…Steven Kryger posted this video that has got me thinking.
What do you think?
Tagged as // Google, Social Media, Technology
Filed in // Videos
Comments [5]
March 13, 2010
WordPress, I’ve Come Home
In September 2009 I made a monumental leap (well, at least from my perspective!). I left the world of a WordPress self-hosted blog and opened a Posterous account to begin a “microblog.” I had various reasons for making the change in “format” (microblogging) but my reason for changing the “medium” (Posterous) was largely due to the appeal of simplicity and ease of use.
But as of March 11th 2010, I’ve come home to WordPress.
But why?
Here are six reasons: I missed comments, I missed the Thesis Theme, I missed being able to use plugins, I missed having control over my posts, I missed having good SEO, and all that I did at Posterous I can do at WordPress. Let me explain.
1. I missed comments
Comments are key to building a community amongst a blog’s readership and especially between the blogger and his readership. Posterous simply lacked the features I wanted and was accustomed to in the WordPress commenting system. I couldn’t edit comments (they could only be deleted), I couldn’t moderate comments well, or make sure all the comments that needed it were responded to, etc.
WordPress, I’ve come home because of your comments!
2. I missed the Thesis Theme
Although I was happy to get away from the continual tinkering of themes as it can become a bit of an obsession, I missed the amazingly coded Thesis theme. I will, when time permits, resume using Thesis here.
Presently, I’m beginning the long process (for time restraint reasons) of developing a custom Thesis theme. I’m more than happy for any coders / designers out there to offer their services though. 
Thesis has wonderful SEO options where Posterous lacked simple features like setting post descriptions, etc.
WordPress, I’ve come home because of the Thesis Theme.
3. I missed being able to use plugins
Unlike Posterous, WordPress allows you to install any number of plugins to achieve any number of purposes. The last 24-hours has only served to remind me how wonderful it is to have the ability to install plugins.
WordPress, I’ve come home because of plugins.
4. I missed having control over my posts
When using a “microblog” format there remains times you’d like to prepare a draft of a post, or maybe schedule a post to publish. This is especially true when I’ve launched a give away or prepared to post a book review. In the end, even though I thought I wouldn’t need these features when I first moved to Posterous…I did!
WordPress, I’ve come home because of the control you give me over posts.
5. I missed having good SEO
Posterous didn’t have very good SEO. It didn’t allow me to set custom “descriptions” for pages and therefore wasn’t Google or search engine friendly in my opinion. WordPress has good SEO, and with the help of the Thesis theme or a simple plugin, you can be Google friendly in no time.
WordPress, I’ve come home because of SEO.
6. All that I did at Posterous I can do at WordPress
I didn’t use the Posterous “email” feature. When I did all the formatting would break and I’d have to go in and manually fix it anyway. Even if I did use that feature, WordPress allow you to “email” posts.
I did use the Posterous bookmarklet tool, and although it’s probably not as good yet, WordPress does have one called “Press This”.
WordPress, I’ve come home as Posterous didn’t offer me anything extra.
So, am I asking all you Posterous users to install a self-hosted WordPress blog? No. Posterous may very well serve your purposes perfectly. But for me, WordPress, I’ve come home!
How did I do it?
To put it as succinctly as possible:
I created a WordPress.com blog and imported my Posterous database. I then exported the database and imported it into my self-hosted WordPress blog. That was it!
Most of the old posts redirected perfectly thanks to the way WordPress is setup, but for the few difficult posts that gave a 404-error I implemented a simple “Redirect 301″ in the .htaccess file. Some of the embedded images and videos needed a little tidying up, but I’ll do that as I find the time.
While I’m waiting to launch my new theme I installed the Minimous theme. It looks just like Posterous and I hoped it would prevent any shock for my frequent visitors. It must have worked as no one seemed to notice the move back home. I’ll launch a Thesis theme when time permits.
Tagged as // Blogs, Posterous, Social Media, Technology, WordPress
Filed in // General
Comments [10]
February 9, 2010
Coke Powered “Green” Phone
3’s What’s New blog pointed me to this Coke powered Nokia mobile. Daizi Zheng is behind this project and says:
“In order to use the bio-battery as a power source for the phone all that is required is a small supply of a sugary drink. Once the battery dies only oxygen and water remains. Bio-batteries are fully biodegradable and have, on a single charge, a potential life-span three to four times longer than conventional lithium batteries. Meanwhile, bio-batteries are a whole new way of looking at batteries and afternoon tea.”
I’ll try not to think of this the next time I consume an ice-cold bottle of battery fluid, I mean, a Coke.
Tagged as // Coke, Environment, Mobile Phones, Nokia, Technology
Filed in // General, Images
Comments [0]
January 25, 2010
Video: Google Goes Off-Road in Australia – Street View Trike
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr-4Aln1Il8&feature]
According to Google:
“The Street View Trike will help Google gather images of off-the-beaten track and pedestrian-only locations across the country, taking Street View beyond road-accessed landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge to places like Taronga Zoo and perhaps even national parks.”
mUmBRELLA reports that Google’s Street View Trike debuted today in Sydney, Australia.
