Socialology.Net Just another WordPress weblog

Steve got an iPad and boy, is David jealous!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TBq_a6UgMw]

David and I have started a new blog. Check out the Slouch Potato blog!

This is where we post the findings of our yearlong set of interviews with top social media power users as a way to help chronicle how social media changes consumer behavior. Join the discussion and let us know what you think.

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from LaceDarius Torrent.

LeadStory!
Apple’s iNewton drops April 3, and I can hardly contain myself. Though I haven’t had a chance to see one IRL, I approximated one last night at dinner with friends at On the Border. I borrowed nine i-Phones and laid them out in a three-by-three pattern. Despite a little queso in one of the camera lens recesses and a guac-blocked microphone (my bad), it really worked well, giving me a solid idea of what this beauty will have to offer! I have to tell you it was intoxicating having all of that screen real estate!

Seen this yet? It drops April 3!

If I’m any indication, Apple is onto something. How great will it be to combine my PalmPilot, Zune, and hardback books into a single elegant device that I can carry around with my phone? I’ve heard the naysayers rattle on about “no Flash.” Forgive me, but who cares about Flash when the i-Newton doesn’t include a camera anyway? All of you early-adopters who beat me to the punch by pre-ordering will be reading books, playing games and using the Zippo lighter app on Saturday! #colormejealous!

NewsFlash!
Google, the search giant and Picassa owner, has officially moved its servers off of Chinese soil. Cheers to Sergey Brin and Larry Page for abandoning their Soviet roots and taking a stand against censorship! Sorry Chairman Mao, hope you like Bing! Let’s all hope China doesn’t react out of anger and retaliate by refusing our restaurants the right to sell authentic Chinese cuisine. I don’t know what I would do without China Chow’s Crab Rangoon! (Disclosure: they pay me to write nice things about their food. But honestly, it’s so good I would do it for free.)

NewsFlash!
I can only guess what Tech wunderkind Steve Jobs and Google’s Eric Cantor were cooking up the other day when they met for coffee. A Google i-Phone, perhaps? A Mac with Google’s Chromium browser on it? The possibilities stimulate the mind, do they not? A little bird told me Steve had a no-whip-soy mocha while Eric was content with caffeine-free tea. Caffeine-free? I don’t know if you read this blog, Eric, but don’t lose one second of precious shut-eye to China (see item above)!

It will take a while for things like this to shake out. The unanswered question is, ‘What will it mean for DIY authors?’

E-Book Sellers Face a Battle to Win iPad Customers

This is one crappy banner.

1. Stylish striptease not the least bit titillating.
2. Photoshopping in an airplane poster does not make an over-lit dentist office waiting room into an interesting setting
3. FAST? Fast what? Am I to fill in the blank?
4. Can’t read the URL. Trunkershave? Truncheon-hive? TrundleLove?

A-Ha is a humorous take on current entertainment/cultural events on Access Hollywood’s web site, created by David Epstein and Steven Revare. Check out the Tiger Woods Show. In this episode: Elin decides to leave Tiger.

Earlier today I chatted with Tedrick Housh, an attorney specializing in employment law with the firm of Lathrop & Gage. Tedrick briefly tells us why companies need such policies, what they should contain, and a few wording pitfalls to avoid. In addition to comparing Intel’s recently-released policy with IBM’s, we also discuss our favorite lumber company Twitter streams. Socialology can help your organization draw up initial  guidelines before they hire an attorney like Tedrick to get the final version created.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laFRdOgitGA]

Lots of people are worked up on Facebook about search engine indexing:

As of today, Facebook will automatically index all your info on Google, which allows everyone to view it. To change this option, go to Settings –> Privacy Settings –> Search –> then UN-CLICK the box that says ‘Allow indexing’. Facebook kept this one quiet. Copy and paste onto your status for all your friends ASAP.

This is just your profile. They’ve been doing this since 2007. If you turn off ‘allow indexing,’ people won’t be able to find you in Facebook.

More info here.

Why people are so quick to believe this kind of thing?

Is it because Facebook just changed their privacy policy? Uh, yep. Is it because Facebook knows a lot about you and passes virtually all of it to marketers? Sure.

People are so suspicious, yet there is no end to the amount of information they will post about themselves on a site that ostensibly owns all of that information once you post it.

I guess that’s why.

Access Hollywood gave our video a little coverage yesterday. Here’s the clip they aired (after you watch a commercial).

Below is the uncensored version. Warning: This is not work-friendly, and contains adult language!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVT9HYgHFu8]