Google Plus Beginner's Guide

Google+ (Google Plus) is Google's Social Network that rivals Facebook, as you have probably already heard of by now.

As per reports, Google+ has over 10 million users since it's launch on June 28, 2011, even though itt is still in beta testing and not open to the general public.

It's a little too early to say how Google+ will fair with rivals like Facebook and Twitter, however, from the initial wave of public interest, rapid changes and improvements to the platform, and many more enhancements in the works, it looks very promising.

If you are on Google+ and find it a little overwhelming to understand, I've created a Google+ Beginner's Guide to help you setup your Google+ social network. This guide will help you create your Google+ Profile, manage your Google+ Circles, configure your Google Plus privacy settings, invite people to join Google+ and much more. It includes easy to understand video tutorials.

If you are not yet on Google+ and would like a Google+ Invite, feel free to contact me.

Google+ Social Network Takes on Facebook

Google+ (Google Plus) is a brand new social network that I'm sure you've already heard of by now. Looks like the big G is ready to take on Facebook now, but it's too early to say how it will shape up.

The overall "look and feel" of Google+ is quite similar to Facebook, but it has unique features like Google Hangouts, Google Sparks, Google Huddle, Instant Upload and of course, Google Circles.

Google+ is still in its basic state at the moment because it's being back-tested with limited number of users. I've used Google+ for a few days now and one of the main features that I like is Google Circles which allows you to create your own cliques of friends. Circles are unique because they allow you to maintain privacy of your status updates, newsfeeds, etc. with only those cliques.

The other neat and unique Google+ feature is Google Hangouts which allows you to video chat with up to 10 of your friends from different Circles. I've created a Squidoo web page which provides a more detailed coverage of the key Google+ features with video overviews of each.

At the moment the social networking platform is not open to the public and is by invite-only. If you know a friend who is on Google+, you can request an invite. Though, I believe Google is still monitoring the influx of invites and rationing them out.

If you'd like a Google+ invite feel free to Contact Me and request an invite. Beware not to leave your email addresses on public forums and comment sections because unscrupulous people could harvest your email address and spam or scam you.

Happy Canada Day!

Wishing all you Canucks out there a Happy Canada Day! Hope you enjoy your long weekend and take the time to appreciate what we have in this great country. Not perfect by any means, but nonetheless blessed.

I was reading a recent article from Reader’s Digest about some Myths About Canadians, one that I found relevant to post this blog on Canada Day was the myth that Canadians Are More Informed than Americans. The article highlighted that Canadians often accuse Americans of being ignorant, especially when it comes to their own country.

Apparently, Historica-Dominion Institute polled Canadians on some history questions and they didn’t fair too well. For instance, 39 percent of Canadians couldn’t identify the year of Confederation (1867). 47 percent of Canadians did not know the first line of the national anthem.

Canadian immigrants who apply for Canadian citizenship need to pass a knowledge test as one of their requirements to secure their citizenship. This citizenship test covers various aspects of Canadian history, culture, economy, geography, government, aboriginal peoples of Canada and the like.

I’ve created several short and fun QUIZZES to help you test your knowledge about Canada. Take these fun quizzes and learn more about our beautiful country, Canada.

Have a safe and enjoyable Canada Day ya'll!

Wizzley: Make Money Writing Articles

Wizzley is a new online platform on which you can write articles and make money. It was launched in May 2011 and has attracted quality online writers and authors who write original content on the web.

This article writing platform is easy to use and provides a variety of modules to help you create unique articles. Some of these creative Wizzley modules include the Text module, Image module, YouTube Video module, Poll module, Link List module, as well as money-making modules like Amazon, Zazzle and AllPosters.

Wizzley shares a percentage (50% to 60%) of the revenue generated through the Google Adsense program with its authors. As well as members can earn income through sales generated via their affiliate programs mentioned above. Wizzley members can also earn an additional income by referring other members to Wizzley.

I joined Wizzley in June 2011 and have created a couple of Wizzley pages. Feel free to visit my Wizzley Profile and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me.

iWowWe Video Email & Conferencing

iWowWe is a video email and video conferencing platform which makes it easy to create and send cool video email messages to family and friends.

