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Distraction is an epidemic, how our brains work against us

Curt Steinhorst
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Distraction is an epidemic, how our brains work against us

distraction

I have Adult A.D.D.

I’m easily distracted. I jump from task to task. I seldom watch TV without my iPhone or Kindle Fire (why did I not spend the extra $200 for the iPad? And… I’ve lost focus). I use two computer monitors with several programs typically running at once.

Sound familiar? When I explain to people what exactly makes me have ADD, I get the same response at least 80% of the time, “that sounds like me.” The only difference between you and me is that I can get medication if I want it. I have ‘a history of ADHD diagnosis,’ one of the many benefits of talking too much in class. Boom.

I used to convince myself that it somehow worked for me. It was part of what made me successful. I had a unique ability to multitask, to take in information from a number of sources.

Until I started my own company. It’s amazing how much less room there is for waste when my livelihood is dictated by both the quantity and quality of my individual performance.

This led me to study the issue.

And I kept studying. The science behind attention and the brain fit perfectly into the two topic areas that I speak on professionally (generations and communication), so I can justify that this use of my time is NOT, in fact, a distraction. I gathered some key ideas along the way:

Distraction is an epidemic. Yesterday I received 94 emails from friends about non-work related topics. YouTube links. Philosophy articles. Justin Bieber’s recent Ferrari mishap (Hollywood people problems).

None of these are necessarily bad uses of my time… taken individually. It’s just that the overwhelming number of distractions together create a recipe for a day chalk-full of waste.

  • Email overload
  • Facebook updates
  • Twitter on-demand
  • Coffee breaks, aka office gossip
  • Meetings, meetings and more meetings

We are in denial. I asked a number of my friends how they felt about the amount of time spent on various distractions. Many actually responded, with a straight face, that it didn’t affect their job performance. Either they are in complete denial, or their company should replace them with a monkey.

Why a monkey? Because no one can multi-task.

No one can multi-task. No one. Seriously. Not you. Not me. No one. Our brains were wired to keep one idea in our consciousness at a time. Every time we switch between tasks, there is a reboot period where we are forced to review past work. The result is lost time and performance quality.
If it makes you feel better, we are set up for failure. In the history of human kind, never have the tools used for work also been the source of our easiest distraction.

Here’s what I mean: Two hundred years ago, if I’m farming, I don’t have the option of turning my plow into a game where I attempt to use an ‘angry bird’ to knock down a building. The plow is used for one thing- farming.

To add insult to injury- humankind has survived in large part by because chemicals in our brain attract us to new stimulus. When we see something new and novel, we receive a jolt of dopamine… and we like dopamine. If our brain didn’t work this way, then I don’t notice that bear coming at me from 200 yards away. And I’m now the main course.

No more grizzly bears

Today, we aren’t likely to be attacked by a grizzly bear while sitting in our cubical or at the coffee shop, rather, we get our dopamine release from all sorts of fun new information available to us at any moment with the click of the mouse.

So what do we do given that we are hardwired to do something that actually hinders our performance in today’s world? I have found a few solutions that work for me, but I am most interested in what keeps you focused throughout the daily grind. Next up, I’ll share an organized, detailed list of tips.

In the interim, it’s time for me to get back to preparing for the 90 minute speech I have to give in Seattle this afternoon.

Encore helps people over 60 achieve their next career

Kristyl Barron
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Encore helps people over 60 achieve their next career

encore

Encore knows you’re going to change careers

At barely twenty years old, I was told by a Foundations of Education professor that on average, a person changes careers four to six times in a lifetime. Since I knew everything, like most twenty year olds do, I knew he wasn’t talking to me. I was going to be an English teacher. I was going to change the world one child at a time, and I like to think I did – for a period of about two years.

I then decided that the world would be better served if I had more power, so I began a Masters program and soon moved into education administration. I then married into the military seeing the world through an airman’s eyes, and as soon as we began our family (I mean as soon as the line turned pink), my only focus was babies, and I was pretty sure my world contribution would be my perfect children… now I know my world contribution is being a giant public spectacle as a mother so that other parents feel adequate in their child rearing endeavors. It hasn’t even been twenty years since that lecture and I am well ahead of the curve in career changes.

Encore helps those over sixty to achieve their second act

Encore.org, whose slogan is “Second Acts for the Greater Good,” has recognized that people change. We choose careers in our early twenties that serve who we are then, but we evolve. Our ideas get bigger, our material desires get smaller, and our hearts grow out of life experiences. Through jobs, families, and just plain maturity, we realize social needs greater than ourselves, and we change our focuses. We grow up.

Encore.org is aimed at helping people, specifically those over sixty, realize, aspire, and attain “encore careers.” It is a network of people, projects, encouragement, direction, opportunities, and ideas to help guide people into their after midlife endeavors. It is a chance for those with life experience to take what they’ve learned and give it back to the world. It isn’t retiring and volunteering. It is finding the heart’s direction and applying it to a social purpose career.

Certainly all careers, all business industries, all passions make the world turn, and there is pride in workforces and workers of all kinds, but as you find yourself on the other side of midlife ready to make a new kind of difference, CEO Marc Freedman wants to know, “What’s your encore?”

Bitcoin adoption: Nordic nations lead the way

Destiny Bennett, Staff Writer
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Bitcoin adoption: Nordic nations lead the way

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Bitcoin’s global adoption rates

Bitcoin has been in the news a lot lately for a variety of reasons – crowdfunding sites have started accepting the digital currency from investors, and U.S. government officials have proposed regulations on the industry which has operated unregulated so far. But although Bitcoin has had increased popularity in recent years, research data from The Genesis Block shows that there are some disparities in the currency’s usage rates across countries.

As we start the month of June in 2013, there have been more than 200,000 Bitcoin downloads in the U.S. for the year, and close to 150,000 in China. Countries like Russia and France have substantially fewer downloads, with approximately 10,000-15,000 downloads for the year.

The Genesis Block also ran metrics on the number of downloads in comparison to population size in order to measure the digital currency’s penetration in a particular country. The countries with the highest Bitcoin penetration in relation to their population sizes were mostly Nordic, with Finland, Ireland and Sweden boasting near a 0.5 percent ratio of downloads in comparison to population size. The United States showed a ratio of 0.3 percent.

