Ivan’s Technical Writing Tips, Tools, and Templates

Twitter Updates for 2009-07-02

• RT @buzzpaul try http://www.onemorelevel.com or http://www.geckogame.com,games r #
• I just took the "which famous penguin are you in clubpenguin?" quiz and got: nachoz rule! Try it: http://bit.ly/hGiLd #
• Apple iphone temperature warning http://flic.kr/p/6BuY6C #

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Getting Started with Yahoo! Contacts

One of the new features in Yahoo Mail is the contact manager. It’s similar to a paper or desktop address book but has a lot more features and functions such as categories and links to your connections. Read the rest of this entry »

List of New Features in Facebook for iPhone 3.0

List of New Features in Facebook for iPhone 3.0.

So what’s new in this update?

Read the rest of this entry »

Can I make money from Adsense? It depends because…

Before I start!

If you have any questions about how to develop a writing career online (which is more appropriate for me these days), technical writing or working as a consultant, just drop me a line.

Eric flicked me an email a few days back about Adsense and asked if it was worth the effort and what other alternative information products/services should he look at. Here’s an extract of the email I sent back. Read the rest of this entry »

Twitter Updates for 2009-07-01

• PayPal Tips – Download beta widgets, created by PayPal engineers http://ping.fm/4tfOY #
• Digital UK: Who gains and loses from government’s Digital Britain report? http://ping.fm/Dwxf1 #
• PayPal Study. Web Merchants Often Fail To Close Deal. Wall St Journal http://ping.fm/uPsOj #
• Steve Chen, co-founder of YouTube, has left the video-sharing site to pursue special projects at Google http://ping.fm/i9i74 # Read the rest of this entry »

How to fix the Normal template (Normal.dot) in Microsoft Word

The Normal template opens in the background whenever you start Word.

It includes default styles, AutoText, macros, toolbars, and other customizations that determine the basic look of your document.

The Normal template is a global template that you can use for any type of document. You can modify this template to change the default document formatting or content.

If this gets damaged or corrupt, here’s how to fix it: Read the rest of this entry »

Information is a Task

One of the greatest challenges organizations face is truly understanding the importance of, and managing the completion of, information-based tasks.

Read the rest of this entry »

New Google Insight For Search Beta

Google Insight For Search Beta

Originally uploaded by Tech Writer Boy

You can use this new app from Google to compare search volume patterns across specific regions, categories, time frames and properties.

See examples of how you can use Google Insights for Search. Google Insights for Search aims to provide insights into broad search patterns. Read the rest of this entry »

Bing Quick Tip – How to view non-Localized Bing from outside the USA

If you are outside the USA, you may not be getting all Bing’s features and only it’s localized version.

To view all the options in Bing, which may not be available in your region, visit http://www.bing.com/worldwide.aspx?FORM=WHSE and set English – US as your default region.

How to switch between the all-new Yahoo! Mail and Yahoo! Mail Classic?

You can switch between the all-new Yahoo! Mail and Yahoo! Mail Classic if you (like me!) prefer the old interface. Read the rest of this entry »

The Sad Tale of Abandoned Shopping Carts

The Sad Tale of Abandoned Shopping Carts

Originally uploaded by Tech Writer Boy

According to a survey by PayPal, nearly 60% of US online retailers survey are seeing cart abandonment rates of over 20% this year.

46% of online shoppers said high shipping charges were a “very important reason” for emptying carts.

Other reasons for abandonment included:

1. Wanted to comparison shop: 37%

2. Lack of money: 36%

3. Wanted to look for a coupon: 27%

4. Wanted to shop offline: 26%

5. Couldn’t find preferred pay option: 24%

6. Item unavailable at checkout: 23%

7. Couldn’t find customer support: 22%

8. Security concerns: 21%

“Merchants who don’t welcome back abandoners are leaving hundreds of dollars per shopper on the table,” said Eddie Davis of PayPal.

“Sweetening the deal with free shipping, coupons and special discounts is a great way to encourage online shoppers to complete their purchases.”

See: www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1007156

Twitter Updates for 2009-06-30

• Google Adsense guide explains its payment process http://ping.fm/4rm8R #
• Adobe close all offices for 1 week http://ping.fm/5RE5u #
• 4 ways to deliver your digital products, incl attachments, download links, and PIN Numbers http://ping.fm/76Vmy #
• Yahoo Kills Maven only 17 Months. $160 USD loss. http://ping.fm/IwgTI #
• How to use the Google Checkout shopping cart http://ping.fm/oTPNp Demo here http://ping.fm/vpfbk # Read the rest of this entry »

How to Add National Geographic Themes to your Google homepage

Google has added some nice new themes from National Geographic. Actually, I was surprised at the number of themes that are now available. Note to self – use iGoogle more often! Read the rest of this entry »

PayPal Identity Theft Checklist

PayPal Identity Theft Checklist

Originally uploaded by Tech Writer Boy

PayPal has created a checklist with a few simple steps, so you can be reminded of safe online practices.

You can also download the checklist by going to the Identity Protection Checklist PDF.

https://www.paypal.com/ie/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=xpt/Marketing/securitycenter/general/IdTheftChecklist-outside

How To Create a Strong Password & Protect Your PayPal Account Part 3 | Online Business Tips

Yesterday we looked at how to setup a strong password and how to test its strength. What I’d like to cover today are the type of mistakes people make when creating passwords and how to avoid this. If you’re planning on opening a PayPal account or use eBay to buy and sell, then I think you should read this. Read the rest of this entry »