Gmail nudged past AOL Email with 37 million unique visitors compared to 36.4 million visitors for AOL (comScore estimates). This puts Gmail in sight of the No 2 player, Windows Live Hotmail, which has 47 million unique visitors. Yahoo leads the field with an impresive 106 million monthly unique visitors. For once the Google Yahoo Microsoft rankings change tags (Google leads the Search market shares over the other two by a heavy margin).

Over the last 6 months, Google’s unique visitors count increased 25% compared to Yahoo’s 16% increase and Hotmail’s 8% increase. AOL lost out the race because of a 22% decline in its Monthly unique visitor count!

While one of the primary lures of Gmail has been its unlimited memory, the race ahead for Google will be decidedly mainly on its ability to keep pumping new enhancements through Google Labs!

Earlier, in the month of July 2009, Google finally took off the beta label off Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar and GTalk. Gmail which was launcheed on April, 2004 has become Google’s most popular non search application.The reason for Google to take off the beta label is primarily marketing, since it sells these Google Apps bundled together for businesses for $50/per user/per year. While the removal of the Beta tag doesnot impact individual consumers, the presence of Beta Tag was certainly an issue with business consumers!

Google Apps are now used by nearly 2 million businesses and they account for hundreds of dollars in revenues for Google. For the enterprise customers, Google is also adding two new features: The ability to delegate access to an email account to another person such as an administraative assistant and enhanced retention features for compliance purposes.

UNISA MyLife

Yes you can receive your UNISA emails in Outlook.

I must admit I tried several times, encrypted and uncrypted mode, to use the Exchange to add a mail profile as they describe on the help here, but given up on it. Used my existing profile, and tried to add MyLife a/c, tried a New Profile. But it doesn’t work for me. Still waiting for a reply from UNISA.

Alternatively you can set POP3 and IMAP, personally I prefer IMAP.
If you want to see what the differences between the two are, have a look here.

I am assuming that you know how to add an e-mail

Settings for POP3:

POP3: pop.exchangelabs.com
SMTP: smtp-eu.exchangelabs.com

Incoming Server POP3 Port 995 using SSL
Outgoing Server SMTP Port 25 using TLS
Enable Leave a copy of the message on the server.

Enable My outgoing server(SMTP) requires authentication.
Use the same settings as the incoming server.

Settings for IMAP:

Note: Login to Windows Live Outlook using your MyLife id and have a look at the addressbar to confirm the SMTP mail server.

Drop the https:// and /owa. only use podxxxxx.outlook.com.

Incoming mail server: outlook.com
Outgoing mail server(SMTP): pod51002.outlook.com

Incoming Server POP3 Port 993 using SSL
Outgoing Server SMTP Port 25 using TLS

Enable My outgoing server(SMTP) requires authentication.
Use the same settings as the incoming server.

How to see additional IMAP Folders

Right click on the MyLife Folder in Outlook, and select Folders

Select Query

Now you can select the items/folders you want to see in Outlook. (Subscribe/Unsubscribe).
Click OK

Have a look at the MyLife Folders. You should be able to see the items/folders you subscribe to.

Conclusion

That’s it, now you can receive your e-mails.
Note to Students of the School of Computing:
Since UNISA and Microsoft has collobrate services, we can use now in South Africa use Microsoft Student Services.
You can download software for free, like MySQL Server, Visual Studio etc.
Have a look at Microsoft DreamSpark site.
IT’S FOR FREE!!!!!

Also there are additional resources at Osprey and the Osprey Forum, besides myUNISA.

To all my fellow students of UNISA’s School of Computing, Happy Coding!!!

Via Moodle Tutorials, read and see some videos about Microsoft Live services adapted to work with Moodle by visiting here. This allows users to sign-in with their Windows Live ID. This reminds me of what the Google Apps are doing by integrating with Moodle. Can Microsoft compete in the education field with Google?

