Here is a great post that talks about how SEO can be worth your time for your blog. I hope it gives many bloggers a ray of hope that you can gain more blog traffic without spending money by SEO.

What do you guys think?

Android phones are a hugh hit currently and you know what? You can now get them without a contract! How great is that? Very if you are wanting a smartphone and are a pre-paid/no contract phone customer.

The only down side? They are currently only offered via 2 companies. Want to know which ones? Find out here!

Google is yet again is trying to dominate the Internet.

On Friday they issued a blog post Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 on March 1 2010. Why, you may be asking? They claim security issues and say that they newer version of Google apps and sites will be too much for the older version.

They will support(or at least for now) IE 7+, Firefox 3.0+, Chrome 4.0+ and Safari 3.0+. They did not say if they would or would not support Opera.

In reality, I believe that they are making way for cutting out total support of any 3′rd party browser support for their services. Personally I have tried Chrome and I think that it is deeply lacking the major features that Firefox and IE can offer.

Anyway, if you still are using IE 6 and want to use Google services, you have until March 1st to upgrade to a newer browser.

Feel free to comment about your thoughts and feelings towards Google’s new move.

photo credit-Ambrozjo from Stockxchng

Long time, no post But I am back and kickin’! So todays topic is all about Apple’s tablet computer, the newly annouced iPad.

I am going to be honest, I do not see that much difference among this and the iPhone/iPod Touch. It looks like a giant version of it and it does not seem to offer all that much more. Really, could not they offer something more to it or not? Or change the name?

I guess though, maybe if they named it something like the iPod or iPhone then it would have the same success?

Personally though, I just do not see it catching on. Tablet computers have been out for a long time and have yet to over take desktops/notebooks/netbooks. I think the hype will fade out pretty soon, and with them being so late in the game it will be a huge loss for them.

Tell me, what do you think about the iPad? Do you think it will be successful?

Okay, I know that I haven’t post that many updates which sucks. But I on the other hand have been busy with work and my real personal life. But I am hoping to post here more often again.

But back to my topic! I joined a site called IMshopping.com and I love it. They have asked us members who have been picked as guides to share this info-

“Just wanted to pass on that IMshopping has lowered the hiring age to 16 so if you have teens that are interested in becoming pt paid guides then they can certainly sign up, answer 25 questions minimum and apply for a position. IMshopping is a shopping question and answer site that pays weekly by paypal on a $20 minimum. They can compete to win Best Answers too for $2 each.

Also EVERYONE over 13 years is eligible for the 2 weekly $50 prizes for Most Creative and Most Actively Viewed questions. So be sure to ask questions on the site to win!

Check it out at IMshopping.com”

This is a great way to make extra money even if you do not get to be a shopping gude. Many people have great reviews for them.

Regarding if they hire non-USA based guides, I’m not sure. They most likely don’t, but you can contact them to ask.

Okay, today is more of a real tech post and a question for my readers. Back in 2007(late, I know) I got my first mp3 player. Creative Stone Plus, to be exact. I love it, though the battery charge doesn’t last long. Which sucks for me, but I still use it.

However, since last month my battery will not charge fully. So I think my battery is dying on me. Now, I have no idea what it will cost to send it in to get it replaced and for them to ship it back. I guess I should look into it, however I dread to know how much it will cost.

So my question is, should I try to get the battery replaced or should I buy a better mp3 player thats battery lasts longer(I am think iPod, since my sister has one and the battery is still good)? I even posted something about on twitter, though I do not think creative labs has a twitter account nor will they find my post…..

Thanks in advance.

Last year, when I started out as writer/blogger-I took many low paying jobs. Why? To build up a history and resume. However, I am slowly raising my rates and working on up. However, even then I wouldn’t take under a dollar for over 100 word article.

How do you feel about such low paying gigs? Do you think they are worth your time or not? I personally do not, I mean its fine if you are staring up-but at one point you got to raise your price. And some rates are should never be excepted no matter what. You will never get anywhere with under a dollar per article.

While some people will not hire you if they think your pay rate is too high. However, you can always offer 3 pay options and say that you are willing to discusse with them how much they offer to pay you. That doesn’t mean you should accept too low rates. Would you work at McDonalds for $0.10 per hour? No, treat this like a job.

How do you feel about low paying jobs?

image source-stock.chng

I come across so many sites that promise to teach you how to blog and make money doing so. They promise to teach you how to make a living off blogging within 6 months, however they either all teach you exactly the same or sneak in spam or a charge along the way. But the real question is of course-do they work?

In my experience of reading and following their advice, I can honestly say that they have made either little to no impact on my blogging skills. Using social media(other than twitter) does you no good if you have a small number of friends. Using sites like Entrecard is no good and so many of their other tips aren’t good either.

Sure, they might work for you if you are Bill Gates or you have already mass following. But the average blogger does not and they also do not have the time or money as they do. So what can a new blogger learn from them?

