Entries Tagged 'Uncategorized' ↓

This is just a quick test of the aLinks plugin. I wonder if it will link adam eason’s name to his website, where you can get a free relaxation download? I wonder if you’ll go there right now, or in a moment, hmm?

You know, I’m amazed at how many new ways spring up every month on the Internet to take up time. Sometimes we all need a little diversion, and this is probably the second biggest benefit of the increasing user-interaction we’ve seen in the past couple of years.

I’m sure you’ve seen, and probably done hundreds of, the quizzes on every site and subject from grading your geekiness to estimating your life expectancy. Quibblo.com is a new site bringing the power of Facebook to a MySpace account or blog posting near you real soon.

First the bad news. Firstly the site is new and seems to be top-heavy with immature morons - a risk that all sites like this take on. Certainly its an easy market to tap, but Quibblo might want to consider how easy this sort of traffic will convert for their advertisers. Secondly, the site is far too in love with javascript taking control of where and how I want to open new pages for my tastes. A less-intrusive code could still achieve a speedy user interface.

Now the good news. Quibblo is fast, easy to use and has three user-friendly integration options, at least one of which will work with almost any blogging or social-networking platform. Font size is good and general design clean and pleasing. “The Random” option is a nice touch for when you just have a couple of minutes.

Here’s an example of a quiz that businesses as well as bloggers might find interesting

Kind blog reader - who are you?

Survey by Quibblo

Notice how you can submit an answer without leaving this site, and the live results. A nice touch is the noscript link to the quiz, so users with JavaScript disabled can still take the test. I haven’t tested the accessibility of the HTML, of if the JavaScript is keyboard-navigation or speech-browser compatible (its late, and I’m not superman!). Some explanation of the terminology in the embed a quizpage would be helpful.

I can see great potential for Quibblo, some things I’d like to see them develop are the ability to make a quiz private (only viewable via embedding) and private statistics - possibly in a pay-for-use premium version for businesses.

Overall, a good job by the Quibblo gang, and well worth spending a few minutes looking around.

Oh, in case you don’t know who Matt LaClear is, he’s a permission marketer who’s made a very nice chunk of change on myspace based around little popular quizzes like on Quibblo. He’d love this new site - get your prospects to create the lead generation data themselves!

This afternoon a nice little package got delivered, a full set of free trial CDs from Michel Thomas language learning.

I’ve got the choice of doing a one hour taster session in French, German, Italian of Spanish. For some bizarre reason, I’ve chosen Italian.

Maybe I just want better meatballs.

Buying bread. Its not sexy. No one’s ever going to make a film about (well, possibly Ken Loach). There will be no telethon. Jean Claude Van Damme isn’t going to be sweating and flexing over my weekly wholemeal.

For someone like me, too ill to work and, for the moment, forbidden from even making the attempt lest it delay my recovery or - heaven forbid - make me worse, life can be kinda boring. Stuck inside all day, wondering if this hour will I have enough energy to refill my water bottle and go to the toilet? Luckily, the Internet was born. Amazingly it hasn’t collapsed under the shear mass of porn - yet - so there are still some useful sites around.

PayPerPost is one of these sites. Strangely enough, they pay people to post (that’s “write an entry in a public online journal known as a blog” for anyone born before 1987). Most of the time the advertisers are looking to create a buzz about a product or buy some blog reviews.

With whatever money that doesn’t go to the supermarket I’ll be saving up for my driving test, and to have a little seed money for a couple of month’s time when I hope to be able to start a little bit of work again.

Exciting huh? Told you there wouldn’t be a telethon. But maybe, just maybe, a light at the end of the tunnel.

Disclosure:

Oops! I meant to say in the last post, every comment, link, smoke signal and pigeon comes without Wordpress’ annoying and pointless nofollow attribute (preventing you, my lovely reader, from getting linky love).

Love away, its a free-for-all here at Nathy Towers

That’s right folks, every link in a comment on this blog now comes with extra Google Juice (TM).

Be extra nice and I’ll throw in a free tickle too

Tim Schroeder of eMonetized.com is giving four people the chance to have their own 125 x 125 banner ad shown on John Chow for free. Your can read more about his John Chow Banner Ad Contest Here.