The video email system is free and easy to use, yet very professional. You can customize your video email with hundreds of templates, from the iWowWe library, to suit your needs.

The iWowWe library has hundreds of video templates to choose from for special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, invitations to parties, celebrating new born babies, religious holidays, or just a video email message to say "hello" or "thank you".

You can even create your own templates from scratch with simple drag and drop features. The iWowWe system also includes video conferencing functionality at a small cost, however, video email is free. I'm enjoying using it...try it for free!

Making Picture Collages

Capturing special moments and other events on camera is something most of us do regularly. Turning those pictures into beautiful collages is a great way to present them as well as share them with others. With so many collage making applications out there, it is now easy to create your own unique collages. I recently came across one such application called Picture Collage Maker.

Most collage making applications mainly focus on collage making and few of them are flexible enough to allow customization. However, Picture Collage Maker allows you to use their library of collage templates as well as create your own from scratch.

Also, other than picture collages, you can create scrapbooks, posters, photo books, as well as personalized calendars. There are hundreds of pre-designed templates available as well as a variety of tools to help you create your own customized masterpieces. I've used Picture Collage Maker and have written a review on this SQUIDOO web page. Hope you find it useful and enjoy creating your picture collages.

Blackberry PlayBook Launch

Research in Motion (RIM) officially launches its first tablet PC, the Blackberry PlayBook on April 19, 2011. With the launch of the Apple's tablet PCs, the iPad first generation and subsequent iPad 2, RIM has struggled to keep pace.

The initial reviews of the PlayBook are mixed for many reasons. One of the big ones will be the availability of apps. as well as 3G connectivity. I don't believe consumers will receive the PlayBook as they did the iPad, that is with anxious anticipation.

The PlayBook scores well against the iPad on some features, but overall, it has a long ways to go until they are able to capture and broaden their customer base. I've done an in-depth review of the Blackberry PlayBook vs Apple's iPad 2 which also includes video reviews. Hope this comparison of the two tablet PCs is helpful.

Filing 2010 Taxes in Canada

The April 30th deadline for filing 2010 taxes is fast approaching for most Canadians, unless of course you're self-employed, then June 30th deadline applies.

Filing taxes is not fun for anyone, but it's an important to file your tax returns on time in order to especially if you owe the government. If not, you could end up penalized in interest. If you are going to get a refund, then the faster you file your taxes, the better.

For the past 5+ years, I've filed my own tax returns using UFile. Prior to preparing my own tax returns, I used to use the services of an accountant. However, I decided to look into filing them myself and after some homework and calls to CRA, I found out that it's not all that difficult to file one's own tax returns.

Yes, it does take some time and effort, however, once you get the hang of it, it's quite simple if you use tax software like UFile. Some of the key features about using UFile are highlighted below:

• easy to use and handles complex tax situations;
• uses a step-by-step interview approach;
• automatically checks for tax deductions for maximum tax refund;
• highlights any anomalies before you're done;
• allows you to go back and correct errors;
• ability to file using NETFILE for faster refund.

And more importantly, UFile is the most competitive in terms of price. Also, you can file your tax return online or using a software-based application. You may also be eligible to file your taxes for free...check here.

Send Video Emails

The trend of sending video email is slowly, but surely starting to catch on. Most people are bombarded with so much text email that it’s difficult to stay caught up. As per stats, people retain 10 percent of what they hear, but 50% of what they see.

Sending a video message by embedding it into email is not only a fun way to send email to your family and friends, but a very personalized way to do so. iWowWe, has created a unique video email platform to help you do just that.

The best thing is that it is for free. There are a few other video email platforms that are out there in the market, but they are charging a monthly fee for the service. With iWowWe video email, you can send unlimited video email for free and change the way you communicate.

Now because it’s a free platform, you may be thinking the quality is not so good, but I can assure you that’s not the case with iWowWe video email. They not only provide a quality video email platform, but one that is simple to use with hundreds of pre-designed templates for various occasions.

If you like to customize stuff, you can even create your own templates. You can take a quick peek at this short video below to see what I’m talking about and what iWowWe video email has to offer you. If you like it, you can sign up for free HERE and start sending video through email...enjoy!

