How to Select Which Tweets go to Facebook Using Just Three Letters

If you are like me, you tend to have a different set of friends on your Facebook then you do on your Twitter. Sometimes having your Twitter updates going to your Facebook is very convenient, but oftentimes it can be very embarrassing, especially if you are replying to someone and your Facebook feed is only getting half of a conversation that you think is going to just one person.

The easy way to prevent this from happening is to sign into your Facebook on a computer and head over to this link: http://apps.facebook.com/selectivetwitter/ From that point all you have to do is add in your twitter name. It's insanely simple. If you want a tweet to stay on Twitter and stay off of Facebook, you don't have to do anything special. To have a tweet go to Twitter and go to Facebook, just add #fb to the end of your tweet. That's it. Simple as that.

Now make sure that you turn off Facebook updates on any apps that you are using, since you are using selective twitter you don't need any other apps updating Facebook. #fb is now your friend.

So What Exactly Does Google Know About You?

 Photo Credit: http://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/

Time to put on your tinfoil hats boys and girls and gather around the glow of the computer screen as we talk about your personal information and how much a total stranger can learn about you simply by gathering your breadcrumb trail of internet posts. While social media can bring together long lost classmates and friends, it can also break up marriages and cause kittens to be born without their mommas. So what's to worry about and what is not worth worrying about?

There are a couple of things that you should be aware of. First of all, don't ever post something on the internet with the assumption that you can pull it down later. That's a risky gamble in first place, but there are ways to pull information off the web that isn't there anymore, not to mention that anyone that sees the info can simply take a screenshot.

Second, use some common sense. While it might be a great idea to post photos of your family while you are at Disney, maybe wait until you get back to post those photos. Anyone that knows your Facebook or Twitter profile will be able to see your posts, unless you make change privacy settings. Might as well send a thief a postcard saying that you are going to be out for the next couple of days, take your time. Do check your privacy settings in any social apps that you use. Unless you are some sort of internet celebrity, you might be better off setting your profile defaults to hide your personal information unless you accept them as a friend.

Having said all of that, it is easy to just dish over all your personal information to a company that you trust. For instance, I do not trust Facebook at all, but I am totally invested in the Google eco-system. Google handles my social network, my email, my contacts, my phone OS, my location, my web searches,  and my financial information. Even this blog is hosted by Google's Blogger service.













So what does El Google know about you? With all of the information that I give to them on a daily basis, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out who I am, what I like and what my blood type is. Well maybe not exactly that last one, but you get my point. Here's what Google knows about John Ennis:

1. They know that I like computers, specifically computer hardware and components. DUH
2. I like consumer electronics, gadgets, PDAs and handhelds. DUH
3. Food and drink My undergrad degree is in Culinary Arts
4. Internet and telecom, mobile and wireless, smart phones /headdesk
5. World locations, Asia I am half Korean, this one shocked me
6. I am male and between the age of 25-34 Just turned 35 in the past couple of months. 

If you want to see what Google knows about you click this link.

There is a really good article to read if you want to know what you can potentially expose yourself to totally. 

TL:DR it isn't as bad as you might think, but you might want to be careful and use some common sense. Don't bail on a friend saying you're sick then check into the local movie theater. 

YouTube Gem of the Day

Time for some fun. I mean this is the internet right?

If you don't get the video reference, then watch this. Disclaimer: your ears will bleed. Like really.

Android Does Gets a Makeover

It's been a couple of days coming, but AD got a real nice makeover! Visit AD for all the latest news and rumors on Android stuff! Not to mention that I am going to CTIA in less than a month!

Head over to http://www.androiddoes.net/ and help support us!

Simple Tip to Stop Your Toddler From Making In App Purchases

I have my Google Wallet account setup with a credit card that sends me an email every time that I charge something. It is just my little way of knowing when my card is being used, and gives me a little bit of a heads-up if things go sideways. This little system paid off yesterday when I took my phone away from my toddler, who is always on my phone or my wife's phone. We both have had to change our lockscreens to actually involve numbers or in my case, face unlock. He figured out the 'slide to unlock' pretty quickly and he loves to hit the emergency dial button, type in a fake phone number and get on the phone and talk as if he's been doing that his entire life.

Three charges came through last night for a total of $35 in in-app purchases from an app. I knew my kid had DrawSomething open on my phone, I didn't realize you could buy stuff in the app, or I would have taken the phone away quicker. He bought $24.99 one time and $9.99 twice.

So here's the deal with in-app purchases:

1. It is extremely easy to make the purchase and there is usually just one button press involved. A child or even an adult can make the purchase accidentally. I understand this might be to facilitate impulse purchases, but this makes it dangerous if you have fat fingers or a kid.

2. Getting your money back is almost impossible. I currently am waiting to hear back from OMGPOP regarding my request for a refund. Google Wallet redirects to a getsatisfaction forum, and my credit card company may have to get involved, although they might side with me or might not.

3. This problem is documented on Google's support forums. About a billion times.

4. Complaining on Twitter doesn't help.

5. There is a solution:

 

In the new Play Store settings is what I was looking for. A requirement for all purchases to require a PIN. You can set the PIN from the settings menu and hopefully you won't deal with what I had to deal with. Set the PIN and then you will be prompted for the PIN when you make a purchase in the Play Store. Hopefully that works for you!

SwiftKey April Fool's is Actually Funny

Twenty-twelve has already been an incredible year for the SwiftKey team. We won the Global Mobile Award for Most Innovative Mobile App at MWC, The Guardian named us as their Best Startup Business, we were a featured app at the launch of Google Play and the BBC's technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones featured us in his inaugural British startup profile.

But all of these achievements pale into insignificance when compared with the innovation that we're unveiling today. We'vereinvented the keyboard, again.

Meet SwiftKey Mono - a keyboard so smart, all it needs is one massive spacebar and our powerful predictions do the rest. Typing has never been this effortless. To find out more, or to get a trial copy, see our blog post.

Cheers,

Joe Braidwood

Chief Marketing Officer at SwiftKey
www.swiftkey.net

Perfect Scrambled Eggs

I love eggs, and I eat them for breakfast at least 4 times a week for breakfast. Typically I just throw them in a pan, scramble them in the pan and then cook them as fast as possible. Usually my eggs are finished before the toast pops, and if I get distracted they get that burned brown action going. Well I am not so much of a snob that I don't eat them if they get burned, but today I sat down and figured out how to make them right, and I think that I have the perfect technique for scrambled eggs.

1. Take a pat of butter and put into a bowl
2. Heat butter in microwave long enough to melt it 
3. Break eggs and add to the butter in the bowl
4. Add a splash of milk
5. Mix throughly with a fork
6. Spray a small pan with cooking spray
7. Add the eggs to a pan, make sure that the pan isn't hot
8. Cook over medium heat, add salt and pepper at this point
9. When the egg starts to cook, push the eggs towards the center of the pan. The runny part of the egg will fill in the area that you pushed in. 
10. Continue cooking this way until the egg is cooked through

Eggs cooked this way are fluffy, flavorful and delicious. The secret is the butter and the cold pan. The butter adds flavor and a velvet mouthfeel, and the cold pan ensures that the eggs cook slowly and throughly without burning the eggs.