So, do the free stuff sites work?
I get questions a lot about the free sites I do (like this one), and whether they work or not. 
The answer is yes, but with some conditions…
1. You have to do your homework. Read Reviews. Not all are created equal. None really have a great reputation, but some better than others. (I’ll get to the why on that in if you keep reading)
2. You have to jump through the hoops. Read the terms and conditions carefully. Decide whether they are worth doing for the “free” item. A site that may be totally worth it to you, may not be worth it to me.
3. You have to follow the rules. There are all kinds of videos for “hacks” for certain free sites. All you will do is get yourself kicked off the site. Besides, if you simply follow the rules, you get your reward, they get their money, and everyone is happy.
4. If you like a network of sites, stick with it. No sense in relearning everything.
5. Start small. Start with something that takes a few referrals (maybe 5-8), instead of going for that loaded out iPad 2 32GB +3G that is going to be 12 referrals or more. Get a feel for it and you will be less frustrated.
6. Have fun with it!!
All that said, sometimes stuff happens. An email gets lost, a form disappears. You may have some frustration, but be patient. The people at the company are just doing their job. Just keep in mind that you are getting something (usually big) for free or cheap, and in the grand scheme of things, a week or two is not a huge deal.
Want to give it a try? You can start here.
A night of community…
I had the pleasure of being part of a community outreach that our church hosted last week. We called the event “Fireside: A Night of Community”. Overall I think the event went really well.
The leadership team put together a chili cookoff, we had Jeff Anderson (@JeffAOfficial for those of you on twitter) lead us in some music, and Roger Bear from Baptist Collegiate Ministries in Terre Haute bring a message.
It was a really great time. People heard the gospel, several unaffiliated people from the community showed up, and several churches (including a house church plant) took part. One local church who has youth ministries that night, just brought their whole group.
I enjoyed Jeff’s ministry through music. He is one of those rare people who you partner with for events that has a real servants heart. It oozes out of his music and lyrics. He has a real heart to see the lost come to know Christ in an intimate way. He understands it is about God and not him. He does not waste opportunities to share Christ from the stage.
While not a typical revival service, I hope to see fruit from it in one way or another. It may be in service, evangelism, or deeper community relationships – I cannot wait to see it…
North Central States Rally
I have been blessed to be part of the Southern Baptist Convention North Central States rally in Indianapolis, Indiana this week. We have had some amazing opportunities to learn from some amazing leaders.
Some that we have heard from:
@RickHowerton from NavPress
@EdStetzer from Lifeway Research
Yale Wall from State Convention of Baptists in Indiana
Tim Saddler from Illinois State Baptist Association
Grab some audio of the main sessions here
A Computer – Just for Seniors! WOW!
I ran across the WOW! Computer today. I did say WOW, but it wasn’t until I got to the selling price.
The WOW is a touchscreen-based All-In-One with a custom load of Linux. This is a machine that carries so much potential, but is hampered by less than impressive hardware.
There are some neat features, but is it enough to overcome the drawbacks?
Pros:
- Software updates included
- US based support
- Easy setup
- Built in Remote access (for a “Tech Buddy”)
- Built in WiFi
Cons:
- Price is high for what it is, considering its running Linux (no Microsoft Tax involved)
- Need about twice the RAM and Hard Drive space to justify the price
- Cannot add any software…
- All traffic passes through their servers (privacy concerns?)
- Tech support is $10/ month after the first 30 days.
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ASUS Padfone – I like it.. a lot.
Phandroid has a great video on an upcoming device that just maybe could change how we do the whole phone/tablet equation…
http://phandroid.com/2012/01/12/hands-on-asus-padfone-is-it-a-phone-tablet-or-both/
Not really covering CES, just reading about it…
I m not one if the 140,000 press members and others at CES (The Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas this week. I have been reading press releases and blog posts. There are a few notables, however.
iRig Stompbox (I would love to demo one of these!!)
Vlingo Voice Assistant coming to TV…
Polaroid Smartphone/Camera Combo
1st Intel Based Smartphone
Gorilla Glass 2
Scheduling for 2012…
I have been blessed by the church where I serve to have the ability to spend a couple weeks each year blessing another church or ministry.
I would love the opportunity to partner with you. I am available for Camps, D-Now Weekends, Revivals, Outreach Events, Youth Worker Training Sessions, or any other ideas you may be working on for Speaking and/or Leading Worship.
Here are some examples of the topics I speak on:
- Who’s Your Daddy? – a closer look at God as a loving father.
- Best practices for keeping your kids/teens safe online.
- Technology in Ministry – it’s not just for the youth pastor anymore….
- What churches are missing by largely ignoring the internet…
- Our kids are safe at church, right? Best practices for child/teen safety
- Open Source, Freeware, and what it means in Ministry…
- Technology: Worship enhancement or Worship distraction?
