So what can a 3-year-old tell us about Star Wars? Apparently, a lot. Check out this video and you’ll understand why it’s gotten over 20M views on YouTube already.

 #Cute

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A few hours ago, Rihanna posted a ton of picts her Facebook page of herself getting dressed up in a paint-on-reptile bra. The scaly costume was for her new music video “Where Have You Been.” The video has over 28M views on YouTube already. We bet a lot of those view happened after everyone saw these photos.

What do you think? Rihanna‘s Dinosaur Boobs: hot or not? Please post a comment below or tweet us @methodshop.

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If you “Like” MethodShop on Facebook, then you’ve probably already seen our “Superfan” feature in action. A few times a month, we single out some individuals in the MethodShop community for being awesome. Superfans get interviewed for our blog and their photo featured in our Facebook profile. There’s no official entry process. Just “Like” us on Facebook, tweet us, leave blog comments and engage. If you standout from the average reader, we’ll notice.

Please say hello to the latest MethodShop Superfan:  Remodeling Designer And Licensed Contractor Extrodinaire Pat Daly!

How did you find out about MethodShop.com  

We, at YourSquarefeet, found him [MethodShop Founder Jon Accarrino] thru Twitter, marketing for the KBIS trade show in Chicago.

Do you know why you were chosen to be a MethodShop Superfan?

I assume, (and that usually gets me in trouble), that we have common connections to manufacturers  that we promote.  But I choose to believe that Jon Accarrino simply admires my points of view about revealing  the ‘Truths of Remodeling.’

Explain what you do for a living?

I have been a Remodeling Designer and Licensed Contractor for over 20 years.  Seen it and done it all.  So now I have decided to write about what REALLY goes on behind the scenes, the Good, Bad, and Ugly…and especially all the misinformation. The website www.yoursquarefeet.com is designed for today’s remodeling economy.  We also provide custom On-line Design and On-line Construction Services.

What is your favorite/least favorite part of your job?

Laboring thru Google.  I have to admit, when I started this website, as a Designer – I found creating the site easy.  Then I had to deal with the ‘Googlebeast.’  Apparently I am a barely functioning Googleidiot.  I just want someone to talk to at Google, but they are busy mining asteroids, silly me!

What are some of your favorite tech gadgets that you use for your job?

The iPad is helpful.  Not only for pictures, but for quick research.  There are some good apps for sketching and dimensions also. For On-line Design, these items are critical.

Who inspires you and why?

The people at the show “This Old House”.  I have watched that show since it’s beginning and it has always been the best remodeling show on TV.  No glitz,surprises, done in a weekend, on a budget, nonsense remodeling.  True craftsmanship.

My other huge inspiration is the women at Patty And Lo, they are the best!

Tell us something about yourself that people close to you reading this right now won’t already know. 

The more I find out about the internet, the farther behind I get.

Upcoming projects?

We are always working on a number of different projects, anything from Kitchens, Baths, and Room Additions. Of course, the website is constantly updated.  You can see many of our projects on our Gallery page.

Please complete this sentence…

I want everyone reading this to… keep following MethodShop for all their great articles and create in whatever way you can.

One of Your Square Feet's masterpieces.

We thought this would be a cute image to share with all the MethodShop.com readers on Mother’s Day. It shows how we all go through various different stages with our Mom’s through the years.

What do you think? Is this how you’ve felt about your Mom through the years?

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I am Female = I am Iron Man

This explains it all:

While I am not a female personally, I think this is perfect for all of you women out there.

FE =  Iron

Male = Man

Therefore: I am Iron Man.

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Nowadays it seems like everyone and their grandmother is creating some sort of app for the variety of gadgets that we love so much. Angry Birds, Draw Something and other popular smart phone and tablet games have exploded with popularity. Everyone wants a piece of the App economy including MethodShop.com reader, Joe Zito (@joseph_zito).  Zito is a filmmaker in waiting… and while he waits, he is determined not to waste one drop of his creative juices so he decided to you guessed it, create an app! The Hofstra University graduate started his career in film with humble beginings as a production assitant. Since then, he has worked on dozens of feature films including Tromeo and Juliet, Two Girls and A Guy and Destination Unknown. In addition to his production career, he has also made his mark in the post-production world with commercials for giants such as Ford, McDonalds and Coke and movies like The Brothers Grimm and Firewall. Zito already has two short films under his belt; Mr’s J’s Cafe and TURF and the feature film Backing Out is currently in the works with 90th Street Productions.

While “Backing Out” is getting some… backing together, the creative entrepeneur decided to form Yorkville Games, Inc., a boutique mobile game company, which has released it’s first title King’s Orders: Savages – Chapter One for the iPhone. We had the chance to catch up with Zito recently and ask him a few questions about his hopes and dreams, life and how to make an app people like and want to play.

Tell us your new iOS game?

The game is called King’s Orders: Savages – Chapter One. It’s a comedy game about Medieval Soldiers, who don’t really want to be at work and who keep getting sent out by their not-so-brave King to capture loose Savages outside of the castle.

How did making this game come about?

I’m a filmmaker and I’ve been putting together a feature film which can take quite a bit of time to setup. I saw Apps as a new medium to explore. One you could have a lot of fun with and be creative, so I came up with the idea for King’s Orders: Savages – Chapter One and went for it.

Why did you set your game in this time period?

Medieval times were so strict. There was no room for questioning your superiors. If you did, then that was it for you. So I thought it would be fun to mess with that rule.

How are you marketing it? How is it selling?

Sales are good. And I’m getting good responses. I’m marketing the game a few different ways. Through Social Media – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube. I’m also working with a publicist and distributing postcards.

Technically speaking what was the process of creating this game from start to finish? How does one create a game?

I wrote out a treatment for the game. Then I wrote the script and created storyboards for the gameplay and the in-between scenes. I went to a sound studio and recorded the lines and the Savages Sounds. I recorded the music at my apartment. I worked with an illustrator for months getting the look of the characters and gameplay just right. I also worked with a programmer who started developing the code and we would go back and forth working out the flow and feel of the gameplay. When the illustrations were complete, the programmer replaced the test elements with the final artwork. Once everything was in place, I submitted it to the App Store for approval.

What was the most challenging part?

Spending the Money! LOL No, seriously, spending the money. That and getting the look of the characters just right. Especially the King.

In your opinion, what is the best part of the game?

I love the sound. The funny one liners that are heard when the Savage gets a soldier. “They got Fred!”, “Ahhh, our best bugle player!” The sounds really add so much to the fun of the game.

We were checking out the King’s Orders credits screen and it looks like YOU personally did all the voices in the game. Do you normally do a lot of voiceover work?

Not normally. But I’m available if anyone is hiring.

Did you have to channel you inner *Savage* for the growling noises?

Absolutely. At one point, Allan, the sound engineer turned to me laughing and said, “You’re sick.”

