This is a subsequent episode of my previous post about more powerful servers are required with the increasing needs of the Internet.

As I have been playing with the Internet in a variety of ways… i.e.

1. Checking my emails
2. Coding and designing my various websites up (hitting about 40 of them)
3. Hanging around in the social media to get more exposure with the various users on the Internet
4. Learning how to do copywriting for my websites
5. And obviously, surfing the Internet… (i.e. watching videos, reading the web, online shopping, etc)

it has become apparent to me that the Internet is the new way of using your computer.  Google has been an evangelist to educate the whole world that you don’t need any other applications other than a web browser.. Well, I think it’s true that most of our time, we are only opening the web browser.  Do you really open any other applications, frankly?

Well, Google has come up with this new operating system for your computer.  I don’t view it as a competitor to Windows, Macintosh and any other open source operating systems such as Linux or any BSD.  That’s because they only focus on the single function… That’s to focus your whole computer to dedicate every single resource on the Internet.

It makes the whole browsing experience even better since you don’t have to wait for your computer resources (e.g. hardware and other software) to load when you don’t need them.  You don’t even need to wait for 50 seconds!

Here’s the deal that Google has promised… Check the video out below.

Well, if you do use computer only because of the Internet access, why not just give it a try by setting up your computer to boot up Google Chrome OS from a USB drive?

While Google is still testing and fine-tuning Google buzz, will you actually start using it when you are already using Twitter and friendfeed?

There has been a lot of controversial topics about using Google Buzz.. Some reject the idea of using Google Buzz because they are already dedicated their time on twitter. Some embrace the idea of using Google Buzz because they do think this is the next big thing to work on.

But come to think of it.. If Buzz is released by an unknown startup company, will it ever come to this stage of creating a dent on twitter, facebook and friendfeed? I doubt so.

I do believe that it’s all because of Google, everybody takes Google Buzz seriously. But one thing to note is that Google don’t have much experience in starting something the social media world. This step will actually determine that there is a possibility that they will eventually start even more social media websites.

I think there are some resistance out there to use Google Buzz.  It has brought to my attention that a lot of twitter folks seem to be feeling that they have spent a lot of time on twitter, establishing themselves over there when there is a new upcoming social media (Google Buzz) for them to work on as well.

Twitter is already draining a lot of our time as we want to establish our brand awareness.  But it seems to me that the Google Buzz is created simply by taking the best out of Twitter, Friendfeed and Facebook.

In my own experience, I think that:

• Twitter is for us to broadcast and speak to our followers whether they are replying or not.
• Facebook is for us to update our personal status and thoughts currently.
• Friendfeed is more like a place to aggregate whatever that we have done so far for social media.  It’s also a place where we can see comments being shown for what we do.
• What about Google Buzz?

I would like to think of Google Buzz as a place where we can put up a topic to discuss about in an open fashion.  I am trying not to merge my twitter with my Google Buzz because I want to attract the right crowd in the right place.  Many of us are still experimenting with Google Buzz.  Whether Google Buzz is going to be worthwhile for us to spend our time or not, we cannot deny that there is some potential for this social media to grow.

Moreover, I actually think that Google Buzz is more like an extension to my Google Reader subscribers.  I have an account with Google Reader that people can subscribe to what I would like to share with them about.  And Google Buzz has actually merged them nicely together.

Whichever the case, I am still trying out Google Buzz, and would want to be one of the pioneers to find out how to mould this little social media tool into something that is useful for the rest of the world.

No, I don’t own iRiver Story Ebook, Hanlin or Amazon Kindle yet.

I was on the lookout for an ebook reader for all these while.  It’s mainly because of the emerging Amazon Kindle, I finally thought of getting an ebook reader.  It’s also because I have a lot of PDF files to read, and reading off from the laptop can be tiring to my eyes.  However, Amazon has discouraged me from buying when they are not supporting delivering the Kindle device as well as the Kindle contents to Singapore.  Although I have found a way to get the Kindle, it turned out that it may not be a good idea to get Kindle since it is not supported and it is really an expensive device.

Hence, I looked out for more choices.  Then, I found Hanlin at a blog after doing some google search around.  She gave a very detailed understanding of how the ebook device works.  I went ahead and look out for more ebook reader and found iRiver Story E-Book from the Challenger store at VivoCity.  I have mixed feelings about this, and even thought of buying it as I held it in my hands…

I will leave the technical details of iRiver with the HardwareZone website to explain to you.

My first impression of iRiver is with my experience using their MP3 players.  I could still remember how “fragile” it is even though it has so many functions all packed in one player.  It spoils quickly… And that was when I was still schooling… It’s quite disappointing at that time.

