Google Blogger is one of the easiest and most complete blogging solutions currently available on the Internet. Anyone can sign up and start blogging in a manner of minutes with the easy to navigate interface and tools it provides. But, there are a lot of things you probably don't know about Blogger, hidden within the more advanced features of the site. These clever add-ons make it easier and more fun to post to your blog each day and can give you a slight edge over your fellow bloggers in drawing new traffic.
No Bandwidth or Storage Limits In a world where storage has become incredibly cheap and video super sites are the norm, it makes sense that Blogger would not instill any limits on your website for storage. In addition though, Blogger makes it so you can receive as much traffic as you are capable of generating. No matter how much content you post and how many visitors you draw, Blogger remains free for the life of your blog and that's a great deal considering how many features are built in.
Free Captcha Support for Anti-Spam Spam is a major problem, especially for bloggers. If you talk to anyone who owns a private blog on their own server, or even those individuals with blogs on other services, you will learn that they constantly receive large quantities of spam. Blogger, by default, is built with a spam detection and blocking device that can keep your blog from getting over run by unwanted spam comments. You can not only turn on the CAPTCHA software that requires a code to be entered whenever someone makes a comment; you can also require logins to Blogger to post comments or put commenting in a separate window so that spammers with automated software are tripped up. All of these options are available from Blogger's settings pages.
Blog by Email and SMS By far one of the coolest additions to blogging in recent years, Blogger allows you to post blog messages from a cell phone or email inbox. From the settings menu of Blogger, you can set a specialized email address that will post anything you email to it directly to your blog. This allows you to make blog posts from a smart phone or via a work or school computer on which Blogger might be locked. SMS features allow similar functionality, posting remotely to your blog.
Post in HTML You can get very creative with your posts if you desire and post directly in HTML. Most people choose to use the built in text editor in Blogger, but what few people realize is that they can change almost any feature on the page by using the HTML editor. This allows you to use different colors, change font sizes, insert tables, or use a template for posts from a third party website. The possibilities are endless.
Themes and Skins When you sign up for Blogger, you are asked to select the visual depiction of your blog using a specific template. However, you can change this template any time you want by installing a new one. Located across dozens of websites are templates that allow you to change the color, number of columns, location of posts, and any number of visual features on your blog. Do a quick search on Google for "Blogger Templates" and you will find hundreds waiting to be used.
Google Tool Integration Google operates countless services for webmasters and that includes some of the most useful ones for bloggers. AdSense integrates directly into Blogger through a simple to select Blogger option in the Template menu. Simply click on "Add new page element" and choose AdSense and you can add your AdSense account to your page.
Other great tools offered by Google include Analytics, which allows you to track the visitors to your website, including where they came from, what keywords they searched for, what pages they viewed, and dozens of other statistic. Webmaster Tools is another essential tool that Google operates that allows you to track how your blog appears in the search engines.
Alongside all of these tools, Google will also automatically ping the major blog services such as Technorati and Ice Rocket with all new posts, allowing you to gain maximum exposure.
Enclosures and Videos Newly added to Blogger this year is the ability to add podcasts and videos to your page. You can now choose to upload videos and audio snippets directly to Blogger and include them in your posts. The videos will be branded with the Blogger logo and you can bypass use of YouTube altogether. This a great new feature that takes advantage of the unlimited bandwidth and account size that Blogger offers.
Blogger is loaded with great features that make creating your blog quick and easy and Google is adding new features every day. Google is quickly converting a very good blog into a world class blogging platform.
It doesn't, however, matter what it looks like because each version is powered by a real engine, a six-litre V8 lump unhindered by an excess of electronic gadgetry and easily capable of 270kW and a whopping 530Nm of torque at 5750 and 4400rpm respectively.
The sedan comes with a tail aerofoil about the size of those things that haul people on a mini-surfboard across the ocean at high speed and the bakkie with a streamlined load box cover that roars in the slipstream and ground clearance that would barely crest a house brick.
The Ute, I'm told, is the world's fastest production bakkie. The sedan is what a real car should be all about; no fancy folderol's, instruments that a 90-year-could probably read without glasses and big and wide black leather seats, the one on the driver's side proudly proclaimed at the media presentation as having power adjustment ? but it turned out to be for lift-and- tilt? fore-and-aft still needs muscle power.
The Lumina, I'd guess, will do more than its fair share of the job. The bakkie is for a niche market but the sedan (I think I said it has a six-litre V8?) is a big and very viable alternative to snobby status symbols such as BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E-Class, Jaguar, the bigger Volvos and others of that ilk.
The Lumina has all the high-tech braking, traction and stability controls and crash protection of any other big luxury car along with serious space, individual air-con and temperature controls, power windows and exterior mirrors and the engine can be hooked to either a six-speed manual or six-speed auto ? the latter with manual/sequential selection ? at no extra cost.
In fact, there ARE no extra-cost items except perhaps a tow hitch. "It's an all-new car," the bum-branded one, with rear-wheel drive architecture and a wider track and longer wheelbase than its predecessor that came to SA three years ago and that has allowed us to create a bigger cabin.
"The Lumina has been the top seller in Australia for 10 years. All the sheet metal is new, as are the sports seats, the sports cockpit and the Bluetooth connectivity and the car's delivered with a three-year or 60 000km warranty. It's the sexiest Commodore/Lumina yet built."
Contact with the road is provided by 245/45 R18 tyres on 18x8? alloy rims. It's power and exhaust note as the revs rise is not only exhilarating but also addictive; there's little pretence at sophistication though the cabin comfort is superb; if you love driving, you'll love the Lumina.
Standard on both the sedan and the Ute are a sluggish but user-friendly trip data computer that includes visual and audible warnings for under speed and over speed. A "night" panel function reduces the lighting to all but the most necessary functions.
The Lumina's heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, I was told, have been designed to accommodate a broader range of operating conditions and the audio package includes a fascia-mounted six-CD changer and RDS radio feeding a high-performance amplifier and multiple speakers that can be controlled by roller switches on the steering wheel.
The Chevy is Bluetooth cellular-compatible and says fuel-gauge accuracy is excellent thanks to two sensors.
Remote boot and fuel flap releases are provided, with the boot release mounted in the glove box, while remote central locking comes as standard, as does an alarm system with a panic alarm feature. A transponder immobiliser system provides anti-theft protection.
Both Bob Sommers & Makabongwe Maseko are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Bob Sommers has sinced written about articles on various topics from Blogging, Writing and Computers and The Internet. with Google Blogger Tutorials. Over 100 videos available on the Internet to show you how to create and promote your blog. Add audio, video, slide shows,. Bob Sommers's top article generates over 5400 views. to your Favourites.
Makabongwe Maseko has sinced written about articles on various topics from Business Plan, Personal Desktop and Stock. Makabongwe Maseko offers automotive information on his weblog "Automotive Part And Equipment". Since you also love anything to do with automotives, you can visit:. Makabongwe Maseko's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.