Nordic nations are very tech savvy

Nordic countries are known to be very technologically savvy and have a high amount of internet usage. Genesis Block numbers show that there is a high correlation between countries that have populations with internet access and the number of downloads per capita; this explains why countries in this region are the current leaders in Bitcoin adoption when analyzing by usage amongst population size.

Government officials in the Nordic region also seem to have a more accepting mindset on Bitcoin usage in comparison to officials in other countries who believe it should be regulated. While Bart Chilton of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission recently proposed regulating Bitcoin, Päivi Heikkinen, Finland’s Head of the Division for Oversight of Financial Markets Infrastructure, doesn’t see a need for it, stating that “people can invest in and use any money they prefer.”

If Finland residents and those in surrounding companies embrace this acceptance of Bitcoin usage, these countries could see an increased number of downloads both in comparison to population size as well as total downloads over all.

How to execute a guest pinner program on Pinterest

Jennifer Walpole, Sr. Staff Writer
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How to execute a guest pinner program on Pinterest

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What is this Pinterest?

Pinterest is a website that allows you to create a visual online pinboard, organized around topics of your choice, by category. Think virtual corkboard. For example, I am a movie-addict, so, I have a board of all the movies I love, quotes from films, and actors. But, I have another board that is full of recipes. It can be anything and everything that one loves.

Seventy percent of the site’s visitors are women age 25-44, and they spend an average of 15 minutes looking around. And that should make your business mind take notice, right?

What is a guest pinner, how can it help my business?

A guest pinner is someone you invite to pin to your boards. Some that you think will bring something new, helpful or exciting to your boards.

It’s a win for you because you’ll get new content on your Pinterest boards that you don’t have to do a thing to get. It will also bring the guest pinner’s followers to your page, which has great branding potential.

For example, ModCloth has a guest pinner gallery. They feature some of the industry’s best and brightest who showcase their art, design concepts, and anything else that they think would appeal to ModCloth’s audience. And it’s a win for your guest pinners too, because they get a whole new audience with whom to share their content/product/perspective and the potential to gain new followers in your following.

What about content? You don’t have to just pin pictures; you can pin videos or even text. Consider posting segments from speaking engagements, news clips, interviews and YouTube videos that are highly relevant and engaging to your Pinterest boards and followers. The possibilities are virtually limitless.

Okay, I’m ready for guest pinners, now what do I do?

When you decide who you want to invite to be a guest pinner, reach out to them and address your goals, why you would be honored to involve them, and give them some basic guidelines.

Then, you can invite them to pin to one of your existing boards, or you can have them pin to a secret board. A secret board is essentially a hidden board that no one else can see but you and is useful if you want to do an unveiling of content at a specific time or on a specific day. If you are using an existing board, you will simply do the following steps:

  • Hover over your name, in the top right of your Pinterest account and then click “Your Boards.”
  • Find the board you want your guest pinner to use and click “edit.”
  • Under “Who can pin?” you can type in a name or email and simply click “invite” and they will be able to pin to that board.

If you want to create a secret board that you can unveil or simply collaborate on before it goes “live,” you will need to do the following:

  • In the upper right corner of your Pinterest account, click the plus “+” sign by your name.
  • Click “create new board.”
  • Then you can name it, add a description and category and then slide the “secret” category to yes and save changes.
  • Follow the steps above to “invite” your guest pinner to the board and you’re ready to go.

Pinterest is another great social media outlet to share your content on and by using a guest pinner you are expanding knowledge and excitement about your product with more followers, improving your branding effort, and giving brand fans ownership over the brand they love.

90 free philosophy courses: take one, get better at business

Tasha Salinas
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90 free philosophy courses: take one, get better at business

philosophy classes

Why do you need philosophy classes?

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” -Aristotle.

This lateral approach to problem solving enables professionals to use reasoning that may not be immediately obvious and involves ideas that can’t be attained via traditional step-by-step logic. A person with a solid educational foundation in philosophy has the ability to move from one known idea to creating new ones, which is incredibly useful in their professional career.

The executive director of the American Philosophical Association, David Schrader, says of students studying philosophy, “It’s a major that helps them become quick learners and gives them strong skills in writing, analysis and critical thinking.”

Studying philosophy can also be good training for looking at larger societal questions, such as globalization and technology, due to its emphasis on the big questions and alternative points of view.

Pick from 90 free philosophy courses

Philosophy does not emphasis a specific skill set, however it does provide an ideal atmosphere in which one learns how to think, analyze, and communicate ideas. Those well educated in philosophy could potentially make better business owners and management leaders, because the skills learned are less job-specific and more general: logical thinking, critical analysis, as well as being able to communicate articulately both orally and in writing.

You don’t have to necessarily go back to college to pursue philosophical knowledge however, OpenCulture, has 90 free philosophy courses available for you to download. From beginning courses in philosophy, critical reasoning, and ethics, to political philosophy as well as the history of philosophy.

“Employ your time in improving yourself by other men’s writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for.” -Socrates.

MyTime helps businesses fill their appointment books

Jennifer Walpole, Sr. Staff Writer
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MyTime helps businesses fill their appointment books

mytime

MyTime connects consumers with off-peak hour discounts

Currently available in Los Angeles with plans to expand nationally, MyTime
offers merchants a way to fill open appointment times and potentially gain new customers, and customers find an appointment that works with their schedule, immediately book it in the web site or mobile app, and potentially get a discount for buying off-peak. There is no calling or confusion.

There are two different options for merchants: non-promoted appointments and promoted appointments. Non-promoted appointments are completely free and MyTime collects no commission. You can set up a basic business profile, sell open appointments and sync with your existing work calendar. However, they will not promote your ads through any of their tools. Customers will have to go to the site on their own and find your listing under one of 50+ categories, but, for free, this is a good way to fill those appointments that would otherwise result in a complete loss of revenue.

What does it cost?

As a merchant, if you choose to go the promoted route, there is still no upfront cost, only a commission. MyTime collects 2/5ths of the revenue collected and sends you the rest, via PayPal, direct deposit or a check within seven days of the appointment. It also absorbs all the cost of advertising out of its share.

MyTime says they will promote your business through Facebook, Google search, Twitter, Yipit and mobile network ads, at no additional cost to you. This in turn, gets your brand name out there and fills appointments. It also has the potential to gain you more repeat customers.