What do you think of the result?

I am extremely pleased and proud with the results. Lots of thought and effort went into the making of the game. It was a great experience and I would definitely do it again.

Do you have a favorite part of the game that you enjoy playing?

I love the in-between scenes and I love the special Savage attacks. The Savage spin move is one of my favorites.

The way you named the game, King’s Orders: Savages – Chapter One, implies that a Chapter Two is coming up next. What plans do you have for King’s Orders?

There will be two more chapters in the King’s Orders saga. The working titles are “The Castle – Chapter Two” and “Mass Exodus – The Final Chapter.”…plus a few other ideas in development

Do you envision additional styles of game play? Maybe an Angry Birds arcade-style game with crossbows and savages?

I have lots of ideas bouncing around inside my head. I will definitely create new types of game play for the next two chapters. I’m also going to add a Vs. mode where two people can play against each other, device to device where one person could be the Soldiers and the other the Savage.

The “detached” King and the way his soldiers grow more frustrated with him each round adds so much fun to the game. Did you model the King after a former boss of yours?

No one in particular. Or at least I’m not going to fess up to it.

What advice would you give someone wanting to create a game?

Make something that talks to your personality. Have fun with it and have a marketing plan in place.

I’m guessing you have an iPod/iPad/iPhone, what kind(s)? Are any of them engraved? If not, what should be the engraving?

I have a newer iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and an older iPhone which I keep to do testing on. None of them are engraved but if I was going to have it engraved, I’d probably put something like “You’ve found my phone. I’ll be calling soon.”

What games do you play the most on your Apple iOS products?

I like Angry Birds, Temple Run, Brain Challenge and the X-plane flight simulators. One of my all time favorite games on the iPhone is Ragdoll Blaster.

Do you have a favorite MethodShop article?

I liked the interview with Dr. Ruth. You wouldn’t normally think of technology when you look at someone her age. I think it’s awesome she’s still willing to grow.

Finish this sentence. Most people don’t know that I…

…hate eggs.

If you had a crystal ball that could predict the future, where would you be 3 years from now?

At home, writing. That’s where is all starts.

You can download a FREE version of King’s Orders: Savages – Chapter One from the iTunes App Sore or the full version for $0.99 here.

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Uh… We’re kind of used to the #FAIL whale at Twitter, but this “Sit Tight” screen on LinkedIn right now is a new one. Is it just us? Has anyone ever seen this before? They must have some big updates coming out today.

Perhaps this sign (see above) will help motivate Trekkies to pay more attention to their kids while attending Star Trek conventions. Although, we’re not sure if the Borg actually buy anything. They usually just assimilate whatever they want… including children.

Special shootout to Jeri Ryan, who played Seven of Nine on Star Trek: Voyager, for sharing this on her Twitter account.

Via @JeriLRyan

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You may have heard about this way to monitor your influence online called Klout. If you don’t know, this is how Klout works. You sign in on Klout.com, connect your social networks, and collect sponsored prizes as your Klout score goes up in specific areas. For example, Subaru recently gave away prizes to people with high Klout scores for “dogs.” But your Klout score can also go down. Which means you have to post more about certain topics to make sure you don’t loose Klout.

I love watching stats. I put stat programs on my websites, like Geekazine.com, to monitor traffic. It’s really cool to see who is coming, where they are from and how long they stay on the website. Therefore, I thought I really would enjoy Klout. Unfortunately, it’s more of a chore than anything. Every time I get on Klout, my numbers drop ever so slightly. If I don’t go on for a couple week, I get disappointed that my Klout score dropped.

What Should You Connect to Klout?

Really, the best way to gauge Klout score is to only connect to those social networks you use. If you post 1-2 items to LinkedIn, for example, then it’s going to drive down your overall Klout score. While you use LinkedIn, it might be best not to monitor your interactiveness through Klout – simply because it doesn’t separate your LinkedIn Klout from your Facebook or Twitter Klout.

Klout iPhone App

Klout launched an iPhone app just last week to keep you abreast of your Klout score while on the go. If you turn on notifications, you can be instantly warned if your score drops. That way, you can get on Twitter or Facebook and push your score back up. Like I said, it’s a chore.

Is Klout a True Social Media Score?

There have been questions as to the algorithm of Klout. Is this service is truly measuring your influence? Some people are using Klout as a bragging board for Social Media and putting it on their resumes. That could be a dangerous thing for you if the next day your score drops.

Let’s also talk about the affect on perks you can get from Klout. Those would be special discounts on product or services for your influence. Of course, the idea is you use the service, then talk about it, in return, the product or service gets word of mouth. So the question is: are you influencing, or are you giving your influence away for a free cup of coffee or a dog blanket?

Last week I was in Boise, ID talking to people, and doing the old fashioned networking. I met about 30-40 new people, in which I felt I influenced them outside of any social network. I also got to talk to the Mayor of Boise, ID, and former NASA astronaut Barbara Morgan. How can that improve my Klout score if I don’t tweet it?

Who Has 100 Klout?

Justin Bieber has a Klout score of 100

So who has the most Klout? The King of Klout is Justin Bieber. He has a perfect 100% score. President Barack Obama and Lady Gaga have 93 Klout. Steve Jobs Bot has 61% Klout score. George Takei‘s Kout is only 73 – and I believe he has a better influence out there. Ashton Kutcher only has a 83% Klout score, while Oprah Winfrey has 79 (Oprah Quotes is at 82).

Social media rockstars Robert Scoble is 88, Leo Laporte is 80, Kevin Rose is 79, WSJ’s Walt Mossberg is at 63, and photographer Trey Ratcliff is 88. Daniel Tosh (Tosh.0) is at 86 AND 55.

On the same token, the Aflac Duck has a Klout score of 61. Annoying Orange is 64, Chad Vader is 34, and the Old Spice Guy (Isaiah Mustafa) is 53.

BTW – MethodShop‘s Klout is only 39…

Alternatives to Klout

There are a couple alternatives to Klout. Kred is a measure of reach, although they only connect to Twitter and Facebook at this time. If you use Google+, YouTube or LinkedIn more, then you won’t have much of a score on Kred. PeerIndex also only monitors Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. They have a perks section as well. Their topic fingerprint shows you a circle graph of what areas you are influential in.

Will this Article Raise my Klout Score?

Hard to say. It most likely won’t – unless it hits a large population and they retweet from my tweet. Then again, you could Give me Klout and add to my influence.

It does take a lot of work to keep that score up. If you take time off social networks, your score will go down. So it’s more like a Karma score than anything. Still, if you are addicted to your social networks, then these services will be good measure of how you are being reached.

What’s your Klout score? Can you beat a 39? Feel like bragging? Please post your score below in the comments.

