Odysen Tour Plans Solutions Blog Support Login

Planning for a Remote Trip or Getaway, Such as Alaska…

While not necessarily a frequent occurrence, every once in awhile it’s nice to be able to get away for a bit of an extended trip.  Maybe a little longer than a few days, as well as to a place a little different than what you’re used to.  This could be your dream vacation or just something you try to make time for every few years or an annual summer road journey.

This can be helpful in lots of ways.  Taking in fresh air, different smells, sights and sounds, meeting different people, learning all types of news things.  Your mind is open and since you’re on vacation, you can really embrace some of the new experiences, living the moment as it were, with an unfortunate result being next thing you know it’s time to return.  That said, you’re refreshed and maybe even eager to get back to your regular activities and able to share some of your new perspectives with others.

Regardless, in planning for the trip, it can be helpful to try to do a little research, attempt to get organized to some degree.   While winging it has attractive elements of its own, sometimes when you return you find out about something significant that was right under your nose, if only you were aware.  Then again, that also provides a perfect excuse to start making plans for a return trip!

To help get things organized, especially if planning the trip with a few others, you can use a private network such as with Odysen.  Here’s an example for such a trip to Alaska, a popular destination for travelers worldwide looking for scenery usually reserved for the movies.

Planning a Trip on an Odysen Network

You can initiate this by simply creating a new folder named after the destination you’re planning for, such as Alaska.  While creating the folder, you can also share it with others in your network that are planning to go.  Once the folder is created, you or others the folder is shared with can add content to any of the applications, below are a few examples.

Websites:  Build a list of websites appropriate for your trip that you can quickly go back to for reference.  Some examples:

  • Maps and Places to Go:  An interactive map with ~25 locations to learn more about.  Also get an overview of the different regions, cities and towns.
  • Homer Alaska:  The official city site, helpful to find local attractions and upcoming events.
  • Seward:  Another city site including videos, activities and events.
  • Alaska Anglers Fishing Report:  Get updates on what’s biting and where from across the Kenai region and other areas.   Helpful for information as well as a pretty good story now and then if having an itch for a new fishing tale, call it a case of Herman Melvillitis.
  • Alaska Webcams:  Take a look at some of the conditions happening at the moment.

News: Stay informed of any changes as your departure date approaches.  Add different blog RSS feeds or specific keywords for a general news search.

  • Alaska Tour and Travel:  A blog providing tips and suggestions of places to go and see,  a helpful resource for just starting to look around.
  • Alaska Photography:  Updated photos from a local professional, including waterfalls, moose, Alaska railroad and others.
  • Cabin Fever in Alaska:  Get a day in the life perspective from a local artist living in a cozy cabin next to a lake, with occasional trips to Costa Rica.

Events:  Set up your itinerary, including any local holidays or festivals, such as the Summer Solstice festivals scattered everywhere, the Midnight Sun Marathon in June, the Alaska State Fair at the end of the summer, the Fairbanks Summer Arts festival, or the Seldovia Summer Music festival and many others if you have the patience to look around a bit.

Notes:  You can use the rich text editing options to make a short bullet-list of items needing to pack or plan for the trip.  Or during your trip, can add a few notes to capture the moment before it gets mixed up with the rest of your holiday.

Actions:  Helpful for more significant tasks needing to be done, such as getting passports updated or other items you need to purchase before departure.

Documents:  While on your trip you can upload new photos taken in the documents application.   Once uploaded, you can send an email notification to others back home, they can view and add comments to the photos while in slideshow mode.

Getting Started

Start with the free Spark plan to get the ball rolling, includes 1 GB of storage for potential photos as well as being able to add up to 10 other Basic users.   Basic users can add and share content within folders you’ve shared with them, but only the Administrator or other Advanced users can create or manage new folders.

If your network grows and you find yourself using for other activities, you can upgrade to larger plans as appropriate for your group.

Matt | Posted on | January 27, 2012 | No Comments

Category: Personal, Solutions
Tags: > > >

Eight Blogs to Help Your SEO Endeavors

You go through all the work of setting up and publishing a website, next step is how to get it noticed.  Besides adding your own unique and interesting content, there’s always lots of little tips or tricks of the trade that one can do to make a difference.   As you’re just getting started, seeing and learning from a few of the experts can be a big help.

