Today, we’re all over the place.

Not just in a busy sense (well, that too), but also in a digital sense. We leave our footprint (Foursquare checkins, Facebook wall posts, Tweets, Blog posts, Comments, Yelp Reviews etc..) all over the ‘net. We share where we’ve been, where we’re going, what we did, ate, thought and felt with our friends, family and even complete strangers whom we’ve never met.

But, in reviewing a few photos that were posted by @GeorgeGSmithJr from a recent trip up north, all of the tweets and foursquare checkins fall in the shadows of some of the pictures he uploaded from the trip.

So my question is– we’re sharing our social lives online- but it all seems to fall short when you compare it to a picture.

I think this one’s my favorite, but check out his Flickr stream here for the rest (if you’re interested).

Working from the Porch - The Good Life

Happy Easter Sunday to All!

Miss Techyness is blogging to you live from sunny Key West, Florida — and so I’d like to share a warm “Happy Easter” greeting to all.

Regarding techyness levels here on the island, I’d have to say the foursquare use is pretty low, as I am continuously adding new venues — while simultaneously explaining to my 8 family members what exactly foursquare is and why I use it.

One venue that I added today (with plans to be mayor!) is bésame mucho. This wonderful store embodies everything I’d ever want in a real-life, physical store. And it’s more than just the name, which means “kiss me often” and comes from a 1940′s spanish song.

The store owner and I had a few techy conversations, first- regarding our love for florence and then regarding my “Keep Calm and Carry On” print purchase from sfgirlbybay on Etsy, and then about our favorite blogs, including sea of shoes and sfgirlbybay’s blog. I’m hoping she takes my advice and starts up a blog!

If you’re interested in the song that inspired the store name, check out the video below with bocelli singing (love it)

(a few lines from the song)

Bésame, bésame mucho,
Como si fuera esta noche la última vez.
Bésame, bésame mucho,
Que tengo miedo a perderte, perderte después.

(love this).

What is a Mashup, Anyway?

This past Thursday evening, I was giving a presentation on how technology/the web has advanced since the “PC era” and how we got to this age of Twitter, Facebook, Cloud Computing and awesome mobile applications.

During this presentation, a member of the group asked me to explain what a mashup was (because it was on my slide) and thankfully I had a URL (padmapper.com)  coupled with a funny story (the developer and I became email pen pals when I asked him to add a new city to the app so my friend could find an apartment) on hand — but it made me realize that to a majority of the population, it’s pretty confusing.

A Mashup combines multiple sources of information and displays it in a single web page or application. The easiest (and sometimes most useful!) example mashes together GoogleMaps and something else.

Plan a wine tour (saves a lot of Googling) with Wines and Times. Find where you live (or where you want to go) and see what’s around so you can start sniffing, swirling, and tasting some vino.

Track your package as it’s moves across the map. BoxOh: Type in your tracking number and watch your package travel from it’s origin to it’s destination (you!). Mashes together FedEx/UPS/USPS data and GoogleMaps.

Find Free Internet in your city with HotSpotr: Mashes together a list of free WiFi hotspots and displays over GoogleMaps.

Techyness turns 24, and celebrates it with a cross-country move.

I must have some sense of twisted sense of congratulatory celebration, as my moving date happens to fall on the same day as my 24th birthday.

Hopefully this move won’t include similar stories from my last move — movers who asked me if I wanted to “party” later or go hit up the bar across the street — #professionalismfail.

If you’d like to follow my move and the crazy stories that happen, you can see them come through on Twitter with the hashtag #alanasmove2010.

Which brings me to my next point – when you’re moving, and people come and take away all your stuff, what are you left with?

It’s you, your gadgets, and a suitcase – usually hanging out in a corner, like me.

We tend to trust people with many items that we own, but refuse to hand over the gadgetry. I know I’m one of those crazies going through security with two laptops.

AH! What to do this weekend

Don’t lie and tell me you haven’t typed it into Google.

I know I have (does that make me lame?) Anyway, regardless of my additions to Google search trends, I’ve come up with a short list of places that I search in order to find stuff to do on the weekend.*

Source #1: Twitter

First, you can always use third party twitter applications to find out what people are doing in and around your city. Try Trazzler, a site that recommends hand-picked trips unique to your location and “Travel Personality” (it’s kicked off via Facebook Connect). Plus our boys/twitter co-founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams are founding advisers. 

Trazzler Buzz list is determined via Twitter updates on certain destinations. If you want to see what activity is trending now, check it out.  But what adds value is the site itself sends you directly to the website/location of the place being mentioned in the tweet itself.

