In and Around the Internet: Get Connected, Earn Free Stuff

Three things I've been doing on the web this week:

1. I joined LinkedIn, "an online network of more than 15 million experienced professionals from around the world, representing 150 industries." I'm not quite sure what to expect or what I will gain, but so far I like it better than Facebook.

2. I became a Bzz Agent, "an everyday consumer who believes in honest word of mouth." The website claims that agents receive "new products, services, books, and other cool stuff." I haven't been part of any "campaigns" yet so I can't be excited just yet.

3. I received my first invitation from SheSpeaks to "test a new personalized homepage and get a free magazine subscription." I browsed the new myAOL page and then provided feedback. In exchange, I was able to choose a free magazine subscription from either Health, Money, Entertainment Weekly, or Cottage Living (I chose Money Magazine).

What cool things have you been doing on the web this week?

E-mail is for Old People (and other technology truths)

A 2005 report from the Pew Internet and American Life Project called "Teens and Technology" found that teenagers prefer new technology, like instant messaging or text messaging, for talking to friends and use e-mail to communicate with "old people."

"Teens who participated in focus groups for this study said that they view email as something you use to talk to “old people,” institutions, or to send complex instructions to large groups. When it comes to casual written conversation, particularly when talking with friends, online instant messaging is clearly the mode of choice for today’s online teens."

Yes, that's right. Teens choose to communicate via instant messaging, text messaging, and social networking sites way before e-mail.

When I read that study, I felt "old." I'm 25 and I do instant message. I occasionally text message. I had a Facebook account, but I deactivated it. I still probably use e-mail communication the most.

I really need to stay on my toes. I don't want to lose touch with Generation Z (anyone born between 2001-2041)...that's my daughter's generation. I wonder how she will communicate with her friends 10 years from now.

Is LinkedIn different than Facebook?

I recently was invited to join LinkedIn by a freelance writer who I respect. I think I might move forward and sign up, but I hesitate.

I wonder:

1. Is LinkedIn just another social networking site?
2. What makes LinkedIn different from Facebook and MySpace?
3. What benefits does LinkedIn offer?
   

Most people know that I tried Facebook and then deactivated my account because I couldn't find much value in it. Will joining LinkedIn be a deja vu experience?

Little Known Fact About Me and T.V.

We haven't turned on our T.V. in at least six months...hmm...maybe I should make that almost a year. The little black box sits in our living room, lonely and forsaken. Every once in a great while, we'll look over at it and comment that we almost forgot it was there.

In many ways, our T.V. watching habits (or lack thereof) happened unconsciously. As newlyweds, we were both attending loads of classes and working part time so it never quite fit into our crammed schedules. As the months and years passed, we, quite frankly, didn't understand its appeal. It was a screen of dancing images that required neither intellect nor interactivity. Instead, it encouraged a certain apathy and inertia that we were not particularly fond of. Then, our little girl entered our lives and created a contented sort of chaos - and we simply forgot about T.V. No specific rhyme or reason to our choice; we just found that the busyness of our lives left no room for it. In between work, writing, blogging, cleaning, cooking, laundry, walking, playing, reading, singing, sleeping, volunteering, talking, and making to-do lists...there is little time left for lethargy.

So, that's my little secret. I don't watch T.V. It's a bit counterculture (and, for some reason, I avoid the topic because people tend to think that you must be somehow strange or snobby if you are not in tune with the "telly"), but it's just a simple fact of our lives. Don't judge me because I don't watch American Idol and Dancing with the Stars. Oh, and please don't assume that I don't know the big shocker from the latest episode. I do. I hear about it constantly on the radio or by reading stories and blogs of news reporters online.

So, strike up a conversation. I may not watch T.V., but, in our society, you don't really even have to watch it to get the inside scoop. (Maybe that's why we don't turn it on.)

The Value of Facebook

I recently signed up for a Facebook account. I did it because, as Alexander Kjerulf put it, "all the cool kids do it." And I wanted to see what all of the hype was about. And I wanted to stay in tune with the newest trends in technology and social networking so that I'm not a bore in conversation.

I have to admit I haven't yet seen the benefit in it. Sure, I've been contacted by a few "long-lost" friends and acquaintances from my high school days, but that's about the extent of its helpfulness to my personal and professional life. There have been no, "wow, this site is a fantastic life-changing and friend-building tool" moments.

Perhaps, though, I'm neglecting some important feature or missing out on the big "secret" of Facebook Success.

Please share:
1. What is the top benefit that you have received from using Facebook, LinkedIn, or MySpace?
2. Have any of the aforementioned social networking sites helped you in your career?

Are you LinkedIn?

There are a multitude of professional and social networking sites on the web. The most note-worthy sites in this genre include MySpace, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

As far as I can tell, MySpace is for tweens and teens and some straggling twenty-somethings. Facebook is for Generation Xers who are looking to connect with friends, acquaintances, coworkers, and perhaps future business partners. LinkedIn is for adults and is primarily used for business purposes.

I realize that my summary is probably extremely flawed and that my descriptions are much too broad. So, I'm curious. Are my descriptions accurate? Do you have an account with any or all of the aforementioned sites? If so, which one is your favorite and what benefits do you receive from being in the network?

Generation X or Y

Online dictionaries say that Generation X consists of people that were born between the early 1960's and the mid 1970's while Generation Y groupies, also known as the Millennials, are people born between 1978-2000. The exact dates fluctuate from site to site, but, in every case, I seem to stand almost right at the intersection of X and Y since my birth date falls in 1982.

It turns out that I am pretty accurately placed in my generation when it comes to my technology use as well. Penelope Trunk has posted a great survey on her blog that allows readers to determine what generation they fall into based on their use of technology. In my case, it was extraordinarily accurate. I scored 11 points, meaning that I use technology like a Generation Xer, but I am on the verge of using technology like a Generation Yer.

Go take it - and tell me where you end up...