The start up for most businesses are delayed due to the owner’s available cash.  These delays can stall the start date by several weeks or even years.  The majority of all small businesses begin with less than $10,000.  This includes some of the fastest growing companies over the past 10 years.   A large portion or approximately 30% of all small businesses begin with less than $5,000 of available cash.  This should be encouraging news for those that are thinking about starting a business soon.  Many of  funds that are needed to get started are over estimates of new business owners.   From the outset, a new business owner wants to purchase new equipment, new furniture and hire people immediately.  These items are necessary to have, but can aquired over time.  To start up a business on a shoe string budget, it’s essential to take small daily and weekly steps.  Start by making a list of items that you must have.  Place your estimated cost beside the items.  After you’ve completed your list, determine which items you can have this week.  Then place a time value to have each additional item.  It’s sort of a lay-away plan to get your required items.  This will speed up your start date because the minute that your first item is crossed of the list, you will start to put things into place.  This will further motivate you to get the additional items sooner.  Using a laser-like focus, concentrate on having your materials by your projected start date.  This approach will allow you to pick up the pieces over a short time, versus an all or nothing approach.  Most people will want to wait until the perfect moment to start their business.  There is rarely such a time, in fact some of the largest fortunes have come during difficult times.  Another advantage to this type of launch is that during this period, (let’s estimate that it’s 6 weeks) you can start to trim un-necessary expenses such as premium cable, expensive meals from restaurants and shopping trips.  Also, you can start to spread the word to friends and potential clients that your services will be available shortly.  If there are 12 items on your list and you check off 2 or more of them per week, in no time at all your business will be in gear.  Start driving towards your goal today.  Whether you’re in a low gear or overdrive is irrevelent.  Get out of neutral or being in park.  You must take the wheel and use the keys for your journey.  Make it happen!!!         

The majority of a small business owner’s start up items can be obtained for free  from the Discount Business Association.  There are no fee’s.

http://discountbusinessassociation.com

Tips to help you gain more sales during the summer months.  Your business should be marketing year round.  After years of studying sales trends, I can tell you that your revenue during summer months will be different.  Whether sales are typically higher or lower for you during the summer, will often depend on your industry.  Seasonal businesses that are geared towards clothing, entertainment, child care, camps, vacationing, travel, amusement and recreation will generally fare well during the summer months.  This is because of a large supply of people that demand fun during the summer months.  Summer is the time that most families schedule their get-aways.  The kids are out of school and they put pressure on parents to spend money on things that require activity.  It’s also the time that many adults plan an exotic vacation, cruise or fortune winning trip to Vegas.   The weather will be great during the summer months and people will want to buy shorts, sun glasses, tanning lotion and water ice treats.  What could be better than the aforementioned, while laying on a nice beach?  It’s perfect for a consumer.   Now, as a marketer how can you take notice and action on these trends?  If you have had a successful summer oriented business, keep during what has worked in past years.  I would add additional creative marketing pieces to keep your customers informed of special opportunities.  For businesses that tend to have lower sales during the summer,  you must be aggressive towards marketing your business ”NOW.”    June and September could be your best months because July &  August are months that people really want to relax.  They are on vacation, more difficult to reach by phone and want a break from the norm.   For these  reasons most print advertising hits the circular file for recycling.  Consumers will open less junk mail.  Think about it for a second.  You have left home to enjoy quality time with your family.  At the conclusion, you dread returning to your normal existence versus sipping martini’s under palm trees.  After returning home you conduct checks to make sure things are in order.   The home is safe and there is some relief, next you may check the recorder for missed calls.  Finally, you must check the mail.  Not because you want to, this time  it’s to see if there is anything important to take care of.  Anything else can be discarded at this point, however a letter from a friend or family member must be kept.  The letter may not be read immediately, but it will be saved until later.   This is the type of reception that a marketer would hope for and can achieve with creative marketing.  For starters,  postcard marketing can deliver your message because as the customer handles the mail your offer is shown.  There is no effort required of the customer to perform letter opening exercises.   Imagine after returning home from vacation, you see a postcard that has a 3 day sale on the new Mac book for $495.   That post card goes in the friends column.   A  local video store that sends you a postcard which reads,” rent a movie this weekend and get 2 additional new releases, good for the same day. ” That postcard has value and may be around until used.  By thinking outside of the box you can focus on creative ways to reach your customers.  Choose to grow your business today and receive free postcards and special pricing on marketing materials @ http://www.discountbusinessassociation.com

