8.Social Media Management Tools

TwitterI am already a Twitter user  @mom6mn  and enjoy that you are only able to use 140 characters to say what needs to be said.  I am a long winded person and often find the 140 characters a challenge, but I am usually up for the challenge.  Twitter has taught me to be more concise and get to the point of what needs to be said.  I appreciate others not wasting my time and feel that Twitter has forced me to not waste the time of others.

If you use Twitter you need to check out the Weekly Twitter Chats guide that is compiled by @thomascmurry, @cevans5095 and @cybraryman1.  I sent this guide to the teachers at our school and could not contain my excitement.  There is so much PD happening on Twitter 24/7 it is Amazing.

I Looked At My TwitterDeck Account And Will Need To Play with It Over ThE Summer. Ok I'm Not Sure Why I'm Getting Every  word capitalized. Grrr. I know there was an android update which might have something to do with it. 

http://www.momthisishowtwitterworks.com/I looked and the link provides a good starting point.  It does a good job of highlighting key do's and don't's. (Is the double apostrophe correct?)

I Have Google Plus on A Few Of My acc'ts. I have Done A Few Google Hangouts.  The results have been awesome. 

8. Social Media Management Tools

Let’s be honest, almost everyone we know is connected in some way to at least one social media platform but more often it is two or more. Thing 8 will not only let you explore social media sites through apps, but will also provide you the opportunity to explore tools to help you manage all of your social media.

Blogging for this Thing

The focus for your Thing 8 blog post should be on using one of the social media management tools, but first we will give some tips on getting started in some of the most popular social media sites, just in case you haven’t yet ventured in Twitter and Facebook. We’ll also suggest some other sites you might want to check out. Use at least one of the social media management apps and add some of your social media sites to it. Write a blog post about what you think about the app and how you may be able to use it personally or professionally. If you know of another app that would fit under this Thing, tell us about it in your blog, too.

Social media sites

Twitter: Apple / Android

Born as a mobile service, Twitter is the tool that brought us a new name for short messages: tweets. Tweets can contain up to 140 characters, similar in size to a text message. Twitter is social media, allowing Twitter users to follow and be followed by other users.

Click here for help getting started with Twitter.

Facebook: Apple / Android

Facebook’s mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. Probably the best known application for social media, Facebook has well over a billion users. Though it started life accessible through a Web browser, it is now available as an app nearly all devices.

Click here for help getting started with Facebook.

Other social media sites to explore

Google+: Apple / Android

Google+ is Google’s answer to Facebook; it’s their social networking site where you can connect with friends, colleagues, and more.

For help getting started with Google+, check out Mashable’s Beginner’s Guide to Google+or look at Google’s Getting Started page.

LinkedIn: Apple / Android

LinkedIn is a site for professional social networking. Connect with those in your field, past colleagues and classmates, upload your resume, and more.

For help getting started with LinkedIn, check out Mashable’s Beginner’s Guide to LinkedIn.

Foursquare: Apple / Android

Foursquare is a location-based social media site where users check in at the locations where they are. The person checking in the most becomes the mayor, so do you know the mayor of your library?

For help getting stated with Foursquare, check out Foursquare 101.

tvtag (formerly GetGlue): Apple / Android

tvtag (formerly GetGlue) is a social network where you can connect with others who like the same television shows and movies. Check in to shows you’re watching, connect with other users, and earn badges.

For help getting started with tvtag, check out this Beginner’s Guide to GetGlue.

Social media management tools

HootSuite: Apple / Android

HootSuite is a social media management tool that allows you manage multiple social media accounts. According to HootSuite, “you can instantly send messages to all of your followers on Twitter, check in on Foursquare, monitor and manage your Facebook Pages, and view your LinkedIn connections wherever you are. Upload photos, receive notifications, view click stats, and more.”

Click here for help getting started with Hootsuite.

Cloze: Apple / Android

Cloze is a social media organizer that allows you to keep track of the people that are important to you. This focus on the people is really at the heart of this app. As it states on the Cloze website, “With Cloze people come first, everything else is secondary.” Cloze brings together Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and your email into one interface.

Click here for help getting started with Cloze.

Buffer: Apple / Android

Buffer is a product that allows you to share across a variety of platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The highlight for this app is that you can schedule (“buffer”) when a post appears on whatever social media outlet you’ve chosen to share. Buffering can be set by you through the app or you can allow Buffer to choose the time. Additionally, posts can be sent right away as well.

Click here for help getting started with Buffer.

Management tools for specific sites

There are some management tools specific to certain social media sites. Here are some for Twitter and Facebook that you might interest you.

