I want one! The new Apple i-pad is revealed

After nearly a decade of rumours, Apple today revealed its new i-pad which it's positioning as a third category between the smartphone and the laptop.

First impressions are that it's beautiful. Half an inch thick and weighing just 1.5 lbs with a 10 hour battery life.

Other great looking features include i-books (so pleased I didn't buy that Kindle), brilliant photo albums, films, i-tunes, a fab looking new calendar application and amazing application for emails with an integral virtual keyboard.

And with a starting price that's half what was anticipated at $499 there's little doubting that by next Christmas we will all have one!

Here's a superb video that summarises what we have coming...

A SkyDive for Sport Relief?

Every time I watch Comic Relief or Sport Relief on the BBC, and see the amazing difference the charity funds make across the world, I'd wish I'd done more to raise money than pay some cash on the evening.

And everytime I watch people jump out of plane as they enter the jungle for 'I'm a Celebrity', I say to my husband 'that's something I'd love to do... if only I was brave enough'.

So whilst I'm still not sure that I will actually be brave enough to do it, it's incredibly exciting that after much discussion the Promote the team seem to have decided that a group Sky Dive might be the best way for us to raise lots of money for Sport Relief in March.

So now we're planning and looking round the office for volunteers. What do they say...'face the fear and do it anyway?'

As featured on Slideshare...

I've always been a big fan of Slideshare - the website where you can upload and share Powerpoint presentations - so I was especially delighted today to find that one of my presentations was included in the 'featured documents' section on the home page!

The presentation - which was the content from the 'Step into Social Media' workshop I delivered yesterday - has already been viewed by over 400 people.

10 Tips for Driving in the Snow

Very grateful to my husband for all the advice he’s been giving me recently about driving safely in the snow. Here are my Top Ten Tips…

1. MIND YOUR SPEED

The real key is driving slowly. It’s easy to get a bit over confident and drive as you would in normal conditions.

2. BIGGER SPACES

Leave a much bigger space between you and the car in front. Stopping times can be around ten times longer in snow and ice.

3. USE YOUR GEARS

Pull away in second gear rather than first as this reduces the force going to the front tyres and means your wheels won’t spin. Generally drive in a higher gear than usual to prevent skidding, especially when driving down hills.

4. AVOID BREAKING

Wherever possible use your brakes as little as possible. Look ahead and let the car slow down naturally or use gear changes to slow you down rather than applying your brakes.

5. SLOW CORNERS

Take corners really slowly. It’s here that you’ll skid and slide.

6. OTHER DRIVERS

Stay alert to other cars. Bear in mind that other drivers may also be struggling in the snow so even if you are driving well they could be about to slide across the road. Expect the unexpected.

7. STEADY SPEED

Try to maintain a steady speed. Braking and accelerating can cause your car to skid and slide.

8. SLOW MOVEMENTS
If you do need to change speeds, accelerate very slowly. Don’t try to push the accelerator pedal hard. All pedal movement should be very gentle.

9. SKIDDING
If you do skid, try to keep you feet off the brakes and accelerator and steer into the director of the skid (avoiding other cars!) until you get the car back into control.

10. CLEAR YOUR CAR
Take the extra time before you set off to ensure your windscreen and windows are COMPLETELY clear of ice and snow. Police report many accidents are caused in these conditions because drivers just can’t see properly.

Picnik - for brilliant free photo editing online

Having spent rather a lot of evenings editing 20 years worth of my parents transparencies on Flickr I've become a massive fan of Picnik - the free photo editing software.

It's so simple and easy and the 'auto-correct' button is a brilliant way to dramatically improve any photo!

10 Ways to Use YouTube for Business in 2010

We all know that YouTube can be fun and entertaining, but it can also be a superb and incredibly cost effective tool for businesses.

With no real need for studio production, you'll find that a high quality digital camera and some simple editing software are all you need to produce professional looking videos that are ideal for YouTube and other video sharing sites.

