Today the Panel wants to help you with your dreams of starting your own Disney blog! Learn about how and where to start and find out some tips and tricks from the Betamouse crew! Questions? Email show@betamouse.net!
Thank you to our sponsor Touring Plans! Visit the Touring Plans crowd calendar to save time in line at Disney!
Jeff hosts and asks the Panel what tech they would update in the last scene of the Carousel of Progress.
Henry wants to update the voice activation bits and the video game.
Scott wants to see an update to the television in the scene.
Nate and Katie talk about the importance of the kitchen in today’s modern family and touch base on how that needs to be updated.
Nate and Jeff also mention updating the tree lighting segment.
Jeff now wonders what the Panel would add to the last scene of the ride.
Jeff wants video conferencing or live streaming video to added to the final scene and Scott and Katie agree.
Henry wants to see the family involved in their own interests and sharing them with each other through technology and Katie agrees with the idea.
Nate mentions how, ironically, technologies that Team Betamouse has mentioned could be found in older ride attractions like Horizons and Spaceship Earth.
Henry demands robots in the updated Carousel of Progress.
Nate talks about the idea of “automation” that is present in the current Carousel of Progress and how it shows the lack of connection to the current times.
Jeff mentions not updating the last scene of the Carousel of Progress to the future but leaving it in its original state of the 60′s.
Do you have an idea on updates for the last scene of Carousel of Progress? Does it need updating at all? Let Betamouse know on Twitter, Facebook or FriendFeed!
Today your Betamouse Hosts are talking all about Twitter, specifically, the Official Disney Twitter accounts. Questions or comments? Email: show@betamouse.net!
Jeff doesn’t follow any of the accounts because it is mostly advertisement of the blog articles.
Katie would like to see them become more interactive and Nate and Henry agree.
Henry asks about the unofficial Disney tweeps the Panel follows.
Scott uses Twitter for the social Disney interaction.
Jeff believes that it is good for up to the minute news as well as social interaction.
Katie uses Twitter for news and to promote her blog as well as interacting with Disney fans. She mentions the use of Twitter lists for organizing followers with Lists on Twitter.
Nate talks about how the Disney Twitter community has replaced Disney forums for him.
Henry touches base on the Disneyland vs. Disney World Twitter community.
Henry also mentions the Twitter Chirp conference and the Panel discusses Twitter acquiring Tweetie to make it native and also developing their own native applications for Blackberry and Android.
The Panel finishes the show by touching base on Twitter announcing location services versus applications like Foursquare.
Henry wants to know what tech the Panel uses to get their podcasts. Every member uses a form of iTunes with an iPod or iPhone.
The Panel varies when they listen to their podcasts from when Scott is writing code to when Katie is driving during long car trips. Listeners, when do you get your podcast listening in?
Henry wants to know what podcasts the Panel listens to. They include but aren’t limited to (so you should check them out!):
Today the panel discusses the much hyped iPad and how it could be used at Disney Parks. Questions, comments or have a show idea? Email: show@betamouse.net!
Thank you to our wonderful sponsor Touring Plans. Visit Touring Plans for all your Disney planning needs.
Henry asks the panel if they have purchased the iPad and no one but Henry has.
Some of the reasons they give include: not buying the first generation of a tech product, no camera was included, and lack of funds.
Henry asks how this would change traveling to and at Disney.
Scott talks about the need for a good case because of the delicate screen.
Jeff mentions that it wouldn’t be able to replace traveling with his laptop so, in essence, he would have to lug another tech product down.
Katie talks about traveling with the iPad to Disney and how convenient it would be.
Nate states that the video and gaming ability the iPad has is great for entertaining a small child at Disney.
Henry, the only one on the panel who has purchased one, talks about the beauty of the product and how it is unlike any tech device he has used.
Henry also mentions the need to protect the iPad while traveling.
A roundtable discussion begins on how Disney could use this tablet device.
