How Cool is A Threadless Shirt!

Have you ever heard of a Threadless Shirt? It’s quite possible to obtain and I’ll show you how. You just simply go to www.threadless.com find that awesome T-shirt you just have to have and order as many as you want. No worries, the T-shirts actually come with threads; Threadless is the name of the website and company. I learned about this company through our past class assignment in BITE 5389, where we learned about and examined www.threadless.com and created a t-shirt design incorporating Web 2.0 technology.

Threadless is an online apparel store that is also like a social network or a community. Members of threadless.com are allowed to submitted original t-shirt designs, where they can be displayed for the public to vote on the best shirt. After voting commences, the winning design is printed and sold in the online store on www.threadless.com. Winners of the designed t-shirt can get paid up to $2,500 and $500 for each reprint. They also receive store credit as well. Threadless also has a retail store in Chicago, IL. In the store they sell most of the shirts you see online and change every Friday. The store also includes an upstairs gallery were people can take design classes.

Threadless offers a lot of unique shirts and designs created by unique individuals like you. So if you have a design for t-shirt design that you know is arctic cool, then join the community, create the design, and submit it. What do you have to lose…exploring a hidden talent, getting your idea out to many people, and making money? Just go for it, or buy some cool shirts that you know your buddies won’t have. Threadless is a t-shirt collector’s and wearer’s paradise, so go Threadless.

Get Your Skype Today !!!!

Who needs a phone anymore? You have internet don’t you. Well just logon to one of the many different Web 2.0 applications that allow you to interact with people directly. Why not just use Skype? What is Skype you ask? Skype is only the most popular way to text chat and make long distance phone calls…..Over the Internet! Let me explain.

Skype is a software application that allows users to communicate by calling through voice or video over the internet. Users can also communicate through Skype’s instant messenger service. Skype’s service is free to users who also have Skype accounts, but calls to landline phones and cell phones are allowed for a small price. Skype gives users the ability to collaborate, with its feature to file share/ transfer.

Don’t hesitate to get equipped with Skype! How do you use it you ask? It’s very simple. First you go to www.skype.com where you will see instructions for PC and MAC users. Simply follow the instructions by downloading the Skype software. Install the software to your computer. Create your own personal account with identifiable user name, password for security, and basic information. Load the application into the application folder on your computer and run it. There you go just that simple. And instantly you are given the ability to find friends and other Skype users all over the world. Voice Chat, Video Chat, Instant Message For Free. All calls are unlimited to 43 different countries. Or purchase Skype Credit (which offers great rates) to communicate with non Skype users as well.

So what are you waiting for? Download Skype for your computer for FREE…That’s Right! FREE! Today! Web Camera and Microphone are not included and Skype is not responsible for the graininess of video or the unattractiveness of some users’ voices. Use at your own risk.

YouTube is the New Mr. Miyagi

At a time where I felt lost in the world of technology, launched into a realm unlike the defined pastures I once knew. A nice simple world of cell phones that flipped open and the only additional features were pictures, text and ringtones. Classic video games became relics of the past and if you wanted some good old Soul Music, you needed a record player, a CD Walkman, or a MP3 player. Suddenly as the world turned I found myself in world full of hi-tech gadgetry. I was the lone Nokia surrounded by legions of iPhones and Blackberry’s. Eventually there came the time to where I had to choose a side; intrigued by the sleek look of the touch screened iPhone I became a member.

Even with the iPhone I still felt lost, as I saw how many others were doing with their phones. People around me were capturing video, creating ringtones, playing retro-videogames, all the while teasing me for being out of the loop. As I was beaten down and broken constantly because of my lack of knowledge, I stumbled upon a Web 2.0 Technology. This technology was called YouTube. YouTube began to teach me everything I needed to know and became my Master in the Art of iPhone technology. Through YouTube I learned the ins and outs of the iPhone becoming very fluent in its capabilities myself. YouTube became Mr. Miyagi from the Karate Kid and I was Daniel Sun.