Here are eight blogs to get started with:

  • search engine land:  Focused only on search and SEO perspectives, very active, +5 postings daily.
  • SEO by the Sea:  For those interested in the latest search patent and other changes happening under the hood.
  • Pure SEO Blog:  From the SEO services specialists, Pure SEO, with an additional Auckland, New Zealand perspective.

Using in an Odysen Network

If you’re a marketing professional, or if in a small business or freelancing and at least put on the marketing hat every once in a while, or daily, you can add these and other RSS feeds into the news reader of the appropriate folder.  Maybe the folder is called Marketing, or Website or just plain SEO.  Either way, to start adding your feeds, click the tab labeled News, followed by the “Create” button.

This way, you have an easy reference regardless of how frequently your using, maybe browse through over your first cup of coffee in the morning.  If you find and read an article that gives you a new idea, as you’re already in your Odysen network, you can just click on the appropriate application, jot it down to go back to later, and continue going through your feeds, updates and finishing your coffee.  Some examples of using a few of the other applications:

  • Notes:  This could be a note to write down a quick summary or outline of a tip or suggestion you learned about.
  • Actions:  Capturing an idea that you agree with, it applies to your website or blog and would like to get it down before forgetting about it.   When adding an action, you can also set the priority (1-10), owner, due date and other variables to help keep things properly organized.
  • Events:  If you find out about a conference, workshop, webcast or other activity on a specific date and time, you can add it to Events, maybe even set up an email alert if it’s something you need to prepare for.

You can also add new websites you find or share the folder with other users in your network.

Hopefully you’ll find some of these blogs useful with your SEO activities, feel free to add others that you think should be noted.

Matt | Posted on | January 26, 2012 | No Comments

Category: Businesses, Freelancing, Solutions
Tags: > > > > > >

Using a Private Network With a New Family Member

Whenever a new member of the family is introduced to the world, it’s like a big shiny new people magnet, drawing in all close family and friends that the child is and will continue to grow up with.

As the excitement for such an event will probably be a little different from others not as involved, sharing over a more private network can be a helpful way to stay in touch.  If not able to physically be there for every moment, at least can have a place to regularly touch based and get updates from, especially for those living in another state, country or time zone.

Here’s a few examples of how you can use an Odysen private network for such an occasion.

Setting up a Folder

To start with, you can create a new folder dedicated just for the new baby.  When you’re creating the folder, you can add others from your network to the folder at the same.   Once set up, you can send a quick email notification for the new folder letting them know the location for new baby content.

Application Examples

You can add content to the folder by simply clicking on the folder and clicking on the appropriate application tab.

  • Viewing Photos in Slideshow: After you upload new photos in the Documents application, others can view in slideshow mode by simply highlighting one of the photos and clicking the Slideshow button.
  • Other can add comments for each folder on the right side, perhaps adding a few captions to speak for those not able to speak themselves, all in good humor of course but more than likely will end in “more sleep…”.
  • Setting up Birthdays and other New Events:  Add the new birthday as an annual recurring event or use to help schedule any new visitors or hospital checkups.
  • New Websites to Share:  Store new websites that you find that cater towards children in your area or providing any services that find yourself potentially using.
  • Storing Info in Notes:  Jot down any random notes, a list of any medicines needed or even a collection of healthy baby food recipes you’ve discovered.
  • New Tasks in Actions:  Perhaps appropriate for larger items or tasks needing to be done, such as picking up a stroller, materials for a sandbox or other more significant projects.

Sharing with Others

Once the folder is shared, you can inform anyone of new content with a simple email notification.  Just highlight either folder or the specific application item (a photo, event, etc), and click the button labeled “Email”.  This will set up an email notification, allowing you to add To:, Cc, or Bcc recipients, the subject and any additional text in the email.

When the email is received, they can click on a link taking them to your Odysen network or they can simply reply from the email.

Getting Started

Start with the free Spark plan to use with a small group, includes 1 GB of storage for your photos and you can add up to 10 other Basic users.    If your group gets larger or more active, such as using for other activities and projects, you can upgrade to the Creative plan with unlimited Basic users or the Cooperative plan for additional Advanced users.

