How Google Integrates Services

“Android Market” really wasn’t the best name for the media hub that, well, the Android Market became.  Plus Google needs a more integrated, non-exclusive approach to media, so meet . . .

Google Play.

It’s a hub approach for media, just like, well, everyone.  Smart branding move though, and it shows just how serious Google is about the competition.  My only concern is Google may be overdoing the new stuff and there could be some exhaustion/confusion.

Steven Savage

Ask A Progeek: Salary requests?

So man, we keep getting questions – I’d call this idea a success.  So what’s next?

“A lot of these application forms insist you give them a salary expectation.  I was always told not to get into specifics about money until the end of the interview.  I was also always told never to leave anything blank in the application (also, the computerized ones count it as a required field).  So, should I talk about salary during the application or not?  And if not, how do I get around it until it’s time?”

Frankly, unless it’s a low-level job that’s going to pay low/minimum, everyone talks salary.  The key is to know HOW.

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Focused Fandom Countdown: 7 Weeks To Go

Thank goodness, the next Focused Fandom Book, “Focused Fandom: Fanart, Fanartists And Careers” is off to my editor.  It’s a huge relief.

First of all, the book got smaller – I tend to write in an include-everything manner then pare down/build up.  Usually starting with the “build up” side and paring down later.  In this case a few subsections were merged or discarded, and one potential extra Appendix was eliminated since it wasn’t needed.

The Edge section is looking good, and I think it’ll provoke thoughts and help you see fanart in a different way.

The Career section is pretty basic, but I think I included some valuable extra detail and thoughts to help people out.  Artists have such varied and potential careers finding the balance between too much (and thus distraction) and not enough (and thus being incomplete) was hard.

The To-Do section is actually deeper than I expected – there’s a lot of “Must-Do’s” for artistic careers, and the psychological ones seem to be the real important issues.

The book is looking good so far, and I think you’ll be pleased – and of course, when it comes out mid-April or so, I’ll hope you can help tell everyone.

Steven Savage