Saving time and money

MyTime syncs with most of the popular calendaring systems to automatically import any open appointments. And appointments that are booked on MyTime show up directly on your calendar, so you are always in-the-know. It will also alert you via email and text message when a new appointment is booked. This saves you time and money. It also takes some of the work out of finding new customers because potential customers book appointments directly through the web site or mobile app. There is not calling or no fussing with appointment times. They can see what is available and immediately book what fits with their schedule.

Unfulfilled appointments can cost you money because regardless of whether or not the appointment gets filled, you still have operating costs. MyTime offers potential merchants a calculator so they can visualize how much money they are losing through unfilled appointments and how much the service can save them.

The death of real estate cold calling

fredglick
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The death of real estate cold calling

cold calling

You are an idiot

Do you realize you are telling your prospective clients this? Did you know that you are losing business rather than gaining it?

Cold calling, the hero of business in the 60’s through the 90’s, continues even today to be a way to get business for some real estate people but most people on the receiving end dislike it.

Ask yourself – don’t you? Don’t you think it’s a major waste of time when Larry Dushball calls you in the middle o the day while you are working asking you if you sell homes in your area only to get into a rap about how his company is somehow married to Google, Bing, Apple and the Federal Government?

Yes, annoying. What do I do to these people? I play Beavis clips into the phone in order to amuse me and my staff. We love it and the tele-scum never call us back and waste our time (you can come up with anything that will make them go away, but I do recommend Cornholio clips).

I digress, back to the client

Since the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act of 2003 list was passed because people were sick and tired of getting called and hassled, that should have been the pivot for you to understand that there are other ways.

One way that agents do it is with a form letter  Some of those letters have spelling mistakes, non-paragraphing and form-letteritis. Yes, maybe this works, but make it professional, intelligent and dynamic. Aren’t you asking to market their house? If you don’t show creativity, why send the letter? But, there is a Do Not Mail list too. Be very careful!

Then there are the door knockers. Really? With the NRA wanting everyone to be armed are you really going to blindly walk up to a door? They are sick of real estate agents at this point.

Get inside their brain

What do they want? Where have they been? Are they way overpriced and unrealistic? Are they on a street at a toxic waste site? Did they just have an agent that did not understand their property?

Take a condo. Did the agent they have not know that the place in unfinanceable? Get with your mortgage person and figure out how it can get it mortgaged.

Be creative. Why? Because they want you to be and you’ll differentiate yourself and get the listings that you want!

Attitudes toward procrastination depend on learning style

Kristyl Barron
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Attitudes toward procrastination depend on learning style

procrastination

Attitudes toward procrastination depend on learning type

The type of “worker” you are can be linked all the way back to primary school when the type of “learner” you are began to emerge.

Visual learners are those who like to see things. A visual learner grows up to be a “time on task” type of worker. These are the people in your office who like charts and who need quiet to work. To them, working and making progress on a project is done by focusing on one task. These are the people who will argue that procrastination is just plain old laziness, because to them, work isn’t happening unless it can be physically seen. Unless someone is making charts, outlining a plan, or having a meeting about it, it isn’t considered time on task.

Auditory learners grow up to be the office delegators. They enjoy brainstorming, speaking thoughts, and watching video instruction. When it comes to work performance, they are the information gatherers who make a plan, break it into parts, and assign tasks. Their opinions on procrastination are very non-biased.

It is the kinesthetic movers and shakers who get the visual guys all riled up. Kinesthetic learners grow up to be multi-taskers. This drives visual people crazy. This set of people can be physically working full force on one task while mentally and meticulously planning another project. These are the people who argue the existence of productive procrastination. To them, mentally planning a project is comparable to the visual thinker’s pen to paper outline of a project. Neither is wrong, though you’ll never convince the kinesthetic or visual learner of that.

Take for example how people pack for a trip

An example everyone can understand is packing for a trip. The kinesthetic person mentally prepares for quite some time. Last week while at the grocery store, he thought ahead and grabbed a few things he needed for the trip. He has been doing laundry for his work week and for the trip simultaneously. When it is time to pack, his laundry is clean, his toiletries are purchased, and he knows where everything is.

The visual guy’s opinion is that Mr. Mover and Shaker has been procrastinating because, until he begins to pack, he has nothing to visibly show that he has been planning. Mr. Visual has a check list on the top of which he has most likely written “make list” for the satisfaction of seeing progress.

So, is procrastination good or bad? Ask Mr. Auditory. You won’t catch Mr. Kinesthetic, and you’re not on Mr. Visual’s list.

Could pop up hotel concept save commercial real estate?

Destiny Bennett, Staff Writer
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Could pop up hotel concept save commercial real estate?

pop up hotel

Pop up hotel concept thrown into the mix

The hospitality and lodging industry has had a surge of new age options make their way into the marketplace in past years. Travelers are already flocking to companies like Airbnb and Couchsurfing.com or even experiential resorts when looking for a place to stay during popular events or when they want an experience that is different than something they could get at a hotel.

PinkCloud has come up with a new addition to the alternative hotel space with the concept of pop up hotels in vacant office buildings, operating under the mentality that if the space is available, re-purpose it in order to meet an exhibited need. The company was recently named a finalist and grand prize winner of the 2013 Radical Innovation in Hospitality competition in Las Vegas.

Excerpts from their submission cited compelling statistics detailing the level of thought and strategy that went into creating this concept. “Class A office vacancies have been stagnant at around twenty-two percent for the past five years. This translates to about 17 million square feet of empty space in Midtown. With over 17 million square feet of empty space located minutes away from Times Square, Broadway and Central Park, we believe Midtown represents an incredible opportunity for hospitality to transform otherwise empty space into a vibrant hub of entertainment, amenities, and lifestyle.”

Where the pop up hotel concept will most likely work

PinkCloud will partner with owners and leasing agencies of buildings throughout New York City in order to quickly transform these office spaces into hospitable rooms for travelers. While it is a wise choice to leverage office space vacancies, this concept would likely only take off in larger cities like New York City and San Francisco. These cities attract high amounts of visitor traffic, and because they are major business locations, it’s more likely that they will have more office space available to accommodate a regular client base.

It’s hard for me to imagine an office building being transformed into something that mimics an expertly designed, luxury hotel room – but I do admit that I’m attracted to the concept. Maybe one day more of us will be able to take a trip to our favorite cities, move aside the desk and computer monitors and have the area transformed into a temporary oasis.