Nothing.

Most of my blogging skills were self taught or learned. Sure, I’ve made blogging mistakes and failed at a few attempts. But hey, I am only human after all! But what I know now, is that blogging takes time and effort. Nobody will make a million dollars a year by blogging in their first year(most don’t ever make a million anyhow). But you can make enough money to live on via blogging.

My goal is to of course make enough money to live on by blogging(though I also do freelance writing…which helps). But I think I can show the average blogger how to start being a successful blogger without selling them stuff or lying to them.

My next post will go more into detail on what I mean. Stay tuned for more info.

It never ends! After two failed attempts last year, Microsoft is once again trying to buy up Yahoo.

Last year, Microsoft placed a $47.5 billion(USD) bid on acquiring Yahoo. The then-Yahoo CEO declined sayting that they had zero in being bought. However, with the new CEO of Yahoo and current CEO of Micrsoft both say that they are willing to get a deal for both sites.

Main reason why? To give Google a run for their money!

I wonder if it indeed will go through? And if so, will Yahoo.com and MSN.com stay as we know them?

Your thoughts?

After a month long waiting, I finally can give you all an update.

You may wonder why I haven’t posted that much about it or maybe you even thought I forgot about it? Well no, I haven’t. I was looking hard for a host that would offer what I am looking for. But I have found it and now working on building it up.

Got any good ideas for free wordpress themes? I am looking for something magazine style!

Sorry for the delay in post. Life has been a bit hectic and I promise to give an update on my blogging project!  But first here is a post on how to choose the right web host(which is key!)

The great news about the web is that pretty much anyone can start and maintain their own website. Now before you can just debut your site for the world to see, you have to pick the right web host that will fit your needs and budget. Usually offered by internet service providers and web hosting specialists, web hosts provide space for websites on internet servers so that people can access them when they are connected. Below are the main types of web hosting and what you should keep in mind as you decide on the right type of web hosting for you.
 
Free Web Hosting
If you plan on starting a small site with relatively little traffic, such as a personal website or even a very small business website, then free web hosting could be a perfect choice. This option is best for people not too concerned with the performance of the site and who won’t be needing much customer support. Although it is usually supported by ads, free web hosts will provide you with your very own free web page . There are many free web hosting services available so do some research on which ones will give you more advanced services for free. Some free hosting providers offer common gateway interface (CGI), PHP, and other advanced features. Even if you do plan on eventually running a very large business on the web, a free hosting provider could be very useful in testing and preparing certain pages while saving some extra bucks.
 
Shared Hosting
If you are trying to run a larger site with average instead of little traffic, there are still economical options available through shared hosting providers. In shared web hosting, multiple websites lie on one server. This is the most commonly used type of web hosting. Price of a site through shared hosting is an average of $7 a month. Fortunately for you, the web host provider is in charge of managing the servers by installing software and updates, and providing technical support. With shared hosting, remember that reliability and security may be a cause for concern because your site may be among hundreds of other sites on the same server. Also, disk space may be limited and there may be restrictions on web traffic. But depending on which package of services you choose from a web hosting provider, there are many benefits to choosing shared hosting. 
 
Dedicated Hosting
 This type of service is usually for large, resource intensive sites, like e-commerce sites, and sites that get thousands of visitors each day. With dedicated hosting, you have more control because you are the only one using a particular server. This is where you can host many of your sites and don’t have to share it with anyone else. Obviously, this is an expensive option but it is also much more reliable than shared hosting.
No matter which type of hosting you decide on, always research the limits on bandwidths, traffic and disk space. Know what extent of support you would like to have, such as 24-hour phone support or only email based support. Be realistic about what your site will need not just now but also later because it can be time consuming to switch hosts. With the proper knowledge and research, you and your site can find the best web hosting match.
 

How do you feel?

Image Credit-stock.xchng

Since last month, my top post was about downloading music illegally and the ethics behind it-I figure I would look into free music downloads for my readers and vistors.

Well let me start by saying it isn’t easy. Many claim to be free or legal, but are neither. So my goal to get a list of 100% free and legal music downloads. I will also give a list on what is not legal and also for the paid legal services.

Enjoy and please give feedback.

What Is Illegal?

Torrents

People To People (p2p)

Music Search Engines with links to user uploaded files

What Is Paid Legal?

iTunes

Amazon(though they also offer a few free songs)

MP3.com

Napster(was illegal, now legal)

and many more

Now for a list with free music downloads

E-Zmusic

We7

Amazon

Like I said, not many. They used to have one more, but they shut down their doors recently.

Know any more? Feel free to comment or contact me, via the about me page. Plus if I find anymore, I will post them on this blog.