YouTube in my opinion is one of the best education Web 2.0 tools. It’s not just for entertainment and it’s not just for finding the most popular videos. I have found YouTube to be the ultimate guide for tutorials and walkthroughs from how to make your great aunts special pot roast to How to clear that last level in Super Mario Brothers. There are videos showing how to solve those tough algebra equations or how to create web pages, using HTML. The rapid growth of YouTube is building ground for more and more tutorials on thousands of subjects whether educational or just for a hobby.

I personally have used YouTube to enhance the capabilities of my 2nd Generation iPhone through a process called Jailbreaking. This process once completed, opens the door to many more applications that are not specifically made through Apple, allows from more customization of your phone, and enhances the way in which you use it. You can even turn the iPhone into a game machine and play Nintendo, Super Nintendo, and Sega Genesis games through importing ROMs and the gaming application. YouTube showed me how to create any ringtone I want without actually purchasing a ringtone through iTunes for the iPhone. It is 100% legal if you already purchased the music (I don’t condone pirating music, movies, software, etc.) YouTube got me up to date as far as the usage of my cell phone goes, as well as learning more about web design (HTML and CSS), video production tips, and Photoshop techniques. In that aspect, YouTube acted as Mr. Miyagi in teaching me the way of technology and web 2.0 and now I fit in.

A Wiki for a Fan

By now, you may have noticed that anytime you Google a topic, word, name, or any subject, you will have a Wikipedia link pop up in your list of choices. Pretty much all there is to know about any subject will usually pop up in Wikipedia. If you ever want to know about the origin of baseball or the Actors in the movie "Avatar", look it up in Wikipedia. It is the knowledgeable and the die hard fans of movies, sports, science, math, history etc. who come together to put all this information together for those of us who endeavor to find out more. Wikis have become the premier go to guide for finding all your fan information needs. You ever want to know your favorite artist real name or birth date? Go to a wiki!

There are wikis completely dedicated to your favorite entertainment or educational loves. For instance, look at the Movie "Avatar", which is now one of the biggest movies of all time. Before the movie was released there was a bit of confusion by the name "Avatar" (James Cameron) and "Avatar: The Last Airbender". "Avatar" was a huge franchise and action animated series that is being made into a motion picture. At any rate the movies generally have the same overall name, but are completely different. For fans who want to know about these movies they could visit Avatar (Last Airbender) wiki or Avatar (James Cameron) wiki. Wikis help fans distinguish between 2 similar ideas that may seemingly be the same. These wikis are comprised of information gained overtime from die hard fans and even professionals. Fan wikis keep fans in the know and up to date on their favorite artist, movies, and tv shows. They also contain links to other wikis that provide information on a connected subject, person, and even themes. Wikis are very reliable when it comes to entertainment. That goes to show you that wikis aren’t just for educational use. They provide great insight to hobbies you may have and are great for "do it your self" exercises. It just depends on your focus and what you are looking for. It is safe to say that there is a wiki for every fan, if not, you can just create one.

Virtual Suicide?

I was searching the internet looking for interesting Web 2.0 technologies and came across an article that grasp my attention. The article is titled "Web. 2.0 Suicide Machine Offs Your Online Identity." I immediately opened the link to see what it was all about. Web 2.0 Suicide Machine is a tool that completely deletes your social networking identity from the networks you wish to be completely removed from. The question that many people would ask is why would I have a need for this? Can’t I just delete my account myself?

The internet is a very tricky entity. Once you put your information, picture, music, or anything on the internet, you become a part of it seemingly forever. The same is true for social networking sites. For this reason, it is extremely difficult to eradicate the web of those unwanted pictures that are floating around of you, or simply remove your name from popping up for social networking sites you are no longer apart of when you goggle. Sometimes just deleting your account won’t simply do the trick. That is where Web 2.0 Suicide Machine comes in. It complete erases any existence of you from social networking sites like Myspace or Linkedln.

Web 2.0 Suicide Machine takes on the role as a cyber hit man. It kills every single trace of you from the Social Networking Server you chose. In order to use the tool, you must transfer your login information over to and the web application and it does all the work, deleting you piece by piece. This process is permanent, so you should be absolutely certain you wish to not to use the social networking service again. If so you will have to recreate your entire existence from scratch, which can be a hassle.

