The Brave Programmer

Online Windows Phone 7.5 Camp

robert@integralwebsolutions.co.za (Robert Bravery) — Wed, 23 May 2012 19:31:00 GMT

Windows Phone 7.5 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As a developer I am always keen to learn new and more things. Especially from some of the great and experienced minds in the business. Well if you are like me then this is your opportunity to learn more about Windows Phone 7.5 Development.

This is a two day event and for us will take the form of a live feed on the first day. And it’s happening Friday 25 May 2012. I would strongly encourage you to come and join us. Even if you just sit in on one or two sessions, it’s bound to enrich your Windows Phone 7 knowledge and development. Perhaps inspire you.

It would be great to see all our South African developers join. As South Africans we seem to be drawn to the rumour mill that we always get technology later than anyone else. Well here is an opportunity to experience “Tech” first hand. Who knows, we might even lead the way some day in this arena.

I have also embedded the live feed for you to make life easier. But it would be preferable to go to the site to get the full benefit of the live Windows Phone Camp. Such as Questions & Answers and Twitter feeds, etc.

The website is: http://meaphonecamp.yazgelistir.com/en/

Agenda

Below is the published agenda for this feed.

25.05.2012 - Day 1 (Live Feed):
9:00 Arrival and Registration
9:30 Keynote Speakers – Ahmed Adel, DPE Sales Director, Microsoft MEA; Melek Pulatkonak, DPE Lead Microsoft Türkiye; Salih Özkan, Head of Ecosystem Developer Experience,Nokia Türkiye
10:30 Break
11:00 Introduction to Windows Phone 7.5, Data Access and Data Binding
13:00 Lunch Break
14:00 Launchers, Choosers and Navigation API
15:15 Break
15:30 Hardware Access on Windows Phone and Adding Multitasking to Your Application
16:45 Break
17:00 Building Games for Windows Phone 7.5 : Mohamed Yamama, Windows Phone Developer Evangelist, Microsoft MEA

26.05.2012 - Day 2:
10:00 Open Academy Session – Selçuk Uzun, Developer Evangelist, Microsoft Türkiye
10:30 Windows Phone Application Labs
11:30 Break
11:45 Windows Phone Application Labs
13:00 Lunch Break
14:00 Session with App Developers
15:00 Windows Phone Application Labs
16:00 Monetizing Windows Phone 7.5 Apps: Rashida Druwal, AMS, Microsoft MEA
17:00 Presenting Contest Apps
19:00 Prize / Award Ceremony & End

Live Feed

Technorati Tags: Windows Phone 7

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The best of both worlds - Apple Mac and Windows 7

robert@integralwebsolutions.co.za (Robert Bravery) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 05:41:00 GMT

In the great debate between Mac and Windows, I will happily hold my hand up and say I prefer to use a Mac. Don’t ask me why... I can’t really explain it except to say that I had been a PC man all my life until one of my computers died. On a whim I decided to try a Mac and was instantly smitten.

Harness the Power of Blogging and Social Media While Attracting Followers, Friends and Clients

robert@integralwebsolutions.co.za (Robert Bravery) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:40:36 GMT

A guest post by Jaimie Zinski

The social media phenomenon that is Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and a slew of other sites has spawned several pop culture references, Twitter-isms -- including "tweet", "twitosphere" and my personal favourite "twalking" -- which occurs when you walk and post to Twitter simultaneously -- and a platform for several celebrity wars, make-ups and break-ups. Don't despair if you're becoming lost amongst the sea of tweets, hash tags, Likes and Dislikes. There are ways to make your next venture on any social media and blogging site more productive and less confusing or detrimental to your professional life.

Start out small

Start out small and only follow your friends and family members. Keep it relevant, short and sweet. Avoid the temptation to Tweet every mundane aspect of your daily life and stay away from following all your favourite celebrities. If you're a big fan of Downton Abbey, go ahead and follow the show, but keep the remainder of your non-essential list short. Before you know it you could be following 500 people you aren't intimately acquainted with, lost in a flurry of up-to-140-character irrelevant musings and updates.

Keep your personal life separate

Keep your personal and professional blogging lives separate. Blogging is an ideal platform to express your personal convictions, or a tool to draw potential clients to your business. If you have a controversial viewpoint on a hot button issue, your professional blog is not the arena to air this opinion. Instead, save your viewpoints and opinionated rhetoric for a personal website. Keep your professional life squeaky clean and you'll avoid offending potential and current clients.

