5 Most Popular 2012 Web-Design Trends

1. CSS3 and HTML5.
More and more preference to possibilities CSS3 and HTML5 in respect of creations of such pleasant features as rounding, shades, semi-transparency, navigation buttons etc.

2. Simple color schemes.
Mainly monochrome design. Red, yellow, green or dark blue — it's not important, more important contrasty to allocate a body — the content. All the rest in the muffled tones. Purely, simply and just!

3. Mobile cross-mobility.
If your site isn't ready to be displayed of mobile devices you obviously absolutely don't trends in web design.

4. Miniature screen-shot.
Big Brother now gives possibility to apply the special tool — the magnifier, which can make a tiny screen of your site. However, your site is ready to it?

5. QR-Code.
The Quick Response Code is a very popular PR code in fashion magazines, outdoor advertising, business cards etc. How to use? Eventually, make its avatar!

Weather Widget for Website & Blog

Having the latest weather updates on your blog keep your site alive and fresh for your visitors. The easiest way to show off your local weather forecast on your website is with weather widgets, which can easily be implemented in your blog. Each weather widget displays the temperature, wind details, and much more.



Ibegin Weather Widget
Just enter your City, Zip Code, or State to show your local weather forecast. This weather widget will show the current weather and weather forecast with small icons.

WeatherBugWidget
This WeatherBug widget comes in multiple sizes which display your local weather forecast.
50x250, 180x150, 160x600, 300x250 , 125x125 and 728x90.

Weather.com Live Weather Widget
Another nice weather widget  by Weather.com, which can easily be implemented in the sidebar of your blog!
WidgetBox Weather Widgets
Choose from a large selection of widgets to show of your local weather.
WeatherReports Widget
Lets you choose the theme of your weather widget.

How to Add these Widgets to your Blog?
Please take note that all of the widgets above can easily be implemented into your blog. These weather widgets are for Blogger, WordPress, Typepad, and all the other blogging platforms. Go to the website and customize the widget, then copy and paste the HTML code into your blog. Then you're done! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.

10 Facebook Widgets and Tools for Your Website and Blog

Facebook is the largest social networking site with more than 400 million active users and is growing larger every day! Make sure to use these Facebook widgets for your website or blog to connect with your large Facebook audience. You can use these tools to easily share certain profile information, websites, blogs, and businesses with the Facebook community.

Personal Profile Widgets

Like Badge
Display your Facebook pages for all to see.

Profile Badge
Create a Facebook profile badge to share selected profile information on your website. A profile badge will allow your users to easily connect with you and add you as a friend.

Photo Badge
This photo badge allows you to share your Facebook photos on websites and blogs. Choose from a vertical, horizontal, or two-column layout and also choose the number of photos to be displayed.

Basic Widgets for Website or Blog

Like Box
This allows your users to publish their content and activity to Facebook.

Share Button
A powerful facebook widget which allows your visitors to share your content on Facebook! An excellent Facebook widget for blogger.

Page Badge
Lets you share your Facebook page (one that you have created) information on your website.

Twitter Link
Connect your Facebook page with Twitter. Whenever you update your Facebook page, your twitter followers will be updated as well with a tweet. A great Facebook widget for your website!

Developers Widgets for Website or Blog

Like Button
Allows facebook users to share web pages from your website on their profile.

Comments Box
Lets your users comment on your website content with their Facebook account.

Recommendations
Provides your website users with personalized suggestions for pages to visit.

Live Stream
Lets Facebook users to post and share content in real-time.

Activity Feed
Lets users know what their facebook friends are doing on your website through comments and likes.

Login Button
Displays a login button along with profile pictures of facebook friends who have already signed up.

Facepile
Shows profile pictures of people who have liked your facebook page or have signed up for your webpage.

Registration
Another way for users to sign up for your site.

Add Google Buzz Share Button - Widget for Blogger

Google Buzz is a great social tool which is very similiar to Twitter and Facebook. It's a wonderful way to engage and interact with your readers! Make sure to implement these Google Buzz buttons into your blogger posts, so that users can easily share your content on Google Buzz.

