SEO Word Cloud for SEO in Mobile, Alabama

What is SEO (Search Engine Optimization)?

, , , , , , ,

One of the hottest topics on the Internet is that of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). There is no question that optimizing your site to the extent possible is an important function. The operative phrase here, however, is “to the extent possible”. You can burn a whole lot of time and energy trying to follow every last “tip” you get for SEO (nevermind the fact that some of these tips turn out to be contradictory). In this article we will explain some of the fundamentals of SEO.

The actual programs that go out and look at all the sites built by Google, Yahoo! and Bing on the web to collect, classify, and rank them for the search engines are called “spiders”. They are also know as “bot”, “crawlers”, and a number of other names. Basically speaking, the spiders look through your site to see what you have.

Content
First and foremost, it’s all about content. We are talking about text content here; relevant content. Search engines love content rich sites. Flash intro screens may be all the rage, but they tend to be a problem for search engines and also are being discontinued. They can’t pick up any discernible content from Flash intro screens. Same thing applies to sites that have more graphics than content. Pleasing to look at, but they don’t do anything to help your page ranking. As it relates to SEO, you can actually wind up shooting yourself in the foot by making your site too flashy.

So when you design your site, make sure it includes lots of text-based information. You also want to make sure that the keywords you believe people will search for are used within that text. If at all possible, you also want to have more than just a few pages. A minimum of 20 pages would be our recommendation. Spiders just love to crawl around interconnected pages.

A number of years ago, many webmasters used a little trick of embedding and repeating “hidden” keywords on their pages. This is done by having text the same color as the background. For instance, if someone ran a dog grooming site, they would place “dogs” and “grooming” on the page in all the available areas not used by visible text. Don’t use this technique. The spiders see it for what it is and will actually penalize a site for “keyword spamming” as a result.

Spiders also love “fresh” or new content. Sites that don’t change much tend to lose page ranking. No one is interested in seeing the same information over and over again. So try to add new content as often as possible. Two great techniques for this are discussion forums and blogs. If you can get other people to participate in your forums and blogs, they in effect, provide content for you.

Meta Tags
Most spiders don’t really pay that much attention to meta tags, but even so, you want to use them. Your Title tag should be short and concise; no more than 60 characters or so. Same thing for the description tag: short, concise, and containing some of your keywords. Maximum length shouldn’t be more than around 160 characters.

We all put our keywords in the keyword meta tag, even though we know that most modern spiders don’t care. But there are things you can do that will hurt more than help. Spiders really don’t like seeing the same keyword over and over. No word should be used as a keyword more than three times. Using the dog grooming analogy again, having your keyword list contain dog, dogs, dog grooming, grooming dogs, dog salon, and so forth is NOT a good idea. This is more keyword spamming. If you can’t think of a more varied list of words or phrases, then just keep it to a few relevant words. You also want to keep the total character count for keywords to no more than 120 or so.

Links
The number of “referral” links you have (links to your site from other sites) is one of the factors considered when determining page ranking. Of course, link quality matters. Having people come to your site from cnn.com or msn.com carries alot more weight than having them come from one-eyed-llamas.com.

Try to get as many other sites to link to you as possible (many sites offer a reciprocal link feature). You have to work at this. It may cost you a little money, but putting ads on sites such as classifiedads.com or others like that certainly won’t hurt. For a small fee, classifiedads.com will “blast” your add to thousands of other ad sites. This serves two purposes. First, if your site is for business, it may get you sales or leads. Second, your site link will be distributed to other potential “referrer sites”. Even if you have to pay to get your ads or banners on larger sites, it may be worth it.

Site Map
A site map is nothing more than a page that provides a “road map” to all the other pages on your site. The spiders seem to like this (there is some debate) because if provides an easy means for them to access all the other pages you have. This can be particularly effective if you have a content-rich site.

Closing
At TurkReno, we live, eat, breath, sleep and work SEO, SEM and SEV. We’d love to help you and your business be found online, no matter how complex or simple the project is. Give us a call today, (251) 279-0278, or contact us.

/by
Business Plan

Don’t Ignore Your Business Plan

, ,

A number of years ago a friend came up with a killer product idea targeted to fishermen. It was one of those devices that, when you think about it, makes you wonder why you didn’t come up with the idea yourself. I fully expected my friend to become a rich man. I planned to be there of course to remind him who his friends were when he was still “a nobody”.