To succeed in business, one must have a relentless passion towards results.   These results are not just sales figures, but results in relationships with customers and suppliers, results in quality and results from within.  You must ask yourself,  am I making the most of opportunities?  Do I perform and get things done on time?  How can I make processes better and more efficient?   After making an honest assessment of your activities, decide to implement the Tony Robbins Principle of, ”CANI” the acronym for constant and never-ending improvement.  By knowing where you stand and what you stand for, you can position your company to deliver excellent results.  Choose to grow your company with creative marketing ideas.  For free marketing materials visit http://www.discountbusinessassociation.com

…And just like that Microsoft is back in the search game!  Maybe.  Bing, Microsoft’s new search engine due out Wednesday, launched on Saturday.  Does anything not “drop” early these days?!  While Google Killer it is not, Microsoft says it is not intended to be.  I do think it offers a solid user experience though.  This should make current users happy, but the question is then how many new users will be happy about Bing?  Microsoft is planning to put a significant amount of money behind marketing Bing.  The goal will not be to compete with Google, but to offer something unique to differentiate themselves in the search market.  (a good strategy, and really all anyone can do at this point).

With that said, it will be interesting to see how they market Bing to consumers. They are calling it a decision engine instead of a search engine, and Ballmer thinks that ditching the MSN Live and Live Search brand names in favor of Bing will create a better connection with consumers.  Time will always tell. If anything it should help to bolster a stale product, and give it a fresher look and some much needed media hype.  With the new breed (facebook, twitter, etc.) stealing the spotlight, some media hype couldn’t hurt.  At the very least, Bing should help to cement MSN firmly in its current third place ranking in the Big Three.

Bing search results page.

I’ve tried a bunch of searches already this morning and I like how it builds a search history for you in the left side nav under the related searches area (which is also a nice feature to help you refine your search).  Also, as you scroll over the search results, an (ajax-like) window allows you to preview the page before you click on the result link.

Currently the home page works to merchandise a particular search theme, or discovery topic.  One thing I didn’t see while searching on Bing were the Sponsored Links.  Which makes me wonder how Microsoft plans to monetize the search traffic on Bing.  I’m sure this is all part of the courtship and the ads will return soon enough.  Launching and marketing a new product like Bing seems ambitious given the fact that Microsoft will need to get behind Microsoft 7 any day now.  But the subject of how much money Microsoft has for marketing is another topic altogether.

Grow your sales revenue beyond quotas.  Learn effective strategies to promote any business type.  The key to increasing sales for your product or service is to position your company in front customers that need help.  There will be other companies within your industry that are marketing to your clients.  By using creative marketing pieces you can stand out above the competition.  Get free promotional ideas and free marketing supplies from http://www.discountbusinessassociation.com

Join me in an online business opportunity that’s second to none.   Utilize the power of  a team concept to grow.  This will allow everyone to earn residual income without selling.  For more details visit www.money.ws/bizsavings

Save money now!  Make unlimited Long distance & International  calls for only $4.95  per month.  This special ends tomorrow (5/31/09).  For anyone that places long distance calls you can start saving a lot of  money.  Don’t over pay for your phone costs, apply the savings to your bank account.  Sign up today @ www.discountbusinessassociation.com