Add Google Buzz it Button to Blogger

1. Go to Layout >Edit HTML in your Blogger Dashboard.
2. Back up your existing Template before making any changes!
3. Make sure to check the "Expand Widget Templates" box.
4. Here is the Google Buzz it Code:
   

   <div style="float:right;padding:4px;">
   <a expr:href='&quot;http://www.google.com/reader/link?url=&quot; + data:post.url + &quot;&amp;title=&quot; + data:post.title + &quot;&amp;srcTitle=&quot; + data:blog.title+ &quot;&amp;srcURL=&quot; + data:blog.homepageUrl ' rel='nofolloW' style='text-decoration:none;' target='_blank'>
   <img alt='Buzz It' src='http://i48.tinypic.com/idyc04.png' style='border:0px;'/></a>
   </div>

5. Search for this line of code in your template:
   

   <div class='post-header-line-1'/>

   and place the Google Buzz it Code right after the code you searched for above.
   If this doesn't work, then search for this code below and place the Google Buzz it Code directly before it.
   

   <data:post.body/>

6. Now save your template and you're done!
   

Add Google Buzz Button with Share Count to Blogger

1. Here is the Google Buzz it with Share Count Code
   

   <div style="float:right;padding:4px;"> <script type='text/javascript'> njuice_buzz_url = '<data:post.title/>'; njuice_buzz_title = '<data:post.url/>'; njuice_buzz_share = 'reader'; </script> <script type='text/javascript' src='http://button.njuice.com/buzz.js'/> </div>

2. Place the Google Buzz it with Share Count Code either
   directly after this:
   

   <div class='post-header-line-1'/>

   OR
   directly before this:
   

   <data:post.body/>

3. To change the style of the widget add either
   

   njuice_buzz_size = 'small';

   or
   

   njuice_buzz_size = 'simple';

   just after
   

   njuice_buzz_share = 'reader';

4. Save your blogger template and you're done!

15 Best Android Widgets for Productivity and Enjoyment

Widgets are are an extremely cool feature on the Android which the iPhone does not have. These Android widgets are very handy and enjoyable because they are easily accessible in just a split second and can provide useful information for the user. I have compiled a list of the best android widgets for you to enjoy.

Android Widgets

1. Battery Watcher
   This widget gives you the percent battery life available.
   
   
2. Extended Controls
   A very useful  widget which allows you to edit the settings on your android.
   
   
3. Google Maps
   A well developed map by Google which will help you navigate the planet.
   
   
4. Flight Track
   Get real time updates of your flight's status and worldwide map tracking.
5. Pandora
   Listen to the best personalized radio station on the go.
6. Advanced Task Killer
   A useful tool for killing running applications on your droid.  If you can't get an application to close, this widget will certainly do the job.
7. Twitter
   Tweet your friends with this awesome twitter widget.
8. Barcode Scanner
   Scan the barcode on any product and this android widget will look it up for you.
9. Sports Tap
   Stay up to date with sports. Including NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NCAA, nascar, football, soccer, baseball, and hockey.
10. Pure Messenger Widget
    The all in one combined messaging widget for Gmail, email, SMS, Twitter, Calls, and Facebook.
11. Weather & Toggle Widget
    The greatest weather widget for the android.
12. Pure Grid Calendar Widget
    A great android widget which will help keep you organized.  The widget syncs with your google calendar.
13. Facebook for Android
    Stay connected with your friends on the facebook social network.
14. Analytics Widget
    See your websites visitors instantly and view your google analytics info immediately as well.
15. Where
    Look up places in your area and get ratings and recommendations.

Conclusion

Thanks for reading my list of the best android widgets of 2011. If you think of any others that should be added to the list please let me know!

Best Web Hosting Plans for Blogs

Hosting a blog on your own custom domain is essential and it's important to find a reliable and affordable web host.  Having the right web host that you can trust is key for any website or blog.  So I've come up with an updated list of the best web hosts for blogs.  Please feel free to ask any questions because I am happy to help!

1) HostGator

HostGator is trusted by over 5,000,000 sites to suit their web hosting needs. I personally host several sites on HostGator and I strongly reccommend them. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!