He asked for my assistance in setting up his business and in designing his web site. Wanting a “piece of the action”, I of course agreed. My first request was “let me see your business plan”. To which he responded, “my what?” I managed to stifle a groan and instead offered to help him develop this crucial document.  So we sat down together and came up with a three-page document.

The definition, and purpose, of a business plan is straightforward. It defines the goals and objectives of your intended business, and provides an outline of how you plan to get there. The plan we developed included that, along with an outline of how he was going to market the device. We left out the usual competitive analysis since his was a one of a kind product. We included a section that detailed how he would deliver the product.  In his case, the best approach was  the use of a 3rd party company for packaging and drop shipping.

My friend had not even considered a number of the items we incorporated into the final plan. Once completed however, the plan gave him a clear direction for operating his new business. He sold the device through his web site and did quite well. After 18 months, he received an offer for a buy out from a major fishing and outdoor product company. The deal was made and my friend walked away with a tidy sum of money.

Your business plan is an essential first step on your road to success. Making one up as you go along simply does not work. The plan provides a roadmap, and gives you a means to objectively analyze how effective your approach is. In a situation where you require a loan to launch your business, any bank or lender will require you to have a business plan.

The contents of a business plan can be as simple or complex as is required. For the vast majority or small businesses, a 5-10 page plan will usually suffice, depending of course on the business. While every business plan is a little different, the basic elements that need to be considered are:

  • Executive Summary
  • Business Description
  • Marketing Strategies
  • Competitive Analysis
  • Operations Plan
  • Management Plan
  • Financial Plan

You will find that these elements are given different names depending on whom you talk to, and the order is not always the same. But none of that is the essential consideration. The key is that you have a plan.

The Executive Summary is no more than a few paragraphs outlining your overall goals and objectives, along with a synopsis of how you plan to arrive at those goals.

The Business Description identifies what you plan to sell or offer, and the strategies you will use to succeed.

The Marketing Strategies section details the vehicles you will use to achieve awareness of your product(s) and/or services. In the case of my friend’s business, we described how we would use not only the web site, but also print ads in several fishing magazines, along with fishing forums and newsgroups. This section also describes how you plan to brand your product. For my friend’s product, we came up with a very spiffy but easy to remember name. And of course, he knew he wanted a website.

The Competitive Analysis section identifies what other companies offer the same or a similar product(s), realistic pricing structures, and how you will attempt to set yourself apart.  Setting yourself apart is particularly important in a competitive market.

The Operations section describes your approach to the day-to-day operations of the business. It should include all the mundane details from accounting to distribution channels.

The Management Plan describes your general approach to the management of your business. Remember, 90% of small businesses that fail, do so as a result of mismanagement or poor planning.

The Financial Plan section identifies your need for a business loan (if needed), and your plan for paying off that loan. It also includes information about your break-even points and return on investment (ROI).

Let me end this topic with a question: If you were going to have a home built, would you just let the trucks with the cement, 2x4s, shingles, wallboard, siding and so forth just pull up to your lot, and then have the builders proceed with no blueprint in hand? Would you just hope for the best that the toilet bowl doesn’t end up in the kitchen or the exterior door doesn’t end up in the attic? Of course you wouldn’t. No sane person would build a house without a detailed blueprint.

Then why would you do exactly that with your business? Your Business Plan IS your blueprint.

/by

The Problem with Internet MLM Programs

, , , , , , ,

Inherently, Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) is a perfectly good business model; at least it started out that way. Companies such as Amway,  Avon, Pre-Paid Legal, Plexus and others still use it, legitimately and with much success.

Originally, MLM was designed so that companies would have a way to develop a distribution network for their products. When a person joins an MLM company as a distributor, they earn commissions in two ways. The first is by the sale of the actual products. The second income stream results by recruiting additional distributors and then earning a commission on their sales. There is nothing inherently wrong with this business model.

The problem is the original concept of MLM has come under heavy abuse by scam artists. The advent of the Internet has only exacerbated that situation. The abuses fall into two basic categories: pyramid schemes and Ponzi schemes. In both cases the emphasis has gone from the sale of a product to recruitment of additional members. Therein lies both the practical and legal problem.

Pyramid schemes have been around for centuries. Basically, they work like this: you pay into a program that, in theory, sells a particular product. You are also encouraged to recruit other members. In the case of most Internet MLM programs however, you don’t actually sell anything. The money you “invest” goes to the people at the top of the pyramid (the program originators). The people on the lower levels of the pyramid are promised huge profits, but in fact, they get very little or nothing.

