Category: Video

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Check Out McCord Web’s e-Newsletter

Hey guys come check out our most recent e-newsletter at McCord Web. It talks about the new addition to Google, the Friend Connect. This is a new fun way to get noticed using your website. It gives your site social networking if you put the Friend connect application into the source code. It will allow you to use your Yahoo, AOL, and Google base accounts to join and find friends. It allows its users to be able to leave comments, rate the page or website with a star based rating system. Also you can upload videos. Over all it will allow you to extend your reach on the Web.

Content overview

Google created Friend Connect Gadgets

  1. Member panel gadget
  2. Comment gadget
  3. Rating gadget

Also the e-newsletter touches on the top content viewed in 2008 on the McCord Web Services website. In this article we give you links to the most viewed pages and content from the past year.

Concluding the e-newsletter we mention that we have four blog writers employed at this time. Most of the writer have been with McCord Web Services for about a year and a few writers for over 2 years.

To learn more or read our full e-newsletter visit this link to McCord Web Services. http://www.mccordweb.com/e-newsletters/2009/jan-09.html.

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2008 iPod Nano Review

The new iPod Nano is a great improvement over the older version of the iPod Nano. I got the Nano for Christmas and I have to say I love it and wanted to share the best new features with you.

  • 8GB memory (smallest size now, was largest size 2 years ago)
  • More durable then the old model (stronger screen and casing doesn’t flex)
  • HD screen
  • Capability to watch movies (not available in old iPod Nano)
  • Screen adjust to how you hold iPod (flips when you hold it sideways)
  • Like all iPods easy to upload music (just plug into computer and iTunes opens and syncs music and videos)

I would definitely suggest the iPod Nano to everyone. If you like music on the go and don’t want to spend $300 for an iPod Touch or Microsoft Zune, then the iPod Nano is the MP3 player for you.

I also have the LG Chocolate cell phone and I used to use that as my MP3 player until I got the iPod Nano. The big reason for the switch is that I was unable to plug my phone into the stereo outlet in my car. I was unable to  play the songs through my stereo while I’m driving.

Also the iPod Nano has an 8GB memory, which is a lot, that’s about 1,200 songs. I was able to put all my music on my new iPod Nano and still had room for videos. I also put 4 videos on it and one of them happens to be a full length movie, and still have room to spare for more songs.

These are all reasons that I wanted the iPod Nano. Over all, I think it was a great switch. Thanks for the Christmas gift Mom and Dad!

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Music and Video Controls – Don’t Auto Play!

How fast are you with the mouse, just visit some sites that embed music or auto-playing video and you will find out, as you rapidly click around trying to turn off the sound!

It is best when you use video or sound files to be courteous and to allow users to turn it off, turn it down, or even replay it. This is one reason why I do not like embedded background music that has no user controls. Typically a site that plays music onLoad is found to be annoying by most users. Sometimes it is an issue that the reader has their own music on, that they don’t like the music you have selected, that the music starts playing too loud, or even as they really review your site the music plays over and over forcing them to manually turn the sound off. Here’s one for you to check out that is a good example of why you should not have music embedded. It can be fatiguing to listen to the same clip over and over.

My tip for best practice is don’t embed background music in your website! If you do add sound files or videos be courteous and provide playback controls. Make sure to have the play, pause, and repeat buttons and consider not playing the video or sound on page load.

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Talking People Cute But Not Professional

Several months ago you saw all over the Web that animated characters were the rage. Supposedly, according to the animated site owners, animated characters were said to increase sales.  Here’s an example www.SitePal.com.

Personally I found these characters which typically start talking right when the page loads annoying and I simply cannot react quickly enough to turn them off. They appear cartoonish and do not give the professional polished look that I think is best for professional websites.

Video is the rage now and there are options if you want to include interaction on your page, but stay away from animated characters unless you are catering to a younger set that may consider avatars such as these animated talking heads cool.