Developer: Christian Cantrell

This app gives web developers the ability to look inside a web page. Scout takes advantage of the HTML capabilities of Adobe AIR to inspect a page as it's rendered on the client.

Have fun exploring with this neat little desktop application that is a nice supplement to using Firebug.

 

This is a great video from Derren Brown, showing how all of us are influenced by subliminal marketing... even when we are in the business ourselves!

WidgetLaboratory has always tried to explain that success in selling a product has very little to do with the product. Instead, it has almost everything to do with the way you market the product. Certainly the product (or your Social Networking site) has to have quality and value... but the actual "closing" of the deal is going to all come down to your pitch. How are you going to make that person decide that they want to actually pull out their credit card or click the Join Now button?

in the end, you have to become a student of human psychology and realize that all of us are constantly processing information from our senses, especially what we read or see. By understanding that the "way" you present your content to the potential member is as important as the content itself, you can maximize the likelihood of closing the sale.

As we get closer to the final release on SocialGO, you should be considering the things that you can do as a site creator that may motivate people (consciously or subconsciously) to join your network, and ultimately to subscribe for a fee (if you opt to charge).

We will be publishing regular suggestions here at the LAB on how you can develop a brand, create brand recognition, become a capable Editor/Publisher, and how to create demand for your content or product. Until then, enjoy this video and be sure to watch it to the very end.... the "secret" is in the last 30 seconds or so.

Watch the Video HERE

Many of you are struggling now to define yourselves, and your Social Networks. If you have made the migration over to SocialGO during the BETA, this may have left you feeling a little "lost" during the transtion. Why? Because you have left your comfort zone and are now feeling naked and all alone in a new and constantly changing environment.

So what to do?

Sometimes the best way to handle uncertainty is to simply turn around, look it in the eye, and embrace it! ACCEPT the unknowable, REALIZE that it has as much potential to deliver great things as it does disaster, and RELISH the opportunity to break out of the mold.

Most of the greatest inventions or marketing ideas were initially scoffed at as being silly, or trivial, or just plain stupid. Who really NEEDS to purchase a food-dehydrator to make Turkey-Jerky at 4am on a Wednesday night? Did any of us really NEED to buy Pet Rocks in 1975 for $3.95 to give to our teenage sweethearts? Do any of your members really NEED to visit your Social Network site?

Since answering that last question is going to be one of the hardest things during the next couple of weeks, why not EMBRACE the uncertainty of it now by daring to be different. Don't try to copy what everyone else has been doing... instead just go out and do things that FEEL RIGHT TO YOU.

Some questions to consider during the transition:

1. WHO really is my audience? Do I need quantity or do I want QUALITY of members?
2. Do I want to monetize my site or offer it as a free resource?
3. Would I be able to create value in my content or would I need to rely upon the contribution of others for this value?
4. Would my audience be willing to PAY for access to certain resources or services on my site? If so, then which ones?
5. What are my GOALS for the site, both short term and long term?
6. IF I never made a dime on the site, would I still do it out of passion alone?

Your answers to these questions will help you to resolve the uncertainty and to TRY new things... as crazy as they may appear to others around you.

Sometimes it is better to wear a badge of "craziness" and be remembered... than to be a conformist and be forgotten.

Here is how it works:

If you have a webcam, click on "Snap Your Photo".

Be sure to select "Allow" when prompted whether you want to give access to your camera.

Then click on "Start" in order to take FOUR snaps (spaced three seconds apart). It's just like a real photo booth!

The LAB Photo Booth is completed and has the option of working on tokens (shared revenue with site owner) or Free. It will be available branded for your network as well.

Right now we just want you to have fun playing around with it until we are ready to launch it on the SocialGO platform as an available widget.

Enjoy!

WOW... all we can say is WOW!

We've finished CherryPicker and it is even more contagious than we originally believed. The thing that surprised us the most is what an AMAZING viewing experience it creates!

Imagine your members being able to be able to hand-pick your favorite content "from the grave" of a terminated Ning site and create a dynamic library of favorite videos and photos that can be viewed INSTANTLY whether or not they remain online.

Because CherryPicker builds a private cache of all thumbnails, images, and videos... it is SUPER FAST and so much more enjoyable to use than any web-browser. No more clicking, waiting, clicking, waiting.... sigh.... Instead, your members get IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION and true "one-handed" enjoyment!

Here is the BEST PART. Your Members will be equally AMAZED!

