Throughout our generations life, we have seen all sorts of transition such as VHS to DVD, telephones to cell phones, movies on ipods, cars that talk, gps machines that can locate your exact location anywhere in the world, and so many other. Because we have grown up in this ever changing environment we are able to adapt and intregrate all types of advances into our lives.

 One advancement I missed until this class was blogging. I never knew what it was or what it did until I took this class. This Internet Entrepreneurship course change the way I feel about blogs. I know understand just how valuable they are to people and espically businesses. So much can be said and done through a blog. Companies now have a much friendlier way of communication with their customers.

• can gain feedback on a particular product or service
• clear up an issue the company is facing before the issue gets out of hand
• allow customers to feel valued from the company

This powerful tool is so easy to use as well. Blog posts dont need to be highly involved or written with any advanced skill. All you need to do is speak to people in language that is easy for anyone to understand. Three things to keep in mind while your writing posts is:

• Make lists
• Get to the point
• Keep it simple
• Use pictures

Kiva has found the pain. Not only have they pinpointed the pain, but they have also found what seems to be a full proof method of helping other succeed with a money back guarentee for those that lend to the organization.

Their four step program includes:

1. Lenders browse profiles of entrepreneurs
2. Kiva’s microfinance partners distribute the loans
3. Over time: Entrepreneurs repay the loans
4. Lenders get their money back and can re-loan to someone else in need

Kiva has certainly cured the pain! They have discovered a way in which they can give necessary capital to despirate entrepreneurs in third world countries, while also promising full repayment to lenders. Their indepth application process for potential entrepreneurs gives assurance to lenders that helps them know the avaliable entrepreneurs are hard workers and will re-pay all they are given.

Recently my mom asked me “whats this linked In thing??” While at a function for work she was talking to a collegue of her’s who wondered if she was linked In. My mom is definitely not the first person you would go to if you wanted to know what is new with the internet. Unfortunately there are many people like her out there who dont know much about LinkedIn.

Linked In helps people all over the world get and stay connected to others doing things just like them. With Linked In professionals can:

• link you with qualified professionals and experts
• connect with people you know as well as people they know
• gain new insight from discussions with like minded professionals in private group settings
• post and distribute job listings to find the best talent for your business

In times like these when employment becomes scarse, Linked In is the answer to our success. This site has the power to bring us closer to the people we know and the things we love to do.

These days time is money. No one has any time to search through all the millions of sites on the internet to find things they are interested…. But what if the internet did the foot work for you??? It seems too good to be true. 

However, the founders of stumble upon have done just this. Now the internet is not only helpful with its abundant amount of information, but now there is also a search engine that does the searching for you. They understand that our time is precious and instant satisfaction is what we desire to have.

They created a personalized site that allows you to hand pick the topics that interest you. This helps them bring you exactly what you want to read. If you don’t like what they are finding for you, all you need to do is reject the selection and your search is refined. The more feedback you give, the more personal your search becomes.

After visiting StumbleUpon I no longer want to stumble through the internet on my own….I’ve desided to let StumbleUpon do the hard work for me!!

Over the past few years Facebook has entered the lives of millions of american college students. We have postponed writing papers, studying and visiting with people face to face because the addictive attraction facebook holds to stalk, talk and keep up with all our friends. Facebooks has always allowed us to stay connected with friends who are far away. So it would only make sense that they now are extending to many different countries as well.

Facebook is now the fastest growing network in Europe. The company has officially announced that they will soon be opening an office in London. This past August a poll was taken that showed users in the UK overall viewed 5.5 billion pages, with the average user viewing around 1,100 pages. 

England is not the only country to catch the wave of Facebook. Many other countries are finding Facebook to be the best communication network. In 2008, the top three fastest growing facebook countries include:

Chile- 3,682,680 people

 Venezuela- 1,591,220 people

 Argentina-   1,094,780 people

As Facebook expands to different countries, it is important for them to translate the site into the many different languages. Though Myspace already offers versions of Spanish, German, French and Italian; Facebook is working on a translation application as well that will allow users to translate the site into their desired language. Facebooks goal in their international expansion is to make it “avaliable to everyone, everywhere, in all languages.”