An Apple Geek Speaks Out
From the monthly archives:
Want to make a mix tape - but don’t have the songs to hand?
Step up FavTape, where you can make a mix tape full of your favorite songs, all streamed off the internet thanks to the SeeqPod API.
Here is my first tape with a few choice songs.
Come on people. Let’s restart the Music-o-blog-o and make some tapes!
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Since I am a fully fledged geek and a runner, I would love to combine my passions for both things to enjoy them at the same time! Enter the world of Running Technology, where GPS meets sweat bands and the cold hard open road meets hip mounted pedometers.
Here, I list my top 10 fave gadgets for the runner.
10. Running Socks
Specially designed running socks are able to keep your feet cooler, more comfortable, dryer and therefore reduce the risk of getting the dreaded blister. Made from high tech fibers, the socks are designed to re-distribute sweat away from the “key areas” to the whole of the fabric therefore reducing drying time and keeping you running longer.
Search eBay for deals on Running Socks. Expect to pay around $15 (£10) per pair.
9. Mini Sports Towel
Made from micro fibers that allow more moisture to be absorbed than that towel you borrowed from the bathroom to dry off with, the Micro Sports Towel is the runners best friend. During and after the run. Quickly rub down when you get back or carry the towel with you to mop your brow when running.
Search eBay for deals on Sports Towels. Expect to pay around $20 (£10) upwards.
8. Heart Rate Monitor
Geeks love stats and things that have LCD readouts too. A heart rate monitor, available in either a chest strapped version or a wrist mounted unit will allow you to keep an eye on how much you are pushing that little fist sized organ inside you. The majority of Heart Rate Monitors will also provide an alarm when you are at your limit - preferably before you are laying in the ambulance.
List eBay auctions for Heart Rate Monitors. Expect to pay around $50+ (£50+).
7. Pedometer
Want to see how far you have run? Or how many steps it took for you to run to the pub to catch last orders? Then you need a Pedometer. The pedometer works by counting your movements and translates that into how many steps you have taken. It’s certainly not an exact science, but the better, more expensive models come with better quality measuring equipment and better stats.
Search eBay for a good Pedometer. Expect to pay at least $10 for a good one (£10).
6. LED Head Torch
If you live in the UK, like what I does - you will be used to the cold, dark, misty mornings and getting home from school at 4pm only to find that it’s nearly night time already. If you are not able to run during the light hours of the day then a head torch will help guide the way past the local hoodies and stray doggy presents. Make sure you buy an LED one - as us geeks love LEDs - and possibly buy one with rechargable batteries too as this will keep the costs down over time.
Search for LED Head Torches on eBay. Expect to pay around $10 for an LED model (£10).
5. Sports Earphones
Make sure that your new iPod earphones don’t dangle and trip you up by buying a good set of Sports Earphones. This essential item usually wraps around your ears or behind your head for maximum comfort and stability when running. You can also get ones that “squidge” into your ears and hold fast, but they are not immune from the “cable yank” problem.
Get a good deal on some Sports Earphones at eBay. Expect to pay $5+ (£5) but go for a Sony or Nike model for max geekiness.
4. Nike+ Sports Kit
A few years ago, Nike and Apple teamed up to release the Nike+ Sports Kit which consists of a small transmitter located in your Nike+ compatible shoes and a wireless receiver that plugs into your iPod Nano. The transmitter sends pedometer style information to the iPod which records the movements giving you verbal feedback and music designed to fit your run. The new range of iPod Nano and iPod Touch have the Nike+ transmitter built in so you only need to get the transmitter.
Get the Nike+ Sports Kit on eBay. Expect to pay around $50 (£50). You can also buy adapters for the transmitter that allow you to use it with shoes other than Nike+ branded ones.
3. iPhone 3G
Since the introduction of the Nike+ Sports Kit, Apple and Nike have been in bed together - but that was until they released the iPhone. Although the iPhone is Apples flagship product (at the moment) it is NOT compatible with Nike+! What! Crazy stuff. And Apple have hinted that they are not planning to do so either. However - if you get an iPhone 3G, there are a few applications you can buy such as xxx and xxx that will track your run with GPS markers and provide excellent feedback and stats based on that data! If you have an iPhone 3G already then it is going to be cheaper to buy these applications rather than pay for a new iPod Nano and the Nike+ kit. And that wouldn’t give you GPS tracking anyway!
