Online Business Power Ups

• BB Custom login is awesome for creating a custom login for wordpress installs (good for community blogs), but the website leaves you a bit confused on how to actually use it as my good friend Sean Ogle found out. Here’s the missing pieces to create an easy plug and play custom login for WordPress. 
  • See the image below, it’s the plugin files.  Remove the “-SAMPLE” from the sample tile in this directory, and customize the image. Now it’ll work as it should.

Time Management in the Menu Bar

• Your Mac menu bar is the original quick access info, load it up with some great tools, here. Personally, I use the Timer/Alarm clock one daily for working in focused blocks for business!
• MenuBar Heaven = https://menu.jeweledplatypus.org/

Facebook “Like” plugins have you confused?

• Looking to add the Facebook “Like” button to your WordPress blog with a plugin but not sure which to pick? Here are the best. Why? Because I looked at the stats, installed them, and compared them.
  • https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/facebook-social-plugins/stats/ most features (my vote)
  • https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/facebook-like-button/stats/ most popular

Kurrently

• Twitters search is pretty cool. It instantly updates with all the users mentioning your search term, Kurrently does that but for Twitter and Facebook at the same time. Use for niche audience and topical research, found via @drewmclellan

Prezi

• Prezi is an online presentation tool that has been lurking on the internet shadows as an AWESOME presentation package. It’s an online tool, but it’s new presentation method and capabilities are astounding, you’ll no doubt wow your next audience using this tool, and you WILL NOT leave them with that “Powerpoint” feeling. See the video below for a sped up creation of a presentation using the tool and you’ll understand a bit of how it works.
  • (updates bring it closer to powerpoint features and it’s fun, easy and visually appealing for both presenters and more importantly, your audience. Check it out!)

Write Better, Sell More

• While there isn’t software that will make you a better writer yet, there are digital products. I’m a big fan of Make Your Words Sell but found The Netwriting Master Course this week, another great guide that promises to make you a better writer for the internet in general, good for marketers sure, but also bloggers and anyone conveying their message on the web. Free download so check it out.

Hard Drive Saving Trick

• Every so often you hear of a rare trick for saving a hard drive. Maybe putting it in the freezer is one you’ve heard? Here’s one I’ve put to the test about 3 times in the last couple years, and it’s amazed me in working fairly well. Next time you’re attempting to pull data off a busted hard drive., try putting it upside down and rebooting. Good luck!

• Last week on IT Arsenal’s Free Tech Tuesday video chat we talked about remote access. LogMeIn and Teamviewer came in as the most valuable tools for connecting to another computer you’re not in front of. Teamviewer is the more simple, intuitive program I’ve seen for connecting to a computer someone else (a friend, parent, etc) is in front of with help, and LogMeIn has really streamlined their log in process. If you looked into LogMeIn previously and were unimpressed like myself, it’s time to look again.

Google Chat Tip

• If you put stars around a word, it bolds it in Google chat, just one way to stand out in all that Google chatting you’ve been doing lately.

iPhoto’s Trash Won’t Delete!

• Sometimes if you have over 1000 images in Apple’s iPhoto app, the trash won’t delete and it’s infuriating, try this tip  so you can finally delete iPhoto’s stubborn trash.

Deleting Mac Microsoft Office 2008 License Key

• Every so often you need to completely remove and re-install a copy of Microsoft Office or change licenses. Microsoft makes this tricky and challenging and unhandled with their included Microsoft Office uninstaller. The trick is to move a few particular files, an easy process but not an obvious one. See our friends at Yolospat for the how to here.