Call of Duty 7: Black Ops

http://www.cod7blackops.com/

Last years Modern Warfare 2 broke sales records and has sold over 20 million copies to date. Janco Partners' Mike Hickey believes that Black Ops could match sales of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 by selling over 18 million copies this holiday.

Black Ops could generate over $800 million on just the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC platforms alone. For comparison, Modern Warfare 2 sold 4.7 million copies on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in one day and generated over $1 billion by January 2010. With only just a few days left before the games release, it remains to be seen whether Black Ops will top the blockbuster launch of Modern Warfare 2.

Here are some great lesser-known features of Call of Duty. The list below applies to the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

Multiplayer Online Split-Screen Support
Let’s get started with what I believe is the most unknown, yet confirmed, aspect to Call of Duty: Black Ops Multiplayer -- the online split-screen support we’ve re-introduced to the franchise! This applies to both the Xbox 360 & PlayStation 3.

The Facts:

■You can connect a 2nd controller and bring a Guest online.
■Guests can rank up, earn unlocks, etc -- all Guest progress goes away once signed out.
■(Xbox 360 only) You can bring a 2nd, Gold Xbox LIVE account online!
■(Xbox 360 only) Both players with full online accounts can rank-up while playing split-screen, as if on two separate consoles.

Custom Games Editor
Allow me to introduce the Black Ops Custom Games editor! Private Matches have never been this customizable. Players will have the ability to structure their games at all new levels of granularity. From variables as simple as Time Limit and Score Limit, or as deep as which weapons, Perks, and gear is available. You want a Pistols Only match? Make one! No longer do custom game modes rely on the "honor system".

Furthermore, any Custom Game you create and configure can be placed in your File Share, for friends and the community-at-large to browse, download, and enjoy. You just might create the most addictive new game mode of all time from the comfort of your own living room!

In-Game Friends List
We’ve integrated a built-in Friends List into the in-game User Interface. You’ll be able to browse Recent Players, Friends, navigate their File Shares, Recent Games, Combat Records -- all within this in-game menu system designed to streamline the social process within the game. Sending game invites and joining Friends’ games has never been simpler than in Call of Duty: Black Ops.

Regional Matchmaking & Party Privacy
Call of Duty: Black Ops will support regional matchmaking filters on a global scale. So, no matter where you’re at in the world, you will have the ability to specify whether you want to match with players from other geographical regions, or only those local to you. This will make communication and lag a much less intrusive variable on your gameplay experience.

Additionally, given Black Ops will support joining games in progress via an even simpler built-in in-game Friends List interface, we’ll allow a Party leader to lock down his lobby to Invite Only, Friends Only, or even Close it altogether if he wants to be in complete control over who enters and exits the Party Lobby.

Emblems Do NOT Reset with Prestige
This one is pretty cut-and-dry -- a frequently asked question is, "Will my kickass emblem I spent hours perfecting be lost when I prestige??" The answer is, "NO!" -- Emblems are one of the only aspects of Black Ops MP that do not get a full reset upon entering Prestige. Things that will reset when you Prestige are: XP, COD Points, Challenge progressions, Loadouts, etc.

Why entrepreneurs should take a salary

Alexandra Lopez-Pacheco, Financial Post · Sunday, Nov. 7, 2010

Experts say entrepreneurs with new ventures are often hesitant to pay themselves, believing it isn’t in the best interest of their company.

“There are a couple of reasons entrepreneurs need to think about at least registering a salary for themselves on their month-to-month expenses,” says Michael Mauws, Professor, Business Policy & Strategy at Athabasca University Faculty of Business. “Some entrepreneurs, particularly in the early days of a startup, don’t want to take a salary because they’re worried how their employees are going to perceive it. They want to send the signal they’re sacrificing for their company so everyone else should as well. In the long run, it’s not a way to get good people in your organization. They’re likely to think that if you can’t afford to pay yourself, how stable is their pay cheque?”

