Google Player
This is a nice way to embed your own MP3s just on the odd chance that you don’t want to use YouTube.
The code is super simple and thanks to this awesome website, Digital Inspiration for the following code:
<embed type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” src=”http://www.google.com/reader/ui/3247397568-audio-player.swf?audioUrl=MP3_FILE_URL” width=”400″ height=”27″ allowscriptaccess=”never” quality=”best” bgcolor=”#ffffff” wmode=”window” flashvars=”playerMode=embedded” />
Just one thing you need to change in the code above: replace MP3_FILE_URL with the actual MP3 absolute URL (in this case http://www.netdudette.com/images/Pachelbel_Canon_in_D.mp3)
Animated Favicons
Here’s a little extra for your website – what could be more fun than an animated favicon?!
http://www.animatedfavicon.com/
ONLINE ANIMATED GIF CREATOR
This is a great tool when flash is overkill: http://picasion.com/
THUMBSHOTS – This Looks Cool
And then I asked myself – why didn’t I already know about this?!
THUMBSHOTS:
This totally cool – FREE – service allows you to paste one line of code per photo and it automatically generates a thumbnail image.
Now I am free from the hassle of taking a screenshot, resizing with my graphics programming, inserting the image in my posts/pages, blah blah blah.
What a miracle – highly recommend it… well, if you see screenshots above, you’ll know it’s working – right now it just says ‘Image Coming Soon’.
All they ask in return is for a footer link – nooooo problem – mine is below 
FACEBOOK GAK
Now here is a topic where I could use a little help – and this is only version 1 as I jump through the hoops, wrestle with the facebook API and Germanic plugins, wish that a facebook page could be a standalone without being tied to my personal facebook page – it’s tooooo ranty! If you think this webdev blog is ranty, you should see my personal fb – *blush*!
So far, I’m mostly working down this list of “6 best facebook WordPress plugins”.
I have installed the FACEBOOK CONNECTOR plugin, but it’s not quite what I had in mind.
More later, because so far, quite frankly, I have nothing to recommend.
I think I’m liking my facebook page badge best right now (just generate that right on facebook).
Social media plugins for WordPress still have a way to go – in general the social media sites themselves have the best gadget/widgets and other such gak.
Comments welcome!
TWITTER GAK
Not sure how many people use the word ‘gak’ but I’m fond of it as a catchall phrase for widgets, gadgets, badges, plugins, what-have you.
Mashable is so awesome – he has an article with 20 different twitter badges – you’re bound to find something you like on this page. Nice illustrations too, not just a boring list of links (like this – so far – but I’ll beef this up soon enough!)
Here is my favourite twitter thang so far, and I’ve currently plopped it into my sidebar: the twitterati badge. Mine of course is pink 
That’s actually a bit much for most sites – if you want just a simple “follow me” type of badge, you can’t beat this ultra-simple (and downright cute) twitter button generator: TwitterMySite
Social media plugins for WordPress still have a way to go – in general the social media sites themselves have the best gadget/widgets and other such gak.
More to come on this one, but that’s it for now!
What
CRM + SOCIAL MEDIA = THE FUTURE
This video from ZDNet about the new SalesForce Chatter pretty much describes the future as I see it.
Personally I use the absolutely fabulous (and free for my little purposes so far) Zoho CRM, and the Zoho CRM looked just like the SalesForce interface last time I checked. Wonder if they are keeping up with this chatter stuff.
Imagine a business facebook mwahaha….
TRAFFIC CHALLENGE ANYONE?
I’m seriously considering a Page View Challenge for March!
I have some associates who blog and run ads on their sites, and of course we are all itching to brag to someone if we have a good day, or whine to someone if traffic is down, or pick someone’s brain to find the answers to tricky issues and mysteries.
Who’s up for a traffic challenge (by page view or by visit or unique visitor?) Input is welcome!
HOSTING: THE ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT APPROACH
When it comes to all-you-can-eat restaurants, I generally look askance (OK – one exception: Robson Sushi – hmmm, they need a website – and the food is great!)!
When it comes to hosting, I see things a bit differently.
Here’s why I like webhostingpad.com:
- $59/year for unlimited space/bandwidth/domains/databases
- has cPanel & Fantastico (super-quick WordPress setup)
- 24/7 support by phone or email
- Their mailservers work great, that is for anyone who’s not switching to google apps anyway
I’m not going to lie, I’ve had occasion to email them about slight downtime, and there have been some bigger crashes on their servers which have left me with hours and hours of downtime, but that is rare, and all around, I feel it’s the best value out there.
Whenever I have had an issue and am feeling grumpy about webhostingpad, I just look at other hosting providers … seems if it ain’t one thing it’s another
I would love it if someone can find me a hosting company that has 100% uptime for a reasonable price, great support, cPanel, etc.
Meanwhile, webhostingpad is still my pick!