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We love you guys. Last year we posted this photo (pictured right) of someone’s clever graffiti addition to a bathroom hand dryer that said “Push Button. Receive Bacon.” Ta-da! Instant Bacon Vending Machine.

Then MethodShop reader Bryan Endberg (@bryanenberg) sent us this photo (pictured above) and totally made our day. Apparently someone brought a couple strips of bacon into the bathroom and snapped this photo. Bathroom bacon… disgusting and delicious at the same time.

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kickstarter logo (Photo credit: AslanMedia)

You have an idea. It’s the bestest, newest thing since sliced Facebook. But you don’t have the tools, know-how or money. You might know how to build or produce the product, maybe know the business end of the product. But you are one person trying to do 10 jobs in fundraising. What do you do?

Start a Kickstarter.

Kickstarter is service that lets you raise money for your project, using a process called “Crowdfunding“. The model works like this – You start a campaign to raise money for a movie, band album, new piece of technology, or another invention. You register with Kickstarter, then put up your details for the world to find out more about your project. You set levels of funding, with possible rewards at different levels.

For instance, if you are a band looking to make an album, you might put a $10 donation level. In this donation, they would receive a copy of the album. Maybe a $50 donation could get a CD and t-shirt. $100 level could bring a production “Thank you” in the credits. So on and so forth.

Companies that have succeeded with a Kickstarter

Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

TikTok is one of the most notable companies that were successful. They had a watch enclosure that you would put your iPod Nano into. That, in turn, would turn the nano into a watch. Apple turned down the idea, but the creators then went to Kickstarter, where they got almost 1 million in 24 hours.

Jetsam Wallets, a company out of California, asked for funding to turn old neckties into wallets. Their line of eco-friendly wallets got them $26,000 to start their business.

Local artists (for me – Madison, WI) Blame Society Films – better known for the Youtube sensation “Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager” – raised $1900 for a show called Beer and Board Games.

These are only a handful of people that have promoted and received funds for their endeavors. There are many more success stories.

Not all projects are accepted on Kickstarter

Kickstarter (Photo credit: Scott Beale)

Keep in mind, you do have to go through an approval process before you can ask for money. If you are just looking to get a new computer, you will not be accepted. Your project cannot be a non-profit organization. If you are asking for funding for a web show, it should be for a season of that show – not the overall production.

Audiences respond to passion, sincerity, and an ability to execute. They want to see you communicate this in your video, and they want you to offer creative rewards that are fairly priced. – Kickstarter on “What’s the Secret”

I have personally ran a campaign on Kickstarter and it failed. I have had other friends do exactly what I did, and succeeded. It’s all about who wants to throw you a dollar or two, so be prepared to have your Kickstarter fail.

Five Ways to Make your Kickstarter More Successful

So here are some points you might want to consider when making your run for a Kickstarter project. Remember, you have 30 or 60 days to get the funding, or else your Kickstarter will not be funded. People want to know you are serious about this project before they fund.

5. Take the time to fill out ALL information, update it as much as possible. Tell Your Story.

Writing (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Let’s say your a band trying to get money to make an album. If your description says “We’re making an album! Fund Us!”, you will most likely get no funding. However, if you take the time to give a complete summary of the album idea, how the band will record it, what will be involved in recording, who you wish to have record the album for you, and other information like that, then people will see you are more serious about this project and more likely to back it.

If someone asks a question, answer it quickly. Post it in the FAQ, if appropriate. The more information on your website, the better.

Most important – When you are done typing up your project, FIND AN EDITOR.Maybe it’s your old English teacher. It could be a friend. You might even have to pay someone $50 to review. However you do it, make sure your grammar is correct. Potential sponsors could pass your proposal up, simply because your grammar is atrocious.

4. Plan to Promote your Project – More than just Facebook.

Cali Lewis, Tammy Camp, Philip Nelson, Colleen Kelly Henry (From right to left) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If I was a company looking for a VC (Venture Capitalist), I would put together a promoting plan. This would mean taking the time to travel to the VC, so you can pitch your idea to them. This is the same case with your Kickstarter.

You may have 5,000 Facebook followers, but keep in mind – they may not be watching you. I have done many promotions on social networks Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and more, and saturated with my project. I always get one person that messages me the day after and says “I wish I would have known”…

Go to a Conference to Promote

I go to a lot of events, such as CES, SXSW, BlogWorld & New Media Expo. I get my name out there as much as possible. So why wouldn’t I want to plan a Kickstarter around a trip like that? It makes the trip tax-deductable, and I get many opportunities to promote myself and my idea.

You don’t need to travel the world to do it. There are probably a lot of local events that will help you, too. Join a club, attend events and meet people.

3. Spend a Little to Make a Lot – Set a Kickstarter Budget

International Money Pile in Cash and Coins (Photo credit: epSos.de)

It sounds weird, but just like any other thing you do, you should set a budget to your project. If you are asking for $1000, then set a $100-200 budget to promote your idea. This is your advertising campaign.

If you are a band that is trying to get funding to make an album, create some flyers, then go out to shows and hand them out. Talk with the clubs before you do that – so it’s OK to pass out flyers. You might even get some gigs from the club if they know you are making an album.

Also, have a website set up so people can get more information. $10 for the domain, and you can use a service like Squarespace to get a website set up quickly for as little as $8 a month.

Speaking of which, the same thing goes with your backers. Give them something that will make the $10 donation worth it. If you put $1,000 donation level, make it something that no one else can get – even after the Kickstarter has ended.

2. Collect Names and Follow Up

You can sign up for a MailChimp account, then send out email on a weekly basis for your Kickstarter. You can also get their Twitter handles, then turn around and message your new friends to let them know of your project. Just don’t be spammy about it.

1. Be Your Kickstarter Project

Kickstarter Band Room (Photo credit: Scott Beale)

I was watching Shark Tank a few weeks ago. A gentleman came in with an idea. The sharks didn’t fund him. Why? He basically said this was going to be a side project for him. He had a successful daytime job, and only could put 20% of his time into this project.

Just this last week, another person almost didn’t get funding because she said she had another job.

This doesn’t mean to quit your job just yet. Especially if you are a weekend band looking for $1000 to get an album together. However, it should mean that for the next 30 or 60 days, your main focus – Your 110% – goes toward that project.

If you put the time and effort into this process, you might just get a lot more than you expected. In some cases, you might get enough to quit the job and build your million dollar idea.

The better thing to do is create an email for each name you collect. I know that could be a lot of work, but in the end, it might be more personable and the recipient may give you a good donation.

If you have more than one person involved in the idea, then everyone should give 110% percent. A band of 4 can get more promotion done than one person.

This does mean you have to take the politician role, go out, shake hands and kiss babies. Once again, you never know who has money to give you.

UHF (song) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It’s like the end scene from the Weird Al movie “UHF”. The homeless guy gives the group a rare 1955 double-die penny that is worth thousands, and enough to keep the fledgling station alive. From this we know – you never know where the money will come from. Don’t pass judgement because the person looks homeless. They might just drop you $10.