Here are 10 ways you might use YouTube in 2010...

1. Make announcements

Create a video of your CEO announcing news about the company and send the link out to your team. Ideal for companies whose employees are not all based in the same building and far better than sending an email with a company announcement.

2. Take a tour

Video footage inside a building can be much more powerful than photos and can be used as a great way to showcase a new site or to enable people to see 'inside your company'.

3. Customer service - "how to" videos

Want to let your customers know how to maintain your product, build your product, use your product? Record a simple instructional video and post it on your website or send a link out with an email.

4. Product highlights

Filming your product or facility in use can be a great sales tool and will generally be more powerful that simple imagery. Research shows that video footage is also more likely to be viewed that still images.

5. Report on events

Making a video of an event - be it a conference, product launch, exhibition or company party - means that those that weren't able to attend get a much better feel for the atmosphere.

6. Case Studies and testimonials

Using customer case studies and video diaries can be a very powerful way to help people connect to your company.

7. Training

Give something back to your staff or clients by providing training and guidance in the form of short videos.

8. The expert interviews

Show an interview with an expert or celebrity talking about your product, brand or services.

9. From inside a meeting

Video key meetings and share the contents with your team if people are not able to attend.

10. Set up a YouTube Channel

Create a channel for your company and upload all your videos in one place, along with videos that you have enjoyed and recommend others view. Share the URL of your company channel via email signatures etc and on your website.

And finally...

If you want to find our more I would recommend you read this great book by Michael Miller: YouTube for Business

Getting started with LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a superb way for you to gain credibility in your sector without the need to brag about your connections. You can build your authority and share information through groups and discussions.

Over 3 million people in the UK now use LinkedIn, and the things are set to get even better for the professional network in 2010.

Last month, LinkedIn announced that it is opening its platform to developers who might be interested in integrating LinkedIn into their applications and websites - so expect lots more developments in the coming months.


If you're new to LinkedIn, here are Promote's 10 FAQs to help you get the most from the platform...

1. Should I include a profile photo?
'People buy people' so always include a photo of yourself in your personal profile. Ideally a head and shoulders shot that looks professional and friendly.

2. Can I link my profile to my business?
LinkedIn now has the capacity to include company profiles, so create one for your organisation and encourage your team to include it in their profiles.

3. Who should I connect to?
Only accept connections from people that you know. This way you can be sure that your network remains of the highest quality. Start by inviting people that you have contact with regularly from your outlook address book. Try to personalise your invitations a little rather than just issuing an invitation to everyone you have ever sent an email to (a process that LinkedIn offers).

4. Should I join groups?
It's a good idea to join some groups that are relevant to you as it provides an indication of your interests and is a great way to connect with people.

5. What's the benefit of updating my status?
Regularly updating your 'status' on LinkedIn provides your connections with a quick indication of what you are doing. This can now be done directly from Twitter (and vice versa) so you only need to post your news once to reach two audiences.

6. What other tools can I use?
LinkedIn offers a number of other tools to help you share information with your network. You can recommend the books you are reading or want to read is and share slideshows and presentations. You can can also link your blog and Twitter feed into LinkedIn.


7. Is it worth paying extra to upgrade my account?
There's so much great stuff that's currently free on LinkedIn that I wouldn't recommend that you pay for the extra level of membership, especially if you are just getting started.

8. How should I promote that I am on LinkedIn?
Adding your LinkedIn address to your email signature is a really simple way to encourage people to link in to you. Some people also include details on their websites, blogs, twitter profile etc

9. How much time should I spend?
I would recommend spending at least 30 minutes a week approaching new connections and updating your status in order to see the benefits of an expanding network.

10. Any thing else to help me get started?
A really simple way to ensure you link in with as many contacts as you can is to download the LinkedIn toolbar. This enables you to immediately see if anyone that emails you is already on LinkedIn, and gives you the option to invite them to link in to you with the click of your mouse.