A cheap iPhone 3G can be found on eBay. Expect to pay around $200 (£200) for a second hand model.
2. Garmin Forerunner GPS Watch
If you want to know where you have been, what speed you were doing, how many calories you burnt up and what color was the underwear of that nice lady you jogged past then you need a Garmin Forerunner watch. Garmin have created a range of their Forerunner watches which go from the Forerunner 50 which has wireless heart rate monitor links and basic statistics - to the Forerunner 405 GPS sport watch which will do all of the heart rate monitoring plus GPS tracking when you are on your run. They even sync wirelessly to your PC/Mac when you huff and puff back to your house. The GPS versions of the watch allow you to plot your run on an online map and share/compete against others worldwide. Definitely an amazing piece of kit.
Find deals on the Garmin Forerunner watches here. Expect to pay from $100 (£100) upwards and nearer $300 (£300) for the top models.
1. iPod Nano
Apple recently announced a new range of iPod Nano’s that have the capability to wirelessly work with the Nike+ Sports Kit transmitter. Instead of having to plug in the receiver, Apple have combined the interface into the new Nano. Add to that Apple’s excellent track record of making an amazing MP3 music and video player and you have a winner on your hands - or arm. The new iPod Nano is also Apple’s slimmest and lightest yet, so running with it strapped to your arm will be the perfect addition to a geek’s running gear.
Get the iPod Nano and Sports Arm Strap at eBay. Expect to pay around $100+ (£100+)
I expect there will be lots of runners out there who swear by other Geeky products to help the run, get home and then recover.
If you have, let me know.
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What is BANS?
Build A Niche Store (BANS) is a software product that allows you to easily create an online store providing affiliate links to products from eBay. BANS sites are often referred to as “Niche Stores” as they target a small subset of items from eBay rather than an entire market.
An example of this would be a site that sells “pink ipod cases” rather than just “ipods”.
How does it work?
When a visiting customer to your site clicks through to eBay, a cookie is dropped onto their PC and anything they buy from eBay in the next 7 days gets attributed to you and eBay credit you with a proportion of their fees for the sales.
eBay also give bonuses for signing up new users who register from your website and then confirm their new account via the automated email eBay send them. This bonus can be as high as $25 per signup.
How do I use BANS?
To set up a store using the BANS software, you will need to obtain several things:
Common Misconceptions
BANS is not a “set and forget” site.
Google loves sites that are crawling with unique information and quality articles. If you install BANS “out of the box” and do nothing to make your site unique, informative or “value adding” to your niche market, Google will drop you from their indexes.
BANS does involve work.
Working with the BANS software is a dream and it makes the setup of the store a breeze, but there is more to it than that. You need to be able to commit time to promoting the site through internet marketing techniques, writing pages of information, getting quality back links and directory submissions.
I would expect 1 BANS store to take at least 1 hour of work per day to slowly become profitable.
This hour would need to continue even after the store has become profitable.
eBay and Google can kill your site - dead.
There has recently been a tide of account terminations from the eBay Partner Network initiated by them in a drive to weed out “bad affiliates” and sites that send them “low quality visitors”. There are many possible pitfalls to setting up a BANS store and being dropped by eBay is just one of the ways your store could come to a prompt close - possibly through no action of your own. Being de-indexed from the Google results also makes your store somewhat invisible to searchers - unless they use alternatives such as Yahoo or Live.com.
Research, research, research!
People who buy BANS expect to be able to create a site in 10 minutes that sells the latest games console or MP3 player and then get tons of visitors within hours who will buy through them.
This is the most common pitfall of the 1st time BANS user.
If you created a BANS site that sold iPods, then you will be competing with the other 371 million pages on Google that also feature the word “ipod”. And how many of them do you think sell iPods? Lots.
To succeed with BANS, you need to be able to grasp the concepts of keyword research to find out what people are looking for. You also need to know which products sell and what people are actually typing into search engines to find them. Be prepared to learn as much as you can about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and keep abreast of the latest internet marketing techniques.