Pay attention to the comments

Pay attention to the comments on your blog. The entire idea of blogging is to draw attention to your brand or site, and to get people talking. Most people don't have an issue posting their distaste when something offensive or plain boring is posted on your blog. Read the comments, but don't forget to take many of them with a grain of salt. There are still readers bent solely on posting negative comments without any desire to be productive. Relish your positive reviews and use them as a driving force to attract more readers to your blog.

Use social media sites thoughtfully

Use Twitter, Facebook and the other social media sites thoughtfully to sell yourself or your brand. Facebook and the countless other sites are powerful social media tools that allow you to branch out into various sectors you never thought possible. With that aspect of the social media landscape in mind, do yourself a favor and set up two accounts - one for your professional life and another for your family and friends. This may seem daunting, but you'll thank yourself later if a work colleague or your supervisor reads a Tweet or post about you bailing on work to attend the Cubs opener at Wrigley Field.

Conclusion

Whatever your decision, remember that social media and blogging are both excellent ways to make yourself seem educated and thoughtful. Conversely, these outlets can unfortunately be a destructive tool that will ruin your standing, both personally and professionally.

Jaimie Zinski has been featured on several websites including Degree Jungle and has written blogs and posts on several topics, from social media and parenting to horror movies.

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Great Christmas Gifts For That Geek In Your Life

robert@integralwebsolutions.co.za (Robert Bravery) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:54:00 GMT

So what do you get a geek or a nerd for Christmas. They certainly will not enjoy a box of chocolates, and deodorant and perfume is just so boring.

Here are a few ideas that might spark an idea

Has LinkedIn Actually Helped You Land That Perfect Job?

robert@integralwebsolutions.co.za (Robert Bravery) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 06:49:54 GMT

The social network era or movement has made many promises over the years. Sites like LinkedIn have had great potential. But when it comes down to real world application, and fulfilling the needs of the man in the street, have sites like LinkedIn lived up to expectations?

LinkedIn is a social networking site that is aimed at professionals. It enables professionals and the like to network together. Ask questions, and give answers to those who are in the same field as you are.

It is also a place that many have written about saying that it is the ideal site to help in landing that perfect job.

The idea is that if you have worked hard on your LinkedIn networking. If you have received favourable recommendations. If you have participated in various questions and answers relating to your skills. Then when you need a job then LinkedIn is the perfect place to start.

Why? Well because it is believed that you have developed a relationship with those in your network. As a result direct referrals are much easier and more reliable.

But has this actually been the case?

In a survey done on a job site in South Africa, it would appear that this is not the case. In fact LinkedIn has not featured at all in the job hunting business.

The question was how did you find your job?

Job search website (like CareerJunction, PNet, etc)	8%
Employment/Personnel Agency, Labour Broker	17%
A newspaper job ad placed by the company	17%
Via a referral from a friend/colleague/family member	51%
Through you approaching the company directly	7%
Via LinkedIn or Facebook or other social networks	0%

So it would seem that Social networking sites have had little effect on job hunting. Although this was in no way a scientific survey, it does paint a bleak picture for the job seeker and the promised potential of these social networking sites.

It might be different in other parts of the world, you would have to correct me on this. But for South Africa, we still have to see the benefit of Social networks and jobs.

If you have had any success using social networks like LinkedIn to land that perfect job, please let us know about it.

Image via Wikipedia

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Can Businesses Really Profit From Social Media?

robert@integralwebsolutions.co.za (Robert Bravery) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 08:09:54 GMT

Social media by its very nature is aimed at drawing people together. Getting people to network, form groups of interest and chat about day to day happenings.

But the question is, can business profit from something that is often seen as a non-business entity?

Embrace change

Don’t be scared of breaking away from the norm. Embrace the ongoing change in the world today.

Too many people and businesses don’t take on the new technology for fear of change. They are too comfortable in their current grove.

But where would we be without change?

I remember an old boss of mine who flat refused for many years to switch form old Lotus123 over to Microsoft Excel. He was scared of the change. Scared of new challenges. He was quite comfortable with Lotus123.

In fact he was very productive using Lotus and his productivity would have taken a big knock had he changed.

Well, we know the outcome, Lotus123 is no longer around and Excel is the predominant business spreadsheet program around.