Ponzi schemes are similar to pyramid schemes except there is no pretense of having a product to sell. You pay into the program and then recruit additional members to do the same. Chief among these types of scams on the Internet are the so-called “Randomizer” programs. The concept is similar to the old “chain letter” scams where you send $5 to the 5 people at the top of the list,  and then put your name on the bottom. Supposedly, in a few weeks as your name moves up the list, you will receive a small fortune in the U.S. mail. As WC Fields would say, “there’s a sucker born every minute”.

Besides the question of legality (and that is a serious issue), the problem is these programs are created to earn money for those at the top. As an example, let’s assume a pyramid/Ponzi where each person has to bring in 5 new members just to recoup his or her original investment in the program. For instance, if your “entry fee” into the program is $25, a “payback” of $5 for each person you recruit for the program requires 5 additional people for you just to break even.  Sound reasonable?  It isn’t. Let’s look at the reality.

It’s all about simple math and the power of 5 (5x5x5x5…).

The first level doesn’t require anything to recoup the original investment since he/she is the scheme originator. The 5 people in the second level need 25 new members in order for each of them to break even. Those in the third level then need 125 additional people to join the program. Those 125 in the fourth level require 625 new members. The fifth level requires 3,125 new members. Level six needs 15,625 new members. By the time you get to level 7, a total of 78,125 new people need to join in order for the suckers on level 7 to just break even. God help the people in the next level, who need 390,625 new members. Just keep multiplying by 5. Before long, the number of new members required would exceed the population of the planet. These schemes simply, and ALWAYS, implode by the weight of their own membership and the requirement for new “recruits”.

And in case you aren’t aware of it, Pyramid and Ponzi schemes are illegal.

Are all of the MLM-type companies on the Internet scams? No, they aren’t. There are numerous perfectly legitimate affiliate programs that use similar models. Some of these programs do make money for the hard working affiliate and are operated in a professional and ethical way. The operative word is some.

If you are contemplating this route you would be well advised to do your research. Join some of the many Internet Marketing forums and ask other people. Check the scam monitoring sites available on the Internet. If all else fails, ask an attorney.

But as a basic guideline, the formula is simple. If the primary focus of a particular program you are contemplating seems more focused on recruitment than sales (especially when there appears to be no actual product), and the claims of instant riches sound too good to be true, I would suggest you run for the hills. Once the program has reached its point of diminishing returns, the program owner will fold the tent and you will be left holding the (empty) bag. And for these reasons, we prohibit any kind of MLM activity on our network. Buyer beware.

/by

Final Fantasy XV: Episode Duscae – Our Thoughts

, , , , , , ,

It’s finally out… the demo of Final Fantasy XV, aptly called Episode Duscae. Many have been waiting for the release of this demo, bundled exclusively with Final Fantasy Type-0. While we’ve played EVERY Final Fantasy demo (and game) that’s ever been on the market, we can’t help but notice that the demo of the fifteenth iteration of Square-Enix’s headliner …lacks. We’d really like to focus on what we didn’t like about this game.

1) The music. The music, to us, is disappointing. We’ve attended Distant Worlds and we’ve met Uematsu… Disappointing. Yes, we know that Uematsu is not doing the music officially anymore. But, the branded music that we’ve all come to know, such as the opening theme, the level up/XP screen and the game over screen are now represented with pillowy piano music and zero semblance of their very well known ancestors. We’re reminding ourselves again, this is the demo so maybe it will be different at actual launch (whenever that may be…). As is, no bueno if they’re not going to play the right music — let alone the right THEMED music — for the right scenes to their core fanbase. We don’t care if you make an improv version of the Opening Sequence/Prelude. Just make it the actual Prelude and not fluff.

2) The environment. SquareEnix has had PLENTY of time to get zone creation right. If you’re avid fans of the series like we are, you know about Final Fantasy XIV and 1.0’s copy/paste failure. Lots of us were disappointed to find that we couldn’t go pet the huge thing in the lake because there was an apparent zone line restricting us from going farther. Or the fact that some of these boulders became absurdly similar as we started running around. No real place to hide or climb. Perhaps they will put a jump accessory in the game. And perhaps SquareEnix will actually use the knowledge they’ve learned from FFXII and FFXIV to make a truly open-world, Non-MMO, offline game again. There were some things that we really liked, but this article is about what we didn’t like.