Hence, on my first day at the Challenger store, I played with this ebook reader for a very long time, and reading the contents within.  The screen feels like I am reading from paper… That’s because it is using e-ink technology.  According to my understanding in their press release, it looks like color version of e-ink version is just a matter of time as the technology giants are just playing with the market, pampering the color version only at a very later stage (so that they can continue to stay in business?).

In any case, I think black and white version is pretty good enough to last me for quite a while (if I ever had my hands on it…).  I went through the matrix comparison of different ebook readers.  After a couple of rounds, I have come to a conclusion that Hanlin is the best choice so far.  It supports the widest range of file formats, and even has wireless version.  The only unknown factor is whether it is supporting the reading of RSS feeds.  I had contacted Jinke and I am aiming to get my hands on their new A9 series…

Another reason why I am thinking of getting Hanlin A9 is that their ebook readers support APIs so I can develop or to get any additional applications out of the ebook reader!  In any case, I just wish I could get my hands on Hanlin as soon as I can!  (Possibly by my birthday? That’s only if Hanlin can fulfill that… But they will only do mass production in Q2 of 2010…)

I have followed about 500 tweeps.  I found myself really hard to categorize them in different lists.  Not that I don’t want to list all of them, 500 is just too time consuming.  I wonder for those who follows over 1000 tweeps, how did you manage with your following and listing…

Ever since Twitter has introduced list, this is somehow going to be used as a measure of what people are perceiving you, which gives a very good idea to all of us.  If someone lists you as a web designer, I will know that I can think of you when I need a web design.  When someone lists you as a problogger, we will know that you are a professional blogger over here.

I will want to list all the tweeps that I have followed.  If not, I will have followed them for nothing.  If I ever have a problem listing them, it’s probably I just don’t have any chemistry with them since I still don’t know them after following for so long.

Sometimes, do you wonder who you really follow?  There is an information overload here.  Information is following too quickly with the tweeps that I have followed.  Listing is a good idea of categorizing them, but can we use these lists in the various Twitter APIs?  I will hope to see a major improvement in TweetDeck to use the list function!

As I spoke to different agencies, I do realize that the agencies are still struggling with understanding how the social media works for them.  It’s like a code hard to crack.  And on the other hand, I got to learn about the existence of a few 15-year-old guys who started their own tech blog called Techxav.com.  It’s founded by a 15 year old Singaporean boy called Xavier Lur.  I was really excited to know that they are working out big projects which are still within their means so long as they know about programming and are keen in learning about hardware and software.

Looks to me that the people who have been practising online marketing communications have to re-learn something new from the young generations.  Yet, the demand is now obvious when more and more people are using the social media as their main reason to be online.  The only deal that they have confidence in is with the paid advertisement.  In layman term, they want to be the middleman to handle the Google Adwords, banner ads, text link ads and video ads for their clients.

Social media is something whereby all of us are still experimenting.  I am still trying them out.  The agencies are also trying them out.  The other businesses are also trying them out.  It’s only a matter of time when the social media will become mature enough for all of us to know how to get the best results out of it.

With all these, I can foresee that Web 2.0 will be gracefully accepted by the businesses in Asia by the mid of 2010 when experience is being gathered further.

Gone are the days when only brands hold the power of communications. Welcome to the conversations from the actual customers who express their feedback through the various channels such as YouTube, twitter, blogs, facebook status and more!

Marketeers are having a harder time as their potential customers would most likely to believe a video review through YouTube, than to believe a promo campaign. Some marketeers became undercovers as they express their positive feedback on blogs, etc. Other marketeers simply feed a positive customer with materials so that they continue to “poison” the consumers’ mindsets.

At the end of the day, marketeers seem to have very little say in how they want to position their products.

On the other hand, this actually helps to educate the companies that they should focus on better quality in terms of products and after-sales. Many companies were set up to focus mainly on marketing but their products are not up to standard!

I can still remember someone saying that marketing is more important than product quality; no matter how good your product is, you’ll not succeed in gaining market share.. Boy, i think there’s a change of paradigm now or very soon..

Conversation is going to be natural force of empowering the marketing efforts. But again, will that actually affect other media tremendously? We’ll wait and see..

It has been official that Eric Schmidt has to leave Apple’s board.  It looks to most people that it is a friendly departure.  I believe that it must be a friendly one as there is definitely a conflict over here.  However, looking from a very big picture, this is telling me something about Apple and Google.

First of all, I don’t believe that Eric Schmidt is willing to leave the board.  It must have been a decision from Apple, and Eric is agreeable to it since it is undeniable that there is a conflict of interest in terms of Google operating system and Google phone.

