CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-18 16:10:19 (10 comments, 3 reshares, 16 +1s)

Why 30 is not the new 20

If you're my age and YOLO is your mantra, you might be throwing away one of the most important decades of your life. Check out what Meg Jay has to say about this point in your life and why it can define you and your future...

What do you wish you did differently in your twenties?

2013-05-17 17:34:17 (15 comments, 0 reshares, 15 +1s)

Post-Op Lunch

I cannot tell you how much I want a cheeseburger right now...

2013-05-16 15:30:45 (36 comments, 1 reshares, 61 +1s)

Just had all four of my wisdom teeth removed under IV sedation.

You know what that means? It's Milkshake time!!!!

2013-05-16 00:18:51 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 22 +1s)

Google, please please please let me disable +1 notifications from appearing!

#wishlist

2013-05-15 23:34:58 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 21 +1s)

Google Now + All Access Google Play = Slick

Just say whatever you're in the mood to listen to and bask in the sweet tuneage that follows!

Now that's simple!

2013-05-15 21:47:56 (10 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Hey Nashville!

How are you liking the new Google+ UI? Do you think this will help get you more interactive on the site?

I'm thinking of doing a Nashville+ recruitment drive. Is anyone interested in helping out/participating? I'd like to organize a meetup sometime soon so we can all finally HIRL or "SNIRL" (as +Dave Delaney calls it).

Let me know!

2013-05-15 21:42:13 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 21 +1s)

Okay so...

old.Hangout = new.HangoutParty

new.Hangout = old.Talk, old.Messenger, old.GChat

2013-05-15 21:09:06 (7 comments, 1 reshares, 26 +1s)

Home Sweet Home
#IO13   #WhiteSpace   #GraySpace  

My Goodness, the new UI is just a breath of fresh air. From the new clean font, to the shading which gives new posts depth, this interface is absolutely gorgeous.

Feel free to take a look at my first few screenshots:

2013-05-15 20:41:01 (7 comments, 4 reshares, 6 +1s)

New Hangouts landing page

CHECK IT OUT: http://www.google.com/hangouts/

#io13   #hangouts  

2013-05-15 20:33:24 (16 comments, 3 reshares, 5 +1s)

Communities in the new Google+ Stream

As you may have seen by now, we're excited to roll out 41 Google+ upgrades today - including the new Stream, Hangouts, and Photos. Check them all out here:

http://googleplusproject.blogspot.com/2013/05/new-google-stream-hangouts-and-photos.html

For those particularly interested in Communities, here are the Communities-specific changes we've made in the redesign:

- Communities look great in the redesign - New multi-column layout? New stylish looks? New related tags? They're all in Communities too.
- More prominent About section - Community moderators have been asking for a way to make their About sections - with its critical set of guidelines and rules - more visible. Now prominently in the upper-right, perhaps you might also find the About section useful for timely announcements now,... more »

2013-05-15 20:09:11 (6 comments, 6 reshares, 10 +1s)

Hangouts for Chrome

Here's the link to install the new Hangouts interface in Chrome.

h/t +Dan McDermott 

2013-05-15 19:58:51 (3 comments, 19 reshares, 30 +1s)

Lookout, +PayPal!

#IO13   #GoogleWallet  

2013-05-15 19:58:06 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

#IO13   #Hangouts  

2013-05-15 19:56:37 (1 comments, 8 reshares, 12 +1s)

#IO13   #Hangouts  

2013-05-15 19:26:50 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

.  #IfIHadGlass , this app would be a lot more useful...

#IO13  

2013-05-15 19:23:00 (1 comments, 4 reshares, 15 +1s)

Send Money to Friends with Gmail and Google Wallet

Paying a buddy back for lunch or paying your share of the rent has just gotten a whole lot easier. Starting today, we are rolling out the ability to use your Gmail and Google Wallet to quickly and securely send money to anyone in the U.S. over the age of 18. Read the blog post to learn more: http://goo.gl/vTTTE

2013-05-15 19:20:08 (1 comments, 4 reshares, 7 +1s)

Hangouts for Android now available!

The wait is over my Android friends. Upgrade now to the new Hangouts

#io13   #googleplusupdate  

2013-05-15 19:02:18 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 15 +1s)

Now I've got #AllAccess  !