—

I hope you see a common theme here. It’s really all about promoting your project. Plan how your are going to promote, when you promote, and even go outside your box, and you might see a lot of success with your Kickstarter project. If you can get others to help you – friends, family, colleagues – you could possibly help take some of the pressure off you.

So I wish good luck to all of you who plan a Kickstarter project. May your dreams get funded.

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And unfortunately it’s not just your coworker’s phones that you have to worry about. Everything from remote controls to iPads are typically covered in germs. One way to protect yourself is to give shared household/office gadgets a rubbing alcohol bath on a regular basis.

BTW you’re NOT reading this blog post on your iPad in the bathroom right now… are you?

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QR codes are pretty lame. If you don’t know what they are, they’re those silly little black and white static design boxes that you scan with your smartphone to pull up a special webpage. It’s a good idea in principle, but most businesses don’t know how to execute a QR code campaign properly. Classic examples include people putting QR codes in un-scannable situations or locations like highway billboards (sorry officer, I wasn’t drunk, i was trying to scan a QR code) or subway platforms (no phone service underground). Just head over to wtfQRcodes.com for a good laugh.

One of the only places that QR codes really make sense is in magazines and newspapers. People can just scan away at their leisure when the QR code is right in their hands. So you’d think a big company like Absolut Vodka would know how to properly use a QR code in a magazine ad. Apparently not. In the May 2012 issue of SPIN Magazine, Absolut included a QR code that was smaller than a penny. We tried scanning it using several phones and QR code scanner apps… no luck. it’s too small to scan. Smartphone cameras just can’t scan it.

Anyone have a microscope camera attachment for an iPhone we can borrow?

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Does your grandfather or great grandfather have a tattoo? Maybe one or two from WWII or Vietnam? Well, how about 1,000!? Great-grandfather Tommy Wells was recently named the “most tattooed man in Britain” after having over 1,000 tattoos inked on his body. Over the last 52 years, the 69-year-old has tattoos absolutely everywhere including the soles of his feet, his lips and even his… genitals.

We thought MethodShop‘s own Gia Pace was pretty bad ass for getting a tattoo during her lunch break. I’ll propose a 1k tattoo challenge to her this afternoon, but I doubt she’ll go for it.

BTW – If any kids from Tommy’s neighborhood are reading this, you might want to stay off his lawn. He’s old, but he still looks pretty bad ass.

Via Odd Stuff Magazine

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Don’t you hate it when people can’t dig their faces out of their phones? Honestly, sometimes real life is a little more important. As you’ll see in this clip from the KTLA Los Angeles helicopter, this guy was too involved in his phone to notice a GIANT BEAR on the sidewalk in front of him.

Hey buddy if you’re reading this, that game of Draw Something, tweet or Text Message can probably wait. You might want to save your iPhone battery for calling 911 after the bear mauls your face off.

If you want to save this video off YouTube, then check out this MethodShop tutorial: How to Copy Files Off YouTube and Convert them for your iPod, iPad, Apple TV, iTunes or iPhone.

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House training household pets, like dogs, is a lot of work. But with multiple daily bathroom needs, you’re given plenty of opportunity to properly train them.

However, the caretakers at the Aviarios del Caribe sloth sanctuary in Costa Rica, have their work cut out for them. Sloths only go to the bathroom once a week. So “Potty Training” them kind of becomes a big event where everyone, caretakers and sloths, need to be focused.

In this video, Clare, Chief Sloth Wrangler at the sloth sanctuary, explains what her and her team have to go through when potty training baby sloths. Our favorite quote: “You can take a sloth to the poo pole, but you can’t make him poo.” Enjoy!

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What do you think? Do you like the new Fail Whale screen (above) or the old one (right)?

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As you’ve probably noticed by now, your Facebook page looks a little different these days. Facebook officially moved everyone, including brand pages, over to their new “Timeline” design in April 2012. Part of the new Timeline layout is a large 850 pixel wide image called the Cover Photo. This is a serious piece of real estate on your Facebook page and gives users an opportunity to visually express themselves beyond their Profile  image.

So far, Facebook users have creatively used their Cover Photos to showcase everything from their kids and beautiful sunsets to… lobsters? We thought that the random Cover Photo coincidence of both Jon Accarrino‘s “pet lobster” and Jennifer Kavanagh‘s lobster dinner was worthy of a few mins of Adobe Photoshop time.

What about you? If a picture is worth one thousand words, then what are you telling people with your Facebook Cover Photo? Please tweet us or post a comment below.

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Egg-sterminate! Check out this cute but deadly Dalek Easter Egg we found on Pinterest! Julia Harrold, the person who posted this egg on Pinterest, is obviously a huge Doctor Who fan… just like us!

Are you making any Sci-Fi or geeky Easter Eggs this weekend? If so, please post some photos on the MethodShop Facebook Wall. We’d love to see them! Happy Easter!

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Draw Something for iPhone, iPad, Android

You may have been hearing about this new game called Draw Something for your iPad. It’s a Win, Loose, or Draw type game where you figure out what someone else drew. The sooner your answer correctly, the more points you get.

It’s a fun little game, and it pretty straightforward – You get a word, then you draw it out. When you are done, you wait for the other to guess, and they will draw something back. You could do that for thousands of turns.

The game itself was created by OMGPOP, which was recently bought by Zynga for $180 million. The transaction was in the news a little more, because ex-employee Shay Pierce would not join the FarmVille game company.

“I don’t have a job, but I can sleep soundly at night knowing that I’m not working for any employer with whom I strongly disagree.” Says Pierce.

Image via CrunchBase

The CEO of OMGPOP replied in a tweet, calling Pierce “the weakest employee”.  Not a great move for a game that just surpassed Angry Birds Space in the App store.

Here is where it gets interesting – This Pictionary style game just became the fastest growing original mobile game in only 50 days. It is the top paid app in the app store, knocking Angry Birds off it’s perch.

talking about gamification in b-school. important insights but haven't yet touched on the incredible greatness of draw something. #gctt

April 5, 2012 11:39 AM via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@jamesIII

James O'Connor

I actually had the game when it first came out. It was pretty interesting, but the app was slow and the people I was paired with took forever to take their turn. After just getting done with reviewing Words with Friends, I really didn’t want to get into another game that relied on someone else. Otherwise, I would have started 30-40 games with different people, and I don’t have that much time to spend on a game like that.

Still, just like Words with Friends, this game seems to be pretty addictive.

Well, Instagram and Draw Something are currently completing my life

April 5, 2012 11:59 AM via Twitter for AndroidReplyRetweetFavorite

@DarrylEdge

Darryl Edge

Zynga seems to have a winner with this game.