Apple’s sudden decision

Google and Apple has been a good combination.  When Apple came out with IPhone, it’s no surprise to see Google developing web applications optimized for Apple.  When  Google application was rejected on Apple’s iPhone App Store, it must have been a shock to Eric who was still on Apple’s board.  It’s hard not to link Eric’s departure to be a sudden decision as well.

Level of Google’s expansion

It seems to me that the giants are not very willing to work together even if they are in competition.  At least not at that personal level of being on Apple’s board.  Google will very soon be the attention of everybody as they are slowly going into every market that we can imagine.  Other than being on the search engine, they are going into computer’s operating system to vie with Microsoft and Apple, mobile phone’s operating system to vie with Nokia, Apple and Blackberry, and ebook business to vie directly with Amazon.  It’s probably a matter of time that Google will have their very own ebook reader!

The Internet is still going in Google’s way!

It’s definitely hard to break Google’s market dominance on the Internet.  Google is working so closely with many partners with the only mission of organizing the world’s information and making it universally accessible and useful.  Universal means that their applications must be able to work with all the major software companies.  Apple’s action is telling signs that they are not very willing to help Google anymore.  Microsoft is definitely trying very hard to go against Google with Bing + Yahoo as well.

Will Google be able to continue to be successful in their various milestones of achieving their mission?  Frankly speaking, I really hope so because Google is my favorite company!

• Recommended @bkmacdaddy to @MrTweet 'He gives great information about building the web. Great to learn from, and fol…' http://bit.ly/k3Oeb #
• Recommended @wpstudios to @MrTweet 'they are great in giving providing information especially in WordPress.' http://bit.ly/5i8×1 #
• RT @ruhanirabin: July 2009's Most Popular Posts [[this Is Good]] http://bit.ly/DAuuJ #
• RT @TrendTracker @KendraLeeKLA @paulcastain: 25 outstanding #LinkedIn tips http://tinyurl.com/l4qog6 #
• RT @konfigmaster: RT @MacGeeky: 100+ Amazing & Beautiful Firefox Wallpapers that you may not have seen before http://bit.ly/4jw6Cy #
• RT @konfigmaster: RT @mashable: Forget the Apple Tablet, Try the MacBook Cake [Pics] – http://bit.ly/15pbn0 #
• RT @smashingmag: The Ultimate Guide To Speeding Up Firefox 3.5 – http://tr.im/v67d #
• RT @phaoloo: 6 Things You Need For Your Web Project To Succeed http://bit.ly/118DGs #
• Recommended @wpstudios to @MrTweet 'they are great in giving providing information especially in WordPress.' http://bit.ly/5i8×1 #
• RT @GuyKawasaki: Real time animation makes inroads: http://om.ly/?DQcq GR #
• RT @phaoloo: 10 Typography Tips To Bring Your Skills To The Next Level http://bit.ly/HOfIa #
• RT @phaoloo: RT @bradgal: RT @gaksdesigns: How To Unfollow On Twitter With Class http://bit.ly/W3Wba #
• Afternoon everybody! #
• RT @featureBlend: LOL! –> RT @Avinio: Realtime & Wrong Time http://bit.ly/B1byB #humor > via @applemacbookpro #
• RT @cristianvasile: How to Hide or Style your Subcategories in WordPress http://bit.ly/TCAcz #
• RT @phaoloo: 50+ New And Beautiful Free Wordpress Themes http://bit.ly/uYYO4 #
• Defining Your Personal Brand http://bit.ly/YgjbR #
• 7 Steps to Building a Genuine Relationship With Your Readers http://bit.ly/NXp1Q #
• RSS Subscribers or Twitter Followers: Which Are Worth More? http://bit.ly/19hYFa #
• When Do You Use Twitter Versus Facebook? http://bit.ly/19BF6h #
• Companies want applicants with social-media skills – Atlanta Journal Constitution http://bit.ly/18XEq2 #
• RT @TrendTracker: 100 Free Online Courses on Journalism, Blogging, New Media http://bit.ly/q7CTt RT @twittilicious #
• I have removed my twitter updates from facebook status… It's just not suitable in that environment for my twitter updates #
• RT @cheth: Reading: Twitter spam forcing top twitter users to disengage- http://ow.ly/iPFK #
• RT @featureBlend: 9 Useful Strategies to Dealing with Difficult People at Work http://bit.ly/eA5od #
• RT @ruhanirabin @writer_sheri How to add a "trendy" custom border around blog images http://bit.ly/18vtG8 #

• Does social media make you less sociable offline? #
• twibble application just released new version #
• Naming Idea – Define the Brand Personality Before Naming Your Business http://bit.ly/muiFQ #
• AT&T and Apple Ban Google Voice App: Is It Illegal? http://bit.ly/AJJrd #
• YouTube Redesign: Becoming the Google of Video? http://bit.ly/x0UQL #