The Chamber

It’s time for another post on how great the world wide web is. We’ve recently looked at how social networks can benefit business and a list of 80 sites to hack your life. So today, it’s a look at the sites where you can go to learn to do, well, just about anything.

Over on the Dumb Little Man blog, they’ve posted a list of 15 sites that can teach you to anything from learning to build your own website to looking after a sick cat. Some of them you may have heard of, some you won’t, and some may be a surprise.

The full list of 15 sites can be seen here, but it includes:

• YouTube - yep, it’s not all dancing stormtroopers. Need to learn how to tune a guitar, build a blog or bake a nice cake? Chances are someone’s posted an instructional vid on YouTube.
• How Stuff Works - with sections covering cars, pets, computers, business, food, money and more, find out how things tick here.
• wikiHow - user generated content on a host of topics
• Wired’s How To Wiki - Wired is the techy’s mag of choice, and its how to site covers technical matters such as gadgets, technology and computers. Geek out here.
• W3Schools - become a web developer by using these free tutorials from the people who help set web standards
• VideoJug - probably the largest and most comprehensive online video tutorial site, covering a mind-bogglingly broad selection of subjects.

Read the full list on Dumb Little Man here.

The BBC reports that many businesses are missing out on the opportunities provided by social networking websites.

Many companies remain sceptical of sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and the like. They see them as distractions for their staff and of no use to the business community. However, researcher believe, according to the article that “Businesses which harness how employees use these sites stand to increase savings, productivity and profits….

“You have to look deeper as to why these people are using these networks. It’s to keep up with their friends, to mobilise them, to get involved in everything from politics to cleaning the local park. If you look at those reasons, then there are a lot of business counterparts.

“It can lead to better productivity if you can mobilise your people quickly through social networking.

“For example our press agency uses Twitter and FriendFeed to do things like find someone to talk to a reporter. With these networks you can find out who is online and get answers quickly. It’s about keeping distributed groups in touch and up to date.”

The reserachers also found that many people are using social networks to communicate in a way that is replacing email. In these times of overflowing inboxes, it can often be a more immediate way to stay in touch.

Read the full article here.

Liverpool Chamber itself believes that there are real benefits to be had from engaging with this technology. We’re on Facebook (you can be our friend if you like!). We use it to both be a part of Liverpool’s business and wider community, as well as to let people know what we’re up to and what events we’re running.

We’ve also just signed up to Twitter and are eager to see how that pans out. Plus we use this blog and Upcoming to stay in touch with interested parties. We also post pics from our events of Flickr, a good way to get a real feel of what we do across to our members. And that’s all above and beyond our normal old website (which is due for a BIG change soon).

Let us know if you’ve had any experiences with sites like these in the workplace by leaving us a lovely comment. Can you use social networks, or are they blocked? If you can, do you? Has it helped your business?

We love the internet here at Liverpool Chamber. You can learn to do just about anything at the click of a mouse. So this post over at the Lifehack website really floated our boat.

Eighty How-To Sites Worth Bookmarking does exactly what it says on the tin. It lists 80 great sites that provide tips and tricks on how to improve just about every part of your life:

• Business - tips on becoming more productive, working as a freelancer, creating business plans and more
• Technology - how to make sure you have the best hardware and software available, and how to get the most out of what you’ve got
• Home hacks - from DIY to installing home theatre equipment, tips on making your home a better place
• Cookery - we all eat, so why not have some fun doing it?
• Crafts - want to lean something creative to do in your downtime? Lots of sites here
• Money - how to save it, manage it and spend less of it

Not all of these sites will be for you, and some are US-focussed. But with 80 to choose from you’re bound to find something you like!

Read the full article on Lifehack here.

Here’s a few quick posts with some great tools and tips to protect and tidy your computer and your desk. A most satisfying way to spend a Friday afternoon…

Top Five Windows Maintenance Tools - Includes free applications to dump unwanted files and programmes as well as fast defraggers to keep your PC ticking over nicely.

Top Five Antivirus Applications -  A cool list of tools to help keep your machine safe and virus free. We may have linked to this before, but it’s such a vital job we thought we’d highlight it again.

Make a cable tidy from an old loyalty card - A nice Blue Peter-esque project that both declutters your purse / wallet AND tidies up those Medusa-like cables trailing down the back of your desk.

All links taken from or found on the Lifehacker site.

Creating professional-looking invoices then tracking and managing them can be a complicated and time-consuming task. If you’re a freelancer, self-employed or running a small business, it can be a serious drain on your time.

However, those nice chaps over at the Lifehack website have put togather a handy list of web-based alternatives. These tools can help you stay on top of the whole process, from beginning to end. By managing your invoicing system more efficiently, you can concentrate on whatever it is you set up business to do in the first place.

The full list goes into greater detail, but includes:

Paypal: Simple and classic for the minimalist approach.

Blinksale: Greater control over the look and feel of your invoices

Freshbooks: its free account gives unlimited invoicing

Invotrak: another simple and free tool.

Whilst most of these support multi-currency invoicing, it’s worth checking out the full article for greater detail on what each service offers and at what price.

Read the full article at Lifehack here.

The Business Crime Direct Team would like to draw your attention to a scam recently uncovered which may be useful to our members.