However, it is in the best interest of the company that an entrepreneur pay themselves a salary — even if they’re sinking every penny of that salary back into the business, Prof. Mauws says. “One reason is that you’re trying to assess the profitability of the venture and if you go to sell it, people want a realistic idea of its expenses and revenues. If you are an owner-operator, actively involved in the business, then your salary is a legitimate cost that needs to show up in the financial statements. Or if at some point you want to put someone else in the management suite but not sell the company, you want a realistic idea if there’s going to be any money left over at the end of the day. If you’re living off fictitious profits because you’re not claiming a salary, you’re going to have a rude awakening when you try putting someone in that role.”

Claiming a reasonable salary that is reflective of the cost of having the managerial talent you represent for your company simply makes a lot of sense. “What you don’t want to do is in your salary also be taking out any of your rewards for ownership — the equivalent of dividends. It should reflect the cost of replacing the entrepreneur in the management capacity,” says Prof. Mauws.

The reality, however, is that many startups are starving for cash and the entrepreneur is willing to make deep financial sacrifices to get his or her venture off the ground. In some cases, these sacrifices are not a choice but a necessity. “This is particularly so if they haven’t yet received angel financing or venture capital into the company and they’re in the early boot-strapping days when they’re begging friends and family for money. They feel guilty if they’re taking money out of the business,” Prof. Mauws says. “They can still claim their salary but each month, they can make a shareholder’s loan to the company or purchase more shares, and put as much cash back in as they need. It is a legitimate concern not to want to starve the business for cash by paying yourself a salary in the short run when you expect a positive cash flow down the road. So I wouldn’t want to say every entrepreneur should literally pay themselves a salary but I do think it is useful for entrepreneurs to reflect a salary in their financial statements and talk to their accountant about the best way to get that money back into the company if that’s what’s needed.”

www.FinancialPost.com

LG’s Android 3.0 tablet with dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 to arrive early 2011?

Posted on 05 November 2010 by Android

Well, here’s something from the wilds of Korea: LG is reportedly planning to roll out an Android 3.0 (aka Honeycomb) tablet in the first quarter of 2011! This news comes after one of us got to talk to LG Electronics Asia vice president of corporate marketing Sandeep Khanna, where he confirmed that they had ditched efforts to make a Froyo tablet. Recall that Google itself said that “if you want Android Market on that platform, the apps just wouldn’t run. Froyo is not optimized for tablets.”

Tweet, Tweet: 9 Steps to a Successful Twitter Strategy

By Brian Anthony Hernandez, BusinessNewsDaily Staff Writer

Like a little birdie whispering the secret to social media success in their ears, business owners keep hearing the oft-repeated business advice: Tweet, tweet. But, while the advice is clear enough, the devil is in the details of how to create and maintain an effective Twitter strategy.

Some businesses never even bother to try Twitter. Others join and fail to effectively use the free service. And a few manage to join the social media network and flourish. Having a plan before diving in can make all the difference.

“The unifying force driving businesses to Twitter today is a simple concept: Consumers don’t like being ignored and businesses know they need to listen,” said communication strategist Ben Grossman of the marketing agency Oxford Communications.

“To avoid the doomed destiny that many businesses have found on Twitter, businesses must enter with a strategy that allows them to experience early successes and long-term evolution with their ‘tweeps’ (people who follow the company on Twitter). Without a strategy that allows for those early successes, businesses run the risk of getting discouraged, being deemed irrelevant by their prospects or tweeting into thin air,” Grossman said.

BusinessNewsDaily asked Grossman to craft a step-by-step process to help businesses develop a Twitter strategy. In his nine-step guide, he also includes questions businesses can start asking themselves today:

Step 1 – Assess business challenges: For businesses to see value in Twitter, strategies must be designed to overcome business challenges. Do you need to get better at customer service? Do you need to encourage incremental sales? Do you want to tap into consumers for research and development?

Step 2 – Create marketing goals: One marketing tactic likely isn’t going to solve a business’s entire challenge, so it is important to define what part of that challenge Twitter can help with. Will it help increase peer-to-peer endorsements? Will it let you resolve your most vocal customers’ complaints? Will it make you aware of emerging product or service opportunities that will expand your business?