- The least of these: reaching out to the unchurched in uncomfortable, yet Christ-centered ways…
- Mandated Reporting and implications on ministry. and others upon request…
A little about me:
I am a Youth Pastor with 12 years experience in both full-time and bi-vocational roles. I have worked in the Information Technology industry since 1997, and currently own my own Web Design and IT Contracting Firm in Indiana. In 2004-05, I worked for the State of Missouri as a Child Abuse Investigator, before transitioning to Full Time Youth Ministry. In 2007-2009, I helped start and administrated Common Ground Community Youth Center in Odessa, Missouri, a multi-denominational effort that reached “street kids” with no church affiliation. I have led youth in worship settings for the last 8 years of ministry.
If this doesn’t fit your needs, please remember me and pass on my info to other youth workers.
Thanks for your time, and hope to connect with you soon.
Brent
Tech that will boom in 2012, and Tech that will bust in 2012…
It is the time of year to look at what went big in 2011, and what went bust. Here are five technologies that will continue to grow in 2012, and five that I believe will be all hype with little substance.
Five that will boom:
1. Any device with Android 4.0 – If you have had your finger on the pulse of this story, you have seen the future, and it is good…
2. Ipad 3 and Iphone 5 – These will both hit in 2012. not if, but when. Apple is fairly predictable in their product cycles. Based on what is out now, the next steps are good ones.
3. Mobile Apps for Ordering food – I used the Papa John’s app the other night while on a youth conference and it worked beautifully. I was able to discuss with the group what we wanted, put it in, and send the order. 30 minutes later, the delivery guy was there with the pizza!.
4. Entry Level Smartphones – As the price becomes less of an issue, and the line blurs between feature phone and smartphone, the winners become the entry and mid level smartphones. If carriers can keep the required data pricing attractive, more and more customers will make the jump.
5. Mobile payments - I use square, paypal, my starbucks app, and other methods to move money to an from my accounts. I am not convinced that NFC (Near Field Communication) will go big in 2012, but the mobile payments industry has many other ways of getting your money to someone who wants it….
5 Technologies that will Bust in 2012
1. Ultrabooks - There, I said it. I love the idea, I really do. However, the implementation has been slow and expensive. The MacBook Air has had too much of a head start on the Ultrabooks to see much of a threat. There will be a few niche adopters, (maybe business travelers) but I believe that widespread adoption will not take place in 2012.
2. Google TV – The set top box has been tried and tried again, with little success. Anyone remember Microsoft WebTV? Many would just rather have a means to hook something like a laptop, Gaming Console, or HTPC (Home Theatre PC) to their TV, and use a Hulu or Netflix app.
3. Blackberry – Unless things drastically change, Blackberry is soon to become not much more than a footnote in tech history. Slow design-to-market timing is keeping RIM in a constant game of catch-up. The Playbook showed promise, but was late to market and incomplete when it got there.
4. Near Field Communication (NFC)- As I noted in above, NFC is not quite ready for adoption. There are only a handful of devices that carry it, and it is going to take a couple years of development and adoption to really see what NFC can do.
5. Microsoft Office – I am not saying that Office is going away in 2012, but with so many other free and cheap options, combined with more tablet options that run compatible suites, The market share has got to be shrinking for MS. I have Office, but usually use Google Docs for most of my Word Processing and Simple Spreadsheet work, due to simplicity and the availability online.
These are my best guesses. I may do an article like this in 2013, and say “wow, I was wrong”. If you think I am right or wrong, let me know below in the comments section. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
The history of cell phones…
If you think you pay a lot for that smartphone, take a look at this infographic….
http://gigaom.com/mobile/a-visual-history-of-mobiles-past-present-and-future/
Dell is getting back to what it does well….
First Dell kills the streak line, then its phones, now the mini 10. Wow. Enjoy Alienware while its around…..
My free iPad 2 coming soon….
I get a lot of questions about the “free stuff” I get my hands on, and whether Trainn (Transcendent Innovations) really works. My experience so far is yes, yes, and soon to be yes (See Below)…
I am getting the Apple Store card, so that I can purchase a refurbished unit and be able to get a couple useful accessories. I will update when the card comes in. should be roughly 2 weeks, plus Apple’s shipping time on the iPad.
No you may be saying – “Man I wish I could have gotten in on something like this”. You are in luck. You can still go to Here and choose the Android Tablet Link, and choose from a few options, including an Asus Transformer Android Tablet. You can do this. It’s easy. If you have any questions, I’ll be glad to answer them.
Go Get Yourself a Free Tablet….
Google Currents
If you have not tried out this app for iOS and Android, you need to. It can even pull in your google reader feeds and “make them pretty”…
Android Source : Market