Draw Something has a Free iPhone, iPad app, a Free Andorid app, a paid iPhone, iPad app, and a paid Android app.

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Are you feeling the crunch? That feeling you might be getting when you pull into a gas station? But what do you d0 – you need to meet with those clients, and get your work done.

In the last few months, gas has climbed higher and faster than it ever has before. In some areas, gas is priced at close to $5 a gallon. In Denver, Colorado, prices jumped 62 cents a gallon in the month of March.

People complain about gas prices, but they still have to work. As an independent contract worker, I use my vehicle to get to meetings and get work done. Nowadays, I work in schedules, so I know where I am going, and try to make multiple trips in one shot. Being organized in driving is a pain, but there are some advantages.

I have also found my internet and phone get more of a workout. If I can do something over email or the phone, it saves me on time and travel. I have also found some great programs that help me keep my business going without having to travel.

Online Meeting Software

If you have a computer and internet connection, then online meeting software is a great way to get things done. The more you can meet with people from the comfort of home or office, the better. Another great advantage to meeting online is if someone had to go home for an emergency, they can call in to participate.

There are many ways to meet from home. Skype is a great way to call and even video call. You can also meet with more than one person. If you are on a one-on-one conversation, this software will really flip the bill. Skype can be installed on PC, Mac, Linux, or iPad.

If you need to meet with multiple people, and do a little more, than a program like GotoMeeting might be the answer. You meet with up to 15 people, and you can even share screens, so they can see a presentation, or your desktop screen. They have a video conferencing option called “HD faces” where you can see everyone face-to-face. It also works on PC, Mac and iPad.

FreeConfrenceCallHD.com is another way to meet with people. The service is free, and you can have up to a 6 hour conference call (if needed). People can participate via phone or computer.

With all these options (and a lot more out there), you can meet with a client, make a call to the family, organize your friends for important (Fantasy Football) meetings, and more. You save time and travel with these programs.

Calendar and Collaboration Software

Another way to save on gas is to organize your meetings, then put your calendar and projects where people can see them. If you can organize your day, you might just see less time at the pump. Best part – you can set up a drive schedule, so you are driving less around town for meetings.

Google Calendar is a real easy way to put a calendar online. You can set it up where certain people can see it, or the whole world. You can share the calendar, so if you have an assistant, they will help you organize your life.

On the same token, Google Documents lets you collaborate with others on projects. Call up a spreadsheet and share it with others. They could view, or you can give them option to edit. You then can meet to discuss the changes.

There are some other companies that allow sharing calendars and collaboration of docs. Zoho is one of those programs – they have been around for a few years now, and can actually replace programs like support ticket trackers, HR personnel, Invoicing, and more. You can use free for personal use, and prices start at $12 a month for 3 users.

Online Social Media Presence

By updating your website, Facebook, Twitter and more, you can actually use it to point people to what you do. A photographer – for example – might have a Flickr page with their photos. A site like that can also set up private and public pictures, so the public doesn’t see all your work (or work that is considered questionable).

For Facebook or Google+, you can create a business page. The pictures, videos, posts and more can tell a good story of you and your company. Then you can say “Just watch that cool video I posted last week, and you will understand how we do this”.

Putting up a couple “How To” videos, also can help you sell yourself. If you are not an “On-camera” person, then you can write how to posts.

If you are a business professional, and not on LinkedIn, then you might want to rethink your social network presence. LinkedIn is a great way to meet people looking to build their careers, too. You can post jobs, apply to jobs and coordinate business. It’s not a place where people post pictures of their parties, or food. If you are looking to make more money so you don’t have to worry about filling at the pump, then you might want to get on this social network.

Car Maintenance, Alternate Transportation

If you do need to drive that car, then getting the best tuned vehicle can be important. Making sure your tires are filled, the air filter is clean and the fluids are level, can save you cash at the pump.

Get your car on a schedule. Some car companies are building apps so you can keep better track of when the oil was changed, when it’s time to look at the Transmission and when to get the brakes checked. By having this information, your resale value on the car might be better, because the buyer knows you took care of your car.

You can also find alternate ways to keep the car at home. Bus and subway (if available in your area) is the easiest. Many cities have bus schedules online, so you know where the bus stop is and don’t have to wait an hour for the next bus.

If you can bike to a location, that might be a good alternate answer. Just as long as you don’t need to transport some heavy items like computers or proposals.

Taxi services are starting to use hybrid cars to power their fleet. Therefore, prices for a cab ride might not be as bad as driving. With a smartphone app like cab4me, you can call a cab to pick you up when you need to. Some cab companies even set up accounts for you, so you don’t have to pull out the credit card or cash every time you step in a cab. Best part – cab ride receipts are tax deductible.

Shop Local and online

A lot of people don’t realize it, but you can shop online and still shop locally. Instead of heading to that big box office store, why not find a local retailer, put together a budget and buy your supplies in one shot?

When you want to shop for something, ask the local retailer if they ship items. If you don’t need it today, then it can be shipped to your home or work within a few days. That also keeps local employees working, which help with the local economy.

Even if you use a service like eBay and Amazon, you can find 3rd party retailers that work out of your city or state. If they offer free shipping, you can get your supplies without having to go anywhere.

There are many other ways to cut down on your driving, these are just a few ideas. But let us know what works for you! Tweet us @Methodshop and let us know how you save money in this economy!

Flickr photo via _Wick

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We love this quote. Very inspirational. “Work for a cause NOT for applause. Live life to express, NOT to impress. Don’t strive to make your presence noticed, just make your absence felt.” Does anyone know who originally said it?

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Mega Millions logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tonight is the Mega Millions lottery drawing. 540 million dollars is at stake, and a lot of people justify buying this ticket. Odds of this lottery coming out with a winner are actually a lot better than being the one who wins it. 1 in 175,711,536 is the Mega Millions odds.

The Odds of Mega Millions…

• To win the jackpot, the odds are 1 in 175,711,536
• To match 5 of 5 with no megaball – 1:3,904,701
• To match 4 of 5 and megaball – 1:689,065
• To match 4 of 5 with no megaball – 1:15,313
• To match 3 of 5 and megaball – 1:13,782
• To match 3 of 5 with no megaball – 1:307
• To match 2 of 5 and megaball – 1:844
• To match 2 of 5 with no megaball – unknown
• To match 1 of 5 and megaball – 1:141
• To match megaball only – 1:75

Mega Millions tickets (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Interesting Facts about Winning the Lottery

• The odds of having to share the jackpot with another winner dramatically decrease if the lottery numbers are above 31. That is because most people use dates (birthday, anniversary) for their numbers
• Therefore, the odds of someone winning using a birthday dramatically decrease due to the fact they disclude half the numbers.
• Most common numbers picked by people in a lottery: 3-7-9-11-25-27
• Least common numbers picked by people in a lottery: 20-30-39-40-41-48
• The $640 is an estimated number. You may win more, or less – depending on how many tickets are sold.
• Even though odds of winning the jackpot are higher than getting struck by lightning, odds of having a WINNING lottery ticket are considerably lower.
• Thinking that certain numbers hit more often in one specific lottery is skewed. Most likely, the lottery balls used for tonight’s drawing will be brand new. The balls will be measured and scrutinized to make sure there is no unfair advantage.
• Odds of you winning something – 1:75.