What to do next.
Firstly, and if you are serious about starting using BANS as a way of making money online - I would get yourself a website and set it up with Wordpress.
Secondly, I would start writing about something you love - a hobby or something you are passionate about. But also think of how you could make money from that passion too. Are you interested in Stamp Collecting? If so, an enthusiastic blog written about the subject could drive sales of stamps, albums and books. If you are passionate about Mustang Cars then you may be looking to link people to sales of those cars, car parts or modifications on eBay.
Also, it’s easier to write about things you know and love.
Thirdly, and once you have your site up and running and are starting to get visitors and searches from Google, apply to the eBay Partner Network and list your site as part of your application. It’s certain to “grease the wheels” and speed through your submission to acceptance.
If eBay do not accept your application, there are other affiliate networks available you can join, but ones that do not work with the BANS software:
Sites like these will help you hook up with other affiliate deals related to your website.
Sign up for the PepperJam Network and get a $10 sign on bonus
eBay accepted me! What’s next?
Well done! You are on the way to making money online as an affiliate marketer.
Head over to the Build A Niche Store website and purchase your copy of the BANS software.
I strongly recommend using Dreamhost as your hosting provider. I have used them for several years and have had no issues with either Wordpress or BANS running. Hostgator, as recommended by the BANS owners often gets blocked by eBay and looses people money in the process!
Once you have cracked your first store and are making money from it, replicate the same principles and make another - and another! Then you will be making three times the amount.
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Fed up of paying too much to get access to download what you need from Rapidshare?
I know I am. With all that is going on in the world at the moment with credit crunches and banks going underground. The last thing we need is to pay too much for the stuff that we need!
Are you interested to hear that there is a cheaper option to getting access to Rapidshare?
You are? Great! And you want full unlimited access to download what you want, when you want! I know I do!
Where can you get cheap and legal access to a Rapidshare Premium account?
Well. Let me tell you. You have probably heard of the website that gives you this amazing deal. Its a widely known website where you can buy all sorts of stuff for knock down prices and at amazing prices…..
eBay!
Yep! You heard me right! You can buy Rapidshare Premium accounts on eBay!
And the best part is… if you are buying from a currency that is stronger that the US dollar at the moment - you get an even better deal!
Click HERE to go straight to eBay auctions for Rapidshare Premium Accounts - and enjoy!
ps….: Don’t forget to check out my RSSSearch page where you can find the links you need!
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If the Large Hadron Collider doesn’t kills us all tomorrow by creating a series of small black holes that will eat the earth from the inside out, Apple will have launched their new range of iPods and maybe added a whole new range of products at the same time.
It is rumored that the iPod Nano will return to a “long and slim” form factor and that there will be larger capacity iPod Touch’s too.
September is usually the time that Apple rolls a revamped iPod out the door, but as Apple are asking the media to cover this event claiming it will “be a big deal” - it’s hard not to expect something else new being launched or an old product being revamped.
I was in my local Apple store at the weekend and the iMac Mini was strangely absent from the displays… Hmmm. Am i reading to much into that?
Follow the event from the usual array of “live bloggers” at the event or just wake up tomorrow morning and “smell the future”.
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It seems that last week, someone or something hacked my Gmail account and sent the following message to everyone in my contacts list:
Hi,
This program is fastest and the easiest way to
create
an income stream that can gradually replace your current job or
careerGet $349,859.00 For A One-Time Fee Of $29.99!
No Advertising
And No Recruiting Required!
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No Waiting All
Payments Are Made When Due!
$455.34 In Products With Resale Rights!
Whilst this sounds like an amazing deal and is definitely something that I would urge people to do (but pay me instead of them) - I did not send it out. The message went to the first person in my contacts list with everyone else “Blind Carbon Copied” in after.
Unfortunately the message went to a couple of people that I definitely would not have wanted it to go to and I got some choice words back - but hey! It’ not my fault - apologies to all.
Time to change all of my passwords and cull my contacts list methinks!
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Well, it's not a giant lizard slaying robot and its not a new religion.
It's just a place for me to hang out, store my thoughts and technical musings and stay in contact with my friends. It's purpose may change in the future - who knows!
That's all part of the fun.