Scott talks about using the iPad as an interactive way to manipulate the rides at Disney live.
Jeff talks about its ability to be an input device for cast members and as a tool in interactive queue lines.
Henry explains how the iPad would be better than another tablet device for certain Disney projects because of its graphical capabilities.
Jeff talks about the need for a camera to do augmented reality at Disney Parks.
Katie argues the need for a camera for augmented reality but not a front facing camera.
Henry thinks Disney should build an interactive map for the iPad.
Henry talks about third party apps on the iPad.
The Panel would like to see Lines on the iPad as well as some planning apps like Dining or a DVC Planning app.
Note: Touring Plans is giving away a free five year subscription to the first person who submits a photo of Lines on the iPad at a Disney Park. Email: henry@touringplans.com for more details!
Thank you again to our wonderful sponsor.
Make sure to visit the Betamouse FriendFeed room Thursday, April 8th at 1pm EST for an iPhone chat and win some swag! Details.
Betamouse #9 is here and all about the online community of Disney blogs we know and love. There are so many blogs and sites the we frequent that we couldn’t have possibly named them all in this episode. So if there is a blog you love we didn’t mention leave a comment here! Questions, comments or concerns? Email: show@betamouse.net
Want to chat with Team Betamouse about Disney blogs? Have an idea of what to do with the Betamouse blog? Tweet us. Find us on Facebook. And most importantly, chat with us on FriendFeed.
On this week’s episode of Betamouse the crew discusses the way new tech has enabled Disney Meet Ups to happen with ease. Comments, suggestions or ideas? Email: show@betamouse.net
On this week’s episode of the Betamouse Podcast the team discusses location services apps and how one might use them in the Disney Parks. If you have ideas, comments or would even like to be a guest blogger for our site please email us: show@betamouse.net!
Henry asks the panel how they use the apps in life and if at Disney, where they would check in.
Scott finds it hard to remember to check in and if in Disney would only check in to parks and attractions.
Jeff loves “checking in” on the apps and finds it easy to remember to do so.
Katie briefly explains the applications.
Katie and Henry touch base on the fact that the user has full control over how your location is broadcasted to your friends.
Nate compares Foursquare and Gowalla on Android and states that he likes the Gowalla interface better but the application is way too slow.
Henry talks about Foursquare and how, because it became popular where he lives before any others, that is the application that he primarily uses.
Henry asks the panel how they would use the applications at Disney.
Scott would use the application to check in and family and friends could follow along with their trip.
Jeff decides that checking into attractions would be useful with large groups at Disney because people could find each other based on check ins at Disney.
Katie talks about adding Foursquare to her tweets and how Gowalla could be so great at Disney but sometimes its features are too advanced.
Henry talks about how businesses can use Foursquare and Gowalla to promote themselves.
Nate adds to this by talking about Social Media business ideas.
Henry touches base on the privacy issues surrounding this applications.
Henry adds that if you are just starting to use these services don’t tweet or Facebook out your location until you feel comfortable.
Jeff states that he does not feel unsafe broadcasting his location and will continue to do so.
Nate talks about young kids who robbed celebrities because they knew they were not home from their Twitter accounts.
Katie talks about controlling what information you release through these applications.
Henry asks about the future of these applications.
Scott talks about an app always locating you so that family and friends could see where he is without checking in and Jeff likes that idea.
Katie touches base on using Plancast for group events and will go into detail on next week’s show so please check that out!
Henry talks about check in practices and would like to see Foursquare implemented at the Disney Parks officially.
Thank you again to our sponsor Touring Plans. Visit them for all your Disney touring plans, a fantastic blog and the official mobile application for Disney wait times: Lines!
Today the Betamouse Team talks bringing laptops (and labtops) into the Disney Parks. Learn tips for traveling, the best bags to carry them and if any of the crew have actually taken a laptop into the parks! If you have any show ideas or comments on this topic email: show@betamouse.net!