Richard Lustig has won the Lottery 7 Times

“You have to invest money to get something out of it,” said Lustig on ABC about winning so many times.

HAWTHORNE, CA - MARCH 29: James Kim (L) owner of Blue Bird liquor store help Milton Smith in buying $1080 worth of Mega Millions lottery tickets on March 29, 2012 in Hawthorne, California. The Mega Millions jackpot has reached a record high of $540 million. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Is there a Winning Lottery Scheme?

I used to work for the State of Wisconsin. From time-to-time, I had to fix lottery machines. One time I was in Fond-Du-Lac, when one man came in with 84 winning lottery tickets (Pick 3 game). He won $500 on each of the tickets, and 84 of them equaled $42,000.  He played this way everyday. By doing this, he basically beat the odds by outplaying them.

While it’s not a guarantee, the math is there. So Lustig’s comment is true. Still, I don’t think you would want to invest $175 million to risk winning $640 million (which is what the lottery is estimated to)

How to Guarantee a Win on tonight’s Mega Millions

There are 46 megaballs. If you were to buy 46 tickets, specifically picking the megaball for each ticket (increment the number as you go), you will be guaranteed to win at least $2 from the drawing tonight.

Some Tips to your Number Picking

• Number combinations are harder to win than random. So if your kid’s birthday is 01-02-03, you might want to reconsider
• Make sure you pick high numbers, too (over 31)
• Chances of the exact same number scheme picked again are also 1:175 million. So look at the last 5 lotteries to make sure your number sequence is not similar.
• Have fun playing the lottery! If you are betting the farm on winning this, then you might have a gambling problem. 1-800-bets-off, 1-800-Gambler, 1-877-MyLimit are some of the phone numbers out there. States have specific gambling hotlines, so check with your state.

Good luck in the drawing. If you win, let us know Twitter: @Methodshop

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(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fifteen years ago, you saw Blockbuster overpower your local video store (for me it was Video Station and Doorstep Video) for VHS tapes. Five years ago, you might have been asking if you should get your DVDs from Netflix or Blockbuster. Now, as we enter into the “watch TV through Internet” phase, you have a new decision – Netflix, Amazon Prime, or even Hulu Plus. Each offer some great content, but which one should you go with for your streaming video rental needs?

(Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Netflix – the Good

Netflix has been around for many years. They have DVD rentals and streaming rentals, so you can choose what works best for you – even choose both. Streaming starts at $7.99 and had thousands of titles. TV series, movies and now original content. Unlimited movies online.

In 2011, Netflix announced they will continue the TV show Arrested Development. They have been trying for other cancelled shows like “The Event” and “Terra Nova”, although those deals have fallen through . Netflix also created the original series “Lilyhammer” and is in production of another show “Orange is the New Black”, a series by Jenji Kohan, the creative genius that brought you “Weeds” on Showtime.

Netflix is available on almost all devices – game systems like XBox360, Nintendo Wii, and PS3. Over the top television like Roku and Boxee. Netflix is also integrated in many in-app TV’s and Blu-Ray players.

Netflix – the Bad

Netflix had some bad press in the last year. They first split the rentals from the streaming, which doubled the price if you wanted both. Then, they tried to get the DVD rental side ready for sale. The new name – Qwikster – was a failed experiment that was quickly pulled.

Netflix also lost some major players in movies. Sony pulled out last year, so many titles disappeared from the shelves. They used to partner with Starz, in which you could watch the channel live from the website. However, that contract dissolved, and Starz pulled all their content off the site last month.

Netflix now relies on TV series to power their system. The frequency of new movies is minimal. Netflix does add older movies, but most of these are mid-shelf content. Some cult classics like “Office Space” are part of the library, however, the real question is if there is enough content to keep you coming to Netflix to watch something.

The most disappointing part of Netflix is they don’t offer to rent other movies online. I would pay a couple bucks to watch something newer than whats in their regular library. It might just give Netflix some new titles to excite the use of this service.

Image via CrunchBase

Amazon Prime – the Good

Amazon has started their Prime service a year ago to offer live TV and movies. The prime service gives you more than just renting movies and TV. You can also get free two-day shipping for whatever you order on Amazon.com. Prime users can get special deals on items that others don’t see.

You can also rent movies online. Better yet, if you like the movie, you can choose to buy that movie online.

Amazon Prime – the Bad

The biggest problem is: interfaces. It can really be tough to search through movies and TV shows. It would really be nice to see a recommendation engine and an organized area of what you have watched before. Amazon also disables the remote control features on some TV shows, so you cannot rewind to watch a part you may have missed.

Amazon Prime is also a yearly membership – $80 a year for the service. While it’s not bad, some people would rather see a monthly subscription model. Even a Quarterly subscription might be more palatable than yearly.

Image via CrunchBase

Hulu Plus – the Good

Hulu came on the scene a couple of years ago with their service. Contracts with NBC, ABC and FOX allowed them to post TV content within 24 hours of airing on the network. Hulu Plus is a monthly service that gives you the opportunity to watch the whole season, instead of only the 2-3 latest episodes.

Hulu Plus has a large library of TV shows, movies, and original content. Their latest TV show – Battleground – actually was based in my hometown of Madison, WI, following the campain of a state senator.

New movies and TV shows are added daily – Even special events like the Superbowl Adzone are available on Hulu Plus.

Hulu is available for free, but to get it on an over the top TV source – like Roku – you will have to pay the monthly fee.

Hulu Plus – the Bad

In a nutshell – commercials. Whereas Amazon and Netflix have no commercials in their services, Hulu Plus will have up to 8 commercials within a 30 minute episode of a show. Granted, they have the newest content of the three, but viewers are also paying $8 a month for commercials.

Then again, if you pay for cable TV, you also get commercials…

Another downfall is their content viewing conditions. For some reason, you cannot watch the Simpsons on Roku, but if you log in through your computer to Hulu, you can catch up on the longest running TV cartoon. It’s not that many shows, but it still does sting when I really want to see last Sunday’s episode.

Other Services

Vudu, Inc. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Vudu is Walmart’s service. It is also seen on many TVs, and Blu-Ray players. Just a couple of weeks ago, they announced a new service – bring in your DVDs, and for $2 a title, you can digitize your movies to watch anywhere, anytime on their service.

iTunes is also another alternative, although it has some very strict limitations. More to the point – you can only watch your content on Apple OTT devices – there is no Roku or Boxee app.