#IO13  

2013-05-15 18:55:18 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 18 +1s)

Your WHITESPACE coming to life . .
#streamON    

2013-05-15 16:14:49 (8 comments, 2 reshares, 8 +1s)

What's Your #IO13  Prediction?
Google seems to be bringing us further apart...

Things like +Project Glass seem to be detaching us further and further from human interaction. While they might be bringing your gaze up from your lap and keeping you from fiddling with your Smartphone, what products will the future bring that make us engage more with our tangible friends and experiences?

While most of you are glued to your computers and TV's watching the I/O Keynote, I'm plugging away at work. In fact, I'm about to leave and grab some lunch with someone downtown. Now that's real.

What's your prediction?

2013-05-15 15:37:19 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 5 +1s)

Software isn't Friendship

Let's get back to treating tools like G+      and others like what they are: our way of connecting with and gathering the information that we want. 

Let's untangle our "you don't follow me" emotional problems from our choices of who we circle and who we don't. 

2013-05-15 14:15:44 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

We have a NEW PHOTO POLICY at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center!

Photographs are now allowed in the concert hall anytime the house lights are on. Snap a photo and share with us, but don’t forget to turn off your cell phone once the concert starts!  

Please upload and share your photo with your friends.  You can tag us so that the musicians and staff see it too!

2013-05-14 19:54:19 (3 comments, 4 reshares, 11 +1s)

Notice a Glitch in Your Stream?

"Let's make #PlusBroken  trend during I/O." - +Dirk Talamasca

"Or #FixThatShit " - +Dan Soto 

I like it!

2013-05-14 19:31:19 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

5 Easy Ways to Discover New People

The Internet is vast and it is constantly growing. More and more people are producing content, sharing ideas and interacting than ever before. Social media allows those people to connect, share ideas, debate topics and keep in touch.

Google+ has become a means of discovery for many of the people using the network. Unlike traditional social media, it has allowed us to discover new people based on the content of their shares and posts as well as their attitude, sense of humor, tone and personality. Being authentic has never been more important online.

The only problem with this discovery machine is that you are always going to overlook someone. It might be someone with a great idea, it might be someone with an important message or it might be someone that you were meant to connect with.

If you are interested in discovering... more »

2013-05-14 00:40:21 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 13 +1s)

XXX Nashville Food Porn

I was the luckiest man in the world tonight to come home to a slab of Jack Daniel BBQ ribs, fresh cornbread and all of the right fixins with a bottle of oaky Malbec to seal the deal.

Stevie Ray Vaughan provided the tunes and made this meal ROCK!

2013-05-13 18:06:25 (22 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

What Happens When Google Cloud Storage Is No Longer Free?
A Devil's Advocate Commentary on Today's 15GB Announcement

Unless you live under a rock, you probably know that Google is a for profit company. Although its internal slogan is “don’t be evil” it still needs to make a buck to take care of its well-compensated employees.

Currently, Google operates on a paid-search and Internet-wide advertising model. By paying to have you ad appear in search results and on other websites, your business gets more exposure and Google lines its pockets.

However, as Google is expanding rapidly into smartphones (Android) and computer hardware (Chrome OS) as well as the forthcoming Google Glass (Augmented Reality) is it safe to assume that ad-based model is going to put enough cash in Google’s coffers to keep its investors happy?

With the announcementthat Go... more »

2013-05-13 12:29:26 (4 comments, 9 reshares, 15 +1s)

This is hilarious!

2013-05-11 20:08:20 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 22 +1s)

Having fun at the Parthenon earlier today...

2013-05-10 14:59:34 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 10 +1s)

In Flight Wi-Fi Could Get Faster

According to an article by PC Magazine, an FCC Proposal would free up an additional 500mHz of wireless spectrum for the airlines to use. (Currently air-to-ground wi-fi systems only have 4mHz of spectrum to work in, which is why many carriers have adopted satellite-based wi-fi systems.)

Now if they would only let us keep our devices on for the whole flight!

Read the article here: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2418791,00.asp .

2013-05-10 11:44:45 (4 comments, 2 reshares, 11 +1s)

How do you deal with annoying situations?
It's all a matter of how you look at things.

If you are a middle income white collar American you will definitely identify with this video.

2013-05-09 20:27:10 (5 comments, 18 reshares, 35 +1s)

Why do we worry about things out of our control?

Recently things have been a little crazy at work. Needless to say, quite a few of us are stressed out. But you know what? We can't do anything about it. No matter how much we worry about it, how much we let it affect us, there is nothing we can do about things outside of our control.