The point is that switching to new technology is often scary, often seems un-productive, and not profitable. But history teaches us that in the long run switching and embracing new technology is the wisest choice you can make.

Using social media together with business

I think the problem lies in not thinking of your social media strategy as part of your business objectives.

The reason why social media never works for business is because they do not see it as an integral part of their business.

A good friend of mine, Anton Koekemoer from antonkoekemoer.com, says this; “Many companies are creating and planning various social media strategies without considering their overall business objectives. To get the best out of your SMM campaign, you have to use your social objectives together with your business objectives to understand the effectiveness of your campaign.“

So then how can business align their business objectives with their social media campaign? Well best I direct you to a great blog post by Anton on this very subject. Head on over to Using social media together with business objectives and read this excellent post on tips and how to ideas on using social media together with business objectives.

Companies using social media

To highlight my point though I would list a few well known companies that are using social media well.

Starbucks - Starbucks asks for suggestions on how to make the company better. If you provide a suggestion, Starbucks CIO will discuss the idea on the site.

Comcast - Frank Eliason, Director of Digital Care for Comcast Cable uses Twitter to look for people talking about Comcast, 'tweets' them, and offers to help.

Ford - Scott Monty used Twitter well to avoid a public relations fiasco. Ford did this by communicating online, in real time with their customers.

Sun Microsystems - Sun Microsystem’s CEO blog. Jonathan Schwartz’s blog received up to 400,000 hits a month. Its success lends itself to its openness. Positive and negative comments are allowed, and even the most inane are approved.

CocaCola – CocaCola’s Facebook fan page was started by two fans. Instead of taking it down the company gave these users the power to run the page for them. Even though this is a very bold move to make, it gets their fans involved with the brand and thereby the fans get value out of the page.

Conclusion

The fact of the matter is that Social Media does work. It’s how you make it work for you that matters. Don’t fall behind. Embrace new ideas and new technology.

The question is, how can you make Social Media work for your business? Other businesses have made it work. Why can’t you?

Have you been successful in integrating social media and your business. Let us know your story in the comments below.

Technorati Tags: Social Media,Twitter,Facebook,Business

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Apple suing Samsung. The anti-consumer patent war. Is it Pathetic?

robert@integralwebsolutions.co.za (Robert Bravery) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:39:40 GMT

In April Apple sued Samsung in a patent dispute alleging the Galaxy tablet and phone lines were rip-offs of the iPad and iPhone. But Samsung has now fought back with its own basket of law suits.

A preliminary injunction granted to Apple Inc. by a court in Dusseldorf, Germany, will stop the sales and marketing of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer across the continent, with the exception of the Netherlands.

Samsung is fighting back, “We’ll be pursuing our rights for this in a more aggressive way from now on”. Samsung has filed it’s own lawsuits against Apple claiming they are infringing on patents that they hold in wireless technology. The legal battle has spread to 10 countries from the US to Germany.

People in glass houses

It’s a bit pathetic isn’t it. Apple complaining that the likes of Samsung are stealing their ideas and technology, whilst Apple themselves are guilty of doing exactly the same.

Listen Apple, people in glass houses should not through stones.

An executive from Samsung stated “Apple has continued to flagrantly violate our intellectual property rights and free-ride on our technology…We will steadfastly protect our intellectual property.”

Amongst other complaints, is the main complaint that Apple has continued to use Samsung’s UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service).

But this is not the only area where the likes of Apple have stolen technology they have claimed to be their own. Amongst these are the likes of Nokia suing Apple.

How pathetic is Apple in claiming the high moral ground when they themselves are just as guilty as they claim their competitors are.

Lets all play together

It seems to me that this suit is all about the fear of taking over the market. I sense that Apple is afraid of Samsung. That they will soon take over the market share that Apple now enjoys.

In my view, The Samsung Galaxy Tab and Samsungs line of Mobile phones are superior in functionality and technology than Apples iPad and iPhone. I’m not too concerned about look and feel. Which is what is worrying to Apple.

Why can’t these big companies do what is right, pay for what they use? Share technology and pay for the rights to use other technology. They expect us to do that, why won’t they play along as well.

Consumers get hurt

Overall, these patent battles hurt consumers because all they do is stifle competition. To me that's the crux of the matter. It’s the fierce competition in the tablet and mobile areas.

Competition drives new technology. If one giant company seeks to claim the market for them selves then there is no competition and soon very little technology.