Android Market is also an up-and-coming service. So far, the same is true with Andoid that with Apple – besides a PC, you cannot watch those programs on OTT devices.

What about Blockbuster?

Yes, Blockbuster is still a viable option. They do have one advantage (which is quickly disappearing) – you can go to a physical store or Blockbuster Kiosk to get movies and TV shows. Blockbuster is part of Dish Network, so you might have the service if you have satellite TV. They do tout they have movies 30 days sooner than Netflix or Redbox. But to watch Blockbuster on Over the Top TV (OTT), you need to have a TiVo, or certain TV and Blu-Ray devices (along with streaming through PC or Mac).

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What’s Coming? Redbox Streaming

A couple of weeks ago, Verizon announced a partnership with Redbox – the in-store Kiosk rental system. The deal is too new to really comment on it, the service will not be available until Q3 of 2012.

Independent Services

There are also a series of independent streaming services out there. Crackle, for one, is a place to watch TV shows and movies like Stranger than Fiction, Joe Dirt, Year One, and more.

Other channels offer original content. Channels like uStream, Koldcast, Techpodcasts, Twit, Blubrry, Revision3, and more. All of those come with no monthly fee.

Which Service Should You Get?

As you can see, each service has their own advantages and disadvantages. If you want newer content, then Hulu Plus is the winner. If you don’t want commercials in your TV shows and can wait a year to watch, then Netflix might be your option. If you want more than just streaming TV and movies (buy and watch movies online), and get special discounts, then Amazon Prime is the service to go with.

What do you use to watch TV shows or movies? Do you still have conventional cable, or extended cable with premium channels? Let us know! Twitter: Methodshop

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Flowtown and Column Five created this infographic that helps explain why people are so addicted to Pinterest. Look out Facebook! According to the infographic, Pinterest users spend an average of 98 minutes on the site per month, third only to Tumblr (2.5 hours) and Facebook (7 hours). What about you? Are you addicted to Pinterest? We wonder how long it will be until there’s an AA meeting for Pinterest addicts.

Infographic via Flowtown & Column Five

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Check this out. Two magicians - Charlie Caper and Erik Rosales – stand in front of the Stockholm, Capital of Scandinavia, and Step2 Communication. They present on how Stockholm is a great place to live. Using 7 iPads in their act, the duo presents a flawless magic act.

At one point, Erik shakes an iPad showing a tree branch. Suddenly, leaves fall to the ground. Charlie blows on some snow, and snow comes flying out of the iPad.

It was an intriguing show, and how they used those 7 iPads were pretty nice. They took four tablets and created a big screen, so they could enlarge a circle, then turn it into a heart.

Check out the video. Learn a little bit about Stockholm.

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Now that the new iPad was released, we can all get back to speculating about the next generation iPhone. Several websites, including iMore, are citing sources that claim the next version iPhone will have everything from 4G LTE to an October 2012 release date.

Here’s a round-up of the iPhone 5 rumors and where we think things might go.

Network Speed
Since the new iPad has 4G LTE connectivity, it’s extremely unlikely that Apple would keep the iPhone down at 3G. Consumers would be outraged. So let’s just say that 4G LTE on the next generation iPhone is a sure thing.

Screen Size
Even though respected websites like WebProNews are reporting that the next iPhone will have a 4.6 inch screen, we don’t think Apple will change the iPhone’s screen size. Apple has repeatedly insisted that a smaller screen is easier to use with one hand. We agree. The larger screen sizes of new Android devices are clumsy and difficult to use one-handed unless you’re a bass guitar player with long stretchy fingers.

Timing
Apple tends to keep at least a year in between product releases. Anything less, and consumers start to feel taken advantage of. Even though the iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3s were all released during summer months, the iPhone 4s was released in October 2011. So Apple will probably go with a fall release for the next generation iPhone.

Naming
Everyone was expecting the new iPad to be called the iPad 3, but Apple decided to just call it the… iPad. For the purposes of this blog post, we’re tentatively calling the next generation iPhone the iPhone 5. But will Apple decide to drop the number again and just call it the “new iPhone”? It might make sense at this point. I can see a lot of consumer confusion around product names like the iPhone 5 4G LTE and the iPhone 4s 3G. Too many numbers. If Apple kept the product name matched to the device’s network speed (ie iPhone 4G), then everything would make sense. But it’s too late now.

iOS 6
A new generation iPhone will most likely come out with a new version of Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS. And Apple always releases beta versions of their iOS to developers so they can create software that takes advantages of new hardware/software features for consumers. Although these beta versions of the operating system won’t tell us things like what Apple will call the new iPhone, they usually give us clues on what to expect as far as features.

What do you think? We most likely have 7 more months to speculate. Please post a note on our Facebook Timeline or tweet us at @methodshop.

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So what are consumers doing on their iPads? AYTM‘s infographic says Games, Entertainment and Social Networking are the top 3 activities of iPad owners. Books comes in 6th place and Newstand unfortunately is dead last. Personally, I think it’s almost hysterical how when the first generation iPad was announced, it was touted as the savior of the publishing industry. Magazine, newspaper and book publishers all jumped at the chance of having their content on the iPad. Oh well, reading is overrated anyway. What about you? Are you more likely to play Angry Birds Space on your iPad or read a book? Please tweet @methodshop and let us know.

Infographic via AYTM Research

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Pinterest Main Page

You may have seen this Infographic on Pinterest and thought to yourself: What is this social network? More to the point, is this a social network I need to be on?

comscore: Image via CrunchBase

Answering the second part of the question will really depend on you. Right now, ComScore has shown explosive numbers and is really starting to grow outside the US. While it’s not 800 million users, it is almost 1/4 that number at 186 million. More to the point, there are users on Pinterest showing specific interest. Maybe they’re a food enthusiast, a tattoo artist, or a floral arranger. You will see it within seconds of browsing the site.

Set up a Pinterest account

Signup to Pinterest

Start by going to www.Pinterest.com. You will be asked to set up an account. You can create an account using your Twitter or Facebook accounts. When authorized, you will be asked to put in an email address and password. This is how you will log into Pinterest.

Search for Friends

You will then be asked to find your friends on Pinterest. You can do that by pairing your Facebook or Twitter friends, or just browse the Pinterest boards to find people. When you see someone you like, select their name. You will be shown their page, where you will follow their Pin boards, as opposed to the person. You can also choose to “Add All”, if you want to follow the person completely.

Create a Board to Pinterest

Add content to Pinterest

Select the “ADD” option on the top-right hand corner. You will get three options – Pin, Upload a Pin, and Create Board. When you choose “Create Board”, you will be asked to name that board. Choose a category, and who can see this board. You can make it private, or public.

I have several boards. One is called “Madison, WI“, where I am from. When I post pictures about Madison, I will pin to that board. I have created boards to events I went to (SXSW, CES), places I visited, or specific categories, like my show, iPad365.