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All images via PinkCloud.

The effectiveness of clever, humorous advertising

Tasha Salinas
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The effectiveness of clever, humorous advertising

humorous advertising

Clever advertising is appealing

Currently, it’s 8am and I’m about to begin research for this article. To get a feel for what’s already out there, I Google, “The effectiveness of clever advertising.” I open about 6 new tabs, with some being decent information, but mostly I find lists of humorous ads. As I wipe the tears from my laughter, I look over to the clock and it is seriously 8:51am. Oh man. There goes that hour of my life.

Need I point out the brilliance of clever advertising? Who doesn’t love a good belly laugh, especially if it’s unexpected? If you’re looking to sell your business, company, or product – appeal to people’s happiness. It’s a duh thing. Allow me to explain…

Speaking just about internet banner ads, consider these statistics: users are more likely to get into MIT than click a banner ad, more likely to survive a plane crash, more likely to birth twins, and are served over 1,700 per month… resulting in a click through rate of only about 0.1%.

Humorous advertising grabs attention

As for advertising as a whole, according to a 2012 study by the Gale Group, U.S. advertising annual revenue trumps 48 Billion dollars. You want to grab your audience’s attention – and your audience wants to laugh. Humor grabs their attention, and since you have it – fill it with what you have to offer. They’ll remember your humor, so be specific so they’ll remember your company or product as well.

Humor is in the eye of the beholder, and can definitely be misinterpreted – so tread lightly. You don’t want to offend your audience. That being said, using humor can also be extremely effective. Being clever sets you apart… and isn’t that the whole reason behind advertising? People will look for, talk about, and remember your funny ad. I, personally, like funny advertisements; it offsets the feeling of being “targeted” and makes a product or company approachable. Not to mention, how many times have you said or heard the phrase, “Have you seen that one commercial….?”

Humorous examples for inspiration:

[pl_video type=”youtube” id=”pppeJ7JhSG8″]

shark

Trak.io customer analytics for data-hungry businesses

Jennifer Walpole, Sr. Staff Writer
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Trak.io customer analytics for data-hungry businesses

trakio

Trak.io offers deep customer analytics

Trak.io provides customers with analytics for startup companies. It boasts a full range of tools to see help your startup from the beginning stages through becoming a thriving business. It offers a 360 degree profile for each customer and these profiles are fully customizable; you can add as little or as much information as you want. You can also add your own categories.

It is optimized for easy “pirate metrics,” which refers to their “AARRR” acronym: Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Revenue, and Referrals. With acquisition, you will be able to see what is driving your signups. Activation, gives you the tools to optimize onboarding so your signups will actually use your app. Through retention, you can track which methods are most effective at pulling users back to your app.

Revenue allows you to easily view the lifetime revenue of each customer, as well as, each traffic source and adjust your marketing campaigns accordingly. And with referrals, you can monitor who is bringing in the most users and creating the most revenue.

Building reports on customer activity

You also have the option to build reports on customer activity. This will give you an overview of your key metrics, enabling you to see how you are doing week to week (visible through a color-coded chart, as well as, a report form). There are also numerous filter options for these reports based on your business’ needs. Perhaps one of the most unique features is the ability to track offline activity such as phone calls, meetings, and networking events.

If you need help keeping all of this information straight, you can log events against distinct, color-coded channels. This makes it easy to differentiate your web site from your mobile app, blog, phone calls, conferences and social media. You can visually see where your hard work is actually paying off.

If your startup is data-driven, Trak.io is definitely worth a look. While it is still in beta-testing, it assures user that it will stay a “freemium” service. (Meaning the basic service will remain free and you will pay only for “premium” features. The site does not yet list what the free features versus the premium ones will be).

Home buyer finds $100k comic book in $10k home’s walls

Destiny Bennett, Staff Writer
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Home buyer finds $100k comic book in $10k home’s walls

comics

Unexpected comic book find during home demolition

It’s always nice to find something unexpectedly pleasant when you had no intentions of doing so – like finding money crumpled in the pocket of your jeans. For home remodeler David Gonzalez, that valuable find came in the form of a 1938 Action Comics #1 book stashed among newspapers in the walls of a Minnesota home he was remodeling.

Superman is featured on the cover of the book with his arms stretched upward, hoisting a car. With the comic already receiving bids upwards of $100,000, it’s likely that Gonzalez is joyfully waving his hands in the air as well.

Gonzalez purchased the Elbow Lake, Minn home for $10,100 after beating out another buyer by $100. His increased bid was well worth the more than 10 time projected payoff and has to be the highlight of a day that was designated for demolition work. Thanks to a family looking to insulate their home, Gonzalez uncovered a treasure that comic book lovers everywhere are salivating over.

Miraculous that it survived

“This is like a virgin comic,” said Vincent Zurzolo, a co-owner of ComicConnect.

“It’s so hard for anyone to fathom that, in this day and age, you could still discover a comic book that nobody has known about because this book was in a wall of a house for more than 70 years,” he said. “It’s pretty miraculous that it even survived and it’s only had one owner.”

Gonzalez is selling the comic book through an online auction that will officially close on June 11. The fact that the book has only had one owner makes it rare, as most Action Comic books have been through several cycles of resale given their original publishing dates.

But even though this will add to the book’s value, the potential bid price of the book took a severe hit when Gonzalez first showed the book to some of his family members. His wife’s aunt grabbed the book, and as Gonzalez grabbed it back, the back cover was torn. Comic book retailers estimate that caused the value of the book to drop by a painful $75,000.

Pending home sales jump 10.3% in one year

Tara Steele, Staff Writer
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Pending home sales jump 10.3% in one year

home

Pending home sales continue to rise

Although pending home sales improved only 0.3 percent in April, according to the National Association of Realtors, contract signings actually rose 10.3 percent compared to April 2012. Pending sales have now been above year-ago levels for the past 24 months, marking a very slow but somewhat sure recovery for housing.

Regional pending home sales varied, as the Northeast and Midwest saw improvement, while the South and West both dropped. NAR reports that home contract activity is at the highest level since April 2010, immediately before the deadline for the home buyer tax credit which spurred a metaphorical gold rush on homes.

Existing home sales expected to rise to 5M

Dr. Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist said, “The housing market continues to squeak out gains from already very positive conditions. Pending contracts so far this year easily correspond to higher closed home sales in 2013. Total existing-home sales are expected to rise just over 7 percent to about 5 million this year.”

