Shaine Mata Blog

You don't friend people on Google+, you add them to a circle. If you want to follow somebody, you can; they don't have to follow you back. Your posts either go to one or several of your circles, or they are public. This is very convenient. One example is a politics circle. There are a group of people with whom I would discuss politics because it is our business. I don't exactly want to post political stuff to everybody because I don't have time to argue every single post, especially when it's not even something I wrote. There are other aspects of day to day life that I don't necessarily want blasted to everybody. Not that it's sensitive information; rather, some information is not actionable or interesting to certain circles. Going back to yesterday's post, the ability to choose who sees what content is a feature of Orkut, Wave, Buzz, and now Google+; except G+ makes the choice mandatory to get started. More importantly, G+ makes the sorting proces

The main selling feature of Google+ is Circles , which controls what posts are seen by whom. Certainly, you have different audiences for different kinds of content. But, we've seen versions of Circles before. Starting with Orkut And there was Google Wave . Then going to Google Buzz . Compared to the latest iteration, Google+ Circles. Ultimately, I don't think Google has invented anything new here. But, they may have made using groups drop dead easy; which may make all the difference. Currently, segmenting your posts is easy for somebody like me. However, it may not be easy enough for the average user. Segmenting my posts to groups has not really been useful for me mainly because Google products have not had the same draw for other people in my life as other sites have. For the handful of Orkut friends who still visit my profile , it's not worth breaking up posts for one or two people. My Google Buzz has a bigger group of friends; but, they are mainly

A recurring argument I hear against Rick Perry I hear is, "oh great, another president from Texas." Setting aside Rick Perry's nationality, ;-) ... the running propaganda is that George Bush, the two-term president, was an idiot. This served GW well. His opponents misunderestimated him. The "another idiot from Texas" propaganda serves Perry well too. It means the opposition misunderestimates him. And when the debates come between the pontificating Obama and Perry who is quick on his feet, he'll owe a great debt to his opponents for setting the bar so low. Beyond that, it implies that if an idiot had a much better economy than the president, then the president must REALLY be inept.  You can't have it both ways.

http://tinyurl.com/5vlmjla Are you better off today than you were when Obama took office? Texans say, "I'm OK." Non-Texans say, "No."

Brief conference call with Lebby Salinas about tips to succeed at the Pound for Pound Challenge. Listen

Salome came up in conversation. What would we do without the Internet?

This post is also a procrastination technique. Dammit! Need to work on executive function.

Sad to hear the Peter Falk has died at age 83. Younger people probably don't know who Peter Falk is. If you're that age, Google his name and you'll hear all about his TV character, Columbo. The character was a detective who always seemed out of his league up until the moment he solved a case. He had a unique interview style in which he'd ask questions and, just as he was about to leave, he'd stop and say, "oh, just one more question". This was usually the question that would lead to breaking the case later on. Falk was an accomplished actor; but, his most memorable role was that of Detective Columbo. If you enjoy watching Monk, you'll enjoy watching Columbo whenever you can catch it. I am always sad to hear when people develop Alzheimer's, which Falk had. It's ironic that one of his character's traits was that he was always losing his lighter. I am grateful for the entertainment Peter Falk has provided over the years. May he rest in p

I've been experimenting with a couple of Google accounts, MissionTexas.net and RGV Life . The first is a local blog for my home town; the second is a regional blog about current events happening in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. The experiment involves posting upcoming events using Google Buzz and Blogger. Here is a link to Google Maps with the Buzz layer activated . You can click on any of the word bubbles on the map to see the content. Some Background Blogger allows you to add the location of your blog post from your desktop; however, it is a crude location, allowing you only to select the city. From the mobile Blogger app , you can select the venue; but, only if you are nearby. So, blogging about a location or an event at that location has the practical limitation of requiring you to be at the place that is the subject of your blog post. Google Maps on Android allows you to select the exact location that is the subject of your Google Buzz post, it can be anywh

Image by davidciani via Flickr Jannik Lindquist recently Buzzed about how he is using a Google Profile as a homepage for a neighborhood association . This is an easy and simple way to throw up a web presence in minutes. It is a simple process. You buy a domain You forward the domain to your Google Profile By filling out your profile with all the relevant information about your organization, business, or whatever, you achieve the same results as a basic website. While you could use Wordpress, Blogger, or any number of blogging platforms for publishing updates to your audience, it would serve the same purpose if you simply use Google Buzz.  Advantages: Free hosting for a simple information page.  Google Buzz Public posts Private group posts Easy commenting Social component Integrated photos, calendar, email, documents, video, and other Google products.  I thought it was a good idea. I decided to buy shainemata.me and implement the idea with my own profile.  This idea i

I joined my local Masonic Lodge back around 1999. I was still young and going to the local community college. My history professor took our class on a field trip to Camargo, Mier, and what was once Nuevo Camargo across the border in México. As a youth, I remember seeing the square and compass displayed on various statues and signs in Reynosa, another city across the border. While having lunch on our field trip, I asked the professor about the symbol. That's when I first learned about Freemasons. As luck would have it, my professor was a Mason too. When I asked him how one becomes one, he said, "it's very simple; to be one, you ask one." When we got home, I researched the history of Freemasons; I was fascinated by their history and the numerous famous members. Soon after, I contacted my local lodge and went through the process of becoming a Mason. It took some work; but I eventually went through the degrees and became a Master Mason. Being young and poor, one of my

I could not find the little screw that holds the lens in place. I used a staple to hold my glasses together while I figure out how to fix them.

