If you’ve ever been frustrated with trying to remember passwords for hundreds of websites, across multiple web browsers and multiple computers…there’s finally a bulletproof solution.

LastPass is a kickass free browser plugin that allows you to save web account information (username/passwords) and retrieve them from any computer.  All you ever need to remember going forward is your LastPass password, hence the name “last pass”.

Why does it “own”, you ask?

• Works on multiple platforms:  Windows, Linux, Mac
• Works with every browser
• Way more secure than storing passwords on your local PC using the embedded password manager that comes with IE, FireFox, Chrome, etc.
• Super easy to use!
• Also comes with auto-form population
• If you’re on vacation or using someone else’s computer, you can retrieve your passwords…such a time saver
• Auto-generates secure passwords, so you can start using crazy complicated and unique passwords for every new site rather than using the same password repeatedly like most people currently do

Check it out! I’ve recommended LastPass to a handful of close friends already and they’ve been very impressed, so I’m confident you will be too.  It’s not often that a free application comes along that is genius and something you soon wonder how you ever lived without.

A friend of mine was recently wondering, “What’s the difference between being ranked #1 and #2 on Google?”

He guessed that it wouldn’t be very much, maybe like 10% max.

Well, surprisingly it’s much higher than that!

While I haven’t seen any data from Google for the click-through rate averages for each position, there’s data floating around from AOL that could easily be applied to any search engine.

• Ranking #1 gets 42.1 % of clicks
• Ranking #2 gets 11.9 % of clicks
• Ranking #3 gets 8.5 % of clicks
• Ranking #4 gets 6.1 % of clicks
• Ranking #5 gets 4.9 % of clicks
• Ranking #6 gets 4.1 % of clicks
• Ranking #7 gets 3.4 % of clicks
• Ranking #8 gets 3.0 % of clicks
• Ranking #9 gets 2.8 % of clicks
• Ranking #10 gets 3.0 % of clicks

This means that if a keyword gets 100 searches a month, the #1 result will get 42 clicks whereas the #2 result will only get 12!   Pretty big difference.

Great example of why it’s so important to be ranked #1

Even better, if you’re #1 for organic search results, Google Maps listings, AND AdWords, you can completely dominate the competition.

An excellent SEO service I’ve used in the past is Mariah’s SEO Blaster.  She’s very skilled at helping local and global businesses get ranked highly in all 3 of the above categories.

So, just when you thought you were already overwhelmed with Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, along comes yet another social networking/sharing service.

Google Buzz has joined the party.

There’s already lots of rants floating around about why it’s awesome or why it’s great, but I’m going to talk specifically about what should be improved with it.  To be perfectly honest though, I do like the idea of having a social networking tool integrated into Gmail, since I already use it for all my email as well as chat.  Plus, the Gmail search feature is wicked-cool and will undoubtedly be useful with Buzz.

Confusing Privacy Features

Most people want to be able to manually approve each follower, rather than having them auto-follow.  However, they don’t realize that Google Buzz is integrated with your public Google Profile.  So this means whatever you post in Buzz as “public” can be viewed by ANYONE on the internet via your Google Profile page.  Therefore it doesn’t matter if people have chosen to follow you or not.  If you are concerned about the privacy of a post, simply choose “Private” and optionally post to a “group” of Gmail contacts.

No Way To Tell Which Post is New

It’s nice that there’s an indication near the Buzz logo in your Gmail menu of how many new Buzz posts there are, however once you get into Buzz there’s no way to know which posts are the new ones.  So you’re stuck reading through a lot of what you’ve already read.  Definitely a time-waster.

No Tags / Keywords / Categories

These would be very handy to help search and organize our Buzz’s.

Can’t Include an Image in a Comment

When you create your own post there’s a useful link to insert a photo from your computer.  However, this isn’t possible when commenting on your friend’s posts.  There’s been a few times I wanted to include a pic in my comment but wasn’t able to.

Re-Buzz?

Similar to a Twitter Re-Tweet, it would be cool to be able to send a Buzz from one of your contacts along to your other contacts.

That’s about it for now.  Does anyone have other ideas?

Recently one of my non-computer-savvy family members asked me about this.  I knew that a few months ago it wasn’t even possible.  With the Gmail Labs there was an option to set a “canned response” which included a font type/color/size.  But this was sorta of a PITA way to set a default font to be used in ALL emails.

Apparently in late December 2009 Google heard the complaints and finally created a Lab feature that allows us to set a Default Font.  Woot!
 

Here’s some instructions:

1. Click the green lab beaker in the top right (or go here https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#settings/labs)
2. Scroll down about 2/3 until you find Default Text Styling (or CTRL-F to search for it)
   
3. Click Enable
4. Scroll up to the top
5. Click Save Changes
6. Click the General Settings tab at the top (or go here https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#settings)
7. Set your Default text style about half-way down
8. Click Save Changes at the bottom

Now marvel at how with this time-saving hack Gmail became even more awesome

Now that I have some experience outsourcing, I figure I may as well share my knowledge with others.

I’m both shocked and impressed at how simple it is to outsource IT work completely online nowadays.  I’m very curious to see what affect this trend is going to have on the IT industry in 1st world countries.  Instead of finding a graphics designer in your local city for $100, you can now hire one who does comparable work from the Philippines for $5.  It’s a no-brainer!

Although there are many outsourcing sites, services, and companies, here’s a few that I’ve used myself or heard good things about:

oDesk

• One of the more popular sites, thousands of potential employees (called “providers”) to choose from
• You only hire someone if you feel there’s a suitable candidate for your job posting, you’re not forced into making a decision or anything
• You can arrange to only pay after the job is complete, so there’s no risk!
• There’s online tests that providers take, such as English proficiency, PHP, etc. so you can have an idea of their skill sets
• You can arrange interviews with prospective candidates before hiring
• There’s a “Work Diary” section of the site where you can see screenshots of what your “employees” were working on, very cool!
• All in all, I’ve had a positive experience with nearly everyone I’ve hired.  There’s been a couple people that didn’t work out, but that happens in a normal office environment anyways.

Elance

• Another popular outsourcing service
• I haven’t used it myself, but I have friends that have had good success with Elance
• Has a great “Water Cooler” community forum where buyers (employers) and providers (employees) can share ideas and network
• “Elance University” training program to get both buyers and providers up-to-speed with how to use outsourcing effectively
• Like oDesk. there’s skill tests to verify that the candidates are up-to-par in specific areas
• Con – a tad on the expensive side

GetAFreelancer

• Apparently they have over 500,000 service providers…wow!
• People have complained about email spam; it sounds like once you register your inbox gets flooded with offers and whatnot
• Site has an easy-to-understand layout
• It takes 15 days after your first request for payment (this is for providers) to receive money, “for security reasons”.  If you need cash quickly you probably want to look elsewhere.
• All in all a decent service that has tons of prospects to choose from.  Really seems like an employers paradise.