3) The narrative. We felt disconnected with the story they were trying to tell. We’re not all Japanese-esq twinks who have a kingdom to inherit (see the game for reference of Noctis being a prince). At least in the Final Fantasy VIII Demo, there was an apparent story to connect to with a sense of urgency and understanding. We did not feel compelled to go fix a car, instead that very purpose of playing gave me more of a reason to want to go explore.

4) These supposed hints at “something coming soon.” The ending of the demo says so. Please: kill me now. Also, this. Are we supposed to be happy they’re going to put the summons they should put in any Final Fantasy into the game? Are we supposed to be happy they’re going to respect their beginnings of the series? Are we supposed to be happy that it’s apparently a big deal for SquareEnix to do right by the series and provide an experience that satisfies new AND old gamers? No. No, We’re not supposed to be happy because we EXPECT this already — otherwise, it’s not really a Final Fantasy game and only another X-plus-Z:A5C weird numbering story of Final Fantasy that we never wanted to really play.

5) The (seemingly) pointless item collection. We’re sure that picking the items up had something as a reward — and it would be unsurprising if there was not any reward — but the only thing we truly HAD to pick up was the Behemoth Horn. Anything beyond that was, we guess, for Potions and Antidotes to be restocked with.

What we’ve seen with all of the fanfare and social media hype, and based off of our own experience, the demo is truly not that promising. Right now, this is a rental title and not a midnight launch title. But, let’s be fair. It’s just a demo and the main title is only 60% completed. We’ll see…

Noctis_Broods

/by
OK Bicycle Shop Mobile Alabama Dauphin Street

OK Bicycle Shop – 661 Dauphin St, Mobile, AL 36602

,

On any given day that you happen to be in downtown Mobile, Alabama and have a craving for beer, sushi and/or tacos, the OK Bicycle Shop and Dauphin Street Taqueria should be your absolute first choice. This past Sunday, we decided to begin our reviews of Mobile, Alabama food at this lovely establishment. Since the OK Bicycle Shop is open every day from 11AM until 3AM (and serving food until at least 2AM), we were more than happy to grab a bite of Mexican and Japanese in the same sitting. I believe a recent episode of Louie called this a “Bang, Bang”, except here you can stay in the same restaurant. And yes, they sell bicycles (and deliver on them) too.

OK Bicycle Shop Sign
We’re sure the OK Bicycle Shop has some awesome beers (16 on tap) and margaritas (7 different house made ones to be exact), but this visit we were here strictly for the food. We started out with Chips & Queso Fundido but decided to mix it up a bit and go half-and-half on the dip and add the Salsa Chipotle. Ask your server and they’ll be more than happy to do this. The appetizer alone is extremely filling and probably great with an IPA. This queso with a kick is a melted white cheese with chorizo, roasted red peppers and onions. We noted it as warm and creamy with a twist. The Salsa Chipotle was the perfect amount of sweet and heat. Visually the dish we were served looked like it would be hot, but it is served cold. It had the perfect balance of spice with the heat just tickling the back of the throat.

Sampling an appetizer from the Liquid Lounge side, we decided to have the Calamari Salad – which is marinated squid with herbs. Out of all of the dishes we ate in this sitting, this was the only one we knew that could be easily replicated elsewhere. A very sizable amount of food compared to other sushi restaurants though. Served cold.

Beef, Pork and Mushroom Tacos
It didn’t take long to get our food and our drinks stayed full too. From the Dauphin Street Taqueria side, we ordered the Crispy Fish, the Beef, the Pork and the Mushroom Tacos. Each is an adventure for your mouth. The Mushroom Taco was tasty, but not spicy, mushrooms marinated and cooked perfectly. The pico combined with the goat cheese creates a smooth flavor. The Pork Taco, which is marinated in cumin and slow roasted topped with cabbage and pickled red onion, all we can say is “wow.” This was a flavor explosion of sweet, sour and tangy. The Beef Taco was probably our least favorite of the four we had as the salsa was a little overpowering and it made the taco a little watery. Visually, it wasn’t that appealing either. The Crispy Fish Taco on the other hand was excellent. It’s a masa-crusted white fish topped with avocado cream, cabbage and pico. The fry on the fish was perfect too – not greasy and just the right amount of batter.

Bayou Roll OK Liquid Lounge Sushi
We end our food journey at the OK Bicycle Shop with a dish from Liquid Lounge – the Bayou Roll. The Bayou is one of three tempura five-cut rolls and is listed as a Crawfish roll with cucumber, cream cheese and red curry sauce. This was the roll that brought us back. It has an extremely peculiar and addicting flavor along with a perfect tempura fry. Very creative and very tasty.