Test preformed in Mission, Texas. Obviously, 3G won't get the full benefit of HSPA+; but the backhaul upgrade should allow 3G to max out more frequently as 4G users spend less time choking up the channel. At least in theory. Upload speed has varied greatly, between 300 kbps to 2000 kbps. Download speed has gone up to 6000 kbps, averaging around 4000 kbps.

I received an email while I was at work informing me that I could access Google Music . I'm so excited. Off the bat, I can tell you that you get some free music so you can put it through its paces. You get to choose the genres.  First, let me start off by describing what Google Music is not. It's not Pandora or Slacker . The music that you hear on Google Music is your own music. If you've ripped all your CDs and downloaded a bunch of music purchases, that's what you'll put into Google Music. You do have the ability to purchase music; but, you don't have to repurchase. You are storing your existing music to the web.  Why Google Music? Two words: syncing hassle.  As in, Google Music eliminates the hassle of syncing your music on your devices. Once you upload all your music to Google Music, you can stream your music to your Android phone (for now) or work computer. This means that you can use any computer to log in and listen to the music you already own. 

Experimenting with another syncing service. Let's see if I don't bring the whole Internet crashing down again.

Tonight, I was using my Android device to place public announcements at different locations through Google Maps and Buzz. One of the features of Android is the ability to switch between/amongst Google accounts. There was an error in posting. I logged in as RGV Life, but it posted as SMCRGV. After noticing the error the first time, I changed the account to another and then back. A second post still displayed as SMCRGV. Which account I use isn't critical, they are PSAs of sorts; but I can see this being a problem for somebody some day. You may consider test posts before posting meaningful content if you use multiple accounts on your Android device.

At the risk of sounding like a weenie, I survived a 6 mile bike ride. It has been over one year since my last bike ride. Naturally, some muscles have atrophied and lost their endurance. 'Twas only 6 miles to go pick up a client check. 98 degree weather. I made it without serious burning or heart pounding. Even with the certain soreness tomorrow, things seem positive for resuming my bike rides. Typically, I used to ride 10 to 20 miles through trails. Would be interesting to ride longer distances; but I only have so much time to dedicate. Will need new handle grips, gloves, and water bottle cage. Bike could use a chain cleaning. It was filthy from storage. Maybe a new seat.

Google Buzz has been capturing a great deal of my imagination lately. When I look at all the ways in which it integrates with other services, it seems like open territory waiting to be explored. The down side is that I have somewhat forsaken the other social networks. For example, Google Latitude allows you to check in to places. This works for now as I want to cultivate friendships on Buzz. In Buzz, I find that there indeed is a community; but, it's very different from the A-list social media crowd. It's kind of like what social media was back in the days. People share, discuss, and chat; but it tends to be a tighter group. Most social media big names have shied away from Buzz because they don't enjoy the same numbers of followers there. They will tell you all day about cultivating community and reaching out to your audience; that is, only if everybody jumps on the bandwagon with them. Otherwise, it's a failure. In the case of Google Buzz, it's actually a g

Android available through prepaid carriers brings all that is good and holy about mobile marketing to the masses. It's not only Boost; there is Cricket, Virgin Mobile, and even prepaid versions of AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. None of these services lock you in with a contract. Data doesn't cost extra. Your business should really look into mobile marketing, which is mainly local.

The blogging spirit seems to have died out a bit in me. I'm not sure if it's that I am busier, that micro blogging has diverted some creative mojo, or if I am simply less interested in sharing. Perhaps it is a combination of all of the above. Do you blog as much as you have in the past? What motivates you? How do you get inspiration for blog posts? Is blogging business or personal?

A while back I tested the blog location feature on Blogger to see if the info would pass through to Google Buzz. It didn't. When the Blogger app for Android came out, the info wouldn't post either. Today, I put up a post with no location and then went back to add it. By the time I checked Google Buzz, location info was showing, which is good. I even made some more edits to fix formatting problems on Google Buzz. It was surprising how quickly the edits updated the Google Buzz post. Maps and Blogger for Android allow you to select specific locations to Buzz about; the Blogger editor only allows you to choose the city. This probably doesn't matter to most people. I like location data to pass through because it allows me to attach blog posts to locations using the Android App, or at the very least a city using the web editor. This is very useful for local event announcements. People who browse Google Maps with the Buzz layer turned on can see what's coming up in town.

