Plying Around With Google Analytics

I decided to activate Google Analytics on the blog and see what kind of data it can collect on the site traffic.  When IndyScan.com was a scanner resource page I used to pour over the logs to see where people were visiting from and what they were looking at on the site.  It was a tedious task that’s now simplified and automated using 3rd party tools like Google Analytics.

I’m already seeing that the majority of the visitors to IndyScan are using mobile devices, I guess this shouldn’t come as a surprise these days but I rarely access the site via my phone.  I’m going to spend a little more time making sure the site is as mobile friendly as it can be.

I really want to figure out once and for all why the Marsala Sauce post is so popular!  It continues to be the top viewed page week over week.  I’ve really appreciated the ease of setup and the way Google Analytics presents the data.  This is WAY better than how things worked 15+ years ago.

I’ve added some of the stats for those of you that might be interested.

“Word Lens” Lets You Translate Signs in Real-Time!

With “Word Lens” (link to iOS app)  you can literally point your phone at a sign and get it translated to english in REAL-TIME!  I was skeptical at first but after seeing the app was free for a limited time I had to check it out. If you’re planning on traveling overseas (Europe/Russia) in the near future you need to get this app.  Very cool use of technology and an indispensable tool for those not familiar with the native language of the country they’re visiting.

Currently the following add-on languages are available (and they’re free to):

  • English ⇆ Russian
  • English ⇆ Portuguese
  • English ⇆ German
  • English ⇆ Italian
  • English ⇆ French
  • English ⇆ Spanish

I just read that Google has bought the company called Quest Visual (not surprising).  It’ll be interesting to see what they do with it going forward (it’s already been ported to Google Glass).

The Story of “Send”

Google put together an entertaining animation showing what happens when you click the “Send” button in your email application. The Story of Send explains the various steps an electronic message goes through to get to its intended recipient.  It’s actually pretty amazing that we can send a message anywhere in the world in a mater of seconds.

Google’s also trying to show you what a “Green” company they’ve become.  In actuality being “Green” can save a company a lot of money in operating costs so it’s kind of win-win for business and the environment.  Just about every large company on the planet is looking for ways to decrease operating costs and if it happens to have a positive environmental impact that’s just free PR they can spread about.

I’m still waiting for someone to figure out how to efficiently extract Hydrogen from water and capture the remaining Oxygen (which could also be used as fuel).  Seems like a pretty good (clean) way to produce energy to me!

Automate Common Tasks in Your Life Using NFC Tags

Remember back in the 90’s when Bluetooth started became available in Cellular Phones? It took what seemed like a LONG time for it become a standard feature on everything from phones to laptops to cars. Now Bluetooth is everywhere. Near Field Communication (NFC) has a lot of potential. It’s already used, in limited applications, at gas pumps and checkout stands. Google Wallet was supposed to help spur the adoption of NFC but, like other technologies, it’s not being implemented very quickly.

The following video shows some things you can do with NFC Tags and a phone that supports the technology.

Zeitgeist 2011: How the world searched

I forgot I had this video queued up for the blog.  Even though it would have been more timely to publish in January when I found it, it’s a nice wrap up of the year in searching the web.  It’s basically an advertisement for Google but while watching it I was reminded of just how many memorable events there were in 2011.

Zeitgeist 2011: How the World Searched

Zeitgeist 2011: How the World Searched

Top 10 Google Search Terms of 2011

According to Google’s Zeitgeist 2011 this is how the world searched last year:

  1. Rebecca Black
  2. Google+
  3. Ryan Dunn
  4. Casey Anthony
  5. Battlefield 3
  6. iPhone 5
  7. Adele
  8. 東京 電力 (Fukushima)
  9. Steve Jobs
  10. iPad 2

How many of these did you search for?  BONUS if you used the Japanese characters to search for info about the Fukushima disaster.  I find it interesting that Apple had 3 of the top 10 search terms and a video game came in 5th.

Google+

I like Facebook & I like Twitter. What I’m not so excited about is Google+.

I setup a Google+ account when it first became available and I added several  people to my “Circle” but I’m just not seeing the participation that I see on other social networks.

Are you a Google+ user? Do you like it? Have you abandoned Facebook for Google+?

A lot of questions, I know.  I’m just trying to get the draw/popularity of Google+.  As reported in the Huffington Post Google+ To Reach 400 Million Users Within A Year.  This was predicted by a “Statistician” who we all know can make numbers mean many different things depending on how they spin it.  I’m not so sure about these numbers.

So…  I’m asking all of my blog visitors who actually use Google+ to help me understand what it is & if it’s a replacement for Facebook/Twitter or just another option for Social Networking.