Matt | Posted on | January 25, 2012 | No Comments

Category: Personal, Solutions
Tags: > > > >

News Reader Tweak, Descriptions Shown in List View

Now whenever you click on the News reader application tab, you can see any descriptions that have been added to the news feeds.  These are the descriptions of the RSS URLs, which the user may have added when they first set up the news item.  You can add or modify the description at any time by clicking “Edit”.

Here’s a screenshot of the new view:

This can be helpful when scrolling through a larger quantity of blogs or news searches.   Add a short description or commentary, such as “reviews industry trends” or “covers startups”, or for a news search “a search for blue hats”, if wishing to find all the recent news articles on blue hats.

Add whatever description is appropriate for both the RSS source as well as for others in your network.  For example, one group may describe a particular blog as the expert in their area, another group could describe the same blog as just another blog.  Put in whatever works best for you, able to easily reference back to at any time.

Matt | Posted on | January 24, 2012 | No Comments

Category: Applications, External, News
Tags: > >

23 Ways to Use the Alerts Feature in Events

While you can use the Events application for scheduling any and every event that you might come across, as well as events that others in your network have shared with you, some events you might want to pay a little more attention to.  These are events that are different from the others, most often where you need to do something to be properly prepared, to get the most of the moment before it passes.

For any of those events, that is where the email alerts can be helpful.   Just select an event, click the Alert button and set the appropriate time before the event that you’d like to receive an email alert.   Check off in minutes for last minute preparations, hours for logistics or other travel needed, days or weeks for your larger events.

With that, here’s a list of 23 events where creating an alert can be helpful as well as some of their respective activities.

  • 1) Birthdays: Schedule the day of or weeks ahead of preparations are appropriate.
  • 2) Anniversaries: Reminders of the beginnings of a different sort.
  • 3) Meetings: Get an email alert 10 or 30 minutes beforehand to get things in order.
  • 4) Parties: Make an alert to remind yourself to bring any gifts or items appropriate for the occasion.
  • 5) Dinners: Plan accordingly for a pot-luck or travel time needed.
  • 6) Solstices and Equinoxes: Create a reminder for any astronomy inclinations or just marking the seasonal milestones.
  • 7) Full Moons: To note for those looking for a little extra light in the night or likewise for others to stay indoors.
  • 8) High/Low Tides: Create an appropriate alert for plans of surfing, fishing, clamming or other beach going adventures.
  • 9) Workshops: Set an alert for a week to give time for a little extra research.
  • 10) Car Checkups: To keep your transportation in tune.
  • 11) House Maintenance: For seasonal reminders around the house or yard.
  • 12) Lessons/School Activities for Kids: Make an alert an hour or two ahead of time, or longer for larger events.
  • 13) Home Brewery: Keep track of steps needed over a process spanning weeks and months.
  • 14) Healthcare: For occasional visits to the doctor or dentist.
  • 15) Annual Fishing Trips: Get a reminder to get the proper supplies, not saying any are needed but you never know.
  • 16) Family Reunions: Plan ahead whether for logistics or making a note of any items to bring.
  • 17) Weddings: Create an alert months ahead of time to review appropriate gifts or registries.
  • 18) Vacations: Set a reminder for shorter or longer term items needed, such as Visas, Passport renewals.
  • 19) Sales Trips, Customer Visits: Helpful to plan ahead for any customer research needed or product preparations.
  • 20) Project Deadlines: Make an alert before different project milestones are scheduled.
  • 21) Festivals, Conferences: For last minute checklists such as confirming transportation, accommodation and any items needed for the event.
  • 22) Concerts/Tickets: Set up an alert to get notified the day before tickets go on sales.
  • 23) Guests Visiting: Get a reminder for becoming a host preparation, including any cleaning, cooking or other logistics being used.

With any event alerts that you’ve created, in the email notification will be a link taking you directly to the event in its’ appropriate folder.   From here you can easily access other applications from the same folder.   Helpful to look up a note with a list of tasks or instructions, actions for larger projects or websites and news for further reference.

Matt | Posted on | January 23, 2012 | No Comments

Category: Applications, Businesses, Events, Freelancing, Groups, Internal, Personal, Solutions
Tags: > > >
keep looking »