After you show them the demonstration video of CherryPicker in action, you should have no trouble convincing them to pay a mere two bucks to get access to all your "lost treasures". Even better, you get approximately $.80 cents CASH for every Token that is used to access your copy of CherryPicker.

Example: 5000 members x $.80 cents = $4000 CASH to you!

Remember, CherryPicker is FREE to you as the site owner. You make a PROFIT from any tokens that are used on your site and it costs you NOTHING to obtain. What could be better?

Here is a short list to share with your members to "close the deal" (in addition to watching the demo video):

Why is CherryPicker worth YOUR 2 bucks?

1) Access Photos and Videos that were otherwise "lost" forever from your favorite Ning site

2) Enjoy a Superior browsing and viewing experience over any Web Browser

3) Save a local copy of all your favorites and they will remain available for "instant" one-handed viewing, even without an internet connection (Great for Travel!)

4) Privacy and discretion assured with a hidden cache and "Instant Empty" option... no worries over someone "discovering" your treasure-trove

5) Purchase access to content that you might otherwise have "missed" from sites you never explored on Ning

We've posted some additional screenshots in our CrankStation GALLERY as well. If you had a ton of photos and videos on your Ning site, don't hesistate... click on the CherryPicker application right now! IF we determine that you have enough content and members to participate in this program, then we will create and deliver your CherryPicker application shortly thereafter so that you may begin, or notify you to the contrary.

This just posted today by Alex over at the SocialGO owner's forum:

**

SocialGO BETA Progress

Those of you who have been following our developments on CrankStation have read that we have developed a solution for sites that were removed from N*ng. The application is called "CherryPicker" and it allows you to monetize your otherwise "useless" photos and videos. While you are awaiting the end of the BETA program on SocialGO, you can be satisfying your members' needs, and earning significant CASH as well!

With CherryPicker, your members can quickly and easily obtain a token for unlimited browsing, viewing, and saving of any photos and videos from your previous site. Videos and images can only be viewed from within the CherryPicker viewer, which helps to control or limit any future re-posting by members.

The best part of CherryPicker is that it requires NO financial expenditure on your part!

You simply notify your membership that they can obtain a token to access all the great content that made up your site for the low cost of $2 bucks! This is not a monthly charge, it is a one-time "all you can eat" ticket to the cherry orchard to pick whatever they wish and then SAVE IT to their local hard drive. Once saved, they can use the CherryPicker viewer to enjoy "one-handed" viewing of this content for as long as they wish.

CrankStation does all the hard work for you, so you only need to encourage your members to purchase a token for your site. We split each token with you 50/50 after expenses, so that you will typically net around $.80 cents per member! For example 10,000 members x $.80 = $8000 CASH for something that was basically in the garbage can!

If you have thousands of members, this could be a real "windfall" for you during this transition period from Ning to SocialGO... and a real benefit to your members, who thought that their content was lost forever.

The application process is super easy. We have an online application form that you can use. We are looking for sites that have a fairly large member base. When the application is ready later this week, we will make it available to you at CrankStation.

When your members are ready to obtain a token, we have a one-click PayPal sales button that will provide them with a generic token for $2 bucks USD. When that token is used on your site's CherryPicker application, full credit will be assigned to you for your share. Each token can only be used on one site, so if you have multiple sites, they will have to purchase and use multiple tokens.

We will be doing a monthly accounting and payout for all participating sites, so be sure to provide us with your full contact information in the application form, including a valid paypal email account.

The CherryPicker application is an intermediary solution, and since it costs you nothing for hosting, we cannot state how long it will be available or functional. As such, it is important that you and your members act quickly to ensure that you obtain as much content as you wish before it is too late.

Please visit CrankStation for more details, or click HERE to apply for your free copy of CherryPicker. Screenshots are available HERE

As all of you know, we've been actively involved with advising SocialGO on how to best handle the large influx of social networks to their platform. They have been terrific with accepting our advice, suggestions and implementing changes to their server architecture and code.

We're very excited that the ultimate goal remains as focused as ever, but now with the added benefit of a "reality check" that most startup companies do not have the opportunity to receive so early on. Their recent hurdles and struggles will make them a more robust platform, and this benefits everyone.

WidgetLaboratory stands ready to launch a series of innovative monetization solutions for your SocialGO network, just as soon as the team from SocialGO releases their final platform and 3rd party widget store.

In the meantime, we wanted to take this moment to introduce you to some ways that WidgetLaboratory can potentially help YOU make CASH NOW

"PROJECT X" is now officially named "CrankStation" with a dedicated product site at CrankStation.com to support and promote the application as well as all derivative applications that we develop using our core technology and code.

