Category: Social Media

Which flip camera should I buy? – the update for 2012

A couple of years ago I wrote what turned out to be an often visited post answering  the question: “which flip camera should I buy“.

Things have moved on a good bit since then (mainly that new owners Cisco decided to discontinue the flip) so I just want to update it really.

My thinking on the best kit for social reporting is very simple:

  1. Speed counts more than quality – so shoot in standard definition not hi definition – it uploads faster.
  2. Decent sound often counts for much more than decent pictures.
  3. If you are using a stand alone video camera simplicity matters.
  4. The most sensible thing to use is what you are most likely to have to hand.

So:

zoom camrea hd
Zoom Q3HD

Buy the ZoomQ3HD – Hi Definition Nick you say?  Yes – but don’t use it that way –  change the video setting from high definition to standard definition. You get a good widescreen image. Prices have come down quite a bit over the last year or so – so you wont regret buying this one. It comes with great sound so also works as a fantastic audio only recorder.  Do not buy the ZoomQ2HD – Why?  Because it doesn’t come with a built in usb – and that means you’ll have lost the cabel just when you need it.

or

Alternatively: if you can find a standard definition Flip (ideally Mino but any) then buy it – it will probably be second hand but is small, widescreen (which tends to look the part) and very simple to use – keep it in your pocket or bag.

or

Use a smartphone – currently the iphone 4 onwards does  a great job, and we’ve been tinkering with the Samsung Galaxy SIII – for audio use audioboo to capture.

or

Your ipad – that can be a fab social reporting tool.  But take to get good sound – you’ll will probably need to hold your ipad or phone closer than feels comfortable for decent sound.

Good luck.

 

Different ways to encourage people to blog and use social media – or why Jane Slowey does her homework.

We have been working with the Foyer Federation, helping them make better use of social media to tell their story and also capture the effect their work has on the ground.  They’re concentrating on building a network to develop and support the approaches they call Open Talent – and Advantaged Thinking  (emphasising the assets and qualities in people and communities).

The works means staff sharing more of what they are learning, experienceing, finding and thinking – but online in public.

Jane Slowey of the foyer federation
Jane Slowey

One of the problems we often have to try and solve is how to give people incentives to do something that can seem un-natural even risky.  Normally we’ll aim to provide reassurance within the management structure and make it fun to do – turn what could be a chore into something that’s an enjoyable port of the work.

Oddly though Jane Slowey – chief exec at the Foyer Federation – is motivated by something else altogether – something deep in her personality … listen to this audioboo to understand more

listen to ‘Jane Slowey on social media and homework ’ on Audioboo

Jane’s own audioboo’s can be found here: http://audioboo.fm/JaneSlowey

John Popham on Our Digital Planet – a brilliant morning in Bristol

More from John Popham (first blogged here) on his work in Bristol on digital literacy through us and the wonderful Nominet Trust’s Our Digital planet tour…

Ron

This morning has made the whole Our Digital Planet experience worthwhile for me. The first customer into the unit was Ron, who happily told us he was 84 and had on interest in the internet at all. But he was interested in photography, and had been looking at some of the photos in the exhibition. So, Rachael from Nominet Trust took him on a tour of the images. Ron came back into the Internet Station enthusing about the big image of old Bristol on the side of the unit, and reminiscing about the trams in Croydon where he used to live. So, Rachael showed him some online images of Croydon trams. Ron was pretty amazed about how easy it was to find such things, and, within minutes he was asking us to look for some pictures of himself dancing in a nightclub, which he had been told were on Facebook. We didn’t manage to find them. but we did find images of some of the places where he was due to go on holiday and trip advisor ratings for them, which he found fascinating. Ron’s a photographer and a painter, and, when he realised that he could upload photos and images of his paintings, he left bubbling with enthusiasm and promising to come back.

This experience fills me with the kind of “Social Glow” that we experience from Social Media Surgeries.

Helping Birmingham Leadership Foundation use social media

Video by Punk Zebra for BLFLeaders

Birmingham Leadership Foundation helps new and aspiring leaders to emerge. They connect emerging leaders with established leaders to help them learn from each other’s experience.

They organise networking events, training and connect existing leadership development projects to encourage the next generation of leaders in Birmingham to develop – leaders who reflect the city’s demography. These could be:

  • A young person aged 16–30 with the ideas, ambition and spark to make an improvement to the lives of others in their local community.
  • A person who is proactive in their community.
  • A chief executive or senior manager of a private company or public sector organisation who wants to work with, and support, the local community but lacks the know how and contacts.

Nick and I ran a social media surgery at the Foundation’s first Monday Masterclass last month. We’ll be working with the young leaders at the upcoming Masterclasses, sharing social media skills to help them get out there, network, collaborate and make things happen.

We’re also helping the Foundation team with their social media strategy and to further develop their own social media skills.