I’m always willing to help other vendors, especially new ones, get the word about their products and services. I also like to get the word out on new initiatives that existing vendors want to announce to the industry. But I’m super busy, so I don’t always get to all the requests I get. So I thought I would lay out a few guidelines that will give you a better shot of me posting something about you.

1. If its a press release please give me a link to where the press release is on your site (preferably) or somewhere on the internet. I hate not having somewhere for a reader to go, while reading my comments, to read your news. This is probably the number one reason I won’t post your story.

2. If you want me to include an image, please send it to me 550 px wide.

3. Also, if I get the news before anyone else than I’m 100% more likely to post.

One other pro tip. I know many companies like to make announcements around bigger events (NAR Annual, Midyear, Inman Connect, CMLS Conference, etc.) I can tell you from looking at the numbers that my site traffic goes WAY down DURING these events. So it might be best to announce your news a week before the event (if you can). I’m also open to “leaking” the news before the official press release/news comes out during the event.

This has been a public service announcement from the publisher of Vendor Alley.

Did you know that you can get all Vendor Alley post delivered right to your inbox?

Here’s how:

Just scroll down on this page. On the right hand side of the page, just after the Blog Roll, you’ll see this.

You’re welcome.

I love my BOSE QuietComfort® 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® headphones, especially on log plane flights, but they eat AAA batteries like a motherf*cker. Usually it’s because I forget to turn them off. So I got accustom to carrying a lot of AAA batteries in my laptop bag. I carried them loose in an outside pocket in my bag and they were always hard to find. Not any longer.

Storacell by Powerpax Slim Line “AAA” Battery Caddy

This holds 6 AAA batteries. It’s also orange so its easy to find in my bag.

You’re welcome.

#ProTip

Have you ever gone to the airport put your laptop bag/backpack through the x-ray scanner and then the TSA agent says they need to search your bag? And at that exact moment you forgot about the pocket knife you had in your bag? Of course, they find the knife, then ask if you want to take it back to your car or they will confiscate it.

That happen to me a couple times, and I never had enough time to go back to my car so I end up losing a pocket knife I spent $30 to $40 dollars on.

Not anymore.

On an iPhone you can set reminders that are geo-fenced. Meaning “Hey Siri, remind me to buy milk when I leave the office.” These reminders are set on location, not a time or date.

So here’s how you solve your knife problem:

“Hey Siri, remind me to look in my bag at John Wayne Airport”.

Problem solved.

And yes I understand that many of you will substitute the word “weed” for “knife”. You’re welcome too.

Presenting your mobile app to a large audience is a pain. There are apps out there that can mirror your device (I’ve tried most of them) but they are a pain to setup and not that reliable.

I feel a little stupid for not knowing this but if you’re an iPhone user using a Mac here’s a simple solution, via David Pogue. And apparantley its been a feature on OSX Yosemite since last year!

Cool! See Your iPhone’s Screen on Your Mac

“Here’s how to do it: Connect the iPhone or iPad (with its white USB cable) to the Mac. On the Mac, open QuickTime Player. From the File menu, choose New Movie Recording. And then, from the pop-up menu next to the Record button, choose the iPhone’s name (or the iPad’s). The phone/tablet’s image appears in the QuickTime Player window, nice and big.”

This cable would be a help too: Anker Lightning to USB Cable 6ft

Nice side benefit is that you can record the screen for simple how to videos.

A good friend of mine, Stacey Harmon, has put together a new Evernote course. She’s top notch. Information is below:

Untethered with Evernote: That Master Class
Announcing a new course designed for small business owners and self employed people who are looking for greater efficiency and sense of control in their business. Stacey Harmon and Kristi Willis – co-authors of Untethered with Evernote are teaching a 6 week live webinar, small group coaching class designed to get business owners Evernote savvy and their business efficient. They will cover easy-to-implement Evernote strategies that will yield a greater sense of ease and control over your business and give you more time to do what you love! It is an outstanding opportunity get true expert coaching at an amazing price. Click here to learn more and register.

The entire software world would do well to think in terms of “complications” not “features”.

— John Gruber (@gruber) April 21, 2015

Via @gruber