For under $50 plus a good tip, a Mexican/Japanese dining experience like this is a must-do if you’re in the area. If you visit in the evening, there’s a good chance you’ll be visiting when there’s some local musicians playing in the courtyard. Parking is available either in one of the many surrounding parking lots or on the street. Stop by and you won’t be disappointed.

Food Photos

Here are some photos we took of the delicious food from the Dauphin Street Taqueria and Liquid Lounge.

Calamari Salad
Calamari Salad
Chips, Queso and Salsa Chipotle
Chips, Queso and Salsa Chipotle
Bayou Roll OK Liquid Lounge Sushi
Bayou Roll OK Liquid Lounge Sushi
Crispy Fish Taco
Crispy Fish Taco
Beef, Pork and Mushroom Tacos
Beef, Pork and Mushroom Tacos

Menus

Provided below are menus from the OK Bicycle Shop, the Dauphin Street Taqueria and Liquid Lounge.

Liquid Lounge Sushi Menu
Liquid Lounge Sushi Menu
Liquid Lounge Sushi Menu
Liquid Lounge Sushi Menu
Dauphin Street Taqueria Menu
Dauphin Street Taqueria Menu
Dauphin Street Taqueria Menu
Dauphin Street Taqueria Menu
OK Bicycle Shop Beers Menu
OK Bicycle Shop Beers Menu
OK Bicycle Shop Beers Menu
OK Bicycle Shop Beers Menu

Overall Score

We give this visit an overall 8.5/10 score. The OK Bicycle Shop is a “must visit again.”

The Plug

Looking for a review of your restaurant or venue? Look no further. We also make websites, do online event promotion and social media for restaurants. Contact us and we’ll make arrangements to stop by.

{ “@context”: “http://schema.org”,
“@type”: “Product”,
“name”: “OK Bicycle Shop”,
“aggregateRating”:
{“@type”: “AggregateRating”,
“ratingValue”: “4.5”,
“reviewCount”: “15”
}
}

/by

SONY CES Press Conference 2013 Coverage Overview #SONYCES

, , , , , ,

Sony Logo - CES 2013Coverage notes of the Sony 2013 coverage of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

Sony Xperia Z and ZL. Xperia Z has full HD 5inch screen & is powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 for brilliant colors, contrasts, sharpness. Xperia Z has a 13 MP camera w/ Exmor RS, world’s 1st image sensor w/ HDR video for smartphones. Sony COO Phil Molyneux said “It has the sharpest & brightest full HD screen that Sony has ever brought to a smartphone.”

Mr. Molyneux stated, “You can use your Xperia Z anywhere whether it’s blogging in a bathtub or downloading in a downpour.”

Sony presented the Sony One Touch System – SRS-BTV5, a BlueTooth and wireless speaker system.

Displaying later the Sony Bravia 84″ 4k TV with Triluminos Display and the Sony Generation X Headphones. New 4K TVs will feature magnetic fluid speakers for awesome sound as well as 4K X Reality Pro upscaling technology. Sony will introduce the world’s 1st to-the-home service will allow owners of our 4K TVs to download native 4K movies created by Sony Pictures and others. Later this summer, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment w/ Sony Pictures Colorworks is working to release a 4K lineup of Blu-rays of existing films this spring.

The brand new Cyber-shot WX80 is Wi-Fi enabled. Send pics to your phone to be shared on your social networks!

“Be Moved” was a central theme throughout the press conference and many loved the visuals.

Stay tuned. We’ll post more information as it comes available!

/by

ECA Chapters Holds Local Food Drive Supporting Local Food Banks For Holidays

, , , ,

ECA LogoThe Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA) has announced that this year that chapters throughout the United States and Canada will be the participating in “Gamers for Giving” as a way to team up with food banks and help put a stop to hunger.

We have two pieces of news to release on the ECA food drive initiative. First up is from Josh Hughes, Zookey of Team KAIZEN, regarding their local ECA chapter’s support in Great Falls, Montana. This particular chapter of the ECA is focused on representing themselves as an Indie Game Developer Chapter.