Some of you may or may not know that I studied PC Repair, so I know all the ends and out of one. I also know that many people(or geeks as some of you call us ) like to either build a custom computer or upgrade their existing one-or even make a brand new one off the shelf twice as good. Or maybe you need to repair your PC, but you don’t want to pay way too much money for Best Buy’s Geeksquad(which I cannot say that I do not blame you. They charge way too much ) and you figure that you can buy it yourself and hire it out to someone else.

So we are always looking for good, yet cheaper computer parts. Well I think I may have found one that fits the bill. Memory America sells more than just memory(which is good news!), they sell hard drives, memories, motherboards, and so much more. They even have it organize by make and model if you are in need of spare parts. Plus they offer them at pretty low prices which is nice for your wallet.

Some extra bonuses are that they have a lifetime guaranteed warranty which is uber rare when it comes to hardware. Quick return and 30 days full refund policy. I also like the fact that they have trade in and recycle option.

Or you can always try eBay, but I wouldn’t trust them for parts. I think Memory America is a much better option. I would trust them much more than Best Buy, eBay or Craigslist.

So I think I found a new store for when I am in need of parts!

What do you think of Memory America’s prices?

PSP

Rumor has it that Sony, the japanese based parent company of the Playstation consoles, is investigating a PSP phone.

The goal? To merge a PSP with the Sony Ericsson handset phone.

In fact, this past May the Sony said that it is possible of a PSP Phone. It is rumored that next month they will put a team together to come up with a proto type model.

Sony has refused to issue statement about if this rumor is true or not.

Personally this might be the exact thing they need to do! To give them ad edge that Nintendo doesn’t have and to give Apple a run for their iPhone.

Do you hope they come out with one?

This is the first guest post in my series of guest post. If you’d like to do a guest post, please feel free to email me(email address can be found on the about page).

———————————————————-

This article assumes that you already have a blog set up and a
reasonable amount of regularly updated content within your blog. If not you need to set
yourself up with a blog site from somewhere like http://missvirtualreality.blogspot.com.

I myself had a blog, in which I was earning with via the following methods
but had to quit blogging due to personal reasons.

So please read this thoroughly only to make a good sum of money:

1)Money4Blogs:
 Money4Blogs pays you to place a static text link on your blog. I
have heard that you can even earn more than $100 on a PR5+ blog.
If you have a PR2 blog chances are that you can make up to $30 to place a link.

Usually you have to submit your blog or blogs to Money4Blogs and
they will check out your blog and if appropriate make you a very
reasonable offer to place a small text link on your site. They accept
only English language blogs and blogs older than 3 months with
regularly updated content. You get paid instantly via Paypal once your
blog is approved.

2)Google Adsense:
 If your site generates a reasonable amount of traffic you can
use adsense for your blogs.

I don’t think I need to explain to you about adsense. The info
is easily available and you can learn about it by googling for it.

3)MyLot:
 MyLot is a forum discussion site, where you create discussions for
other people to join and comment on, as well as comment on discussions
that other people have created.

You can also upload photos and you get paid, both for getting involved in
discussions as well as uploading images.

Although the money paid out is small, you need to think outside the
box, money can be earned via referrals and you can also refer related discussions back
to your own site, so the opportunity to get extra traffic should not be ignored.

They pay monthly, if your balance has reached at least $10 via PayPal.

4)Article Writing and Revenue sharing sites:
To become a problogger and start earning money you need to build a
reputation for your writing in the blogosphere. You can make it by writing articles for
sites like Isnare and ezinearticles.com, where they allow self promotion.

You can get quite a number of interesting visitors to your blog via this method.
 There are many other paid article writing sites and revenue sharing article writing sites,

notably Triond.com, Groundreport.com and Bukisa.com for US as well as
non-US residents, while Helium, AC and Textbroker which are only for US
citizens.

These sites don’t allow self promotion, but you can cunningly do it to get interesting backlinks and readers to your site.

These sites pay you for pageviews and also share part of revenue
generated. by ads on your articles.

There are also a few revenue sharing sites notably Hubpages.com
which pays 60% of adsense revenue, you can also add your eBay affiliate codes as well as Amazon
affiliate codes too.

5)Pay Per Post sites:
 Once your blog gets a good PR(usually PR2+) you can get paid to post
for companies like PayPerPost, Blogvertise, Blogitive, Smorty, etc.

You normally have to write 200 words with mostly 2 links in your post. Due to changes in Search engine
algorithms and many alterations in the search engines, nowadays its really hard to get opportunities,
but if you get one don’t miss it. Its surely going to make you easy money.

6)Money4banners:
 If your blog is among the following niche: health, insurance,
finance, then you should give Money4banners a shot.

They pay you sign up bonus of $10 and pay you a
fixed money every month to place 3 banners on three different pages of your site.

They pay $5 every month via Paypal.

These are some of the methods by which you can earn a definitive income via
your blog provided your blog is regularly updated and has UNIQUE CONTENT.

