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SixApart launches Movable Type version 4.0

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Movable Type 4Six Apart launches the fourth version of its publishing system, Movable Type, after its public beta version was released some time in June.

Now with more than 50 new features, Movable Type 4 makes content management easier, allowing users to choose from 30 new ready-made templates, administer multiple blogs, and publish content with a WYSIWYG editor that makes posting text, photos, audio, and other files with ease. MT4 also comes with a more community-focused interaction as it supports OpenID commenting, as well as third-party plugins.

While the new Movable Type comes out with significant improvements, comparing it with WordPress’ open source system is inevitable. Some experts who have already tested MT4 comment on its limited available themes (compared to thousands of WordPress themes), and its more complicated dashboard interface. MT4, however, is reported to be more user-friendly to those who wants to modify templates without the CSS know-how.

MT4 makes importing blog content from another platform easier too. However, for those who are already accustomed to WordPress, shifting to Movable Type could result to both advantages and disadvantages. Know more about MT4 here.

Originally posted on August 15, 2007 @ 5:27 am

Blogs and online groups key to reach Gen Y shoppers

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maritzpoll_logo.jpgThe youth market often dubbed as Generation Y or Millenial group is one of the hottest market segments today, luring many retailers to pump more investments here. In the new Maritz Poll, a national consumer opinion survey conducted periodically by Maritz Research, has revealed that this segment is more responsive to online groups and blogs compared against SMS or text message.

About 48 percent of Generation Y respondents said they belong to an online group hosted by a retailer and 21 percent have used blogs as a resource on purchasing decisions. Even though the market is sending about 17 text messages per day, about 65% would definitely not subscribe to offers solicited via cell phone or PDA

“Because peer opinions are extremely important to Generation Y, they’re likely to take online reviews posted by their peers to heart. Retailers should also pay close attention to blogs and online reviews mentioning their products and brand and consider fixing problems that repeatedly come up. Retailers need to show Gen Y they are listening,” said Gloria Park Bartolone, division vice president, Maritz Research’s Retail Group

On the other hand, another study shows that college students are now more interested in mobile advertisements. I think there will be more changes in mobile advertising that can affect this current survey.

Originally posted on August 10, 2007 @ 12:00 am

Life goes on for Fake Steve Jobs

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The Real Steve JobsIn a not-so-new but still widely-talked-about news, life goes on for Fake Steve Jobs even after his real identity — Daniel Lyons, 46 years old senior editor of Forbes magazine — was unveiled to the world wide web.

After more than a year of anonymity, with the past months growing with more and more rumors on who the real FSJ is, New York Times journalist Brad Stone cracked the mystery that has long been speculated upon and revealed Lyons as the man behind The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs.

Now as a reaction to the unexpected revelations, Lyons (aka Fake Steve Jobs) posted “Damn, I am so busted, yo” in his usual satiric style of writing that Silicon Valley and the blogosphere has grown to hate and love. “Well it had to happen. Honestly I can’t believe it’s taken this long. But as you may have heard, I’ve been busted by a newspaper reporter. My cover has been blown,” Lyons said.

In spite of the blown cover, however, there’s no stopping Fake Steve Jobs. Lyons keeps his fake identity and continues to blog about Apple, as well as Silicon Valley elites, as if not swayed by the revelation. And since his cover has already been revealed, Forbes.com will soon be hosting his blog as well, to their pleasure.

“Apple faithful, here in our darkest hour I know what you’re thinking: What’s next for FSJ? Well, I’m taking a few days off to sit in a lake and do some yoga and meditation and non-thinking. Then I’m coming back next week, badder than ever, with a new sponsor — my homeboys at Forbes.com.” Lyons said in the same comeback post.

Some of us would think (including Lyons himself) that by revealing who the real “Fake Steve Jobs” is, Stone singlehandedly “robbed thousands of people around the world of their sense of childlike wonder”. After all, it was the mystery blogger that made the Secret Diary of Steve Jobs more.. well, mysterious.

Still, all worked out well for Lyons (whose secret diary now gets almost half a million page views a day), and Forbes.com (who didn’t know that they have in their payroll the Fake Apple CEO) and Steve Jobs himself (who seems to be enjoying his very own satire). Also, at least the real Steve Jobs won’t have to wonder if it was Bill Gates who was blogging as him.

Postscript. The photo above is of the Real Steve Jobs.

Originally posted on August 9, 2007 @ 3:43 am

TheNewsRoom.com now offering MTV News to thousands of web sites and blogs

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newsroom.jpgVoxant and MTV Music Television announced that MTV News programming, with an emphasis on gaming, is now available to web sites and blogs in both video and print formats through Voxant’s online site, TheNewsRoom.com. Web publishers and bloggers who register with TheNewsRoom may obtain free video and print clips from MTV News and post that content to their own web sites, extending the reach of MTV News content through viral syndication.

“Making MTV News’ content available for viral syndication is a win-win proposition for MTV and Voxant,” said Voxant CEO Jeff Crigler. “MTV will have a way to make its licensed video and print news available to thousands of web sites and blogs that cover music and gaming, while its content gives TheNewsRoom deep coverage of music news, as well as expert commentary and reviews on games and gaming systems.”

MTV News content is available through TheNewsRoom as individual clips and custom news feeds that appear in an MTV branded player. Voxant’s proprietary syndication technology allows copyright-protected news to be obtained from TheNewsRoom and legally embedded on web sites and blogs, where it can then be redistributed to an infinite number of additional sites in a true viral distribution model. A tracking system and dashboard also record where the content has traveled on the web and how often it is viewed, in addition to providing the ability to block content from appearing on inappropriate sites. All content is accompanied by advertising, which provides revenue to content owners and sites where content is published.

Originally posted on August 8, 2007 @ 9:41 am

SharedBook introduces enhanced Blog2Print widget

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sharedbook.jpgSharedBook Inc. introduced an enhanced version of its Blog2Print blog printing widget with a new embedded photo feature and improved performance overall.

Blog2Print offers a one-click way to turn blog posts into printed book products. The widget also provides bloggers with an opportunity to monetize the content on their site(s) by receiving a 20 percent share of the retail price of all blog books made by others of their content.
 
With the enhanced version, Blog2Print now automatically flows photographs and other images into blog book format along with the appropriate text, similar to the way content appears online. Additional enhancements include the ability to format more complex blogs. All updates will seamlessly apply to the Blog2Print widgets that have been placed on blogs to date.

Originally posted on August 2, 2007 @ 12:05 pm