Step 3 – Listen: Do some preliminary listening to what people are saying on Twitter to make sure your goals are reasonable. Based on current levels of conversation, will your messages resonate? Will there be enough people to engage with you on the level you’d like to?

Step 4 – Set objectives: Set objectives so you can see the short- and long-term benefits of your Twitter strategy paying off. What Twitter-specific metrics will you use to measure your success?

Step 5 – Plot out actions: What tactics will you use to leverage Twitter? Will you conduct outreach to people talking about certain subjects? Will you search people’s profiles for mentions of geographic areas? How often will you post? What topics will you post about?

Step 6 – Plan process: This is a step many businesses miss in the excitement of starting a Twitter profile. It’s extremely important to put processes in place that won’t let the business fall off the saddle. Put processes in place that proactively alert the curator of the Twitter presence to hot tweets that need attention. It is key during this phase that the curators be honest with themselves about their time restrictions and willingness to make Twitter a priority. During this phase, also consider the wide range of tools available to make your action plan easier. OneForty offers a great directory of Twitter tools and HootSuite is, for many, a mission critical tool.

Step 7 – Prepare for emergencies: What will happen if a user turns on you or there is an unexpected development within your business? Make sure to have a plan in place for what you are willing and able to do to make it right. Sometimes, taking heated exchanges off Twitter and to real life or e-mail is the best thing you can do.

Step 8 – Activate consistently: Make sure that your plans will allow you to keep your Twitter efforts active over the long term. Have backup curators and content in place for the inevitable sick, busy or just plain “over it” days.

Step 9 – Measure and refresh regularly: Start activating your Twitter strategy with specific times scheduled in the future to stop and review progress, success and areas for improvement. Also, make sure to refresh your approach every once in a while. Are there new opportunities for your Twitter strategy? What about new business challenges to take a look at?

“Without a long-term openness to evolving strategy with their Twitter community,” Grossman cautions, “businesses’ Twitter involvement can cease to grow, become rote or fail to provide meaningful returns.”

Facebook User Names for Pages

Here is a quick "how to" change your Facebook Fan Page User Name... posted by Pages on Facebook.com.

Below is an FAQ specifically for Page administrators on the new process and how to obtain a username for your Page.

How can I secure a Username for my Page?

If you are an administrator of a Facebook Page, you will be able to choose your username just like a user selecting a username for their profile. Go to http:/www.facebook.com/username and you will be prompted to choose a username for the Page you administer.

I am an administrator for multiple Pages on Facebook, how can I secure a Username for each of them?

If you are an administrator of a Page, you will be able to choose a username for each Page at http:/www.facebook.com/username. There will be an interface for you to choose usernames for the Facebook Pages you administer.

Why should I register a username for my Facebook Page?
Usernames allow public entities to easily promote your presence on Facebook with a short URL (http://www.facebook.com/yourname). This username can be used in your marketing communications, company website and business cards.

What are the guidelines around creating a username for Facebook Pages?

Usernames were created to make it easier for Facebook users to identify their profile and share with others. As a public figure, business or brand with a Page on Facebook, your username should be straightforward and easy to remember. Facebook encourages you to consider the following when creating a username for Pages:

• Create a username that is as close as possible to your public figure or business name (e.g. AshtonKutcher, PizzaHut).

• If you own the rights to a given name, make it your username so that others cannot obtain it.

• Usernames can only contain alphanumeric characters (A-Z, 0-9) or a period (".").

• Choose a username you will be happy with for the long term. Usernames are not transferable.

• Your username must adhere to Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities.

I accidentally selected the wrong/misspelled username for my Facebook Page. Can I revise it?

No. Once you have claimed a username by clicking the “Set Username” button, it is not possible to edit it, or to transfer your username to a different account on Facebook. Additionally, when an account is removed from the site, its username will not be made available to other users for security reasons.

Can I have more than one username for a Facebook Page?

No. Only one username is allowed per Page.

What should I do if someone’s username infringes my rights?