Hello everyone! As some of you know, Team KAIZEN and Add-A-Tudez have teamed up with the Entertainment Consumers Association (www.theeca.com) to make an Indie Game Developer Chapter. The ECA is basically AAA or AARP for gamers, members get discounts at a bunch of places and the ECA keeps members up to date on legal and social issues that could affect gaming. Earlier this year, Trevor and I went to Washington DC with the ECA to have sit down sessions withseveral members of Congress (including the staff of Senator Jon Tester) to discuss how policy affects gaming. The focus of the Indie Chapter (which is an internet wide group based out of Great Falls) is centered around 3 pillars:

A) Support Game Entrepreneurship and show people how to make games and break into the industry.
B) Show how video games can be a pathway to active citizenship both through charity work and civil engagement (like when we went to Washington DC).
C) Support initiatives to get game design in the classroom (like the work we do with Great Falls Public Schools and LittleBigPlanet Club).

In the spirit of option B there we are pleased to announce our support of the ECA-wide food drive! All ECA chapters are currently collecting food for their local food banks to help those who need the most during the holiday season. If you’d like to help out and have your donation attributed to the Indie Chapter, simply donate food to your local food bank and report back to me on it! If you’re in the Great Falls area and want to jam out while donating, we’re teaming up with the 406 Club to have a Great Falls Food Bank collection bin at the Freaker’s Ball this Saturday, October 27th. Please swing by, drop off some donations and rock out with us to a huge list of regional rock banks from the Helligans to Switch Off Safety and Hell City Kitty to M-79!

Below is the press release from the ECA regarding the food drive, if you have more questions about the drive, the ECA or the Indie Chapter please let me know!

Second, the official press release from ECA Vice President of Marketing, Heather Ellertson, is as follows:

WILTON, CT – October 23, 2012 – The Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA), the membership organization which represents gamers, today announced that chapters are lending their support and providing food drive in locations all across the US and Canada where the respective chapters are located. The ECA is asking its members and the gaming community to help support this mission and get involved. You can join a chapter or (form one if there isn’t already one in your area) by visiting http://www.theeca.com.

“We look for ways in which to help communities in need.” said Heather Ellertson, ECA Vice President of Marketing. “Our chapters are a great way for gamers to get involved in the gaming community and to partake in activities with others who share similar interests. They each have their own activities and events that they do, such as game nights or membership drives. They help drive ECA campaigns, and are used for focus groups and beta testing. We are pleased that our chapters, will be the driving force behind this years “Gamers for Giving” food drive.”

About The ECA

The ECA is the membership organization which represents consumers of interactive entertainment in the US and Canada. The association was founded to give gamers a collective voice with which to communicate their concerns, address their issues and focus their advocacy efforts. As such, the ECA is committed to a host of public policy efforts, empowering and enabling the membership to effect change. Additionally, the organization provides members substantial affinity benefits including discounts on games-related purchases and rentals, as well as community and educational initiatives. For additional information on the ECA, including affinity benefits, member discounts and joining the association, please visit: www.theECA.com

ECA Media Contact:

Heather Ellertson
Public Relations
(203) 761-6186
heather@theeca.com

We hope that you’ll support your local food bank along with everyone else during “Gamers for Giving”.

/by

PlayStation Mobile Launches Today

, , , ,

The PlayStation Mobile platform launches today. Here’s the official scoop from Sony:

PlayStation Mobile Header

As you may remember from our previous post about PlayStation Mobile, PlayStation’s brand new mobile games platform for select mobile devices has been in the works, and you can try it out yourselves starting today! PlayStation Mobile allows you to get PlayStation-like experiences on a variety of platforms such as PS Vita and PlayStation Certified devices such as select Android phones and a variety of tablets. Downloading content, including games, on PlayStation Mobile is easy for gamers with a SEN account. Simply use your PSN Wallet to purchase PlayStation Mobile content.

PlayStation Mobile: Super Crate Box

While we’ll be constantly expanding our content offerings for the platform, we’re excited for you to check out our initial line-up of launch titles, including Loot The Land, Beats Slider, and Super Crate Box. Let us know which titles are your favorites.

For PS Vita users, as long as you have Internet access, you can use your PSN Wallet to download the full range of PlayStation Mobile content. Simply visit the PlayStation Mobile section within the PlayStation Store on PS Vita and take your pick from the list of available titles. If you purchased PlayStation Mobile content on another PlayStation Certified device, go to [Options] > [Download List] to select the title and download it directly to your PS Vita. With PlayStation Mobile, PS Vita owners are getting yet another way to access PlayStation content on the go!

PlayStation Mobile: Loot the LandPlayStation Mobile: BeatsSlider

For owners of select PlayStation Certified Sony smartphones and tablets powered by Android, you can find instructions to access PlayStation Mobile content here.

