10 can't-miss last-minute tech gifts

via theglobeandmail.com

Not just a small iPad, the 7.9-inch form factor of the mini makes it a completely different device than anything else on the market. It’s bigger than the seven-inch displays used by many competitors, but still small enough to be held comfortably in one hand. Thin and light, the devices sport an aluminum and glass design similar to that used by Apple on the new iPhones and are available in either black with slate trim or white with silver trim. It’s not the cheapest small-size tablet – WiFi only is $329 (16 GB), $429 (32 GB), $529 (64 GB); WiFi and cellular goes for $459 (16 GB), $559 (32 GB), $659 (64 GB) – but the benefit to getting an iPad mini is that it runs the thousands of apps that have been designed for the iPad. (Limited quantities at the Apple store, so call ahead!)

Posted via email from Create | Inspire - DM2 Studios

How to Boost Creativity & Innovation in 10 Minutes

via inc.com

Trying to be innovative feels, at least for most people, nearly impossible.

Don't believe me? Try it. Go ahead. Be innovative. Think of something amazingly new and different. I'll wait.

Give up? (Don't feel bad. I gave up before you did.) Most of us don't have a "creativity switch" we can turn on and off at will.

Our employees don't either. Gathering your team in a room and saying, "Okay, we really need some innovative ideas... what do you have?" never works--unless you play "Kill a Stupid Rule."

Kill a Stupid Rule is one of the tools described by Lisa Bodell, the founder and CEO of futurethink and the author of Kill the Company.

Playing Kill a Stupid Rule is not only easy, your employees will think it's a hoot. Here's how it works...

Posted via email from Inspiration

YouTube users upload 72 hours of video every minute

via gigaom.com

YouTube has seen its video uploads grow 50 percent over the last year: Users are now uploading 72 hours of video every minute, compared to 48 hours just a year ago. The Google-owned video site announced the milestone Sunday night to celebrate its seventh birthday.

The amount of video uploaded to YouTube has increased steadily over the last few years. In early 2007, users were uploading six hours of video every minute to the site. By January of 2009, that number had grown to 15 hours. By March of 2010, the total reached 24 hours, only to go up to 35 hours by November of that year.

Posted via email from Inspiration

Last Minute Tax Tips to Make Your Life Easier

via freelanceswitch.com

There are a lot of last minutes when it comes to freelancers and taxes. If you freelance full-time in the U.S, you’re expected to send in quarterly estimated payments, in addition to doing your yearly routine.

Even though taxes can be fairly routine, it’s worth making sure that you’re doing everything you can to make sure all the details are taken care of. That helps to make sure there’s more money in your pockets, and it also means that you will limit your tangles with any tax agency you deal with.

Posted via email from Inspiration

How to Find Ideas to Write About in Under 10 Minutes

via 1stwebdesigner.com

The most common problem that bloggers like me encounter is that point in time when no idea seems to be good enough to be written and published. You’d think that the biggest problem here is thinking of what to write about, but the underlying problem is really answering the question, “is it good enough?” or “will my readers like it?”

Posted via email from Inspiration

The 10-Minute Technique to Becoming a More Productive Writer

via copyblogger.com

Late last year, when I interviewed Brian Clark about his approach to productive blogging, he said something that really struck me as a writer.

Brian’s big on vision — he told me that he believed his vision for his online business was pretty much the key to his success as both a blogger and business owner.

Posted via email from Inspiration

A 30-Minute Copywriting Course from a Master of the Craft

via copyblogger.com

John Carlton is a professional copywriter who charges $2,500.00 for his one-on-one consulting calls.

In this 30+ minute interview, he decided to lay out some of his best advice for carving out a career in the writing trade. And he decided to give it up at no charge.

Posted via email from Inspiration