company...let's call it Brand X. I loved working for Brand X. Brand X had a wonderfully creative culture and was based on an inspiring vision. The problem was, Brand X was fronted by a leader who...of all his many strong qualities...was not very good at motivating his troops. He would constantly say things like, "I need you to work harder". He was absolutely right...he did need his team to work harder if Brand X was to have any chance of survival. But instead of inspiring, his words came off as insulting and they had the exact opposite effect.

Imagine if that leader would have used words like these...

(Learn more about Sam Parker and "212: The Extra Degree")

My point is this...any good message is best told by using good words. Telling people to "work harder" is not nearly as effective as telling people that working one degree harder could be the difference between winning or losing.

Look closely at the words you use to describe your product in your marketing campaigns. Have you used good words? If not, re-write them or hire someone who is skilled at copy writing. If you have written good words, good for you. You are well on your way to D.I.Y.!