So why do we worry so much?

#relax  

2013-05-09 16:03:23 (8 comments, 2 reshares, 9 +1s)

How to Find Direction

At some point or another in our lives, we lose direction.

Most of the time, though, we know where we want to go, but we don’t have any clue how to get there.

This morning while I was getting ready for work I listened to an interesting presentation given by Professor Renata Salecl which “explores the paralysing anxiety and dissatisfaction surrounding limitless choice.”

In the talk, Professor Salecl talks about how being faced with a choice can make us feel. A classic example that I related to was sitting at a restaurant and ordering a bottle of wine. Salcel tells the story of a colleague that becomes anxious each time he is faced with this task. If he chooses the most expensive bottle, his friends will think he is a show-off, if he chooses the cheapest, his friends may perceive him as a cheapskate. So, as a general rule, he alwayschoos... more »

2013-05-09 13:32:33 (16 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

How Do You Blog?

I'm conducting a short and unscientific study to discover how people share content on Google+. I'm open to your feedback in the comments on this post, but please take a moment to complete the short survey on Google Forms and help me with my next blog post.

Special thanks to +Max Huijgen for inspiring this little project.

2013-05-09 11:38:41 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 19 +1s)

How to Make a Really Cool Phone Wallpaper

I am always inspired when I see interesting wallpapers on people's cellphones. I think that just by changing your default background you can give your phone some personality and a whole new feel.

For this photo I was sitting in my car on a rainy day waiting for Brittani to get her hair done. I went into my phone's camera settings and changed the focus type to macro. Then, I simply focused on the rain drops and snapped a few shots. Presto! A new custom wallpaper and a new perspective.

2013-05-09 04:21:07 (3 comments, 3 reshares, 11 +1s)

Which URL Came First: apple.com or adobe.com ?
The answer might surprise you...

Here's an old list from +PCWorld that I dug up for your enjoyment.

When was the first time you accessed the Internet?

#ThrowBack   #History   #Internet   #nostalgia  

2013-05-09 03:44:41 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

*HUMP DAY CIRCLE SHARE*

I'm throwing down a circle of my most interactive as of lately. I want to meet some new people, so help me get over that HUMP by tagging in a new person you would want nominated for the next hump day share. I'm going to do it biweekly, so be sure and get them in so I can curate.

**PLEASE RESHARE AND CIRCLE*** 

If you were notified, you are in the circle. Also, +Brett Bjornsen is the VIP in this circle. He knows why. So do you. 

DO THIS THING. MEET THESE PEOPLE.

#CircleShare   #Circle   #CircleJerk   #Social   #SocialCircle   #HumpDay   #Respect  

2013-05-09 03:31:15 (8 comments, 1 reshares, 21 +1s)

Top 5 Videos Making Fun of Google Glass

Google's +Project Glass has been the butt of many jokes, some of which you might have missed. Here's a quick rundown on 5 of my favorite videos making fun of Google Glass:

http://www.petergmcdermott.com/2013/05/top-5-videos-making-fun-of-google-glass/

2013-05-08 16:09:38 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

How to Find Direction

I owe some special thanks to a few special people in my life that have really helped me evaluate what it is I want and how I am going to get there. Through my experiences I hope to share with you how I have found direction to do what I love and the things I am learning through the process.

Are you doing what you love?

*To be notified of future posts, please let me know by writing "Subscribe Me" in the comments. You will be added to my "Notification" circle.

2013-05-08 16:08:57 (2 comments, 6 reshares, 7 +1s)

The Paradox of Choice

When you get ten minutes today watch this video and you will gain some insight into why we have such a problem doing what we really want to do.

Update: I just used this in my blog post for today. You can find it here: http://www.petergmcdermott.com/2013/05/how-to-find-direction/

2013-05-07 17:56:04 (4 comments, 2 reshares, 10 +1s)

What Happens When You Lose Focus

It's been a long time since I've posted something in my blog, however last week I had the incredible opportunity to speak at the Nashville #SEOMeetup  hosted by +Ross Jones. Right before the event, I was struggling for several nights trying to figure out how to present Google+ to a group of SEO experts. It was the first time I had been challenged in a long time.

In the end, I was reminded how much I love telling stories and sharing with people what I have learned. Sometimes we forget that although we may not think we are the experts, we might be the experts to some. We all have our gifts, and for me, sharing is one of them.