Firefox 4 Internet Browser Release Candidate

Mozilla Firefox has been beta testing its version 4 for many months and finally after running 12 beta tests on it, they released Firefox 4 Release Candidate on March 9, 2011.

When compared to Firefox 3.6 and the first beta, they have made significant improvements with over 7,000 bug fixes, faster speed and better stability, crash protection, better “look & feel”, and some cool features for developers as well, like HTML5, WebGL, Web console.

I’ve had the chance to do some beta testing on Firefox 4 beta 12 and was happy with the improvements that they’ve made, especially in term of speed and overall stability. However, I still prefer Google Chrome for its speed. Also, I ran a Peacekeeper Browser Benchmark test to do a comparison and Google Chrome did better overall compared to Firefox 4.

Having said so, I still prefer Firefox over Google Chrome due to its overall versatility and have hope that will continue to improve. I’ve written an in-depth SQUIDOO LENS which covers all the above in more detail, and includes video overviews and the Peacekeeper Browser Benchmark results.

What's the Buzz about QR Codes?

QR Codes are gaining popularity in the world of smartphones in US and Canada. They have been around for almost 20 years and have been widely used in Japan and Europe.

QR Codes are a type of 2D bar codes and are made up of black modules with a white background arranged in a square pattern.

They contain encoded information in them that, when scanned, will direct the recipient to a website URL, text message and the like. These codes are decoded by QR Code readers and can be easily downloaded to a smartphone for easy access.

QR Codes make it quite easy to access websites, download apps, browse maps, etc. by scanning them with a smartphone camera.

Businesses are using these codes for marketing and keeping in touch with their customers. As with any technology, the opportunity of fraud exists, therefore, be sure to be careful when scanning just any QR code.

I discuss all the above in more detail in my SQUIDOO WEB PAGE. Hope you find this useful!

Google Chrome Review: User Perspective

Google Chrome seems to be climbing up fast to be one of the most popular internet browsers. It was introduced in late 2008 and since then has gone through a lot of beta testing.

One of the main reasons most users like Google Chrome is because of its speed. There have been a lot of tests that have been done to compare Chrome’s speed with rivals, Internet Explorer and Firefox. Personally, I’ve found the performance of Google Chrome very impressive in most cases.

Given that I do a considerable amount of blogging as well as create Squidoo web pages, I find Chrome, especially outperforming Internet Explorer and FireFox in terms of speed. I still use Internet Explorer and FireFox as my browsers depending on what I’m doing. I’ve written a separate article on the Benefits of Using Multiple Browsers and you can feel free to chime in.

Though, I use Chrome for some of my online work, FireFox still remains my favourite browser so far because of its overall functionality. However, that may soon change given that Google is consistently improving it, including the introduction of a decent gallery of extensions (or add-ons).

I’ve written an extensive Squidoo web page on the Pros and Cons of Google Chrome, so feel free to check it out and provide your feedback and thoughts on using Chrome as your browser.

PeopleString: An Alternative to Facebook

PeopleString is the next generation social network!

It is similar to Facebook, except that you get paid to do the things you already do like use the social network to interact with friends, check email, play games, shop online, etc.

Unlike Facebook, PeopleString shares 70% of its advertising revenue with its members so everyone benefits from it.

You not only earn income from your activity, but also from people that you refer. PeopleString has a multi-tiered affiliate program that pays you through 6 levels.

PeopleString is a publicly-traded company and its parent company BigString Corporation has been around since 2003.

Membership to PeopleString is FREE, so JOIN IN and be part of the new evolution of social network.

Shopping Safely Online

Online Shopping has become very popular over the years as more and more people are using the internet.

Also, the comfort level and trust has increased. However, with the increase of traffic in terms of online shopping, internet fraud is on the rise as well.

Some of the most common forms of internet fraud are online auctions, phishing, credit card fraud and identity theft.

There are simple steps that can be taken to avoid being a victim of internet fraud and identity theft. I recently put together a SQUIDOO web page which gives you effective tips to prevent internet fraud: Some of the topics I cover are:

• Securing your computers and browsers;
• Effective use of passwords;
• Shopping at reputable online stores;
• Understanding privacy policies;
• Sharing personal information;
• Keeping track of transaction records.