Echofon: Apple / Android

Echofon is an easy way to access your Twitter account. Echofon automatically syncs between devices you use, so you can easily stay on top of what you’ve read.

For help getting started with Echofon, check out the Echofon for iPhone page.

TweetCaster: Apple / Android

Simultaneously post to Twitter and Facebook with TweetCaster, which has been optimized for phones and tablets.

For help getting started with TweetCaster, check out the TweetCaster Knowledge Base.

Friendcaster: Apple / Android

Friendcaster is a slick, easy-to-use app for your Facebook page. It has many of the same features as the Facebook app, but you may find it easier to use.

For help getting started with Friendcaster, check out the Friendcaster for iPad orFriendcaster for Android.

7. Content Saving & Sharing

Pinterest

I love Pinterest.  I use it more for personal use than for professional use currently.  I have a board that is titled, "Smile".  I have things pinned to this board that make me smile.  My grown kids will catch me laughing at my phone and ask me what I am looking at and I will confess that needed a quick mood lifter so I was looking at my Snoopy pictures on my Smile board.  I appreciate that Pinterest allows users to follow each other. My "Great Teachers" board includes pins of other academic ideas that I could put to use in my HS.  I started a board titled, "Magazine rack ideas" when I was searching the internet for magazine racks to put in the school's library.  I have not deleted that board because other people re-pinned some of my posts.  There are so many creative ideas available via Pinterest.

For professional use,  I will be pinning our new purchases to our school's Pinterest account this summer and then updating that board on a regular basis. This will give other area lutheran schools an opportunity to see the new material in our library.

Pinterest is a great place to SEE what is being used for Best Practice situations.  I especially find the search within Pinterest to be very helpful.  There tagging is very inclusive from a search perspective.

The newish feature of keeping one board hidden is a wise business move, but librarians are very giving people so I have never had a problem finding ideas for my subject searches.

Thank you Pinterest !!!!!

I am leaving the BitDroid information on this post so that I can come back to explore that tool at a later time.

_____________________________________

Blogging for this Thing

Use at least one of these apps and add some items to it. Write a blog post about what you think about the app and how you may be able to use it personally or professionally. If you know of another app that would fit under this Thing, tell us about it in your blog, too.

Pinterest: Apple / Android

Pinterest is a visual bookmarking tool that turns that traditional list of bookmarks into a bulletin board-type display of photos. You pin to Boards (folders) you create so you can find the pins again. Each photo/pin is a link to the site where you found it. This is great for visual learners or anyone who needs a pictorial reminder of just why you saved that link. Pinterest has many social features to explore, too, but this Thing focuses on the saving/finding features of the mobile app for Pinterest.

Click here for help getting started with Pinterest.

Bitly: Apple only / BitDroid: Android only

Bitly began as a way to shorten URLs, but has expanded its services to include saving, sharing, and discovering links. With Bitly, your bookmarks are available via its website, in a browser extension, and in its mobile app. Bitly calls these bookmarks bitmarks. The bitmarks can be put in bundles (folders) to save and share. You can mark both bitmarks and bundles private. You can see how many people clicked your bitmarks, too.

There is no official Bitly app for Android, but if you have a Bitly account, this third-party app BitDroid for Bitlly works with your Bitly account. URLs can be shortened and shared, but you can’t bundle or track in this app. Connect to your Bitly account to save, shorten, and view bitmarks. You don’t need an account to shorten a URL Bitly account using BitDroid for Bitly.

Click here to get started with Bitly.

Click here to get started with BitDroid for Bitly.

Thing 6. Creating and Editing Docs

6. Creating & Editing Docs

Leave a comment

"When it comes to creating and editing documents, most people would probably still say they prefer using a computer over a mobile device. But there are some apps out there that are making creating and editing documents a little bit easier and we’re going to give you the heads up on some of them." http://23mobilethingsmn.org/the-23-things/6-creating-editing-docs/

Quickoffice: Apple / Android

Quickoffice is Google’s app that allows you to create and edit Microsoft Office documents, spreadsheets and presentations on your mobile device. Once you sign in with your Google Account, work can be saved in Google Drive.

I have Quickoffice on my Android and yes, it was pre-loaded on my phone.  When I open various documents from my email, I am given the option to view and save them in a designated Gmail account.  I did the update to the new version. So I will play around with Quickoffice to learn the ins and outs of the mobile app.