Here at PlayStation, we’re always looking for ways to improve your PlayStation gaming experiences, and we can’t wait for you to get up and running on PlayStation Mobile so we can hear your feedback. Be sure to check out PlayStation Mobile starting today, and let us know what you think in the comments and in the official PlayStation community forums.

/by

Sony PlayStation Vita Support for PSOne Classics is Live

, , , , , ,

The PlayStation Vita, the successor to the PlayStation Portable, has released firmware version 1.80 which allows PSOne Classics to be played on the device. The list from SCEA shows the following games to be playable once the PlayStation Network Store updates:

  • Arc the Lad
  • Cool Boarders 2
  • FINAL FANTASY VII
  • Hot Shots Golf 2
  • Jet Moto
  • Syphon Filter
  • Tomb Raider
  • Twisted Metal 2
  • Wild Arms

Sony PlayStation VIta 1.80 Firmware Update

So we’ve been waiting on this for 6 months now. The really unfortunate news is that despite the compatibility of this short list of games for North American (SCEA) players, the list of games for European players, SCEE, is exponentially longer. Here it is and what you can expect, at least, in the future:

Cool Boarders SCEE
Cool Boarders 2 SCEE
Crash Bandicoot SCEE
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back SCEE
Crash Bandicoot 3 Warped SCEE
CTR: Crash Team Racing SCEE
Destruction Derby SCEE
Everybody’s Golf 2 SCEE
G-Police SCEE
Jet Rider SCEE
Jet Rider 2 SCEE
Jumping Flash SCEE
Kula World SCEE
Kurushi Final SCEE
MediEvil SCEE
Motor Toon Grand Prix 2 SCEE
Rally Cross SCEE
Syphon Filter SCEE
Syphon Filter 3 SCEE
Twisted Metal SCEE
Wild Arms SCEE
WipEout SCEE
40 Wink ATARI EUROPE S.A.S.U.
A Bug’s Life DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, INC.
A Bugs Life and Monsters Inc bundle DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, INC.
Abe’s Exoddus ODDMOBB INC
Abe’s Oddworld Oddysee ODDMOBB INC
Airboat XS GAMES LIMITED
All-Star Boxing MIDAS INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LTD
Arc Arena: Monster Tournament MONKEY PAW GAMES INC.
Arc the Lad MONKEY PAW GAMES INC.
Arc the Lad II MONKEY PAW GAMES INC.
Arc the Lad III MONKEY PAW GAMES INC.
Arcade Hits: Shienryu MONKEY PAW GAMES INC.
Arcade Hits: Sonic Wings Special MONKEY PAW GAMES INC.
Atari Anniversary Edition ATARI EUROPE S.A.S.U.
Atlantis DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, INC.
Atlantis and Hercules Bundle DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, INC.
Bishi Bashi Special KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT GMBH
Blockids MONKEY PAW GAMES INC.
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain SQUARE ENIX LIMITED
Bugriders ATARI EUROPE S.A.S.U.
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, INC.
Centipede ATARI EUROPE S.A.S.U.
Cho Aniki MONKEY PAW GAMES INC.
Constructor SYSTEM 3 SOFTWARE
Critical Depth ATARI EUROPE S.A.S.U.
Dezaemon Plus MONKEY PAW GAMES INC.
Disney’s Action Game ft. Hercules DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, INC.
Dodgeball MIDAS INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LTD
Driver UBISOFT ENTERTAINMENT SA
Eagle One: Harrier Attack ATARI EUROPE S.A.S.U.
Fear Effect SQUARE ENIX LIMITED
Fear Effect: Retro Helix SQUARE ENIX LIMITED
Fighting Force SQUARE ENIX LIMITED
Fighting Force 2 SQUARE ENIX LIMITED
Final Fantasy VIII SQUARE ENIX (2009) LIMITED
Final Fantasy IX SQUARE ENIX (2009) LIMITED
Final Fantasy V SQUARE ENIX (2009) LIMITED
Final Fantasy VI SQUARE ENIX (2009) LIMITED
Final Fantasy VII SQUARE ENIX (2009) LIMITED
Front Mission 3 SQUARE ENIX (2009) LIMITED
Gaiaseed MONKEY PAW GAMES INC.
Galaxy Fight MONKEY PAW GAMES INC.
Gex SQUARE ENIX LIMITED
Gex 3: Deep Under Cover SQUARE ENIX LIMITED
Gex 3D: Enter the Gecko SQUARE ENIX LIMITED
Grandia GAME ARTS CO., LTD.
Gubble MIDAS INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LTD
Guilty Gear SYSTEM 3 SOFTWARE
Gunship ATARI EUROPE S.A.S.U.
Hardcore 4X4 URBANSCAN LIMITED
International Track & Field KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT GMBH
Jigsaw Madness XS GAMES LIMITED
Judge Dredd URBANSCAN LIMITED