“Because of inventory shortages, higher home sales will push up home values to the highest level in five years,” Dr. Yun added. NAR says the national median existing-home price should increase close to 8.0 percent and exceed $190,000 in 2013.

Sales varied according to region

Home contract activity rose 11.5 percent in the Northeast, marking a 17.7 percent increase from April 2012 and jumped 3.2 percent for the month in the Midwest, and a whopping 15.1 percent for the year.

Meanwhile, pending home sales slid 1.1 percent in the South, but rose 12.3 percent compared to April 2012. The tough spot is currently the West region which saw a 7.6 percent dip in signed contracts, pulling the region down 2.6 percent for the year.

Virgin America launches seat to seat chat: fun or foolish?

Charity Kountz
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Virgin America launches seat to seat chat: fun or foolish?

virgin america

Virgin America gets creative with technology

If trying to strike up an actual verbal conversation in an airplane is intimidating for you, Virgin America offers a solution. A new feature, called seat to seat chat, will allow you to chat with your fellow passengers, order a stranger a drink and flirt, whether it’s the person sitting next to you or someone in first class.

The potential for sexual harassment and in-flight fights between a slighted boyfriend sitting next to the person of interest aside, the creepiness factor is certainly concerning, but it could potentially lead to a business conversation (“I saw the Oracle logo on your carry on, I used to work there, do you work there?” and “I dropped the card you gave me in the lobby, can we connect again?”).

A number of the supposedly real chat messages during flight have begun popping up online in response to this new feature and in some cases are quite crude, albeit humorous at first glance.

The samples include everything from mock in-flight love affairs to wrestling threats, horrible puns, and James Bond 007 references, like so:

Screenshot courtesy of the Daily Mail.
Screenshot courtesy of the Daily Mail.

Virgin America seems fine with craziness

For its part, Virgin America seems to be encouraging this outrageous social behavior. Sir Richard Branson, founder and chairman of Virgin America and Virgin Group, provides this advice in a Youtube clip titled, “Sir Richard Branson’s Guide to Getting Lucky”. In the video, Sir Richard lays out his strategies for winning the attention of your “object of affection.”

After giving three outrageous ideas for in-flight wooing, like giving her a puppy, having a space ship do a sky writing or tandem pole vaulting into a hot air balloon, Sir Richard offers this final tip, “If you need a more a more cost-effective alternative, try treating him or her to something delicious using the new seat-to-seat feature.”

[pl_video type=”youtube” id=”M_Bes6P2isY”]

Of course, more practical uses for the flight chat program exist and Sir Richard Branson recruits a technical team to help him record a 20 minute video during flight using Google + Hangouts.

[pl_video type=”youtube” id=”8WykSguKIEA”]

Business applications are possible

While the in-flight video is a bit shaky and delayed, the message is clear: there are business applications intended as well as the flirting.

The real question is; however, will this feature, now a new novelty, take off and propel Virgin into the upper stratosphere for airplane travelers? Sir Richard is betting on it and gives “your chances for deplaning with a plus one are at least 50%” from using the new feature.

Psychodesigning: why every house makes you feel differently

Genevieve Concannon
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Psychodesigning: why every house makes you feel differently

psychodesigning

Psychodesigning: not the design of psychos

What is it about your house that makes you love it? Is it that warm baked bread smell wafting from the oven? The earthy, dense lair you have created in the basement that makes you feel so safe and secure? Is your bedroom cozy and sweet? A place that allows you that sense of security and restfulness that you get nowhere else, except maybe an island oasis? Probably a little bit from column A and a little bit from column B, right? The good people at Psychology Today have given us a wonderful glimpse into past psychology papers to state that maybe there is a theory behind why people love or hate where they live.

When I first read the phrase “Psychodesigning,” I immediately thought of American Psycho and the stark white and sterile details- or lack thereof- which Bret Easton Ellis brilliantly elaborates on for his loved-yet-hated Patrick Bateman’s Manhattan loft. Ah, P-Bate… true Psycho, who loved design. That isn’t what Psychology Today was talking about, though. Not the design of psychos, but what people like or don’t like in their homes and why it might be that we are drawn to what we are drawn to.

The term was coined in 1949

The term “Psychodesigning” was coined by NY based architect and designer, Leopold Kleiner, in 1949. He determined that there were specific homes that made either an introvert or extrovert comfortable and that homes needed to be designed to meet the needs of these people. Kleiner’s position was that “extroverts required neutral environments that did not steal attention from themselves, for example, while introverts needed rooms with vibrant hues. Emotional states and even climate too played a role in one’s ‘psycho-potential,” said Kleiner.

“For a nervous extrovert living in New York, I would advise rooms done in gray, beige or tans,” he advised, as “the introduction of loud colors something that could send a high-strung Gothamite over the edge.” Brilliant.

A real world examples of the impact of Pschodesigning

One instance I recently have noted is that I had a client who wanted a larger space, but when we got into the larger space that they so desired, it was “not at all what they were looking for.” It was painted a warm neutral. Interesting. We went to a space that was exactly the same size as the other, which was painted in a more muted-gray color and… disco… we were magically in the right home for their family!

Also along these same lines, I had a client who was building a new home, and the wife wanted what she called “the bed-womb” a t-tiny space with a mere porthole for light. She wanted the room to be like a nest so she’d feel safe and calm, and not have a lot of space to wander around in; plus, it needed to be a dark color. If the room had even been 5 feet wider, it would not have made her feel “right” in her own home. Interesting, indeed.

Today, we see so many colors, not just builder beige, but colors galore, styles, textures and even scents to correct and determine mood. Aromatherapy in conjunction with psychodesign? Would this send Kleiner into outerspace? Probably not. It would just further the thought that everyone is different, our minds, our bodies and how we react to things- art, architecture and it apparently isn’t just an aesthetic appeal, but a deeply emotional one.

California budget crisis turns into a big fat surplus?

Destiny Bennett, Staff Writer
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California budget crisis turns into a big fat surplus?

tax bill

California budget crisis becomes a surplus?

Budgets have been tight throughout the past few years as financial crises hit record highs and there wasn’t enough money to accommodate expenses and other government initiatives. But recent news shows that state coffers are filling up again – the state of California has an estimated $1.2-$4.4 billion surplus according to government officials and analysts, stirring up a debate on how that money should be spent.