Thing 5. Notetaking

5. Note taking

"Phones and tablets come with a note taking app, but it’s usually pretty bare bones, and note taking is why a lot of people like mobile devices. There are so many other note taking apps out there, some that let you write with your finger, some that record your voice, and some that can help you make lists. Check out some of these popular apps." http://23mobilethingsmn.org/the-23-things/5-notetaking/comment-page-1/#comment-107

I looked at Remember the Milk, but chose Make My List by Best List Maker.  I didn't really like the font in Remember the Milk or the cow.  Make my list lets me do the same things, but I think with a cleaner look.  I use Make My List for more household things rather than professional tasks.  I keep track of grocery lists, packing list for various trips and also list when I run errands.

I am an Evernote user and love the Clearly feature to get the distracting side panels out of view. I see that Bamboo Paper is used with Evernote which would prompt me to download it to my Android phone, but the Google Play store says Bamboo Paper is NOT compatible with my Android.  I will try again later to see if that makes any difference.

Thing 4. Keeping Up

4. Keeping Up

Do you follow a lot of news sites and blogs and find that you’re spending so much time going to many different websites? You can make it a lot easier on yourself if you take advantage of RSS feeds and apps to collect them all.

I don't recommend either app that we were supposed to put on our devices.  A personal magazine is just not for me!  

I downloaded Zite, but will take it off my phone.  I wonder how much memory the app still sucks from my total even after it has been deleted.  Is it similar to a memory card in a camera in that when you delete a 60KB photo, you never get back the full 60KB until you re-format the memory card?

I am guessing Zite is connected to Apple somehow since about 45% of the articles are related to iSO when I never asked for iSO information since I have an Android.

I will give Zite a few more days as it says it will Become my magazine based on what I read.  Not impressed so far.  I might keep using my handy RSS Feedly app.

Thing 3 Utilities

3. Utilities

"There are a lot of utility apps that can turn your phone or tablet into a really useful tool. Your device can be a calculator or clock, or you could use it to print, schedule, or scan QR codes. You may not want to do all of these things, but there are bound to be some utility apps that could help you."  http://23mobilethingsmn.org/the-23-things/3-utilities/

To scan QR codes, I use QR Droid.  I used this frequently when I did a project for one of our HS English classes with 2 sections of reluctant reader.  I created QR code bookmarks for titles that the teacher approved and had students peruse the books using their own QR code scanners to see book summaries of each tiitle.  The teacher shared with me that because of the QR codes and the connected YouTube book summaries, students chose books that never would have appealed to them had they only had to pick them off of the library shelves.  The goal for this project was to get reluctant readers interested in age appropriate content that would upwardly stretch their reading levels.  This project was a big success and the teacher has asked me to add additional titles to the list of pulled books for her class to choose from for their 2nd semester reading project.

I am rather careful about which apps I put on my phone and will usually turn the feature OFF that has them running in the backround.  I guess I value my battery life.

I would not use the iHome Sleep app, but I do use the 'My Fitness Pal' app as if it were a food diary.  I periodically update my food menu blog with the help of My Fitness Pal.  I started a food blog a few years ago to compile the recipes and menu rotation that I use for our family suppers.  I am rather inconsistent in recording our meals, but intend to share my recipe depository with our children who now are married and living on their own.

Wifi finder- My phone settings notify me when there is available wifi and is set to only update applications via available wifi to cut down on my data used.

Browsers- I have not had problems with Chrome crashing on my phone, so I don't have a need to load another browser at this time.

Thing 2 Mobile Devices

http://23mobilethingsmn.org/the-23-things/2-utilities/

My device is an Android Razor Max and since it is not on the list, which is fine, I will explore the Verizon site and YouTube for tips and tricks about how to use my phone.  I am a visual learner and don't need to learn more than what I can use at this point.
Things that I have learned:
to take a screen shot hold down together the power button and the volume down button
To root or not to root http://youtu.be/i5VU8VGGNJY
App to SD is an app that will store your apps on your SD card to free up memory on your phone
AstroFile Mgr is an app where you manage your phone files similarly to your computer files
ADW Launcher allows you to customize your home screens, use transitions, and make videos.
So much of what I am learning about my phone are things about individual apps that I would not load or use so I am not even mentioning them in my blog.

I am following this document
https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/83714/action/auth
and putting to use the tips mentioned.  When I got my phone I spend a few hours on the phone with really patient tech support individuals and they told me quite a few of these tips.  The following are tricks that I have been using for quite some time:
Limiting Data Usage with the meter
I use a folder to keep my downloads and my settings icon in the same readily avaialble place on my home screen.
My 4 favorites are in the favorites tray.
I am smart about my data usage and only sync over wireless connections

I will need to:
Explore more widgets. I don't know what I am missing or desire
Tweak some of my apps back to 'normal' settings as I put them in low use modes when I was out of the country.
Wow there is sooooooo much to learn.