This is a key catcher that was discovered attached to a computer terminal in the Business Centre of a 5-star central London hotel. But the facts are just as relevant to all businesses, particularly if there are credit card transactions.

The key catcher was connected to the rear of a computer in order to capture any data that passes from the keyboard.

The common use for such items is the capture of credit card data, or other personal data that can be used in fraud.

Over the past two months other hotels have recovered similar devices from their reception areas. The devices had been connected at the point of sale equipment.

Our advice is for hotel management to make regular inspections of their computers to ensure that no similar devices have been installed.

Should a device of this sort be located then please contact the Police.

We would further ask that once discovered, the terminal is left untouched until the Police can assess the potential for the recovery of forensic evidence.

Any CCTV of incidents involving such items should be saved and downloaded where necessary.

Any information to:

Tony Jopson or Constable Sheila Morrisson
Tel: 0151 224 1859 or 07900 915877
tony.jopson@liverpoolchamber.org.uk
www.businesscrimedirect.co.uk

On Thursday 19 June, Digital Inclusion Minister, Huw Irranca-Davies MP will visit two leading digital inclusion projects in Liverpool and St Helens. The so-called “digital divide” is increasingly seen as a major barrier to personal, community and regional economic well-being in the UK, which is the least skilled workforce in the EU. Mr Irranca-Davies’ visit will include:

• The AIMES Community Grid project. Acknowledged as a leader in its field, AIMES is leading the Digital Inclusion & Enterprise Programme (DIEP), established as a result of the Government’s 2007 “Digital Challenge”. Mr Irranca-Davies will visit St Cuthbert’s Catholic Community College for Business & Enterprise in St Helens where pupils and parents have been using the managed computing service provided by the Community Grid project since May 2007. As part of the wider DIEP, strategically supported by the GMDDA, AIMES will provide access for around 5,000 homes in the Greater Merseyside region via the Community Grid system over a 2 year period from May 2008.

• The EverybodyOnline Liverpool 8 project is another highly successful digital inclusion initiative focusing on internet and digital technology support for parents. It includes use of the internet, and day-to-day skills such as shopping and banking online, and email. Mr Irranca-Davies will visit a PACT (Parents & Children Together) session at South Liverpool Personnel in Liverpool to speak to users direct.

Mr Irranca-Davies’ visit underlines the importance placed on the Digital Inclusion agenda at Parliamentary level, as Professor Dennis Kehoe, Director of AIMES, explains: “Digital inclusion is a crucial enabler of economic regeneration and growth. Internet access can transform cities and communities, providing improved access to employment, education and health information. The internet can also help to combat isolation and increase a sense of community. We’re delighted to be able to demonstrate our digital inclusion work to Mr Irranca-Davies in person.”

The AIMES digital inclusion project provides a fully managed internet access service to users, a key element in its success and sustainability. AIMES and its technology partner, e-communications specialist OciusB2, provide broadband internet access, a range of software packages, all equipment required, plus training and support to users of the Community Grid. The first 125 homes are now live and for the first 12 months, the service is provided free of charge.

More information here.

Firefox, the web browser that’s quicker, safer, more secure and just downright cooler than all the others has released its version 3.

This updated browser has improved its speed and built in a shed-load of tools to make browsing the web that much easier. As well as the usual add-ons and tools, it’s now easier to manage your favourites, stay one step ahead of fake websites, manage downloads and find the info you want. Plus a load more of tricks I haven’t discovered yet.

Download Firefox 3 here.

Get Portable Firefox 3 here (to run of your USB memory stick on any machine)

Lifehackers Top Ten Firefox Tips

Got any tips (or gripes) about FF3? Let us know in the comments.

Whilst doing a bit of blue sky thinking and kicking a few ideas around (or checking out the BBC website if you prefer), we came across this article on terrible office-speak phrases.

You know the sort of thing - used by people who think they’re on The Apprentice all the time, the Gareth Cheesman’s of the world of work who would proclaim ‘I’m a TIGER! RAAR’ everytime they answered the phone if they thought they could get away with it.

Examples on the BBC include:

• I’ve got you on my radar
• sprinkle our magic along the way
• incentivise
• 360 degree thinking
• wrongside the demographic

Plus a whole lot more. You can read the full article here, but we’re pretty sure the business behemoths of Liverpool can come up with some more. Leave ‘em in the comments and the best ones win a corporate team building day in a flooded quarry in North Wales.

Backbone IT Group is offering a complimentary search marketing consultation in exchange for help with a research survey they are carrying out with Lancaster University’s Knowledge Business Centre.

The short online survey, which takes just 2 minutes to complete, is measuring awareness and attitudes towards a new field of online marketing.

All Chamber members who respond to the survey are entitled to claim a free website conversion summary carried out by a consultant from the Backbone IT Group internet marketing team. This will include advice on how they might increase the number of sales and enquiries the website generates.

Backbone IT Group is a leading provider of search engine optimisation, internet marketing and software development services with offices in the UK, US and China.

The data from the survey will be completely anonymous and form part of an industry study; the results of which will be published on the Backbone IT Group website and in industry forums.

Take the survey and claim your website analysis now.