Driving traffic to your site will increase the number of viewers that see your site.  It will take a tiny bit of additional effort each day to to build up your following.  The Discount Business Association will provide you with many free and promotional items to help promote your blog or website.  These marketing materials include free business cards, free postcards, free t-shirts, free hats, free websites, free fax services, toll free number with voice mail free for 60 days, free business news, free investment reports, free customized note pads, free car door magnets,  contact data management free for 60 days and lots of free marketing ideas and tips.   Integrate these items into your current ad campaigns each day for maximum effectiveness.  http://www.discountbusinessassociation.com

Some of the greatest fortunes have been created during difficult times.   This could be your moment to create overwhelming success in an activity that you enjoy.  Many folks are circulating hundreds of resumes per month to land a job opportunity that they would rather not have.   A better approach could be to spend 10% of that time on “U” Incorporated.  By freelancing your skills, you may find networking  opportunities while gaining additional experience.   Perhaps, you could give out 5 business cards per day to promote your products or services.   Advertising your business with flyers will also help get the word out about “U” Inc.   This could build into a side business or it could take off and grow beyond your expectations.  Determine what you’re really good at and passionate about.  Decide to start today!Everything that you will need to start your business can be found the Discount Business Association.  Most of the marketing materials are free and you can start a business with no out of pocket costs. Visit: http://www.discountbusinessassociation.com

Would you like to make unlimited phone calls for 4.95 per month.  Well you can for the next 6 months if you act now.  This is a limited time special that ends on May 31, 2009.   Make as many calls as you like within the United States and Canada for $4.95 per month.  This is an incredible promotion that will save your family a lot of money.  In fact, help other family members and friends save money too.   Ask them to visit: http://www.discountbusinessassociation.com

Bonjour à tous,

Bon pas vraiment un article technique, mais tout ceux qui utilise Live Writer, comme moi, pour écrire leurs articles ne peuvent s’empêcher de s’apercevoir qu’il manque un bon plug-in pour copier du code depuis Visual Studio. Et bien ce matin en trainant sur un de mes flux RSS, j’ai trouvé ce lien qui vous permets de rajouter dans vos options d’insertion la possibilité d’ajouter du code HTML depuis votre Visual Studio, il conserve ainsi l’indentation, et les couleurs !

Petit exemple pour vous montrer :

public class DelegateCommandWithParam<TParam> : ICommand
{
    private Action<TParam> _handler;
    private Boolean _IsEnabled = true;

    public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged;

    public Boolean IsEnabled
    {
        get { return _IsEnabled; }
        set
        {
            _IsEnabled = value;
            OnCanExecuteChanged();
        }
    }

        <ListView x:Name="lst_Personnes"
                  ItemsSource="{Binding Personnes}"
                  IsSynchronizedWithCurrentItem="True"
                  SelectedItem="{Binding SelectedPersonne}" >
            <ListView.ItemTemplate>
                <DataTemplate>
                    <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal">
                        <TextBlock Text="{Binding Prenom}" />
                        <TextBlock Text="{Binding Nom}" Margin="5,0,0,0" />
                    </StackPanel>
                </DataTemplate>
            </ListView.ItemTemplate>
        </ListView>

Et voilà, finis vos longues heures à changer les couleurs ou à devoir passer par Word et ensuite ré-indenter le code

Magic the gathering kommer som bekant till xbox live snart. Men jag måte bara få nämna en av absolut bästa achviment jag sätt till något spel:

Spellsinger:
Defeat someone who has earned the Spellslinger achievement.

/Alex
@Start And Select
http://startandselect.wordpress.com

If your blog, website or business seems to be stuck in gear or you have traffic at a stand still, ease off of the brake.  You could be holding your traffic back by not using enough creativity.    To grow your business or web page you must offer solutions that adds value to your viewers.  Relax for a second, now envision driving a tractor trailer on the highway at rush hour.  You know that you are not going anywhere fast.  Now imagine driving a Winnebago or camper, you can probably move through traffic slightly quicker.   Now imagine that you’re driving a mini van,  you really moving but you realize that it could be worse.  Driving a VW  Beetle is even better because you can really zip through traffic.  What if you were on a Segway or even a motorcycle?  How about a skateboard?  It would not be the best mode of transportation on the highway for obvious reasons, but the idea is to not be a camper or an 18 wheeler that hunkers down your potential traffic. 

