Dr. Linda S. Ralston's Blog (aka Utah Tour Doctor)
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The new iPad - Resolution better than Kindle for reading?

3/7/2012

2 Comments

 
Okay, truth be told I have checked out the iPad 1 and iPad 2 but I have not been sufficiently tempted.  I do own both a Kindle and a Nook. My Kindle is 3 years old, has traveled the world, and has become my preferred device for reading.  I love how lightweight it is to hold, quickly advance pages, the battery that lasts days (versus the hours of an iPad), and the e-ink screen is easy to read for hours. When I was in China for a month, I read everyday and the battery lasted a month.  I have never had to struggle with a glaring screen even outside. I can even read with a soft light into the night without straining my eyes. I cannot imagine trying to hold a 1.4 pound iPad with one hand for hours as I read a book from cover to cover. As a teacher, I read daily. . . some of the books are heavy and bulky, particularly my computer application books.  Yet, these books are lightweight on my Kindle (it weighs around a half pound).  I can search the books, take notes, and even highlight sections and print out the highlights to review before class.    Okay, my Kindle does not have a camera and no Siri, but my Kindle will read some books for me.   

I admit that there are other reasons for owning an iPad "New/3", but not for reading books. Apple might think they are offering an alternative to the Kindle, but not in my opinion.  I suggest that Apple consider focusing their marketing on applications other than reading books. Do not worry Amazon! I will still be using my Kindle on a daily basis.     
2 Comments

12 Things That Will Kill Your Blog Post Every Time

3/6/2012

1 Comment

 
A recent article I found on SEOMOZ reviewed some key aspects that every blogger should consider in order to make their blogs more effective.  I will highlight a few of the recommendations. Bloggers should ensure that they make every effort to avoid making these errors that will decrease the effectiveness of your blog:

  1. Crafting cute, clever or confusing headlines (or really bad ones) - Remember that this is the key aspect of generating interest in your blog.  Make sure you make the headline interesting to attract attention. In my electronic marketing course, I teach the use of AIDA.  A=Attention (the headline is essential to gaining attention), I=Interest (the description appearing on the search engine results will generate interest), D=Desire (create a desire for further information by supporting your blog with links to other sources), and A=Action (provide an opportunity for readers to follow-up on your blog with an RSS Feed or Twitter Posts).
  2. Never linking to old posts. . . Previous posts provide support and further details for your current post.
  3. Never linking to other bloggers . . . Again, providing links to other bloggers and articles generate interest and encourage dialogue between your readers and other bloggers.
  4. Forgetting to fill out your page title and description fields . . . again, the page title and description are critical for SEO.  Search engines use this information when indexing your page and the use of the title and description provides valuable attention for potential readers on the search engine results.
  5. Plagiarizing other bloggers . . . Whereas, you may feel it is a quick way to boost your blogging frequency, make sure you are ethical and provide valuable insight for your readers.  If in the case of a blog (such as, this particular post) reflects on material previously posted on another blog, quote the previous blog and provide a hyperlink to the original post.  More importantly, ADD further information and insight. As noted on item 1, provide a greater information to ensure that your readers want to read your blog rather than just link to another person's blog.
  6. Writing big blocks of copy . . . use short paragraphs with sub-headings.  I know I am guilty of this error.  When I first started blogging while on sabbatical in China, I used my blog as a travel journal.  Writing in a journal is not the same as blogging.  I have learned over time that most people do not want to read pages and pages of copy.  Keep it short and interesting.
It seems that this is a perfect place to end this post . . . If you are interested in learning more, check out the original blog at http://www.seomoz.org/blog/12-things-that-will-kill-your-blog-post-every-time 

     
1 Comment

    Author

    Dr. Linda Ralston (alias UTourDoctor) teaches at the University of Utah in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. My blog on emarketing is designed for my students just beginning the journey of exploring the world of electronic marketing.

    Check out my other blogs:
    eLearning Blog
    ePortfolio Blog
    Responsible Tourism Blog
    Sabbatical Blog (2009)

    Linda Ralston

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