California is among six other states that have also reported surpluses, which may come as a surprise to many given the sequester and other budget cuts that have taken place this year and in years past. Lawmakers have proposed three potential uses for this money – increase spending in areas that recently experienced tax cuts, save the money for future needs or restore programs that were cut during the recession.

Financial blogger Bill McBride recommends the state be strategic with the surplus. “With the surpluses just starting, I think tax cuts should be off the table (they are too hard to reverse if revenue falters). My suggestion would be to pay down debt (rainy-day fund) and cautiously restore some cuts,” said McBride.

A change in the tide?

After years of cuts and maxed out budgets, lawmakers are likely pleased to see that money saving strategies have resulted in more revenue than outgoing expenses. With such a substantial amount of surplus, they will have to decide how best to allocate this money in order to continue on this positive trend. Because it’s the first in so long, it’s likely that many will propose holding on to the surplus money in case the economy returns to the state that it’s been in during recent years.

But there’s another school of thought that when a business or entity has extra funding, that is the time that aggressive investments should be made in order to drive growth during a time that it can afford to take a loss and still stay afloat.

The GDP has grown by leaps and bounds in recent quarters – increasing over the past eight after taking a tumultuous drops starting in 2006. The discussions on what to do with the surplus could mean big things for areas that have received little to no recent budget allocations, so there’s no doubt that residents of California will be interested in state officials’ final decision.

23K gold chocolate bacon proves the power of the internet

Tasha Salinas
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1
23K gold chocolate bacon proves the power of the internet

bacon

BACON BACON BACON BACON

“Bacon… Bacon… where’s the bacon?! Smells like bacon!!” We’re all familiar with that silly dog on the Beggin Strips® commercial, we smile and maybe chuckle a bit, but there’s no denying why we find it so amusing; we’re just like that dog (well, most of us anyway). I know I have fond memories of waking up to the smell of bacon on a Saturday morning.

We love bacon to pieces, and even those pieces aren’t left behind. We love it so much, that companies are capitalizing on it, bloggers are blogging about it, and chefs are going ballistic with it.

Even Wikipedia has a Bacon Mania page, which refers to the passionate bacon enthusiasm in the United States and Canada.

23K Gold Chocolate Bacon

At the Baconery, customers can find a vast array of smoked pork belly infused baked items. Get it… bakery + bacon = Baconery. Genius. They’ve even come out with the 23K Gold Chocolate Bacon. Yes. Oh yes. This piece of awesomeness is made with Nueske’s Cherrywood Bacon, Guittard Semi-Sweet Dark Chocolate, and 23k edible gold flakes. It’s probably worth more than its weight in gold… just sayin’.

There’s also BaconFreak, which has an obscene amount of bacon related products. From bacon itself, to gifts, clubs, novelties, sweets, and even apparel – a bacon lover can find it there.

We can actually have everything taste like bacon… find Baconnaise, bacon salt, bacon popcorn, bacon ranch and more here at J&D’s Foods.

You may consider joining the Official Republic of Bacon Facebook page. Where according to the page, “…all our citizens are free to love bacon freely.” Their cover photo just makes my mouth water. Mmmmm, bacon.

What about the Angus BacoBurger, which is 50% ground bacon/50% Angus beef, bacon-flavored cheddar, all sitting between woven bacon strips…? “Because who needs bread when you can just use more bacon?” I concur.

Retailers and restaurants alike are tapping into the power of bacon in part because of its popularization online, and you’ll see even more creative uses for the strips of deliciousness, and for professionals that don’t sell goods but want to get in on the bacon train, consider giving any of the aforementioned products as gifts to clients. You’re welcome.

Mortgage application volume falls 8.8 percent in one week

Tara Steele, Staff Writer
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Mortgage application volume falls 8.8 percent in one week

mortgage

All gains have been lost

In early May, mortgage application volume skyrocketed 7.0 percent, and the industry let out a small, cautious sigh of relief, but by the third week of the month, all gains were lost as applications dipped 9.8 percent in one week. Today, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reports that application volume fell another 8.8 percent compared to the week prior, further dashing the excitement felt early in the month.

The Market Composite Index dropped 8.8 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier and 9.0 percent on an unadjusted basis. The biggest losses were felt in the refinance sector, which dipped 12.0 percent, the largest single weekly decline of the year, pushing the refinance index to its lowest level since December 2012.

The bright spot: new loans

The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index actually increased 3.0 percent from one week earlier and was 14 percent higher than the same week one year ago.

“Refinance applications fell for the third straight week bringing the refinance index to its lowest level since December 2012 as mortgage rates increased to their highest level in a year,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s Vice President of Research and Economics. “Rates rose in response to stronger economic data and an increasing chance that the Fed may soon begin to taper their asset purchases.”

Average contract interest rates

According to the MBA:

  • The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($417,500 or less) increased to 3.90 percent, the highest rate since May 2012, from 3.78 percent, with points unchanged at 0.39 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

  • The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with jumbo loan balances (greater than $417,500) increased to 4.07 percent, the highest rate since August 2012, from 3.93 percent, with points decreasing to 0.27 from 0.36 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

  • The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages backed by the FHA increased to 3.62 percent, the highest rate since August 2012, from 3.53 percent, with points increasing to 0.27 from 0.13 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

  • The average contract interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 3.10 percent, the highest rate since August 2012, from 2.96 percent, with points decreasing to 0.30 from 0.32 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

  • The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs remained unchanged at 2.60 percent, with points increasing to 0.24 from 0.23 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.

“No parking on mom” – the mother lode of MLS bloopers

Gwen Banta
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“No parking on mom” – the mother lode of MLS bloopers

mls bloopers

Hi, friends. It’s Blooper day, and as usual, I had more than enough to fill a clown car… and I am not just referring to the agents. Ba-dum-bump. Some of these were simply classic! Read ’em and weep:

What’s Your Beef?

“Make this home your cattle” (I wouldn’t know whether to tan it, milk it or eat it.)

“Do not force ope” (Said Andy to Barney Fife regarding Ope’s plans to become a famous director instead of the future Sheriff of Mayberry.)

“Tee house for kids” (With my luck, there is a sand trap nearby.)

“Do not park on lawn” (Why, Bubba – is the refrigerator in the way?)

