Category: Affiliates

Android News

I’m a fan of Apple in general, but I’m holding out for Google’s Android initiative before I move away from my BlackBerry (rather than going with the Android 3G).

This is mostly because I’m a fan of the open platform and open source approach to software and hardware. Plus, Google has so much of my data in their cloud because of my usage of their web products.

Just wanted to let everyone here know that the best blog I’ve found for Android updates is a blog called AndroidGuys.

Good stuff if you’re into the mobile side of things.

Russert

As I head into my first Father’s Day as an actual father, the news of Tim Russert’s passing hit me like a ton of bricks for a number of reasons.

First, I love politics. I love the art of politics and the science of politics and the religion of politics. Russert was, to many of us, the priest of politics. Sunday mornings without him on Meet the Press will never be the same for me.

Second, I love Meet the Press and its format. I have religiously watched the show for years (even in college when Sunday mornings at 9am came way too early most weekends). After I watch, I download the audio and listen again to the show throughout the week:

russert.jpg

It was a daily ritual that will be tough to perform without Russert.

Third, Russert loved what he did. You could see it on his face and it was inspiring to see someone so happy, fulfilled and challenged by their job.

Lastly, Russert is leaving behind a close family. Russert’s passing makes me take pause as this being my first Father’s Day with a child.

As professionals, we have a lot to learn from Russert’s example. Love your family, love what you do and seek to build bridges and find understanding instead of following the path of least resistance which normally resides on the plateau of negativity and greed.

Buying Links: Good or Bad?

At the https://www.fusionquest.com/cgi-bin/main/hotlinks.cgi?aflt=afc1&client=affsumAffiliate Summit West this year, one of the most talked about moments was the back-and-forth between SEO expert Wil Reynolds and Jason Calacanis during Wil’s session.

Here’s Wil’s take:

Well the BIG topic – buying links to help boost your SEO rankings, let me say again…if you properly analyze your landscape you can determine if you may or may not need to buy links. If you do, you should buy ones that are actually on GOOD sites – while producing great content is the ideal, you may have to prime the pump a bit with a few strategic bought links. This is an advanced tactic, if you don’t understand what makes a good vs. bad link, don’t buy one!

As you can imagine, Jason was not too supportive of the link buying tactic and has called out Google and SEO’ers many times over the issue (and created a company to combat the problem he sees in search today).

And thanks to the power of the interwebs, you have the chance to see the throw down (not really) between Wil and Jason (or head over to YouTube to see the annotations that Wil has added to the video… they don’t carry over to embeds):

The video also shows why you should be going to the https://www.fusionquest.com/cgi-bin/main/hotlinks.cgi?aflt=afc1&client=affsumAffiliate Summit in Boston this August. Unlike many of the shows I go to, there is both real substance and real discussions that go on during the sessions. This is just a taste of that.

RedHatBlueHat

redhat.jpg

Since we’re on a political kick here, head over to GeekCast and listen to the latest RedHatBlueHat podcast.

Despite Shawn’s rather biased show description, it was a well balanced and heated show where I do what I do every week… ask policy questions and have to fend off the politics of personal destruction that the Red Hats keep retreating to any time the water gets warm.

RedHatBlueHat : GeekCast.fm: “The fourth installment of RedHatBlueHat featured Tim Jones, Shawn Collins, Mike Allen, Sam Harrelson, and Todd Crawford getting worked up about money and war.

This week focused on a John McCain interview on the Today Show where he made comments about Iraq and ‘big oil’ that got the Obama camp worked into a tizzy.”

Even if you’re not a political junkie, it’s a fun show.

Here’s the mp3 for your downloading pleasure.

If I get some time this weekend, I’m going to make a dedicated site for the show at the www.redhatbluehat.com domain. Thanks to Jim Kukral for the logo!

Free Affiliate Summit Passes Today

FAE3B0A0-B0D4-44B3-AD51-BD23184B86A8.jpgI turn 30 just a few days after this year’s Affiliate Summit East. Helping me ring in my third decade is good enough reason to come to Boston, right? Well, even if you haven’t gotten a ticket yet, there’s a very good offer on the table for today.

For today only, Affiliate Summit is running a special promotion where anyone who hasn’t already registered for the Affiliate Summit East in Boston (August 10-12) can get a free exhibit hall pass…

Free Affiliate Summit Passes on June 11, 2008 | Affiliate Summit Blog: “We’ve got a special Affiliate Summit deal that’s only good for 24 hours – the day of June 11, 2008 EDT.

Everybody that is currently registered for Affiliate Summit 2008 East, taking place August 10-12 in Boston, is welcome to share the following coupon code with their friends and colleagues who are not yet registered:

ASE08JUNE11

This code is good for a free exhibit hall only pass (value $199).”

So, if you haven’t registered to come, you definitely should today. I can’t recommend the show enough (not just because I’m the “Minister of Social Media” this time) but because it really is the premier event for learning, networking and recruiting affiliates in the performance marketing space.

The speaker list is quite varied this year and the Affiliate Summit team has really mixed things up (in a good way) to keep the East show fresh.

Plus, you can buy me a drink for my 30th.

See you in Boston!

37signals Affiliate Program

One of my favorite “web2.0” companies out there, 37signals, launched an improved affiliate program. They are the company behind Basecamp, BackPack and HighRise.

My wife is hooked on Backpack for organization and lists. I use Basecamp for all of my work flow and as a nerve center for GettingThingsDone. so there’s a wide audience for this:

796DA33B-F09A-4729-933E-21D0F579D5AA.jpg

I know B2B offers do well in the Spring and Summer as people try to do more with less time since everyone would rather be outdoors, so check out 37signals if you need an offer in that area.

Why Do Right Wingers Love Apple?

3C7EBFBB-D438-426C-90EC-57A46364A064.jpg

One of my secret pleasures is to listen to the local right-leaning AM station here in Asheville while coding, doing spreadsheets or something that doesn’t require much higher brain function. Every town has one of these stations with a rotation of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity (who might have the worst designed website in the world) and Michael Savage.

I’m by no means a right winger and to keep my blood pressure down, I should probably be listening to the local Air America station instead. However, I just can’t help myself. Plus, the right wing ramblings help me prepare for the stale talking points that my comrades on RedHatBlueHat throw out every Thursday.

Lately, I’ve noticed that the right wing talk show guys are big Apple fans. A few weeks ago, Rush made a public plea to Steve Jobs to help him with a few problems he was having on his higher end Macs that got a good deal of press and coverage. Last week, Sean Hannity did an extended monologue about how innovative and great Apple was in terms of their products. Then, on my way in to the office this morning I listened to Glenn Beck go ga-ga over the iPhone 3G.

Which begs the question in my head… why do right wingers (except for Shawn Collins) love the shiny Macs? I almost feel dirty for typing this on my Macbook Pro. Almost.

I don’t know the answer to the question. Maybe it’s because Macs just work or perhaps they make Rush feel a little more faux-elite because of the price.

Regardless, if they have seen the light on tech perhaps they’ll see the light on the political side one day. Probably not. But a left winger can hope.