My favorite desktop, web, and mobile app of all time, Evernote has slipped in a feature that allows you to copy the link to another note so you can embed it on the one you want. The result of this feature is that it creates a wiki-like experience within Evernote. I've tested the links on all three clients successfully. Evernote already gives you a great search function. In addition, you can organize information with tags, notebooks, and stacks. These are great with the exception that they don't organize information in a linear manner and require you to be a stickler for organizing the information or remember key words to be able to find the information again. Furthermore, creating a notebook for every single little project can result in a huge, unwieldy list of notebooks and stacks. The update that allows you to link to specific posts means that you can create a main project page with links to supporting notes, in a wiki-like fashion. Prior to the update, you could not lin

I read a lot of comments around the Internet about the impending doom of Google Buzz because "nobody uses it". Not only do plenty of people use Google Buzz, it is a vital component to some of Google's other services. If you turn on the Buzz layer on Google Maps , on either the browser version or the mobile version, you will see a lot of Buzz bubbles displayed on the map, depending on where you live. Much of the pooh poohing of Google Buzz has come from social media geeks who don't see any of their regular friends on Google Buzz. Therefore, they assume that if the other geeks aren't there, Google Buzz is a bust. Thus, they haven't invested time in exploring all the options and possibilities of Google Buzz. One of the problems with Google Buzz is that it requires users to use it so it can provide value; this is especially true of the location-based features, which very much requires user data. Unfortunately for Buzz, many locations do not have pre-popula

My son and I left home this morning to wander around town. I brought a Camelbak to keep us hydrated and we take breaks in the shade. I haven't taken him on hikes until now. We have been taking photos of stuff. You can turn on the Buzz layer on Google Maps to see my posts through town as MissionTexas.net.

Since I got my first Android phone, I've been playing Parallel Kingdom. It's somewhat of a MMORPG with territories superimposed on Google Maps. On this game you can plant flags to claim territory, hunt, battle creatures, earn gold, craft potions, trade goods, build cities and kingdoms, visit distant lands, and many more things. All from the palm of your hand. The game was tough at first. As a noob, killing creatures is as dangerous for you as it is for the creatures. Many of them are stronger than you. Chopping trees for wood also has the peril of invoking the wrath of trolls. As you progress in skill, it becomes easier to hunt and gather wood, necessary supplies for building many things. A big part of the fun of Parallel Kingdom is playing it with others. You can hunt as a team, run cities and kingdoms together, and even do battle. Since there are other players, there is a good chance you'll not get along with some, which would be a constant thorn in your side. Overal

One thing I have consistently said about social media is that it doesn't perform miracles on its own. Almost every successful use of social media includes other forms of marketing too. One example is the Foodbank RGV. Great social media use; but it includes a website, television interviews, radio interviews, billboards, special events, newspaper stories, and other traditional marketing methods. Social media ties them all together. If all you can afford is social media, do it. However, start branching out into other forms of marketing as soon as you grow your budget.

Mashable and other websites have enabled Google +1 . The feature only shows on the full website; mobile versions don't have a +1 option. Even this blog has +1 enabled on the normal template; but it is not on the mobile template. As people increasingly use mobile devices to consume content and participate online, it's important to give mobile users some consideration. Of course, it's somewhat of a moot point because Google search results with +1 recommendations don't work on the mobile version anyway. Some sites allow you to switch to the full version of the site, thus allowing some way to +1. Some sites will kick you back to the mobile version no matter what. Suffice it to say, there are some kinks that need straightening out with +1. Maybe other mobile browsers will work.

I like Google and their constant tinkering with the way we manage our data and commerce. Technologically, being able to touch your phone to a terminal to make a payment is pretty cool. But this doesn't really solve much for me. In my wallet now, I have: license health insurance card prescription drug card fedex office payment card AmEx Serve card 2 walmart debit cards cash After phone payments become standard, I still have to carry a wallet and the items contained. Certainly, Google Wallet will be a handy additional payment option; but it doesn't really do much in eliminating the need to carry a wallet, especially for the George Costanzas of the world. In fact, what would help me more is to carry less electronic stuff. I'm seriously considering the Indiana Jones satchel option to carry my gadgets; eliminating a debit card in my wallet hardly makes a dent.

Steve Rubel wrote about how he completely removed his old blogs and switched to Tumblr . I have had a similar desire to do that if I could find a way to import my old Wordpress posts to Blogger. I haven't worked up the courage to just completely delete the other blogs and move here, to Blogger. Having an Android phone, my online experience is heavily tilted towards Google. My photos are hosted on Picasa, it's a cinch to post Youtube videos to the blog, Google Buzz serves as my social stream, and there are a bunch of other benefits. However, going by Steve's blog post, the only thing missing is the interaction. Tumblr tends to be a bit more interactive. But, most of the interaction I get is not on my blogs; it is on Twitter, Facebook, and even Google Buzz. In that sense, it doesn't really matter all that much where I host my blog. No doubt Google +1 promises to make a big difference in how people find information; but, it probably won't make a big difference wh