I discuss all the above in more detail and provide valuable information to help you safely shop online in my Squidoo web page. Be safe when shopping for Christmas and Holiday Gifts online.

CLICK HERE to access my Squidoo web page on Shopping Safely Online.

Christmas 2010 Gift Ideas for Children and Teens

Christmas 2010 is approximately 37 days away and if you're still trying to decide what gifts to buy your child, teen, nephew, niece or friend's kids, I've put together SQUIDOO web pages to help you with unique and popular gift ideas.

CLICK HERE for gift ideas for children 12 & below.

CLICK HERE for gift ideas for teen boys & girls.

CLICK HERE for Christmas gift basket ideas.

Hope you find this useful and happy shopping!

Christmas 2010 Gift Ideas

Christmas 2010 is about 50 days away and I've been researching some of the unique holiday gift ideas this festive season. Most of us a busy with life and often leave the gift shopping bit towards the end.

One of the most time-consuming things about Christmas gift shopping is deciding what gifts to buy. I've done the work for you in terms of gift ideas for children in this SQUIDOO LENS.

Also, gift baskets make an exceptional family Christmas gift and I've listed down various ideas on gift baskets in a wide range of prices. If you would like to make your own gift basket, I show you how to do it as well. CLICK HERE to find out all about Christmas Gift Baskets.

Wishing you the best as you prepare for the upcoming Christmas season!

Talk Fusion: The Future of Video Communication

These past few months, I've been exploring video communication and have had a chance to review a few platforms.

Talk Fusion really stands out in every aspect, but most of all, I like its simplicity and incomparable price offering.

The online video industry is one of the fastest growing industries and is expected to grow ten-fold in the near future.

According to Talk Fusion, over 40 billion emails are sent daily, yet less than 1% of internet users have experienced video email.

Talk Fusion anticipated this trend and created an all-inclusive online video communication platform that includes:

     - Video EMAIL;                                        - Video Share;
     - Video CONFERENCING;                      - E-Subscription Form;
     - Video AUTO-RESPONDER;                  - Fusion Wall.
     - Video BLOG;

Below is a short video that provides an overview of the Talk Fusion video communication products:

A Quick Video Update from My Talk Fusion Studio

Hello Friends, hope you guys are having a fabulous week!

I've been in and out of town this past little while and have not been able to make blog posts as regularly as I would have liked to.

I've been busy exploring VIDEO COMMUNICATION as well and am impressed with what Talk Fusion has to offer.

Take a quick peek at this Talk Fusion video update from me above. I will be back to regular blog posting soon!

Checklist for New Canadian Immigrants

As newcomers to Canada, new immigrants have to do a few important things in order to ensure they start off on the right foot.

The first few days, weeks and months will bring about many challenges, but when you're prepared, it's much easier to deal with these challenges.

Some of the things that need to be taken care in terms of accessing government benefits and programs are listed below. Use this Newcomer's Checklist to help you navigate through the process:

• Apply for your Permanent Resident (PR) card;
• Apply for your Social Insurance Number (SIN) card;
• Apply for your Health Care card;
• Open a bank account and apply for a credit card;
• Apply for your Canadian driver's license;
• Enroll your children in school (if applicable);
• Validate your professional credentials.

Depending on which Canadian province or territory you are in, you will have to visit the appropriate website.

I've created a SQUIDOO web page in which you will find all the links you need as well as other important information to help you settle into this new life.

In case you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with me.

Wishing you all the best and welcome to Canada! :)

Article Marketing for Increased Blog Traffic

Getting quality web traffic to your website or blog is a work of art and can be quite challenging.

There are several tools available (paid and free). One of the effective ways to increase web traffic is through Article Marketing.

In Article Marketing the author submits short, original content articles to article directories and these articles are hosted free of cost on their high volume websites.

There are several article directories on the web, but the best one in terms of Alexa Rankings is EzineArticles.com. They have been around for a few years now and have built top credibility and have high Google rankings.

Though Article Marketing is effective, it's not for everyone. I put together a SQUIDOO web page in which I discuss in detail its basic concept, its benefits and the top article directories.

It also includes a discussion if this tool is right for you and training videos. Hope you find it useful.

Wishing you much success!