“Vino security” (I know vino always makes me secure…unless there’s a cop on the bar stool next to me.)

Jack in the Box

“Large lawn in jack” (Apparently Jack is a vegetarian whose stomach needs mowing.)

“Email only – no calls expected.” (I see you have high hopes for this dump.)

“No show to public” (Reason # 1 not to drop your drawers in public when you’re not wearing boxers.)

“Lots of packs close by” (In case you’re wondering, those aren’t hyenas, they’re Dodger fans.)

“Enjoy the salt.” (Salt Air? Salt lick? Uh…saltpeter?)

In and Out

“Looking for back” (I am more apt to believe that your spinning head is related to the pea soup on the wall?)

“Approved shot sale” ( Well I certainly approve – line ’em up!)

“Please take odd your shoes!” (Please control your odd agent.)

“No park on mom” (Was this the question you missed on your Driver’s License exam?)

The Whopper

“Rooms with police tape not accessible” (Hahahahaha! Welcome to Los Angeles, friends!)

That’s all of the MLS bloopers for this week, folks. Remember: spell well and sell!

Popular Mailbox app: revolutionary or overly hyped?

Charity Kountz
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Popular Mailbox app: revolutionary or overly hyped?

mailbox app

Mailbox app makes email much simpler

In March 2013, Dropbox became the owner of an app called Mailbox. Available for the iPhone, iPad and Gmail users, quite simply, this app is meant to simplify your device’s email capabilities. Of course, there’s only so much you can ask for from a simple app and at its best, the Mailbox app is useful in a couple ways but still can’t compete with other more robust offerings like Mailstrom, for dealing with emails in bulk.

Easy use with minimal effort

Simple interface and swiping capabilities make it easy to deal with your emails albeit only one at a time. When compared with Gmail’s iPhone app, Mailbox is easier for dealing with individual emails but not so much when dealing with existing folders.

Mailbox doesn’t automatically carry your existing folders into its application but simply offers the ability to archive, delete and set reminders or put into a list with simple swipes.

The ability required is minimal and anyone comfortable using a smartphone or tablet will immediately understand the capabilities after the 30 second tutorial. Mailbox also allows you the option to manage multiple Gmail accounts within the app.

Limited to individual emails

Mailbox is limited to dealing with individual emails at one time, which is a major drawback for users with a large volume of emails to go through each day (for example, almost any business person in the world). The interface isn’t necessarily better than any of the other email management apps out there, in particular Gmail’s.

Overall, because of the folder limitations, there is less functionality even though Mailbox looks very similar. Simply put, if you combined the swipe capabilities and snooze function into Gmail, you’d have almost the same app.

Most importantly; however, are the search limitations. When searching for an email in the Mailbox app using a name, search results are much more limited than those within the native application for Gmail. In a test on both Gmail and Mailbox, results in Gmail showed 20 results (including 4 from the sent folder) but Mailbox only showed 11 results and none of the more recent emails that were unfiled.

So, hype or revolution?

Interesting concept but a bit underwhelming overall when you dive below the fanfare. For some users, who use email recreationally this app will be great, for other, more sophisticated users and those using for business, less so. While Mailbox’s aim is to “change how we interact with email… and put email in its place,” it’s relatively minor changes overall.

Google Conversational Search: like Siri, only Googlier

Jennifer Walpole, Sr. Staff Writer
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Google Conversational Search: like Siri, only Googlier

google conversational search

Google Conversational Search launches

Google has just released a voice-enabled feature for their search engine, called, “Conversational Search.” It allows you to search by using natural sentences, rather than preselected key words, as you had to do in the past. You simply click the microphone icon in the search bar and begin speaking.

It should be noted that in order to see the new microphone icon from your laptop or desktop, you’ll need the latest version of Chrome (v27). If you are unsure what version of Chrome you are running, you can check this in the “Settings/Help” section. For Android Jelly Bean and iOS, the feature is incorporated into the Google Now app.

All the bells and whistles

One of the best new features is the ability to revise an existing search. For example, if I ask for directions to San Francisco, California, it will give me the directions, but then I am able to inquire as to the current weather, traffic conditions, and population. I can also search for hotels and restaurants in the area. It is just like asking someone via the phone for the information. You no longer have to keep repeating the information, specifying location and other details. Google’s search now understands the terms you’re using to refer to your search.

Refining your search is not only helpful, but also time-saving. It also demonstrates just how “smart” Google Conversational Search is because it is not just adding terms to your search, it is understanding the language you use. For example, if I search, “what film is Vin Diesel in?” It will list his films and give you a little information about each of the most popular films. If I then ask, “how tall is he?” Google knows I’m still talking about Vin Diesel just from the pronoun “he.” If you want to keep going, you can ask, “how tall is he?” Not only does Google know I’m still referring to Mr. Diesel, it also knows that “tall” means I want to know “height,” so it is interpreting my sentences and giving me the information I desire.

If you’re accustomed to using Google Now, you will notice that Conversation Search is a little different, but still similar in many ways. Instead of seeing the “cards” that you do with Google Now, you will get each piece of information in a new search on Conversational Search. But with the option to continually refine searches, it is almost the same.

Both Google Now and Conversational Search are very similar as well; both offer users a way to speak their questions and get a spoken response, if they desire. Both options save time and both options give fast, (almost always) accurate answers to the questions being asked, that is if you are comfortable sitting at your computer having a conversation.

Although it is a little reminiscent of the imagery in the “Rise of the Machines” scenario from Terminator, it is still very cool, nonetheless.

eTextbooks let profs see student progress: overstepping?

Charity Kountz
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eTextbooks let profs see student progress: overstepping?

etextbooks

eTextbooks help improve higher education

eTextbooks are becoming more popular in higher education thanks to providers like CourseSmart®, Chegg®, eCampus and others. CourseSmart®, in a recent move to continue growing its market share, has begun a new feature to help instructors keep tabs on student progress.

CourseSmart® provides eTextbooks allowing students to read course materials just about anywhere as long as they have a mobile device or computer access. Their materials even allow offline reading through a checkout process as well. Started in 2007 to “ improve the educational process by offering students and instructors a unique combination of the right course material, anywhere, any-time access, and a low cost”, CourseSmart® has become a tremendous online resource and cost savings for college students. However, with a recent feature, CourseSmart® might be stepping into the realm of “big brother” and taking their ambitions too far.