If the embedded video doesn’t work you can see the Google Street View Trike here.
Update: Thanks to Joanna for pointing me to these pics googledownunder tweeted yesterday.
via twitpic.com
via twitpic.com
Tagged as // Google Maps, Google Street View, Technology
Filed in // Videos
Comments [2]
December 3, 2009
Video: A Futurist Laptop – The Rolltop
Yesterday I was sent a link to this concept video of a new “laptop” design; the Rolltop. I’m not sure how durable it would be, but it looks really sleek. I enjoy seeing what Futurist’s envisage, and if the Lord tarries, the new technologies and advances that become a reality. The Lord’s common grace is evident all around us.
I wonder what Leonardo da Vinci would have come up with if he lived in the 21st Century?
Tagged as // Culture, Design, Technology
Filed in // Videos
Comments [2]
November 21, 2009
Google Wave Update: Theory vs. Reality
I’ve had my Google Wave account for just over six weeks now. I posted asking for your contacts so us Reformed folk could connect. Despite not wanting to feel like this about Google Wave (I had high expectations), at the moment I’m left agreeing with Steve Rubel who asked, “What problem does it solve?”
Earlier today Jason Smathers tweeted the following graphic which I think sums up Google Wave ‘in theory vs. in reality’ rather nicely.
In all honesty, I think there is potential for Google Wave and I look forward to seeing what the future brings for it. Presently though, I log-in about once a week for less than a few minutes. Don’t sweat if you don’t have an invite yet.
Tagged as // Google Wave, Social Media, Technology
Filed in // General, Images
Comments [5]
October 20, 2009
7 Reasons Podcast Preachers Are Inferior
I have many podcasts that I subscribe to, even if the majority of those are “podcasts” (broadcasts / programs) as opposed to the feed of another preacher’s preaching ministry. I remind you of this so you all don’t immediately jump on me and call me a podcast hater. All disclaimers aside, I found James Duncan’s seven reasons why listening to a sermon via your iPod (or Zune) is inferior to hearing a sermon preached by your pastor, in the local church you’re a member of:
- The preacher doesn’t know you. Although preaching is not the only aspect of shepherding, ideally preaching and shepherding should go together. A preacher feeds his flock the Word of God, though always presenting it in a way that’s meaningful for that particular congregation. To your pastor, you’re a known family member sitting around the (metaphorical) table; to your podcast preacher, you’re a hit, an anonymous number.
- You can choose your sermons. Podcasts are perfect for people with itching ears (that’s all of us). Each sermon is labeled and invites us to download or delete it. When I go to my local church on Sunday, I usually don’t know the details of the pastor’s sermon. He commits to preach the Word of God as it’s written, and I commit to listen, test and obey the preached Word as I hear it. Dodging difficult messages is harder when you don’t see them coming.
- You can listen while distracted. When you listen to a preacher while driving down the interstate eating your lunch, you’re probably not going to be able to concentrate quite as well as if you were sitting in church. The very value of podcasting is that we can take our preachers with us, so the assumption is that we’ll be multitasking when we listen. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with multitasking, but it’s not worship.
- You can listen without your Bible. Although this is possible to do in church, the on-the-go multitasking quality of podcast audiences makes this much more likely. Having a Bible on hand as we listen lets us see as well as hear the Word; it also lets us quickly check the context of a verse and engage in on-the-fly testing of the preacher’s message.
- You’re alone. In church I am both encouraged and challenged by the fact that I see my Christian family worshipping with me. Fellowship with God is accompanied by fellowship with his family. Although podcasting and Internet participation carry with them the idea of a virtual community, it’s still only virtual. I know there may be thousands of other believers sharing the podcast with me, but I don’t know who they are. Neither will they know me.
- He’s always preaching to someone else. When we listen to a podcast preacher, it’s almost always someone else’s preacher. When the preacher challenges his congregation, it’s always someone else who’s being challenged, not me. Not only am I anonymous and unaccountable, the preacher isn’t even expecting me to be accountable.
- It’s usually out of context. Sermons are an integral part of church worship, which usually includes other elements like singing, prayer, confession, communion and giving. To take the sermon out of that context deprives it of the participation and preparation that is a valuable part of the in-church sermon.
Tagged as // Church, Means of Grace, Preaching, Technology
Filed in // General
Comments [8]
October 9, 2009
Google Wave – Reformed Contacts
Several days ago I received an invite to join Google Wave. I’ve enjoyed the interface and have enjoyed playing around with some of its features; however, the major problem is finding people to create waves with to test it all out. So, if you’re a Reformed Christian and your riding the Reformed Wave (Google Wave) then leave your contact details below so others in the online Reformed community can add you to their contact list.
All Google Wave accounts end with @googlewave.com and my username is “Nathan.W.Bingham” – so what’s yours?Update:
Please don’t ask for invites as I don’t have any to give.
Tagged as // Google Wave, Social Media, Technology
Filed in // General
Comments [44]
