Thumbalizr Takes Screen Shots from a URL

via mashable.com: "Thumbalizr is an image tool that lets you take screen shots of web pages and offers up several dimension options for you to download your image. Just enter in the URL of the web page you'd like a screen shot for, and hit "go"..."

Here's a handy service for quick web captures. The site appears to be slow right at the moment due to heavy interest. I wonder if it will allow for specifying a particular browser type for rendering, like browsershots.org does?

Google announces a simple new way to embed Google Maps

Now those seeking a simple way to include a Google map on a page no longer need to deal with the more complex API method. However it's worth noting that the technique Google has employed is the use of an iframe, which may or may not work in all circumstances for web publishers.

Google Press Center: News Announcement: "Starting today, Google Maps users can add a map to their website or blog just by copying & pasting a snippet of HTML. This new functionality enables Google Maps users to share and disseminate geographic information in the same way that YouTube users share videos. Bloggers and webmasters no longer need an API key or knowledge of Java Script to put a Google Map on their website or blog.

To embed a Google Map, users simply pull up the map they want to embed - it can be a location, a business, driving directions, or a My Map they have created - and then click 'Link to this page' and copy & paste the HTML into their website or blog. The embedded map is fully interactive, like the Google Maps API, but creating one does not require any programming skills. Users can drag and click or zoom in on a location, and view it in map, satellite, and hybrid modes..."

The Impact of Social Media on Search Rankings

SiteProNews:: "Over the past few years, the Internet has increasingly become a participatory social network where user-generated content is just as important as traditional advertising messages. This means your articles, blog posts, videos, podcasts, and other comments on the Web are now critical sources of information about your company, your products and services... Social media, therefore, becomes increasingly important to a Web site's success and its visibility in search engines...

With the advent of universal search by Google and others, search marketers and site owners will soon find it necessary to optimize their Web sites for a broad range of content types. This means creating content in every media and vertical niche applicable to your brand..."

This article summarizes the importance of a broad-media approach very well, highlighting the categories of: Search Personalization; Universal Search; Optimizing Podcasts; and Optimizing Google Base Data Feeds.

You don't want to necessarily implement content types or social media frameworks that aren't appropriate to your business, but be sure you are not overlooking a variety of options. And another trend is to NOT lock-up assets like PDF downloads and demos behind registration walls. Give a prospect all you have, if they are interested, they'll eventually wind up in your CRM database.

The Great Skype Blackout of 2007

This blog entry originally started as a happy note about the new Skype Beta client for Mac that has some cool new features, including address book integration. However, after installing the new Beta, I could no longer connect. I thought it might be a glitch of the new version, but unfortunately it looks to be a serious Skype-network-wide problem.

Problems with Skype login - Heartbeat: "Some of you may be having problems logging into Skype. Our engineering team has determined that it’s a software issue. We expect this to be resolved within 12 to 24 hours. Meanwhile, you can simply leave your Skype client running and as soon as the issue is resolved, you will be logged in. We apologize for the inconvenience..."

The Virtues of Print in a Web 2.0 World

oreilly.com: "Dale Dougherty, the publisher of Make: Magazine did a brief interview with Publishing Executive Magazine, which included some great thoughts on how print publishers can harness the power of Web 2.0 while also playing to their own strengths...

There's a lot that publishers can and should do with technology, because Web 2.0 is providing many new ways of finding new talent, bringing great material to the top of what used to be called 'the slush pile', and then bringing it to market. But so much does begin just as Dale says, in deep engagement with your audience, which in almost every case is also the source of the content that you will feature."

Interesting article, also includes a video about how O'reilly leverages the web to augment the total customer experience for their publication "MAKE".