If you wish to report that someone’s username infringes your rights, please fill out our automated IP infringement form. The form is located at http://www.facebook.com/legal/copyright.php?noncopyright_notice=1

I am an authorized representative for a public figure, brand or business and/or hold the rights to a trademark name. My username was claimed by another user. What can I do?

If you wish to report that someone’s username infringes your rights, please fill out our automated IP infringement form: http://www.facebook.com/legal/copyright.php?noncopyright_notice=1

What is the process to request removal of an unauthorized Page of a public figure, brand or business?

If you wish to report that someone’s username infringes your rights, all you need to do is fill out our automated IP infringement form: http://www.facebook.com/legal/copyright.php?noncopyright_notice=1

Will usernames such as “flowers” or “pizza” ever be available for Facebook Pages? Can I sign up on a waiting list?

At this time, generic words are not available as usernames. Facebook encourages all users and Page administrators to create a username that closely matches the true identity of their name or business.

For additional questions, visit the usernames Help page at: http://www.facebook.com/help/?page=896

CEA Tech Enthusiast Membership - Great Benefits for Early Adopters who Enroll

For the first time in history, the Consumer Electronics Association is opening its membership to individuals. CEA, the producer of the International CES, the world's largest technology trade show, has launched a whole new membership category - The CEA Tech Enthusiast Membership.

Who is this category for?

Early Adopters and fervent supporters of consumer technology (members of the press are welcome).

What benefits come with a CEA Tech Enthusiast Membership?

* Online discounts from technology companies - Multiple CEA member companies have become corporate partners of the Tech Enthusiast membership category, offering a variety of exclusive offerings

* Beta testing opportunities

* Inside industry information on the latest technology trends

* Access to an exclusive members only website which includes a forum to speak with other tech enthusiats

* Free digital access to CEA publications, podcasts and original content

* An opportunity to become a CEA blogger

* The first 1,000 registered members are invited to a special celebration on the final day of the 2011 CES in Las Vegas on January 9.

How much does CEA Tech Enthusiast Membership cost?

Believe it or not, it is only $49 a year, with a special introductory price of $29 for the first 2,000 members.

Are you the Ultimate Tech Enthusiast?

CEA has lauched a nationwide search for the Ultimate Tech Enthusiast. If you think you qualify for the "Are You One of Us?" contest, create a short video explaining why you are the Ultimate Tech Enthusiast and upload it to the CEA Tech Enthusiast Fan Page on Facebook. The Grand Prize is a VIP 2011 International CES Experience for the Ultimate Tech Enthusiast and a guest and one lifetime CEA TEch Enthusiast Membership. Video submissions will be accepted through November 30, 2010 and online votion will occur December 1-10. The winner will be announced December 15.

I just signed up for a Tech Enthusiast Membership for myself. I've always been able to attend CEA events with a Press Pass, but the benefits of this membership are far too amazing for me to pass up. For $29 (I was one of the first 2,000) the discounts, forum and everything make the Tech Enthusiast membership too good a deal for any techie to pass up. Are you going to join?

Click Here to Join CEA Tech Enthusiast

The Walking Dead

Posted by: The Hollywood Reporter

AMC Renews
'The Walking Dead' for Second Season

The Walking Dead is coming back for a 13-episode second season.

The drama series, toplined by Andrew Lincoln, has broken ratings records, with the show reaching more viewers in the 18-49 demo than any other cable TV show after two episodes.

The Walking Dead's series premiere on Halloween drew 5.3 million total viewers and Sunday's "gutsy" episode took in 4.7 million -- that's an incredibly high retention of a record rating and surely made this pickup an easy decision for AMC.

The show was also pre-sold internationally through Fox International Channels, which is also going to distribute the show's second season.

“The Dead has spread!” said Charlie Collier, President, AMC. “No other cable series has ever attracted as many Adults 18-49 as The Walking Dead. This reaffirms viewers’ hunger for premium television on basic cable. We are so proud to be bringing back The Walking Dead again, across the globe.”

“I wish all programming decisions were no brainers like this one,” said Sharon Tal Yguado, SVP Scripted Programming. “The Walking Dead is a TV masterpiece on so many levels. We want at least 10 seasons, if not more”