I thank Sarah for this opportunity to increase my audience and I am looking forward to more such stuff.

Please leave some feedback.

About The Author-Boney Sharaon is  a Indian geek blogger trying to make some money via blogging. He had a blog  called I Seek Dollars with a good following which he abandoned later(for which he  regrets now).

You can read more of his articles at his new blog JUNKAMANIA!

If you are paid to test products, to place links or given freebies-you may need to place a disclaimer by the end of the summer!

The FTC are in the talks about how to regulate bloggers and what they earn or get for their blogs. While the rules have not been set yet, they will be voted on by the end of summer.

How do you feel about this? Will it effect you?

 You can read the whole article here.

Well I found a forum post about creating a blog for free and turning it into a money maker. So I am going to try it! I will cover it both here and my other tech blog, so stay tuned to this fun and exciting new project!

BTW-I will be putting my steps here for anyone and also feel free to give tips. I look forward to doing this and please feel free to join in this fun.

Rules-
1:I will not spend a dime on a thing! No paying to promote,domains or hosting(I will use a free domain and hosting plan, I’ll give you the links tomorrow). If this doesn’t work, then I won’t feel bad about spending money!

2:Must be WordPress, easy to use and expand the site.

I might add rules as time goes and be sure to come back for updates.

Will you join?

If this story doesn’t make you quit, then I don’t know what will!

——————

A single mother has been sued by the RIAA(Recording Industry Association of America) for downloading 24 songs illegally using KaZZA file sharing software.

The price for each song $80,000.00 per track.

And this isn’t the first case or likely the last  to be made about downloading music illegally. So if you don’t want to risk it, don’t download illegally!

——————-

Source

Some of you may or may not know that I am a freelance writer and pro-blogger. So many times I get asked for advice or tips, so what is better than to post them right here on my blog?

So enjoy, comment, subscribe, bookmark, and whatever else you want to do. I always love feedback!

———————————-

Freelance writers are in more demand now, than ever before in history. Why?  Because the internet is growing-the need for fresh, new content is consistent for any blog/site or business to survive. But with all this being in such a  huge demand, it’s easy for freelancers to accept jobs that are not worth their time for the little pay they offer in return. Most “gigs” that are post posted are not real jobs, they are ad revenue sharing sites that you may or may not earn anything from. Basically that means you will only earn a percentage of the ad revenue that the site makes-if you make anything at all based upon page views. You will not be able to live off that at first if you even make anything off it. So I will am giving you some basic tips in order to help freelancers who are just starting up in this type of work.

1-Create a blog, yes a free and simple blog about the topic you are passionate about and want to write about. You can create one for free via Blogger or WordPress, that can be customized. You can buy a domain for them, they can be cheap and you pay only once a year or for even up to 10 years. Start writing content for it and promoting your site. This blog will help you build your portfolio and for you be have some published works.  Also you can place ads on it, so you can start making a little bit of money prior to getting paid gigs. But be warned, it does take time to build up a readership and good amount of traffic for your blog to become a big money maker.

2-Write for Helium, Associated Content,  and other paid content sites. While they don’t pay much, it does give you some leverage in job search.

3-Once you have enough content saved(that takes about two months), you can start applying for writing gigs at last. Start your search with Craigslist.org writing ads, then work your way to writers communities that post job leads. Apply and look every week day as you would for a outside the home type job, for the best chance.

4-Also check out sites like Media Bistro and Performancing.com, they also have listings with that type of work.

After you start applying for these gigs, you will start getting emails back from the ads you responded too, respond back to them as soon as you can for the best shot. At first you will get for some not so hot gigs, but don’t get burned by that. You will get some better paying jobs and as you build up your work experience up more, you should be able to earn more over time.

Good luck and keep trying. It is a rewarding career to work in.

Please feel free to ask questions, email me at s_peel00(at)yahoo(dot)com.

This blog can now be found atTechnorati Profile. So please be sure to favorite it!

xoxo-
mvr

Some of you may know that I tried to blog with Today.com, but that failed(more on that in another post!). Well I have been thinking and thought I’d give it another try.

So I joined Orble.com, at first I didn’t have much hopes for it because I just don’t see how you can make money via that. Though the network did look active, I just didn’t have much hope. But I quickly learned that if you do well enough, they will promote your blog to take over a older one with it’s own domain! So I followed the rules and just didn’t think much about it.

Next day, I found out that I was promoted and took over Techielady.com!

It’s been a little over a week now and I am already bringing in some money. Not much, but it is a start. And I am hopeful.

What’s your luck with revenue sharing sites? Any tips or sites I should check out? What about upfront payment sites?

xoxo-

mvr

Hello!

This is my new home for this site and I cannot wait to work at it even more. This site will have the best news, product reviews and so much more. So please update your bookmarks and feeds.

xoxo-

mvr