This global battle is hurting the consumer who are customers of both companies.

Apple has prevented consumers from having the opportunity to try the Galaxy 10.1 tablet.

Samsun will soon try to stop the sale of the iPhone. Who wins in this situation?

What do you think?

So what do you think of this battle? Is it justified? Should Apple, Samsung and the like just get along and play together, or is IP a significant part of a business brand?

Love to read your thoughts in the comments below.

Technorati Tags: Apple,Samsung,iPhone,iPad,Galaxy Tab

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Today We Mourn The Death Of A Great Blogger

robert@integralwebsolutions.co.za (Robert Bravery) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:57:14 GMT

Today we mourn the death of a great blogger. Their blog showed so much potential. The blog started of like a bomb. Everyone was excited. Yet here we are, at this sad time. Their potential was not yet realised.

Who is this famous blogger that died. Well sad to say that it is you. You as a blogger, and your blog will die, if you do not follow these simple rules.

1. Write Quality Content

This has been hammered over and over again. Content is King. Without Content, there is nothing to read. With nothing to read, no readers will come. With no readers, your blog might as well be dead.

2. Engage your readers

Blogging is all about the reader. It is about engaging with that reader. It is about getting into their mind and touching their heart. It is about stirring their spirit and changing their thoughts.

Engage your readers, reply to their comments. Make them feel at home.

3. Create a unique blog

This is a difficult one, but a rather important one. With so many blogs out there, what makes your blog any different to the others. Why should I, as a reader, come to your blog as opposed to one of the other thousands out there in a similar niche.

Make your blog unique. Do what others do, but do it differently.

4. Don’t belittle or criticise your readers

Although your blog is your platform, and that you are entitled to say or do what you want, the biggest way of killing your blog is to insult your readers.

Treat your readers with respect and honour. They are your blogs life blood.

5. Have a great blog design

If your blog is not pleasing to the eye and attractive to look at, then no one will, well, want to look at it. It’s amazing how the look and feel can either make or break a blog.

Conclusion

Hopefully these tips accurately describe your blog. If not you should really take it to heart. Make the changes.

Can you add any more points that might kill a blog? Leave your comments below. Much appreciated.

Technorati Tags: Blog,Blogging,Content,quality

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5 Biggest Social Media Myths

robert@integralwebsolutions.co.za (Robert Bravery) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 08:23:00 GMT

Whether we like it or not, Social Media is here to stay. With the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Google+ Social media is all around us.

Merriam-Webster defines a myth as "a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon."

Like common society, social media has it’s fair share of myths. Here is a list for you to consider. This list will clear up some of the Social Media Myths floating about.

Microsoft Now Officially Owns Skype

robert@integralwebsolutions.co.za (Robert Bravery) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 06:53:00 GMT

Microsoft has officially closed its acquisition of Skype on Friday for roughly $8.5 Billion. Skype will become a new business unit within Microsoft.

The Internet and Skype have changed video calling for millions of people.

“Skype is a phenomenal product and brand that is loved by hundreds of millions of people around the world,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. “We look forward to working with the Skype team to create new ways for people to stay connected to family, friends, clients and colleagues — anytime, anywhere.”

Skype – Windows Phone 7

It is also rumoured that Skype will be included in the next Mango (Windows Phone 7) Update. This will surely increase Windows Phone 7 marketability and competiveness.

Microsoft will also now have contact with millions of non Microsoft users through the Skype user base. A very valuable bunch of data, don’t you think?

Skype is best known for linking families and friends in online video conversations across the world. "I'll Skype you," is now a common refrain. Microsoft prides itself for putting the computer into every home. The two seemed destined to be together.

Skype – Windows Integration

The next time you install a new version of windows, or upgrade, or even boot up, you might be asked if you want to install Skype as well.

If you use Microsoft's cloud service, Windows Live Essentials, you could see Skype popping up in applications like Hotmail and Writer. You could have one address book for both Hotmail and Skype.

Microsoft Office could also be Skype-enabled. You could for example have the choice to email or Skype your contacts!

In the gaming realm, Skype integration could be used to enhance Microsoft's Xbox LIVE and Kinect offerings by expanding the voice and video capabilities that are already supported by these devices.

So what do you think of the Microsoft-Skype deal? For you is it Deal or No Deal? Please leave a comment in the comments section below.

Technorati Tags: Microsoft,Skype

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