2) iPage

iPage provides web hosting at an affordable and competitive price and promises its clients reliable servers and great customer support.

3) JustHost

JustHost is committed to providing their clients with low cost blog hosting along with a promise of excellent customer support.

4) FatCow

FatCow is dedicated to delivering first class customer service to the small business owner in particular.

5) BlueHost

BlueHost has been offering exceptional web hosting solutions to thousands of personal and business sites since the year of 1996.

6) InMotion

InMotion guarantees reliable, affordable, and fast web hosting. This web hosting company promises 100% satisfaction guarantee.

7) DreamHost

DreamHost is a great web hosting company which offers reliable web servers and excellent customer service.

8) HostMonster

HostMonster is a solid company which has been offering web hosting solutions to thousands of personal and business web sites since 1996.

9) GoDaddy

GoDaddy is a secure and reliable web hosting provider which is very well known.

Conclusion

I hope this list has been helpful in your search for a great web host. I personally recommend HostGator as a reliable and trustworthy web hosting company, from my own experience. Also, please feel free to write your own reviews and questions in the comment section below.

Get Your Own Custom .COM Domain for Your Blog

You may realize it's time to take things seriously and upgrade to your own custom domain (eg:yourblog.com). This post will hopefully help clarify the benefits of getting your own web domain and where to start. Just like always, you are more than welcome to ask me any questions and I am happy to help you through the process.

Why Choose a Custom Domain?

1. It's Permanent.  You get to keep this domain name forever.  Services such as Blogger can deactivate your blog at any given time without notice.
2. Promote your own brand.  If your site is a subdomain (such as .blogspot.com) you're promoting Google Blogger. Get your own domain and you'll be promoting your own unique brand. It gives you credibility and more people will trust you and what you have to offer.
3. More Traffic.  Search engines prefer custom web domains over subdomains.
4. Name Recognition.  It's much easier to remember and locate a domain name such as NinjaMan.com than NinjaMan.blogspot.com.
5. Custom Email.  You can get your own custom email (eg: John@YourBlog.com). It looks very professional.
6. Selling Rights.  Subdomain blogs, such as Blogspot, do not allow you to sell your blog. With your own custom domain you have the right to sell your website if you choose to do so one day.
7. It's Cheap.  Give up one Starbucks drink a month and you can afford your own (.com, .net, .org, etc.) domain! It's only $3.96 a month with HostGator.

Choosing the Right Web Host

HostGator

If you are searching for a web hosting company that has reliable and fast servers, try HostGator. My friend James and I use them to host several sites, and I have been a customer for over one year without any issues. Our high traffic site TheBlogTemplates.com has been running very smoothly since September of 2009 and HostGator can handle it well.

Option 1 : Setup Your Custom Domain with Blogger

1. Assuming you have your own hosting plan with Hostgator or another web host, contact your web hosting company about registering a domain. Tell them that you want to register a new domain name such as YourDomain.com.  Once the domain is registered ask them to create a CNAME record for your domain with the DNS directing to: ghs.google.com.  Please note that it may take a few hours to a day for your DNS settings to update correctly.
2. Now we need to update your Blogger Settings at Blogger.com.  Go to Settings and then click on the Publishing tab. 
   
   1. If you are publishing on Blogspot, you will see a link near the top offering to switch you to a custom domain. Go ahead and click on "custom domain".
      
   2. Now click "Switch to Advanced Settings".
      
      
   3. Fill in the name of your domain. I typed in YourDomain.com as an example.  Once you've done this enter the word verification at the bottom of the page and click "Save Settings".
      
   4. That's it! Your files should now be hosted at your new domain if your DNS settings have been updated yet.
      

Option 2 : Set up Your Custom Domain by Migrating from Blogger to WordPress

Wordpress is a free professional blogging platform which most people prefer over Blogger. Assuming once again that you have a web hosting account with one such as Hostgator, go to your cPanel.

1. Watch this tutorial on how to Install WordPress from Fantastico.
2. Then in your WordPress Admin area (domain.com/wp-admin), go to Manage → Import → Blogger and follow the directions to complete the import.
3. Your blog posts should now be imported to Wordpress and should show up on your website!