So, with that said, here's what happens when you lose focus and what you should do about it...

#SelfHelp   #Goals   #Ideas   #improvement   #PeterGMcDermott  

2013-05-07 18:25:17 (23 comments, 7 reshares, 25 +1s)

Why Successful People Leave Their Loser Friends Behind
An interesting post via +Steve Faktor over on +LinkedIn.

The biggest takeaway I found were the "Three Essential People:"

"A mentor once told me that no matter how many close people you have in your network, if you want to be truly great, you must have three essential people in your life at all times: 

A person who is older and more successful than you to learn from
A person who is equal to you to exchange ideas with
A person below you to coach and keep you energized"

2013-05-07 13:33:39 (7 comments, 16 reshares, 29 +1s)

"There’s a theory that human intelligence stems from a single algorithm."

That's some powerful stuff!

Recently I've found myself binging on The Numbers Game and Brain Games on the +National Geographic Channels. Last night I learned all sorts of things from how our brains make things up when they don't have enough information to why we see some things based on how we hear them, not as how we actually see them.

The whole science behind how we think is bringing us to the next level of computing. And I, for one, think this is some pretty interesting stuff. Now, teaching a computer to scour the Internet for cats might be a meager beginning, but who knows where "deep learning" computers could take us...

2013-05-06 20:02:46 (18 comments, 0 reshares, 12 +1s)

Accessory Manufacturers Look Beyond iPhone Connectivity
Industry bets on Bluetooth as smartphone market spreads

It should be no surprise that electronic manufacturers (especially those in the smartphone and tablet arenas) are starting to phase out their iPod/iPad/iPhone compatible 30-pin connectors as Apple has switched to their new "Lightning" connectivity port on the iPhone 5. However, instead of simply changing over the ports on their cradles, according to +The New York Times, companies are favoring more widely adopted technologies like Bluetooth that work across multiple platforms.

This change could totally level the playing field for Android and Microsoft phone manufacturers as accessory makers shift away from their eyes-on-Apple approach. Hopefully this change will encourage more innovation and more great products for those of us that outside of Apple's... more »

2013-05-05 19:52:49 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 16 +1s)

The devil's cut.

2013-05-05 18:58:03 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

Happy #Cincodemayo!

Some of our American traditions may seem materialistic and silly but in today's case they help support local businesses.

¡ vivir el sueño americano!

#BuyLocal

2013-05-05 16:01:25 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

What is your sweet spot?

I'm going to blog about this today, but I wanted to share this interview to tee it up. I'm lucky to have someone that I met through Google+ that has been an incredible mentor to me (you know who you are). 

After speaking at a #SEOMeetu  here in Nashville, +Ross Jones (among others) reminded me that I'm not doing what I love. Maybe it's time for change?

What is your sweet spot?

2013-05-05 15:12:31 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Need a great Mother's Day gift idea? Check out my suggestions, from a cool  personalized necklace for the blogging mom to a new jewelry line that gives back from Lisa Leonard to rockin' mom tees! http://blondemomblog.com/?p=18097

2013-05-05 13:44:42 (15 comments, 1 reshares, 7 +1s)

"Will these guys make Google Glass uncool?" - CNN.com

I saw another headline like this for the same article on Wired.com that read "Guys Like This Could Kill Google Glass Before It Ever Gets Off the Ground." I chuckled, because immediately I recognized this character as one +Robert Scoble. The problem though, is before +Google+ I had no idea who Robert was.

Let's assume that most American's between the ages of 18-35 don't know who this Robert Scoble guy is. If this technology is taking off in mainstream media and the forefront evangelist is a 40-something blogger posing like Janet Leigh in a shower, will the millennials and Gen Yer's immediately discard this new tech as unhip?

Wired: http://goo.gl/AK894 .
Janet Leigh Reference: http://goo.gl/dxmvW .

2013-05-04 22:22:00 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 12 +1s)

The best reason to miss podcamp?

To witness marriage.

2013-05-04 18:35:52 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

Wish we could hang out! 

Do you wish you could #hangout  with your real friends?
 
You know the ones I mean: those that are "stuck" on Facebook. Who seem to have a perverse resistance to trying out Google+ or hangouts.  

You aren't alone: plus.google.com/111667704476323287430/posts/KuMvWGDGvcY 
Why are some people so adverse to trying something new do you think?

Hangouts info: google.com/+/learnmore/hangouts