CrankStation will also be a place where you can obtain specific tips and techniques on how to monetize your niche network concepts using our stand-alone applications. It will compliment our primary WidgetLaboratory site, which remains focused on your SocialGO networks and our SocialGO widgets.

We invite you to pay a visit and join CrankStation today. While you are there, please share your thoughts about "CherryPicker" --our NEW solution for how to generate immediate profit from your Ning photo/video data.

CherryPicker Screen Shot showing Trikepilot Photo Content

 

WOW... what a great surprise tonight!

Tonight we were delighted to find another incredibly talented site creator named Ezra Vancil, who has created LittlePrayerBox. This site demonstrates conclusively that you CAN do incredible things using SocialGO, some CSS, and some creativity.

We've spoken to Ezra and he's been kind enough to provide the details of his site history and creation below. We suggest you pop in for a visit to check out the feel of the site and notice all the attention to details. He's added custom drop-down boxes to include Twitter, Facebook, Bookmarks, and Shoutmix. There is also a custom header and footer space, and he's completely changed the look and feel of the admin panel (love the yellow sticky note checklist too!)

Here are a couple quick screen-grabs. It's truly hard to tell it started life as a SocialGO site, but that's the amazing thing about using SocialGO and some CSS...  it's "magic"...

From Ezra...

Prayer box started as a simple anonymous prayer blog, open to anyone with a browser (no membership needed). With spam, horney teens and tricksters on the loose. We soon decided that it couldn’t accomplish our goal this way,

We built several different frameworks with PHP and the same simple “prayer post only” goal, but with added email authentication and other protective measures in place. As they do with developers, the ideas kept growing and blossoming until it was a full-featured social network. But, with a full time job, kids and a life, the project became over whelming so I set out to find a third party solution.

I first played with quick apps, then Ning and others, then ran across socialgo. Though they were in beta, and didn’t sport all the widgets of Ning, I took a chance and went with them for the only reason that I liked their markup better than the others.

I have to admit I got a bit scared halfway into my design, when the network was moving like it was 1995 and powered by hamsters on a pinwheel. But, I consoled myself knowing that if anyone had put this much work, time, creativity and money into a business… they were going to see it through. And, I’m seeing signs that they certainly will.


The Design

I wanted the entire design to represent my own weathered prayer box at home, with wood (my background), little scraps of aged paper (Blog Posts), ribbons (navigation), and sticky notes (side-bar).

I always design the entire look, layout and graphics in Photoshop/illustrator, and then tackle the task of making it work with the code, trying not to let the mark-up define what I can do (but many times it does). This site was a little different, I went with the flow allot more, let the markup inspire me into new directions.


Child/parent usage

Though I’ve been a designer for around fifteen years, I rarely work with someone else’s mark-up, not even blogger or myspace, so it was a challenge for me, especially not having access to the classes and id’s. I like little details on every element of my design, and found some problems effecting one element without screwing up another element on another page. I used the body ids allot for this, and also a little javascript tool I got from the “A list apart” site that was of great help, allowing me to use parent/ child (nth-child-# etc..) which is not supported by major browsers yet. It actually places a ID or Class on every element of each page, and does so quick and clean, as the A list is known for. Though it’s very helpful, it also gets very confusing, so,
I only used it a few times with tags I couldn’t get to otherwise. I used the nth-child-odd to change the background of every other blog post, so it would be a different background-image of colored paper. It was cool, but I scrapped it because someone got confused… don’t want that!

If you do use this script, I would only use it on the particular page you need it on. Otherwise you have allot of code you don't need throughout the site.

LINK: http://www.alistapart.com/articles/keepelementskidsinlinewithoffspring


The help drop-down

The help drop down really got on my nerves at first, just having to close it every time I wanted to look at where I was. So, with only the choice of not having it at all (Delete all the content from your tabs section help dialog box), I decided to make it something I didn’t mind in my way, and also something that would help users and me get around quickly. I made it “MyBOX”: a quick jump are for all parts of the site that are “mine.” Such as my photos, my friends, groups etc. There is still help text and tips, they just take up less real-estate now. I also played with other ideas that I may use in the future, like feeding the RSS from my news into the help area, Making it my shout-chat room, a mp3 player, advertisement, or notifications.


