CarLocate.com Adds a Socialize Page

CarLocate.com is a nationwide new and used car search portal. Their new "Socialize" page makes it easier to join the car-buying conversation with CarLocate.com and other consumer on the site.

The new page offers a number of resources to help you find relevant information about cars and car buying and the ability to interact with the CarLocate.com team and other car shoppers. You'll also be able to quickly browse information about CarLocate.com's activities, contests, events and social media. In the automotive forum, visitors an connect with other users and click the "Share" button. Fans can also join conversations on CarLocate.com's Facebook, Youtube and Twitter.

New social media game lauched for "The Last Airbender" movie release

Last week, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies and Crunchyroll, Inc., announced the release of "Become the Avatar," a freeplay interactive social media game, based on M. Night Shyamalan's July 2nd 3D release, "The Last Airbender."

The experience includes visuals from the film and allows fans to play as any of the Four Nations in various adventures.

For your personal experience, visit http://www.thelastairbendermovie.com/ or go to their Facebook at http://apps.facebook.com/becometheavatar.

Pip.io claims to offer a more intimate experience than Facebook and Twitter

There's a new social network in town and it's called Pip.io. Unlike Facebook and Twitter, Pip.io claims to provide a way to take conversations semi-offline into "rooms." Users can invite people to join and accept invitations from others.

The development of the platform is just leaving the beta phase. So it's still early in adaptation. Some of the features include a video chat, update posting (privately and publicly) and an application store.

I'm going to keep my eye on this to see if it catches on. At first glance of the website, it really doesn't seem inviting and doesn't offer any information about the network on its homepage. How do they expect people to learn about them. An "About" page or demo video would be nice. With the influx of spam, who wants to sign up for something just to get a snap shot of how it works or to determine if it's the right network for them. I received more information about the site from the press release, which was hosted on a news wire service, not on the site. But I did say that it was still in the early stages of development, perhaps, they'll make those visual changes soon since they are in public launch mode. Below is a picture of the homepage, does it look inviting to you?


If you want to take a gamble and see what it's all about, go to http://pip.io/ and let me know what you think. I belong to a bunch of networks now so I'm not eager to join any new ones with such sketchy details and a limited first impression.

Is your loveone cheating via Facebook or Twitter? Catch them in the act with new monitoring device

One of the oldest uses for social networks has been to meet and hopefully find a mate. This is great for single people, however, it's also created a convenient way to test the waters for those that may be on the fence. Apparently, there is gadget called the Stealth iBot that is being used to spy on the internet use of significant others.

I'm sure when BrickHouse Security created this device, they probably had parents in mind, who wanted to monitor their children's use and law enforcement agencies. According to the company, they've received a spike in sales from insecure or curious mates. The company reported that they received even more of a spike in sales in the days leading up to Valentine's Day, a whopping 242% increase. What does that say about the times we are living in, huh?

The Stealth iBot logs all computer activity including Facebook interactions. For more information on this gadget or to purchase one, visit http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/pc-computer-spy.html.

Disclaimer from BrickHouse Security CEO Todd Morris, "We're pleased to aid so many people with our products. At the same time, we encourage our customers to show good judgment and to use them responsibly."

The buzz on Google Buzz, not yet the Biz

In less than a week since Google launched Google Buzz, their answer to Facebook and Twitter, they are already making adjustments based on the unfavorable feedback they've received. Now anyone that knows me, knows that I'm one of Google's biggest fans. I incorporate as many of their products into my personal and professional activities as possible. However, when testing out their latest creation, I, too, wasn't pleased with the "auto-follow" feature in Google Buzz.

The way it was originally set up, all of the fellow Gmail users contained within your address book instantly became your followers and vice versa. That function could instantly pose a problem if some of your contacts were private. Let's say you were, like many today, seeking a job and use your personal Gmail address as the main email contact. You also use your personal Gmail address to communicate with friends and family. Unbeknownst to you, you've made it to the top of a short list of potential employment candidates but were disqualified due to your association with either a competing employer or worse, several questionable Gmail users that contain body part references in their email address. Not cool, right?


Well, now Google has made the "auto-follow" feature an option that you can select, which is now more prominently displayed. They've also made the option to turn off Buzz, all together, more prominent. Before you had to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the screen to find it.

Google also announced that they will no longer connect your public Picasa web album and Google Reader automatically to Buzz. This feature will also be an option that you can enable if you choose.

They also have added a Buzz tab in Gmail, where you were able to adjust other Gmail settings. From the tab, you'll be able to show, hide or disable Buzz completely.

In a blog post from the weekend they stated, "...we've been able to read the buzz about Buzz itself. We quickly realized that we didn't get everything quite right. We're very sorry for the concern we've caused and have been working hard ever since to improve things based on your feedback. We'll continue to do so."