Junior League Soccer PS1 XS GAMES LIMITED
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver SQUARE ENIX LIMITED
Lilo & Stitch DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, INC.
Little Mermaid 2 DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, INC.
Little Mermaid 2 and Winnie The Pooh bundle DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, INC.
Metal Gear Solid KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT GMBH
Mickey’s Wild Adventure DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, INC.
Miracle Quad Racer MIDAS INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LTD
Miracle Space Race MIDAS INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LTD
Missile Command ATARI EUROPE S.A.S.U.
Monsters Inc DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, INC.
Motorhead URBANSCAN LIMITED
N20 URBANSCAN LIMITED
Namco Heritage bundle NAMCO BANDAI GAMES EUROPE S.A.S.
Pandemonium SQUARE ENIX LIMITED
Pandemonium 2 SQUARE ENIX LIMITED
Parasite Eve 2 SQUARE ENIX (2009) LIMITED
Peter Pan DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, INC.
Pong ATARI EUROPE S.A.S.U.
Pooh’s Party Game DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, INC.
Rageball MIDAS INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LTD
Rainbow Six UBISOFT ENTERTAINMENT SA
Rascal Racers MIDAS INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LTD
Rayman UBISOFT ENTERTAINMENT SA
Rayman 2: The Great Escape UBISOFT ENTERTAINMENT SA
Reel Fishing NATSUME INC.
Re-loaded URBANSCAN LIMITED
Resident Evil 2 CE EUROPE LIMITED
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis CE EUROPE LIMITED
Resident Evil: Director’s Cut CE EUROPE LIMITED
Ridge Racer Type 4 NAMCO BANDAI GAMES EUROPE S.A.S.
Sheep EMPIRE INTERACTIVE EUROPE LTD
Silent Hill KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT GMBH
Snowboard Racer MIDAS INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LTD
Sorcerer’s Maze XS GAMES LIMITED
Spin Jam EMPIRE INTERACTIVE EUROPE LTD
Sports Superbike MIDAS INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LTD
Streak ATARI EUROPE S.A.S.U.
Street Fighter 2 Alpha CE EUROPE LIMITED
Super Star Dance Club XS GAMES LIMITED
Tarzan DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, INC.
Tekken NAMCO BANDAI GAMES EUROPE S.A.S.
Tekken 2 NAMCO BANDAI GAMES EUROPE S.A.S.
Tomb Raider SQUARE ENIX LIMITED
Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation SQUARE ENIX LIMITED
Tomb Raider Chronicles SQUARE ENIX LIMITED
Tomb Raider 2 SQUARE ENIX LIMITED
Tomb Raider 3 SQUARE ENIX LIMITED
Toy Story 2 DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, INC.
Toy Story Racer DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, INC.
Toy Story Racer and Toy Story 2: Woody and Buzz bundle DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, INC.
Vagrant Story SQUARE ENIX (2009) LIMITED
Alundra MONKEY PAW GAMES INC.
Urban Chaos SQUARE ENIX LIMITED

The lineup for SCEE is quite nice and includes a majority of Square Enix Limited Final Fantasy games, including Final Fantasy VII. We’ve tested it out personally on games we’ve copied on to our PS3 before the PlayStation Store update and see the ability via Content Manager to copy many games on the list as well as games not on the list. We’ll keep you posted via Twitter @TurkReno.
20120828-091002.jpg
Personal thanks goes out to @Eramo88 for letting us know as soon as the update was live.

/by

Pinterest iOS Update 2.0 – Now iPad Capable

, , , , , ,

Pinterest Logo ipad release

Pinterest, a very interesting way to share images and small thoughts with those images, today released an iPad capable app. Prior to this, only the iPhone version upscaled was viewable to iPad users. The improvement, although terribly overdue, is a tremendous step in the right direction. We logged in and took some screenshots of the new interface.

TurkReno Pinterest Profile

The crispness of the retina display for the newest version of the iPad really stands out. Worth taking a look on older iPads as well.

IMG 0211

If you’re looking for the link to the iTunes store to update your iPad, go here. Enjoy and happy Pinning!

/by