Acceptable use of technology, or overstepping?

Recently, CourseSmart® began testing the ability for instructors to track their student’s progress through their course materials. Tracy Hurley, Dean of Texas A&M School of Business says of the new program, “It’s Big Brother, sort of, but with a good intent.” Yet, how much of a good intent can it be to treat adults like children and monitor their every action? The software would track whether students are skipping pages, highlighting appropriate passages, and even taking notes.

In addition, for students, it raises a concern of judgment by faculty. If students are deemed to be less engaged, will this affect how the instructor treats them? Will this create more or less monitoring and pressures in already demanding classrooms? In a recent whitepaper titled Online College Students 2012: Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences by LearningHouse, the research showed, “Most online students are older… have several responsibilities in life.”

In the survey, 68% of students stated their reason for enrolling in online courses is the “ability to balance work, family, and school responsibilities”. Will this “big brother” style of monitoring impede the ability for students to juggle the many demands of college life? Or will it serve to improve the learning experience?

CourseSmart® intends to introduce the program this fall. Aside from Texas A&M, Clemson, Central Carolina Technical College and Stony Brook University are testing the program as well. Currently, CourseSmart’s® eTextbooks are purchased by 3.5 million students and faculty.

Renault’s creative interactive Facebook campaign

Tasha Salinas
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Renault’s creative interactive Facebook campaign

[pl_video type=”youtube” id=”1BqivlDqR9s”]

Renault launches clever Facebook campaign

Renault Netherlands documented just how likeable the new Renault Clio is by whether or not their fan base could “like” the car enough to tip the scale. Meaning, the company set out to gain more Facebook likes than the actual weight of the vehicle. On one side of the scale, is the Clio; and on the other a large box labeled “Facebook.” Fans show their affinity by seeing a thumbs up physically placed in the box after they’ve liked it, by way of an interactive live stream.

In two weeks’ time, the car received more than 16,000 likes in the Facebook box to actually lift the car. At the moment that the scale began to tip, the live stream made the Ustream homepage with over 60,000 views.

Renault boasts that the Clio is, “The first car carried by likes!”

Was the campaign effective?

In the comments of a YouTube video describing the event, someone asked about the weight of one thumb placed in the box, to which Renault Netherlands replied, “…the thumbs had different sizes, so also different weights.” This answers the question asked, but doesn’t answer the logistical side of how they can achieve data without a standard unit of measurement.

So, can this really be an accurate measurement of interest in the car? I don’t think so, however, it clearly is an effective means of advertising the vehicle, and with a memorable impact. I must admit the novelty of seeing my Facebook like materialize, and go into the box would be pretty cool. But sitting around online waiting to see what number would cause the scale to tip doesn’t really make me want to purchase a Clio… but I’d remember the ad nonetheless.

With the ad campaign bringing in more than 12,000 new Facebook fans, it does open the door to new advertisements cleverly placed in users’ newsfeeds, so Renault’s win here is not in converting sales directly, but in branding and giving themselves long term opportunities to continue marketing to potential buyers.

facebook likes

Kohl’s sued: allegedly jacking prices up before cutting them

Destiny Bennett, Staff Writer
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Kohl’s sued: allegedly jacking prices up before cutting them

kohls

Alleging deceptive pricing practices

One of the most gratifying aspects of shopping is going into one of your favorite stores and seeing that an item is one sale for a significantly lower price than it is normally sold at. The art of the sales discount has been shoppers’ siren song for decades, even though many know that the original advertised price has been marked up in order to make shoppers feel that the discount is a great deal.

However, a shopper in California is seeking legal recourse against Kohl’s for what he alleges is deceptive price representation. The case was dismissed in 2010 by the U.S. District Court, but the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision last week.

“Price advertisements matter,” Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote for a three-judge panel. “When a consumer purchases merchandise on the basis of false price information and when the consumer alleges that he would not have made the purchase but for the misrepresentation, he has standing to sue.”

Marking items up so discounts are void

The shopper, Antonio S. Hinojos, argued that Kohl’s advertised 50 percent off of its originally priced $299 Samsonite luggage, and discounts on Chap polo shirts were misleading because the sales price came out to be what these items would normally sell for. By substantially marking up items in order to then slash prices through discounts, it can be argued that retailers deceive consumers on the original value and quality of the items being sold.

To provide an example, if consumers think they are receiving a deal because of a discount, buy those items and then try to sell them for the original price, they would find that they would not recoup that original sticker value because it was highly marked up, thereby losing money.

If the court ultimately decides against Kohl’s and implements these restrictions for other retailers as well, it will dramatically change the way that stores conduct sales. Perhaps at that point, more stores will have to implement JC Penney’s recent experiment of doing away with sales and regularly offering lower prices overall. Shoppers have been trained to chase markdowns, but now, they may have to get used to less drastic price slashes.

Twipster: browser extension takes the ugly out of Twitter

Jennifer Walpole, Sr. Staff Writer
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Twipster: browser extension takes the ugly out of Twitter

twipster

Twipster: Twitter for Chrome and Safari simplified

While we all know there are endless third party apps that help you to analyze your tweets and help you get their timing just right, and there are bells and whistles that help you tweet later or share tweets privately with your team, and then of course, there’s always the popular Twitter.com. No matter where you tweet from, there can be many distractions in the form of extra buttons and options. Maybe you want a hipster version of Twitter that is minimalist and streamlined, and void of the ugly.

Twipster offers users a way to enjoy Twitter in a simplified manner. Once you install the add-on and visit your Twitter account, you may not immediately notice a huge difference, but you will once you flip back to the original interface. Twipster essentially filters out all of the “trends” and “who you should follow” and makes for a continuous stream of tweets with none of the distractions.

The extension redesigns Twitter’s layout, removing menus, sidebars and background images; making it easier to read and very simple. Twipster is different from others in that it is not a Twitter client, it is simply a modification to the primary Twitter interface and it works very well. This is perfect for people who only want to view tweets in their Twitter feed.

In essence, this plug-in demonstrates how clean and readable Twitter could be without sacrificing and of the essential information or usability.

You may be seeking analytics and sharing options for Twitter and you may need all of the bells and whistles, but Twipster is helpful for when you need laser focus and you just haven’t had enough coffee in a day to sit still and pay attention unless everything shiny is stripped away.

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