Tech Talk

This is an example of the new Facebook profile design. The new cover image is visible above the profile image.

Facebook has revolutionized its network for the betterment of its users.

The social media giant has unveiled a transformed profile interface that offers many beneficial upgrades.

Overall, the pages are cleaner and more visually appealing.

For starters, users will be able to select a strong horizontal cover image to showcase their personalities. Facebook allows users to select any shaped image and drag it around the canvas. This relieves users of the need to resize images before uploading them to the network.

However, it is important to note that because the cover image is so much wider than tall, not every photo will work well in the space. Users may update this space as often as they would like – and as easily as they would update their profile picture, which still exists.  Also, like with the profile picture, a new album is created with cover photos.

A common concern will likely concern privacy since years-old posts will now be visible again. However, users may easily hide such posts from their timeline. This is a good opportunity to remember that the best way to protect one’s privacy, however, is not upload embarrassing photos or posts.

Photos, stories and life events are now visible going back years on the timeline. One could scroll back to one’s birth or simply select a specific time by clicking on a date along the right side of the timeline.

A user could also expand a post, as well as hide or delete it at any time.

Although I have been on Facebook since 2004, posts seem to only go back to 2009 as of this posting. However, information that goes as far as back as one’s birth can be added.

Facebook Places is utilized to a greater degree than ever before.

One of the coolest things about the redesigned Facebook is the ability to see all of the places a user has checked-in on Facebook Places.

Check-ins are now presented on an attractive map, in a similar way to how the iPhone displays where images were captured. Photos and individuals tagged in a check-in are also included as well as the time and date of visit on a large global map. This upgrade will likely inspire more check-ins.

Six randomly selected friends’ images are now automatically selected and placed beneath the cover image. The link to all of one’s friends sits next to the user’s biographical information. The user’s photos, Facebook Places check-ins (categorized as “Map,”) and likes are to the widget’s right in simply-designed boxes.

Another addition is the activity log which lists all of a user’s posts and activities going back to the beginning. A user can go to this private area that other users cannot view to change the privacy for individual stories, to delete posts and more.

Although Facebook is getting a lot of criticism over the changes, the public is likely to embrace them once folks realize just how beneficial, and in many ways, overdue, the changes are.

An assault is raging on Twitter.

Thousands of accounts on the popular social network have been hijacked and turned into spammers at a speed never before seen, Mashable reports. It may be tied to the recent attack against Gawker and its 1.3 million commenters.

The tweets link to domains containing “acainews,” the technology blog reports — and it is strongly advised to steer clear of such links. Many of the tweets seem to advertise a berry-based product that will help folks to lose weight.

Folks operating compromised accounts should immediately change their passwords and then check if their accounts have been linked to unknown third-party accounts.

Tech Talk advises folks never to use the password for more than one account, that all passwords are at least 12 characters long and contain special characters, numbers and capital letters and to change all passwords every 30 days.

For generations, the North American Aerospace Defense Command has kept millions of people around the world abreast of Santa Claus’ precise location each Christmas Eve. The dissemination began via the telephone began in 1955, the Web in 1998 and now is available through social media.

Beginning on Dec. 24 and running through Christmas Day, NORAD will share the latest location of Kriss Kringle.

Folks can follow the man in red through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google, Flickr and TroopTube — as well as on mobile devices, Time reported.

If you prefer to call NORAD, you still may: 1-877-Hi-NORAD from within the United States. Folks can also send Santa a letter at noradtrackssanta@gmail.com.

You may read more about how NORAD tracks Santa in the Tech Talk archives.

A new website has the potential to change the way folks look at America’s cities.

Hottblock.com, launched last week

Paul Mansour launched hottblock.com, a self-funded website out of Austin, Texas, last Tuesday. Masour created the innovative site after becoming frustrated while considering the pros and cons of job offers in different cities. He did not know anything about the communities, and his web research only provided him with statistical data — and not a feel for the culture.

After hearing that many of his friends suffered the same concerns, he launched the site that offers reviews and ratings of many medium and large cities across the country. It will give folks the opportunity to share the benefits and drawbacks of each community.

Among the communities locally listed:

• Ansonia
• Bridgeport
• Danbury
• Derby
• Milford
• New Haven
• Norwalk
• Shelton
• Stamford
• Waterbury
• West Haven

However, none of the aforementioned communities have been reviewed as of this posting. But you can change that. In fact, the founder told Tech Talk that he is depending on members of the community to help populate the pages.

“Contemplating a new job in a new city is hard enough already without the added difficulties of weighing the pros and cons of a particular city and its many neighborhoods,” Mansour told Tech Talk. ”Unless you know someone in your prospective town, it’s difficult to find the best neighborhood or part of town. I’ve had many friends over the past few years who have encountered this issue and not been satisfied with the resources currently available online.”

He said there are many sites that offer housing statistics, restaurant reviews and opinions on destinations from the perspective of a visitor — but not any that tie it all together.

