Daily Bits

Blogger Appreciation Contest

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The guys from CellPhones.org think that bloggers deserve more recognition for the work they do. We couldn’t agree more. To solve that problem they are launching the 2009 Blogger Appreciation Contest. You just need to visit the application page and submit your own blog or the blog from someone you think deserves recognition.

The prizes are pretty cool:

1st Prize: 1 year of your cell phone bill on us (Cell Phones . Org) – up to $1000
2nd Prize: Free cell phone of your choosing (does not include plan, just the phone).
3rd Prize: $100 off your your next purchase at Cell Phones .org – this is transferable and never expires.

The deadline for submissions is February 28, so check it out.

Microsoft Offers Free Training Resources to Elevate America

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Microsoft is launching a new initiative that aims to equip individuals the necessary skills needed to land them a good job. The initiative would include providing access to Microsoft’s online training programs including use of email, creating resume and even some training materials on using Microsoft’s applications and programs.

As part of this initiative, Microsoft has launched a new website called Elevate America.  This website contains relevant tools and materials that would help individuals gain the technical skills they need to land good jobs, or even start entrepreneurial endeavors. 

Microsoft is also partnering with state and local governments to make Microsoft’s resources available to their constituents. Florida, New York and Washington are the first three states which will make this resources to their citizens.

So if you’re in need of some good technology-related training materials and programs, Elevate America would be a good place to start. Microsoft is even generously providing free vouchers that would grant you access to various Microsoft certification programs.

Finally, Facebook Connect Does Something to Compete with Google Friend Connect

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Even if Facebook and Google won’t admit it, there is an underlying competition between Facebook Connect and Google Friend Connect . The lack of the word Friend on Facebook’s Connect service is not enough to cloak the fact that Google Friend Connect was meant to compete with Facebook Connect.  And the turn of events the past couple of days may have ignited this rivalry. Google recently introduced the Google Friend Connect social toolbar which allows you to add a long strip of gray bar on top or at the bottom of your website. This social toolbar can contain some socialization feature among which is a commenting using a user’s Google Friend Connect account.

Facebook probably knew that Google FC has one upped them with the social bar, so it has announced through the Facebook Developer’s blog that they are rolling out a commenting widget through a Facebook Connect application. You might say that this is nothing compared to Google Friend Connect’s Social Toolbar since it’s only for comments while Google FC’s toolbar can also contain other cool Google gadgets. And Facebook knows we’re going to ask this so it has peppered the Facebook Connect Comment widget with a nice feature that we will all surely love. The Facebook Connect comment widget will also display comments posted on your profile in reference to a given comment thread. Hence, integrating comments made on your Facebook profile and the Facebook Connect comments  on your site. 

We won’t discuss how you can enable the Facebook Connect Comment Widget on your site since this is a bit on the technical side. If you are really interested, you may check out the  Facebook Developers’ site for a detailed instruction on how to do this.

Anti-Trust Law to Get a Boost if New Chief is Confirmed by the US Senate

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Bloomberg is running a very good piece on the long standing industry prediction that Google will be the next Microsoft. The article delves deeply into the pending confirmation of the Obama-nominated Anti-Trust chief Christine A. Barney. Ms. Barney was personally handpicked by Pres. Obama a couple of months ago.

But before Pres. Obama asked Ms. Barney to lead the controversial Anti-Trust agency, Varney was known to have a strong conviction that Google is out to replace Microsoft. Especially since the Internet trend is leaning towards “cloud computing.” And we all know that Google has already establish a good foundation for its “cloud computing service”, thanks to Google Docs, and its seamless integration of various online products such as Gmail, Google Maps, Google Friend Connect, among other services.

For Ms. Barney however, this is all well and good if only Google has not “acquired a monopoly” in the Internet online advertising.  Ms. Barney wants to tackle this issue once her confirmation becomes final. She also promised to strictly implement the anti-trust law.

So, it would seem that Google should expect harder times up ahead  which shall start once Ms. Barney gets the anti-trust chief position.

Is there are reason for Google to be afraid?  Looking into Google’s previous behavior when confronted with monopoly and anti-trust issues, I don’t think that anyone in Google’s camp are a bit worried about Ms. Barney’s appointment, I still think that Google can survive her probing once she become the official Ant-Trust chief.

Can Nokia’s New Ovi Store Compete with iTunes Apps Store?

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One of the most exciting announcements made at the ongoing Mobile Web Congress happening in Barcelona was Nokia’s new mobile content application service called Ovi Store. According to Nokia, the Ovi Store will integrate all its current mobile content services, Download, MOSH and WidSets into the Ovi Store. And to make things more interesting the Nokia is also opening the Ovi Store’s door to third-party mobile phone applications developer through revenue sharing similar to Apple’s policy with its Apps Store.

From the looks of it, the Nokia Ovi Store is a promising endeavour for Nokia and if carried out properly, Nokia may have something good in the offing for their mobile product offerings. Nokia mobile phones continue to be the most widely used mobile phone devices worldwide despite having less clout in the American market. Elsewhere, Nokia still dominates the mobile phone market, especially in Asian countries.

So, if Nokia could come up with a mobile content and applications store as good as Apple’s iTunes Apps Store, you can just imagine how big its consumers will be. Nokia mobile phones market share is still bigger than the iPhone despite the huge success that Apple’s mobile device has gained since it was launched. And if Nokia’s Ovi Store could offer something as robust as the iTunes Apps Store plus other mobile stuff, then it could very well give the iTunes Apps Store a run for its money.

Can Nokia’s Ovi Store compete with iTunes Apps Store? Probably yes. But could third party application developers come up with good applications for Nokia’s mobile phones, or could Nokia phones handle sophisticated mobile applications? Those are the proper question to ask. And the answers are yet to be ascertained.

Google Docs Spreadsheet Editing Comes to the iPhone

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When Google Docs mobile was launched last year, I was pretty much excited to try it out using my iPhone. Unfortunately, the service didn’t have too much to offer since it was a browse-only service. I stopped using it since then. Perhaps realizing the shortcomings of its mobile Google Docs service, Google has finally introduced some sort of “editing” features to Google Docs, but only for spreadsheets.

Actually the new feature was the addition of a List View which facilitates viewing, editing, sorting, and filtering of your spreadsheets on your iPhone and other supported mobile devices including the G1 Android Phone, iPod devices and Nokia S60 devices.

This is certainly a nice feature especially if you are sharing and collaborating on spreadsheet files. Now, you can easily edit a spreadsheet file anywhere you are, using your mobile phone. Even better is the fact that your friend or colleague who are sitting in front of their PCs at home or in the office will immediately see the edits you’ve made.

Hopefully, we get the same feature on Google document files as well.