Me personally, I don’t believe in suicide and love social networking. I do feel that this is a very useful tool for the socially dismissive who need it. For those who regret ever creating that profile, using this service would be the sure fire way to never have to worry about it again. Except for Facebook; according to the article, they block Web 2.0 Suicide Machines IP address. So, in that case you will have to go out the old fashion way which is natural and very slowly.

The Joys of Microblogging

One would almost think that the traditional ways of communication are relics of the past. Conversations that were conducted using telephones and even email have been replaced using social networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace, and perhaps the most convenient of them all, Twitter. Twitter is a microbloggin site, a new form of communication in which users can describe their current status in short posts distributed by instant messages, mobile phones, email or the Web.

The simplistic, yet precise connivance of twitter is growing in popularity, and is expected to surpass that of even Facebook; Goliath of social networking sites, in the next five years. Twitter is a quick status based networking site, which keeps you connected with millions of people without the bells and whistles of traditional social networking. There are no friend requests, no tacky web pages saturated with unnecessary html layouts, and most importantly site updates that throw off the usefulness of the site.

With Twitter, you create a unique user id and the process begins. You just simply choose to follow whomever you like and vice versa, staying connected by current topics and status updates. You can post a status, view other statuses posted by people you follow, and repost these statuses using the re-tweet (RT) function that allow others to see it. Doing this alerts the person that you re-tweeted microbloggings, increasing your chances of gaining more followers. Twitter statuses can also be linked to you Facebook statuses as well, which is a plus. You can update in one spot.

Another insightful component about Twitter is its trending topic capability. This is noted by the # sign followed by any phrase or word that you want people to acknowledge. This serves as a vital tool in raising awareness about a wide range of topics such as Distance Education, iPhones in classrooms, State of the Union or the Haiti Relief efforts supported by people all over the world.

The same way blogs and wikis can be used to collaborate with other students in a non-traditional setting; Twitter can have somewhat of the same effect. It allows students to stay connected with each other on a 24-hour basis. Twitter tracks the changes and updates friends and followers make in the same manner as a wiki would. It’s a good way to exchange contact information or direct others to content deemed important for class projects. The same ideas that can be placed in a blog can be transmitted through a microblog, just in smaller doses but to a larger number of people.

Twitter serves a very good purpose and is used by everyone from celebrities to government officials. Its very easy to use and can benefit those who choose to use it wisely.

Websites Are Playing Dress Up

Fashion has always changed with time. There are many different styles of fashion that make those who wear them unique and attractive. Like everything else, the type of garments, clothing trends, and what is determined to be fashionable continues to evolve. The same can be said about the Internet and the overall outlook of websites that are created. Just like the change of our style of dressing, website designs have become more fashionable and designers have utilize the technology of Web 2.0 to outfit there projects into some new clothes.

Older webpages and websites consist of basic block-styled html, which at the time was considered outstanding. Looking back at the Web 1.0 designed webpages, you get the feeling of "how could I ever think this look good," the same way people say " I cant believe I used to dress like that." The design of the site can sometimes contain too much and was equivalently to the 80'2 big hair looks that many to try to hide as if it never existed. In today’s web design, it’s more about fonts and logos with the overall page consisting of a light and "easy on the eyes" look. The theme for Web 2.0 design is "less is more."

The great thing about Web 2.0 development is that it is easy to use and the desire to conform to search engine optimization prompts the need for "cleaner" code, quicker methods of performing traditional actions, and easier ways to store or share pages (Your Free Web 2.0 Manual). I get first hand experience by getting to play dress up with the many projects I am partaking in BITE 6700 Web Design and Maintenance. We construction many web design projects where we have to use html, css, xml, ajax, javascript, and other languages along with basic Web. 2.0 design principles. These are the basic write up codes that allow you to create the frames, alignment, and many other elements that make up a webpage. You want the website to look pleasant, organize and functional. Many banking, shopping, business, and personal sites are gearing toward the attractive colors, soft corners and contrast look that make current websites unique and sexy.

The look and design of websites can determine the over function of social networking sites, educational websites, electronic libraries, and many other Web 2.0 elements. So how your webpage is can determine how it is viewed. So accessorize the clothes you have been giving and make sure you dress your website or page up well.