Source #2 E-mail Newsletters (but cool ones)

Urbandaddy is a free (and very uncorporate) daily digest of cool restaurant, club, event and shopping recommendations based on either the local or national level. Plus you can sometimes get free invites to openings. If you live in any of the following 11 cities, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Jetset, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, National, New York, San Francisco and Washington DC, you’re lucky, because you have your own UrbanDaddy edition.

Thrilllist, similar to Urban Daddy, is another digest filled with (oftentimes) really random and awesome stuff that’s going on around you. Again, you’re lucky if you live in any of these cities…  New York offers essential, city-centric info about NYC. LA, SF, Chicago, Boston, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Dallas, the Hamptons, Austin, Seattle and Washington, DC. If you’re more of a “nation” event watcher, you’re in luck, as a national edition is offered.

Source #3: Online/Social Travel Guides

I recently stumbled upon Schmap as one source of information for social-based travel information that you can download to your mobile device. You can download city guides.

*See, the techyness likes to have fun, too.

Gadgets Matter

Some believe that technology is better left at home while one is attending formal events.

But what about gadgets that define elegance?

While at a black tie event in Baltimore over the weekend (and trying to stuff gadgets into my small clutch) I realized that having elegant gadgets are part of the overall “look” at one of these events (have you ever seen someone reach into their bag and reveal an old school camera or cell?)

1) Keep it Clean. We use our gadgets and they can get dirty. We drop them. We run them over with our cars. We spill coffee on them. Keep them clean with disposable electronics wipes and a simple eyeglass cloth.

2) Pocket-Sized Everything. Small gadgets are more elegant. Plus, they fit in your purse. I like the small cameras from Canon (I like the all-black ones) and anything imported from Japan.

3) Covers should be Tame. Take off that leopard print or zebra cover unless it matches your dress (yikes). Instead, stick with the classic, simple look.

4) Ringtones should be silenced. It’s not a good idea to have JT’s “Sexy Back” or Kiesha’s ”Tik Tok” blast from your cell in the middle of dinner or a conversation with your date’s boss. Keep it classy.

5) Focus on the Event. The gadgets are there to keep digital memories (live streaming, digital photos, twitter and foursquare updates) of your event. But what’s really important is that you’re there and enjoying it. Your gadgets should add to the event, not take you away from it.

Last weekend, I found myself in the city for a few days. And while I was there, I realized that when you combine NYC, Hot Guidos and a few (hot) chicks on twitter, your total # of followers can increase substantially (and you’re going to have a lot of fun).

And the best part about all of this is that the whole reason I was in New York to begin with is social media (and to visit someone!) — and it just so happened to be the first thing I had in common with the people I met while I was there

NYC

Every tourist in NYC has to go and see the tree at 30 rock, even if those who live in the city are morally opposed to taking the trip to see said item. But, regardless, I still took a photo and (first) uploaded it to twitter and (second) sent a MMS to my mother. (she likes Christmas too).

Twitter Followers

My favorite part about this photo is that after both  Niki and Jill uploaded it to TwitPic, my # of followers on Twitter increased. That’s the beauty of someone tweeting “3 hot girls you should follow on twitter.” People listen and start to follow you.

Hot Guidos

After meeting Jill Hanner and Nicole D’Alonzo thanks to George, I was inspired to check out one of Jill’s infamous videos that Niki was telling me about all night…

Eating Chinese Dumplings

Ni Hao (hello in Chinese) from China. I’m here, alive and enjoying bringing the techyness to Shanghai, China.

Top Techy Observations:
-For some reason, it’s okay to text while riding a bike. People don’t seem to have an issue with this, but I do.
- The fake iPods do not run the same OS as the real iPods, even though they look the same (I checked it out based on pure curiousity)
- Shanghai loves the expo 2010
- China’s proxies are pretty limiting (no facebook OR twitter!? How does one live?)
- Even street vendors have smart phones, and it’s kindof awkward when they use them to show you a price and the phone’s background has a photo of their wife/girlfriend on it. Street vendors need love too.

Shanghai by Night

Tomorrow morning will mark an international move: Techyness is heading to Shanhai, China for work!

I can’t wait to share the photos (I’m taking the Canon xsi dSLR) new gadgets (it’s going to be ridiculous) and the pearls (oh yeah) that I will find and purchase during my time in China.

So, readers of the Techyness, I will be doing my best to update the blog while I am away, but please don’t lose faith — as the new content will be worth the wait.