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In the online world, it seems there is not much demand for large graphics of this nature, despite their effectiveness at explaining an often complex message or set of principles. (We know this because we measure traffic with the obsessive zeal of a quantity surveyor on speed.) However, when we received a polite invitation from OnlineSchools.org to post a big graphic on the rise of Facebook, we couldn't resist.

The moment Google unveiled its novelty technology Instant Search it inspired a young Stanford student Feross Aboukhadijeh to create an Instant search experience for Youtube. He posted his work on Hacker News and, within 24 hours, Feross received a tweet directly from Youtube CEO Chad Hurley asking "Are you ready to leave school?"

It's time to reach beyond the wayward solitary invention of a wayward solitary inventor to embrace an entire conceptual school of wayward invention: the artful Japanese science of Chindogu.

We saw the need for Business to be able to access simple, clear web strategy consulting + planning, and thence order 'best of breed' related site/s and systems, for a low cost (less than half that of traditional processes), get it fast, and then access ongoing support and an ever expanding library of member's only 'how-to' content on Web Marketing (and anything that touches it), along with the usual 'how to use the system' type stuff and direct support. This is the advanced (revised) version of something I've been working on (albeit slowly) for 3.5 years.

So, you've scored a free Google AdWords Voucher from Anthill and you want to know how to redeem it. We've found that while the sign-up process is intuitive, the part where you redeem your $50 voucher is seemingly hidden. Fortunately, if you follow these five steps, you won't miss out.

If you're going to give something away, you need to know what the value of it is and what your ROI is. Too many people are caught up in this 'giving stuff away for free and hoping money happens later' thing. I'm guessing that's because they're afraid of selling.

There’s no getting around it – utilisation of social networking as a form of marketing requires an input of time. This bugs a lot of business owners, looking for a shortcut. Isn’t there some way in which we can just, like, advertise on it or something? Do we really need to spend hours in front of our computers tweeting, LinkingIn and Facebooking?

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that simple logos are the best kind of logos. If you don't agree, consider the world's top 100 brands, according to Interbrand.

You know the feeling. Yes, the fear is real. Would they still take you seriously if they knew the real size of your organisation? You might be a solopreneur or a 15 person upstart. You could be a medium enterprise well-practiced in the skill of looking bigger than you really are. If this sounds familiar, don't fret. You are not alone!

Last week, Western Australian Commerce, Science and Innovation Minister Troy Buswell opened nominations for the 2010 WA Innovator of the Year Award. All Western Australian entrepreneurs who have an innovation to promote are encouraged to apply.

Dean Cameron was given a challenge. Four plastics experts told him that it was impossible to transport plastic sewerage tanks in parts and assemble them on site. “Inventors don’t like accepting ‘no’ for an answer. So I set to work to come up with my own solution. I was intrigued by the way clams and other molluscs were able to use filaments – called byssus threads – to attach themselves securely to rocks. That’s when I realised that the way these threads work could be used to solve my problem of joining plastics and other materials.” The solution was Joinlox.

Phishing, for those who’ve not had the pleasure, refers to fraudulent electronic attempts to acquire personal information such as bank and credit card information, usernames and passwords, and any other details that can be used in identity theft. Phishing emails can be tricky to spot. Often they look exactly like legit messages from banks or creditors. Here’s the really sneaky part: they contain dangerous links that take you to fraudulent spoof sites.

It's now possible for organisations, both large and small, to operate from a head-office of... well... one. You might be a solopreneur or a 15 person upstart. You could be a medium enterprise or a manager in a global enterprise. These days, you don't have to share an office with your team. You may never even meet face-to-face.

A mortgage broker with a conscience realised that the reason MOST people need to borrow MORE money is because they don’t have a budget. Further research showed that not only have most people under 60 NEVER been taught how to set one up, but there was NObody that offered a service to coach and teach people this skill. Many times people are told to ‘do a budget first’ but there are very few people who actually KNOW how to start.

In my previous letter I looked at two trends in Japan that may turn into “hot’ opportunities for those outside the country. Here are two more trends that will provide opportunities for an entrepreneurial soul.

Recent research indicates that people think more creatively when looking at an image of a punk. Pinning up deviant images could be just the trick to introduce a little controlled anarchy to your brain.

FCB Technology was briefed to develop an SaaS SME HR tool for a national retail association and its 5000 members. The first of its kind in Australia, the system contains: • Industry award and wages calculators • Electronic employee and candidate profiles to store and archive information • Doc creation wizard with 70 templates, mapped to hiring, employee management and termination workflows Over 1,200 registered users in the first three months. Testimonial: ‘Let me congratulate you. Well done. The site is easy to read and easy to use. Love it.’ Nominated for Best Legal Innovation in the 2010 Australian Law Awards.

They embody the passions of earnest inventors and the dreams of budding business builders. They are the products of industries both old and new,...

Small business owners have enough on their plates without adding IT woes to the mix – that’s why Intel recommends you have a back-up disaster plan in place so that you can minimise downtime should your technology take a tumble.

Want to break into Europe? Doing business in China? Is the USA your next stop?