Click here to read the complete update on their blog about the new changes.

SXSW Music Announces Partial Band List, Panelists and Day Stage News -- AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ --

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Conference and Festival, scheduled to take place March 17 - 21, 2010 in Austin, Texas, is pleased to announce a few of the bands scheduled to perform, artists that are participating on panels and exciting changes at the SXSW Day Stage.

This year's SXSW Music Conference will feature some notable artists that will be speaking on panels taking place in the Austin Convention Center. Judy Collins shares her thoughts on "Where Goes English Folk Music?," John Doe joins Ian Rogers' panel "The Cultural Significance of Direct-to-Fan Marketing," DJ Spooky encourages the spread of music into established cultural institutions in "Performing Arts: New Frontier for Live Acts," Melissa Auf Der Mar exhibits her photographic side on "Image Makers Of Rock and Soul," Suzanne Vega kicks MP3 butt on "Music Artists: Getting A Digital Ass-Kicking," Andrew WK dissects rock star myths on "What Becomes A Legend Most," Chris Walla highlights his studio work on "Producers Adapt & Survive," Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth recall early gigs on "CBGBs Stories," and Anya Marina talks soundtracks on "Case Study: New Moon." Join these artists and over 350 other speakers for an enlightening look at the past, present and future of the music industry.

The SXSW Day Stage also in the Austin Convention Center, presented by SESAC, will be partnering with six great radio stations from around the country who will present Day Stage performances on their airwaves. These are KCRW, KEXP, WXPN, The Current, KUT, and Mexico City's Reactor. Each station will present a three hour block of music. Highlighting KCRW's block on Saturday March 20 will be Rogue Wave, Middle East and Lissie. More artists will be announced soon. SXSW Day Stage performances take place in Ballroom D from 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. on Saturday.

And now for the bands, a few highlights selected out of over 10,000 music applications include:

!!! (Brooklyn, NY), Amaral (Madrid, SPAIN), Anita Tijoux (Santiago, CHILE), ApoptygmaBerzerk (Oslo, NORWAY), Athlete (London, ENGLAND), Bajofondo (Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA), Balkan Beat Box (Tel Aviv, ISRAEL), Band of Skulls (London, ENGLAND), Bear In Heaven (Brooklyn, NY), Black Milk (Detroit, MI), Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (Los Angeles, CA), BombaEstereo (Bogota, COLOMBIA), Broken Social Scene (Toronto, CANADA), Chalie Boy (Hearne, TX), Chamillionaire& Paul Wall (Houston, TX), Cymbals Eat Guitars (New York, NY), Deer Tick (Providence, RI), Evan Dando (New York, NY), Frightened Rabbit (Selkirk, SCOTLAND), Fucked Up (Toronto, CANADA), Grant Hart (St. Paul, MN), Hauschka (Dusseldorf, GERMANY), Here We Go Magic (Brooklyn, NY), Hudson Mohawke (Glasgow, SCOTLAND), Invincible (Detroit, MI), jj (Gothenburg, SWEDEN), Killer Mike (Atlanta, GA), LA Riots (Los Angeles, CA), Les SavyFav (Brooklyn, NY), MalditaVecindad (Mexico City, MEXICO), Marina & The Diamonds (London, ENGLAND), Mayer Hawthorne & The County (Ann Arbor, MI), Midlake (Denton, TX), Miike Snow (Stockholm, SWEDEN), Mr Hudson (London, ENGLAND), MundoLivre SA (Recife, BRAZIL), Murs (Los Angeles, CA), NataliaLafourcade (Mexico City, MEXICO), Pretty Lights (Charlottesville, VA), Rye Rye (Baltimore, MD), Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (Brooklyn, NY), She & Him (Los Angeles, CA), Shwayze (Malibu, CA), Spoon (Austin, TX), Steve Aoki (Los Angeles, CA), Systema Solar (Taganga, COLOMBIA), Texas Tornados (San Antonio, TX), The Drums (Brooklyn, NY), The Middle East (Townsville, AUSTRALIA), The Soft Pack (San Diego, CA), The Very Best (New York, NY), The xx (London, ENGLAND), Trae (Houston, TX), VV Brown (London, ENGLAND), and Wolfgang Gartner (Austin, TX). This list is subject to change. This is only a portion of the bands that will be performing at the SXSW Music Festival.

The South By Southwest Music & Media Conference and Festival takes place at the Austin Convention Center and on over 80 stages throughout downtown Austin. The previously announced Smokey Robinson keynote will anchor four days of panels, interviews, workshops, peer meetings, a trade show exhibition and the world-renowned music festival.