Post to Your Boards

Statistiques: la croissance de Pinterest (Photo credit: La Fabrique de Blogs)

Once the board is created, you can start putting content up. Pictures or video – you can also put up webpages. Some websites have a “Pin it” button (similar to the “Tweet” or “Like” buttons you may see on it). When you add a pin, it asks where the pin is located. Select the location, and Pinterest will load up the link. Once you choose “OK”, the pin will be set up.

Copyright issues

Keep in mind, if you post copyrighted material, your post may be taken down. If you continue to post copyrighted material, your account may be suspended. This is in accordance of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (http://www.copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf).

Your account can also get suspended if you do not follow the posting guidelines. For example, if you post pornographic material, your account may be suspended.

 What Should I Post to Pinterest?

You can post a multitude of images, but the best use is what comes from your phone’s camera. If you see a spring flower, take the picture and post it. Before you bite into that awesome steak dinner, take a picture and post it. Do you see a sign that is misspelled? Post it!

You can also post pictures from articles of websites that have the pin-it option. After all, if a website says you can pin it (if they have the button on the site), then you can pin it.

More important, when you Post to Pinterest, remember to choose dual-posting to Twitter and/or Facebook. Kill 3 birds with one stone…

 Who Does Pinterest Cater To?

Artistic tattoo on lower leg (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Right now, the demographic is Women 25-34 years old. So if your website caters to Men, you might not want to use this site (or DO YOU?). Pinterest has been known to bring traffic to your sites. Even if it only brings 1-2 people, that’s 1-2 more people than without Pinterest.

Pinterest also can cater to Photographers, Videographers, Photoshoppers and Infographic creators. With your content on Pinterest, people can browse simply by going down the page. If you see something you like, simply Repin, Like or comment.

I see a lot of Tattoo artists using Pinterest to show off their creations. Crafters and Steampunkers also put their creations up on the site. But you can also get a lot of images and video of that pair of shoes.

So the reality is, every type of person is using Pinterest, although the demographic is strong for Women 25-34.

Explore, Explore, Explore

The bottom line is to explore the website. See what is being posted and follow what you like. When you take a picture, add it to your Pinterest boards, and you might just get new fans that follow you. If you can make any social network work for you, then do it.

What do you use Pinterest for? Let us know – Twitter @Methodshop

Related articles

• How to use new social network Pinterest as a small business (marketing.yell.com)
• Pinterest for Sellers (vendio.com)
• 14 tips for how to use Pinterest for business (infoworld.com)

Image via CrunchBase

The newest iPad came out last week (simply called “iPad”). With a high-resolution display, internal specs doubled and 4G connectivity, you might be thinking about upgrading your 1st Generation iPad to the 3rd generation. But what should you do with that old iPad? Hold on to it? Sell it? See if it blends?

We’ll take a look at five things you can do with that 1st generation iPad so you can get that newer, 3rd generation iPad.

1. Sell Your iPad

Image via CrunchBase

Believe it or not, there are a lot of people looking for 1st Gen iPads. While you won’t get $500 for it, you will see around $150 in resale value for that 16 GB iPad on Gazelle (in best condition). Ebay is showing an average price of $299, if you want to do the legwork yourself.  Either way, you can get some money back, so your purchase of the 3rd generation iPad will be less.

Companies that look for iPad 1 are those that turn them into Kiosks, and POS (Point of Sales cash registers).

2. Second Monitor for Computer

With a program like iDisplay, you can turn your iPad into a second computer monitor for laptop or desktop. The app is $4.99, you download software for the computer to make the connection, and plug in your iPad to keep it charged up. Best part is you can walk around the house with the iPad, instead of always sitting next to your computer.

(Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

3. Donate it!

This is always a great way to make a difference. Non-profits can use the iPad for small tasks, like holding on to agendas, or running simple programs that help their non-profit grow.

4. Toilet Reading, add it to Bookshelf, Kitchen, or Give it to Kids

Image via Wikipedia

You can always keep it around the house for the kids to use, or a permanent fixture for your bathroom reader. It still can pull up web pages and check email, so the iPad can be in a spot where you can easily access it. Put it in the kitchen and load up all your favorite recipes. Put it in the work room, loaded with do-it yourself apps. Mount it to the treadmill so you have something to read while working out. Some apps allow you to turn the iPad into a remote control, so put it next to the TV!

You can also get podcasts and books on your 1st generation iPad, so you can add it to your bookshelf. If you have a service like Audible.com, you can do what I do – listen and read at the same time.

The Bluetooth functionality also lets you turn it into a 2nd or 3rd computer. Add a Bluetooth keyboard and kids can use it to surf the web or work on homework.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Should you Jailbreak the iPad 1st Generation?

If you did jailbreak it, there is a way to put on iOS 5.1, That means you could put on newer iPad apps requiring the updated OS. It might not work the fastest, but you could extend the life of your iPad 1 a little longer. RedSn0w is the name of the software that does allow you to jailbreak the iPad.

5. Experiment with your iPad

I mention the “Will it Blend” earlier in the post, but your iPad 1 is a great way to learn a little bit about the inner workings. Heck, if you are a case modder, you could take apart your iPad, then mod the case to make it look cool. Test out the functionality, and learn how the iPad is put together.

If I remember correctly, there was a place to put a camera on the 1st gen iPad. It’s just that Apple never did it.

Try to bling out the iPad. Turn it into a work of art. Then, when you are ready to sell, you might get a little more for it. Especially when it becomes “Vintage” in about 10 years.

Should I upgrade to 3rd Generation iPad?

This is a good question. If you have a 1st Generation iPad, you might want to make the move. iPad 2 is still very useful, and I haven’t been recommending the upgrade unless you plan to create video, are a big gamer or have another heavy use with your iPad. If you are using it for email and webpages, with a couple apps on the side, then you might want to stay where you are.

The Retinal display is the one big advantage. It makes the video look sharper, but if you are only watching YouTube videos on it, that will not matter. In fact, most YouTube videos will look more distorted on the new display, simply because of the resolution they are in.

The 4G is also a good reason to upgrade – but then again – I can get a 4G modem and connect my iPad 2 to it anyway. After all, if you get a 4G iPad, and want to change carriers after a while, you will have to buy a new iPad – there is no convert option to go from AT&T to Verizon (or vise-versa).

What Else Can You Do?

Other things you can do: Use it at work, send it to relatives, or just keep it as a backup if something happens to your new iPad. What else can you think to do with your iPad 1? Let us know @Methodshop!

Related articles

• New iPad parts most expensive yet (slashgear.com)
• iPad Hand Me Down Thoughts (ipadnotebook.wordpress.com)
• Apple’s new iPad screen gets compared to iPad 2 under a microscope (slashgear.com)