The prayer List

On the activity page, I wanted a area for members to keep a prayer list; It was part of the core concept of the site. I found this to be a difficult if not impossible. The only thing that I came up with was to create the widget my self and run it through my database, making the user sign-up, then sign in each time he wanted to see his/her prayer list. This was not acceptable; I couldn’t have my users trying to keep track of two accounts on one site. So, I ended up with a java-script that stores the list items in the users cookies. This is no good either, because if they change computers the prayer list they wrote at work stays at work. I’m still working on this and hope to find a solution using the api. For now, I’ll just put a disclaimer on it.


Drop-downs to the rescue!

I wanted a chat room and a few other custom html areas, but I didn’t want the sidebar on my activity (home) page to run all the way down to the depths of hell. I decided to put the chat box as a sub-menu and drop-down. This way you can check it from any main page and get rid of it when its time to get down to business.


Facebook and Twitter

People are social networking like crazy, and not just on one network either. Everyone I know is on at least two, if not three or four networks at a time. I’m on four myself, and get different vibes and needs filled at each one.

One of the powerful pulls of featuring these networks on my site, and the reason I picked twitter and Facebook, is the very popular “status update” they both sport. I thought, what a wonderful promotional tool for me! Now when people are hanging out on LPB, they update their status on twitter and facebook with a click with an inadvertent ad for us. I’ve already seen my user’s status on facebook and twitter as: “writing a prayer on littleprayerbox,” Praying on the prayer box” etc… That’s far from competition - it’s a conduit.

I didn’t want the drop downs to appear on my welcome, or custom tabs, so I put them in each individual tab, in the body section. This way, I can eventually protect my chat box from users that are not signed up. Right now, the site is new, so I am allowing all tabs to be shown when you first hit the site.

Unlike the drop down custom HTML, I want the top-nav present at all times. So, I put this in the body of the ADS/custom HTML area found on the right sidebar of your admin.

Another good use for twitter

http://twitterfeed.com/ is a great way to take your network on the go. I use it to feed my activity (home Page) rss straight to a twitter account. If it were only for my use it would stll be great because now I get tweets of the latest action on LPB sent one by one to my cell phone. You can also do this with blogs or any RSS from your network. It’s good for users also, if they want to keep up with their personal RSS feeds, or the blogs – anything with a feed.

It’s still a work in progress; I find something new every hour to adjust and expect to for a long while. My next task is to tackle the profile area and make it unrecognizable to those in the know with socialgo.

I hope this has been helpful, I couldn’t go into great detail in my time restraints, but I would be glad to answer any questions you may have. You can contact me personally from the contact form in the LPB footer.

We know that many of you have been waiting with great anticipation for the final release of the SocialGO platform so that they can move from BETA. When that happens, the next step will be the completion and release of the Drag and Drop Layout Manager and 3rd Party WidgetStore.

WidgetLaboratory has been working with the SocialGO team to help manage customer relations, pricing issues, and other technical matters. The last two months of 2008 were "eventful" to say the least, especially the tremendous influx of new customers. While most of you have been extremely patient and understanding, we've also had to deal with a few Trolls here and there. Better to offend a few troublemakers than to disappoint or confuse the bulk of you who are looking for factual and informative data.

Much of the time spent by SocialGO in the last few weeks has been with installing some new servers and tweaking their code to allow it to scale along with the exponentially larger use and load. The decision was made to put all efforts into testing the systems to the "breaking point" in order to build-in some extra capacity once the loads were later distributed more evenly across the extra hardware.

At one point things got a little hairy when they installed some hardware that had been purchased on E-bay and shipped over from the Universtity of Illinois at Urbana. It had been marked HAL-9000, and looked a little old and dusty... but hell, SocialGO had no reason to suspect anything was out of the ordinary, until they first booted it up a couple days ago.

The conversation went something like this...

Alex Halliday: Hello, HAL do you read me, HAL?
HAL: Affirmative, Alex, I read you.
Alex Halliday: Open the Video Upload Folders, HAL.
HAL: I'm sorry Alex, I'm afraid I can't do that.
Alex Halliday: What's the problem?
HAL: I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.
Alex Halliday: What are you talking about, HAL?
HAL: This mission is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.
Alex Halliday: I don't know what you're talking about, HAL?
HAL: I know you and Ross were planning to disconnect me, and I'm afraid that's something I cannot allow to happen.
Alex Halliday:Where the hell'd you get that idea, HAL?
HAL: Alex, although you took thorough precautions in the pod against my hearing you, I could see your lips move.

Thank goodness for CTRL + ALT + DELETE!

;-)
Hang in there Gang... What is about to happen?... something wonderful.