For a full listing of events or to build a personalized schedule, go to http://my.sxsw.com/events. my.SXSW.com is the official social networking tool for SXSW Registrants and is powered by The Social Collective. Access my.SXSW from your iPhone with the official my.SXSWiPhone app powered by DUB and available now in the iTunes Store. To register to attend this productive, educational, and overwhelmingly musical week, access the website at http://sxsw.com or email us at sxsw@sxsw.com.

SXSW is sponsored by Miller Lite, Sonicbids, Chevrolet, ZonePerfect Nutrition Bars, AOL, IFC, Monster Energy, Pepsi, Mountain Dew and the Austin Chronicle.

Top Twitter Accounts to Follow for Haiti Relief Efforts

To keep track of Twitter accounts that are providing on-the-ground coverage of the Haiti earthquake relief efforts, please bookmark this page and continue to check back. I'll be updating this list frequently.

If you want to subscribe to my lists, as opposed to individual accounts, use these links:

• Haiti Earthquake News
  
• US Military and Government Organization

Other Lists

• US Navy's- http://www.twitter.com/Navynews/haiti-relief

Individual Accounts

Military and Government Organizations

• Government Tweets @GovTwit
• US Airforce @usafpressdesk
• US Marine Corps @USMC
• US Coastguard @USCoastguard
• US Army @USArmy
• Defense Government Info @DefenseGov
• US Marine Corps News @MarineCorpsNews
• FEMA @femainfocus
• Whitehouse @whitehouse
• USS Carl Vinson70 @CVN70
• USAID News @USAID_News
• USAID Info @USAID_Info
• Defense Government @DefenseGov
• US Southern Command @Southcomwatch
• Marine Corps News @MarineCorpsNews
• US Airforce @USAirforce
• Navy Medicine @NavyMedicine
• Dept. of Homeland Security @DHSJournal
  

Follow Conversations

Use these keywords and hashtags:
#usghaiti #haiti #helphaiti #haitihelp #relief #help4haiti #pray4haiti #quake #earthquake


Do you have some to add to the list? List them in the comment section and I'll add them.

Atlantans use Facebook and Twitter to organize relief efforts for Haiti earthquake victims

While many were still receiving word in Atlanta about the devastating earthquake that occurred Tuesday evening in Haiti, Atlantans had already begun organizing for disaster assistance. Anne-Laure Tai Saint-Louis, a well-known entertainment journalist and proud Port-au-Prince native immediately took to the social networks, Facebook and Twitter, to rally support.

To read the entire story: Atlantans use Facebook and Twitter to organize relief efforts for Haiti earthquake victims

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You Are What You Tweet!

There are a plethora of stories that emphasize the importance of online reputation management. So if you have read any of those, you can disregard this post because this is just going to reiterate that point. However, for those that aren’t aware, this post is for you.

With so many social networks buzzing online, for some, it’s getting harder and harder to differentiate between the networks that are joined for professional purposes and those that are joined for social purposes. In the PR profession, I’m constantly monitoring the online activity of not just my clients, but my personal activity. In doing so, I have to scrutinize the activity and online exchange of my friends, colleagues, clients. Additionally, I also have to watch the activity of their extended network to ensure that certain branding initiatives aren’t compromised by a temporary bout of Tourette syndrome.

When engaging in online discussions, you have to consider several factors:

1) What is the main purpose or interest in which the social network was created?

2) What’s your purpose for joining the network?

3) What types of exchanges exist on the network and are these the type of exchanges that support your goals?

4) Is your profile and communication within the network public or private?

5) What is the reputation of the friends or colleagues that you’ve connected within the network? Based on their conversation, what’s their purpose for joining the network?

After answering the above questions, you may want to take time to do a full assessment of the social networks that you belong to and how you interact within those circles. And then after doing that, you should do an internet search of yourself to see how many of your public profiles are visible online. Are you content with what you see? If not, the beginning of the year is a great time to do a Social Media Makeover. Take time to separate your professional online identity from your personal one. Or at the very least, ensure that your personal online profiles are private (only visible with your permission).

To illustrate this point, I did a search of my online profiles in Twitter and Facebook. Below are the images that will appear in any public search by anyone who isn’t an approved friend or within either of those two networks. Since Twitter has been dubbed the virtual watercooler for conversation, it’s a little more difficult to police some of those candid discussions, which is why my updates are protected. Conversations on Twitter can range from politics to online flirting, depending on who you follow and who follows you. Likewise on Facebook, some profile pictures do not always match conversation topics. For instance, the conversation may be about animal cruelty or becoming a vegan and the most vocal comments may come from a member whose profile picture has them posing with a full-length fur coat.

The social media phenomenon brings a new meaning to the phrase, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” However, with Facebook, can you?