“You can scour the Web for articles or posts with similar information, but hottblock.com gives visitors a chance to learn about a city from long-time residents in once place,” Mansour said. ”Though larger cities comprise most of the reviews, visitors have the option to explore reviews for any city or town in the country with a population over 5,000.”

He told Tech Talk that he is considering expanding the site to offer multimedia opportunities. It currently only allows text to be posted.

Hottblock.com has a lot of potential. Its success, however, will depend on how involved he could make the numerous communities in which he has launched portals. Currently, Mansour is depending on the site to grow through word-of-mouth. He may need to do a little more than that to be successful.

PETA sent Tech Talk this screen capture of a message its members posted on DKNY's Facebook page.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals used Donna Karan New York’s own social media presence against it on this, one of the largest online shopping days of the year.

PETA members posted a vertical message that reads “DK BUNNY BUTCHER” for the fashion titan’s more than 204,700 fans to see in the past hour in reference to the company’s decision to sell fur.

“PETA has sent Donna Karan executives detailed information about the suffering of animals who are raised and killed for their fur, and thousands of people have taken action against the designer, who continues to use rabbit fur from China,” a PETA spokesperson wrote to Tech Talk. “Undercover investigations have revealed that animals on Chinese fur farms are hung upside down, screaming and kicking, and are forced to watch those ahead of them die violently before their own throats are cut.”

The 16 accounts posted seemingly positive messages on DKNY’s Facebook wall — with the real message hidden in each user’s profile photo.

Among the wall posts:

• Listen, some bunny loves you!
• Fashion is life and death.
• Can u show us what goes into ur designs?
• Nothing is more important than fashion, right!?!
• Fashion to die for…
• I would kill for one of your fur coats.
• DKNY continually shocks me!
• I’m trying to save something today – can u help?
• What’s the cost of a fur coat?
• Who wouldn’t do anything for a Donna Karan coat!

Of course, after understanding the context of the overall message, the individual wall posts take on a different meaning.

DKNY appeared to be unaware of the messages as it posted at least once after its wall was defaced:

Our Cyber Monday treat: 20% Off of the entire site (both DKNY & Donna Karan New York) PLUS Free Shipping. Happy Shopping! www.dkny.com

Administrators are not notified each time a person posts on a fan page and must monitor comments.

Regardless of one’s opinions on either company, PETA’s strategy is a smart one — and one that will likely be repeated more often as more brands turn to the Web to disseminate their message.

“This is the first time that PETA has used this particular approach on Facebook,” Ashley Byrne, a senior campaigner for PETA, told Tech Talk. “We have, however, used Facebook many times to get our message across. When Brookstone was selling live frogs inside cheap plastic enclosures — misleading customers and causing the deaths of countless frogs in their stores by hiding sick animals in back rooms — we asked our members and supporters to post comments on Brookstone’s page expressing their concern for the frogs’ welfare. It was not long before the company’s Facebook fan page was taken down.”

Byrne said her company believes the use of social media is an effective tool for online advocacy and virtual activism.

“PETA uses social media in a variety of ways to interact with supporters on a personal level and share information,” she told Tech Talk. “PETA members took over Donna Karan’s Facebook page in order to pressure Karan to drop fur from her designs. We knew that Facebook would be an effective platform for letting Donna Karan’s fans know that Karan continues to design with fur even though she’s aware that gentle rabbits endure tremendous suffering because of the fur industry.”

Byrne said PETA hopes that by posting on the DKNY Facebook page, a new audience may be reached.

“Social networks have allowed PETA to connect with supporters on an individual and immediate level,” Byrne said. ”We are able to interact with any one of our 1 million Facebook fans or 100,000 Twitter followers. We can address specific questions and concerns, offer advice, and share in joint victories.”

Byrne said social media allowed PETA to stay in constant touch with supporters.

“By using social media, we can deliver information to our supporters in real time. We are able to update them on developments relating to campaigns and victories as they happen,” she said. “We knew that by targeting Karan’s Facebook page on Cyber Monday, we could convince more people to boycott her designs until she drops fur for good.”

Tech Talk spotted an offer worth sharing with Mac and Windows users this afternoon:A Seagate 1TB external USB 2.0 hard drive.

This is a great deal for anyone seeking to secure additional space. While similar offers sometimes pop up across the Internet, the vast majority come with the caveat of completing rebate forms. This one from Best Buy is $50 (plus tax) without any rebate.

More than three-quarters (or 88 people) of the folks who commented on Best Buy’s page about the drive indicated that they would recommend the device.

But hurry: The offer expires Nov. 29.

A new browser is changing the way people surf the Web and share information.

RockMelt, which requires those interested to request an invitation, allows users to share websites with friends instantly through Facebook and Twitter — while monitoring other sites through linked RSS feeds.

The specialty browser, which is integrated with Facebook and requires folks to sign into Facebook to use, allows users to monitor which friends are online and chat with them while surfing the web.

The browser will be particularly useful to folks who enjoys regularly sharing information with their friends. RockMelt allows people to simply drag and drop content to the two vertical sidebars docked on both sides of users’ screen. Suggested information is already filled in. It’s as innovative as it is simple.

Give it a try. You won’t regret it.