Tech Tips for Catholics

The topic of giving up social networking for Lent has come up quite a bit.  I have been pondering the idea for about a week-and-a-half now.  I normally give up pop (that’s soda for you whom are living outside the Ohio limits ; )  Friends keep asking me what I am giving up for Lent and before I can reply they say, “Don’t tell me you are giving up pop again” (in that tone of voice too).  “I think you should give up Twitter,” one friend uttered.  To be honest, I didn’t like the sound of it, but upon further prayer and reflection, I have come to the conclusion that this would be the best thing for me to give up this Lent.

So for those like Lindsey Turrentine, the author of “How to give up Facebook for Lent and keep your friends” (who is not even Catholic) and myself, here are some Lenten avatars that you are welcome to use.

I will continue posting to the blog, but other than that, I’ll be focusing on Scripture study and Prayer this Lent.

Below are some related links to this topic:

• Poll Question: “Are you giving up social-networking for Lent?” [current results]
• Giving up Facebook for Lent? Read this first!
• Discerning Our Fasts

The ever growing flockNote has come out with a nifty, little Facebook App.  What this application does is allows you to view your subscribed feeds within Facebook.  It can save you quite a bit of time — I know Lisa Hendey likes the sound of that!

Here are some important things you need to know about the App: Currently, Facebook does not have a developer function to prompt the user to bookmark Apps.  User’s tend to load an App and then can’t figure out how to get back to it!  So follow the steps below to ensure a successful install.

Step 1: Login to flockNote.

Step 2: Go to http://apps.facebook.com/flocknote/ and follow the instructions.

Step 3: Be sure to “Bookmark flockNote for Catholics Application”

Note: You can use this Bookmark feature for other Apps too.

Enjoy : )

Below are some related links to flockNote:

• What is flockNote Beta?
• Get Yourself some flockNote Flair!
• flockNote in the News

Season 5 is closely upon us!  And  if you are as excited as I am, then you might want to check out this very cool widget!

Flip Title is a site where you can easily generate upside down text.  You can use this generated text in a couple of different ways:

• IM screen names
• Put it in your profiles like MySpace, Bebo, Hi5, Facebook, Youtube
• Create strong passwords
• Encrypt your download links to prevent leechers
• Freak your friends

Now, I think this is somewhat annoying if you are using this to micro-blog, but I kind of like the idea of using it to create strong passwords, encrypt download links, and to freak out your friends : )

Enjoy!

Even though I rarely log onto Facebook anymore, here is a nice application I noticed on a friend’s page.  It is the Blog Networks App.  If you have a blog of your own, this may be a good way to widen your reader base.

After you have activated this app you can…

• Search for your favorite blogs on the Blog Networks. (someone may have already added them)
• Add Catholic Tech Tips to your list of fave’s. Thanks! : )
• Add any of your favorite blogs not already in the Blog Networks and help them gain exposure.

This is what it will look like if you add your list to your profile page.

Below are some related links to this topic:

• How Do you Establish a Reader Base for your Blog or Website?
• 10 Effective Ways to Get More Blog Subscribers

Like the different divisions within the Protestant Reformation, some of the social networking identities are “throwing the baby out with the bathwater,” for the sake of “unity.”

Both MyChurch.org and MySpace have been making changes to be more like Facebook (or so it seems).  Facebook is making changes to try and distance itself from the copy-cats (or so it seems).  Then MyChurch.org goes and tries to copy the changes that Facebook is making (or so it seems).

MySpace has managed to implement some of Facebook’s features pretty well.  I just hope they don’t go even further and try to copy facbook’s latest changes.  This is what MyChurch.org is dong and it will probably backfire on them.  I wonder, how many less people are logging onto Facebook since the new changes?  The only time I log onto Facebook anymore is to check a post someone has left on my wall or to view my friends’ pictures.  MyChurch.org is headed that direction.  I find myself using MySpace more than I previously had been.

MyChurch had some neat things that set them apart from other social networking sites and these are some of the things they are getting throwing out.  It just doesn’t make sense to me.

4marks.com, which is similar to Facebook, has not made the switch to the new Facebook format yet.  Who knows, they may become my new social networking home.  I do like their built-in poll feature.  I stumbled upon 4marks a long time ago, but you had to pay a monthly fee to use many of its features.  They have since opened it up and you can now use these features free of charge.

I would be interested to hear what features our readers like about their favorite social networking sites and what they dislike.  Click here to take part in the discussion.

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I was having a conversation on MyChurch.org about how much I despise the new profile layout on Facebook.  Others shared the same sentiment.  One of the other members pointed out that at the top right corner of your Facebook profile page is a link that says “Back to the old Facebook.” Click it! : )

MyChurch.org is donig a great job of using applications to draw folks to their social networking site.  These include a Facebook app simply named My Church, a MySpace app called Famous Christian Quotes, and they have a couple blog tools as well.

Here are the descriptions of each of these apps that I’ve listed above:

Famous Christian Quotes (MySpace App) ↓


Display Inspirational quotes from famous Christian preachers and leaders on your profile and share them with your friends.

My Church (Facebook App) ↓


Show what ministry, denomination, or church organization you’re a part of. You can also find others on Facebook who are members of your church organization. Stay in touch with your larger church body.

Your Church Calendar on your own Website (Blog or Website Script) ↓


Share your church’s events on your blog, Myspace, or church’s main website.

My new favorite application for Facebook is Pieces of Flair.  I noticed a few weeks ago people adding this app to their profiles, but I’m pretty picky about what I add to my profile; that was until I saw my parish priest’s profile.  I actually thought he had a collection of pins and that he had taken a picture of it and posted it to his Facebook profile. It wasn’t until I clicked on the picture that I suddenly realized, So this is Pieces of Flair.  And then I spent about three hours searching for some of my own flair before creating some custom pieces.  Below is a picture of my flair collection : )

So if you happen to be my friend on Facebook and create some cool Catholic flair, be sure to share them with me! : )

This past weekend I attended the first ever PodCamp Ohio.  It was great!  I learned some new stuff and, had I not had this stupid head-cold, probably made some new friends. While at the event, I heard a lot of chatter about Ping.fm, which is a new service that makes it simple to update your many social networks.

Now one of the other things that I learned while at PodCamp Ohio, in the “Orchestrating a Viral Explosion” session, was how to drive “talk” about your online program/application by making it “invite only”.  To suggest that a person is part of an elite.  Gmail is a perfect example of a company that tried this tactic and found it to be quite successful.  This is why Ping.fm is requiring a “beta key code” to join.  Notice that on their login page they give you a hint that it is pretty easy to acquire this important key code. All you need to do is simply contact them and ask for one.  So, does this type of product campaign work?  I’m blogging about, so I would have to say that in many cases it does.  Go get your beta code and see what Ping.fm is all about!