This holiday shopping season, I’m going to be working with Staples to help you pick the best holiday tech gifts! In the coming weeks, you’re going to see some great content from us but I can’t spoil too much of it, so today I’m just bringing you an exciting announcement:
Starting today, Staples is accepting pre-orders for a variety of Windows 8 devices, including slates, tablets, touchscreen laptops and more.
While Windows 8 devices aren’t in stores quite yet, by pre-ordering one today you can be sure to be one of the first people to bring home one of these exciting new devices. The Windows 8 interface, seen to the right, is a radical change to the operating system from Microsoft, and as these devices start to hit store shelves in the next few weeks you’ll get a chance to see (and to touch!) what Microsoft has been cooking up since Windows 7 launched in 2009.
With the “8 Was Easy” program from Staples, they’re making it super simple to get up and running with your new PC from day one. With any computer purchase of $699 or more, Staples will move all of the data from your old desktop, laptop, or external hard drive to your new computer. Or, you can get that same service for just $69.99 for a computer under $699.
Staples is also offering free personalized training with a Microsoft certified advisor to make sure you learn everything about the new operating system. They’ll show you how to navigate the new interface, set up your tiles on your Start screen to get a personalized Windows 8 experience, walk you through the new Windows App Store, and show you how to get your files into Skydrive, Microsoft’s cloud storage system that will help you backup your documents and access them from anywhere.
And what if you have more questions down the line? Staples will be providing free support to help you with any problem you have moving to Windows 8. They’re got a toll free number you can call 12 hours a day during the week to answer your questions, and they’ll be running that service through the end of January.
But what if you need a machine right now, and want to upgrade to Windows 8 when it’s launched later this month? Staples has a great solution for that too.
The Windows 8 upgrade offer from Staples is a great value if you need a machine right now. First up, you can get the Windows 8 upgrade when it’s available for just $15 from Microsoft by registering your purchase at windowsupgradeoffer.com. Then, you can get a $15 pre-paid Visa gift card back from Staples by registering at stapleswindowsoffer.com. Finally, you get online training and free phone support from Staples so you’ll be covered if you run into any problems migrating to the new OS. So you’re practically getting Windows 8 for free, plus free tech support. It’s a win-win.
When we attended the 
The pairing of AT&T and the flagship Windows 8 phone isn’t too much of a surprise. AT&T carried the original Lumia 900, the previous Windows Phone 7 flagship device, and as the press materials note, “The unrivaled leader in Windows Phones, AT&T has sold more Windows Phones than any other carrier.”
With media outlets showing live tweets on-screen during the debates last night, the social media response to the event was huge. While the issues were discussed and tempers flared, the biggest reaction online wasn’t about either candidate. It was about Big Bird.
This past year, Facebook growth in Japan exploded, with a 507% increase in users. That by far is the biggest percentage growth, though other countries have continued to expand their Facebook usage as of late. Three of the top 20 counties doubled their numbers of Facebook users in the past year, including Brazil (which is now #2, behind the US, in total number of users), Thailand, and Egypt. India saw nearly 50% growth, though it dropped to #3, bringing its numbers up to 56 millons Facebook accounts. 
There have been some cool additions to Facebook recently that are worth pointing out. The first is that people in the US can now take advantage of a feature that brands and businesses have had for a while: promoted posts. Facebook is currently testing 
At the Blogalicious conference in Las Vegas this past weekend, I had the pleasure of presenting on the topic of turning your passion into a business. In the interest of trying to get my message to as many people as possible, I’m sharing those slides here for you to peruse.
It wasn’t an easy ride to where I am know, which is to say able to pay the bills running a website and producing content for the web and television. In fact, it took years of struggle—at one point, I had was juggling a negative checking account balance with the responsibilities of raising a family!
Maybe blogging or producing web videos is your second, unpaid job right now. Something you handle outside of normal work hours, on your own time. But if you can focusing on turning yourself into a media company, making the right deals, working with the right partners, and always struggling to produce the best content you can, someday you too will find a way to turn your passion into a business.