Unlock the traffic jam by creating effective marketing pieces that will showcase your goods and services.  Work on improving your site’s image and it’s search engine optimization.  Update your pages often, so that your messages are fresh.  Become more creative.  There is probably something new that you can implement.  Try using social networks, bookmarks, direct mail, print advertising, television ads, email and search engine marketing to get your business moving in the fast lane, in fact fly above the crowd in a plane….but fly coach!!!            For creative low cost and free marketing tips visit: www.discountbusinessassociation.com

Poor Valve, they try so hard to play nice with the Xbox 360. Though the big issue why you haven’t seen the updates at the same speed as your PC friends when it comes to Team Fortress Two is not so much preferential treatment for them.  It’s just that the 360 has one “small” issue. The issue being the abysmal amount of ram under the hood. Updates for the most part take up some extra ram since you are running a beefier program. Yet since ram is dirt cheap for PC’s now this is not really an issue anymore. Though this is not quite as true for our Xbox friends.  With a whopping 512kb you run into some issues. For those of you that are not as techie, an average computer now has three to four gigs. Or in other words two and a half to three and half more times more ram than an Xbox 360.

So with that hurtle to overcome, along with the fact that the game was pushing the system already.  This is why you have not gotten the updates to the classes for the game.  Along with the fact that Valve has been trying to convince Microsoft to give the updates away for free like they do for their PC players. Microsoft has had known issues of asking developers to charge for updates even they would like to give away for free.  So all I can say is take heart and know that the Valve team are working on the updates and will release them as soon as they can. All I can say is that if you have the choice between PC and Xbox 360 I would implore you with a great amount of persistence to pick up the game on PC. Now as how to get it that’s up to you. Some people like having a physical disk. Though I will say that Steam does not have a limit to how many times you can re-download the game, just saying.

Should Microsoft drop it’s “stripper bucks?” I think we all know they do it. It’s a great way to bleed out the older crowd since you will always have a few points left. So that game or album you buy might as well be ten bucks instead of the seven it claims. You will be hard pressed to find anything worth while for only a couple of dollars on either XBL or the Zune market place. Plus with it’s “stripper bucks” it’s a great gift for kids that you don’t want to give cash to.

On the flip side you have Sony. They are not afraid of showing you how much something is really worth. Which for the most part is a nicer way in m opinion. I don’t see a reason to be whimsical with my money. Plus with this method Sony isn’t just holding on to my loose change.

I see why Microsoft introduced MS points. It’s a slick way to bleed people twice. One : for having to covert their money to your fake money. Two: you get all money not spent in your stores anyway until they buy more or just give up and move on.

Though if you could transfer the funds to a friend this would be a pretty happy middle ground. I have been enlightened by a good friend that the points all in all are a good thing for those without a credit card, and she makes a good point.  For those who don’t have one the points are great. Though the biggest issue is their pricing point. It’s two easy for you to have a few points left over. Though with the ability to transfer points you can help ensure they are going to a good home and just might help edge your friend over do he or she can get that great arcade game.

För alla xbox ägare som just nu sitter på en kopia av Left 4 Dead så har det kommit massa nytt att ladda ner, och gratis dessutom. Härligt värre.

“The Left 4 Dead Survival Pack will be released via Xbox Live at roughly 2 am PST on April 21. The DLC is free to all owners of Left 4 Dead and introduces a new multiplayer game mode entitled, Survival, plus two complete campaigns for Versus Mode.” – Doug Lombardi
Källa: xbox360achievements

/Alex
@Start And Select
http://startandselect.wordpress.com