Thank you to our sponsor Touring Plans! Visit Touring Plans for all your Disney touring plans needs!
Henry & Katie would like to thank all those who mentioned Betamouse at the WDW Today TentFest.
Henry asks the panel what laptops they own and how they travel with it.
Scott owns a 17 inch Macbook Pro. Scott does not bring his laptop into the parks at all but does use it in the hotel room.
Jeff has a 13 inch Macbook Pro. He also does not take it into the parks at all but uses it for general usage at night.
Katie has a 13 inch Macbook and travels with it to Disney but does not bring it into the park.
Nate has multiple laptops, including a Macbook and he has traveled with them to Disney.
Henry owns a 15 inch Macbook Pro and travels with it to Disney but also does not take it into the park.
Henry asks the panel how they travel with their laptops.
Scott carries it in a standard laptop bag and travels with it under the seat of the airplane or packed safely in the car.
Jeff carries his laptop in a Timbuk2 Commute 2.0 Bag. A fantastic feature of this bag is that you do not have to take your laptop out of the bag when going through airport security!
Katie asks the panel if they would be comfortable checking their laptop with bell services if needed and the panel is split on the idea.
Nate travels with his laptop and shares a few of his travel secrets.
Henry asks the panel how they keep their laptops secure in the hotel room.
Scott hides his-no safe is big enough!
Jeff takes a picture to prove his laptop was in the room.
Nate talks about hotel security overall.
Henry has an Incase cover for his laptop for security.
Henry asks the panel how they manage with Disney hotel wired and wireless internet and the discussion continues of bringing and setting up routers in the room.
Jeff interjects that when staying offsite at an AllStar vacation home he saves money and gets WiFi!
Henry asks if there will ever be a situation where the panel will bring a laptop type computer into the park and the conversation leads to the newly announced iPad.
Scott doesn’t think there will be a situation where he needs a computer into the parks.
Katie can’t see a situation where she would need an iPad in the Parks as she has an iPhone.
Jeff wants to wait for version 2 as far as the iPad and won’t be taking a computer into the parks.
Nate won’t be taking a laptop into the parks or will ever get an iPad.
Reminder: Join the Team Betamouse FriendFeed room and come chat with the group!
Again, email the show or any panelists any questions you may have!
Welcome to Betamouse Episode #5! Today we talk about lifestreamining from the Disney Parks… how to best use twitter, stream video, and more! Have show ideas of your own? Email show@betamouse.net!
Jeff tweets the big events he comes across at Disney, including group meets and rides.
Katie talks about the hardship between separating the Disney community and family and friends who “don’t get it”. Katie uses Twitter for her Disney community social network and sometimes keeps Facebook separate.
Nate does separate his WedWay Radio “personality” from his regular Facebook.
Katie tweets anything and everything from the parks. Personal moments as well as interesting happenings. Katie also tweets audio and video.
Nate decides before a trip whether he will be tweeting or not. When it is a family trip he tends to not tweet as much.
Henry tweets anything and everything and also keeps two separate Twitter accounts. Henry also talks about the best practices of Disney tweeting such as keeping it positive and not negative.
Scott continues the Twitter best practices conversation by asking: how often should you Tweet?
Nate says that the frequency of tweets does not bother him as long as the conversation is interesting and overall the panel agrees.
Henry asks what the panel likes to see on Twitter.
Scott likes to see tweets of special events at Disney.
Jeff likes personal tweets.
Katie wants to see what’s going on in the parks at any given time.
Nate likes to see any tweets from the Disney Parks and points out that the 140 characters makes Twitter an easy and fun read.
Jeff likes to see panoramic views of the various lands to see crowd perspective.
Nate wishes people would announce UStream events in advance.
Henry asks if the panel has done any streaming of video. And in a chorus of yes; they have.
Katie likes UStream but comments that the battery drainage may not be worth it.
Jeff has just signed up for an account but plans to do UStream at one point.
Henry has streamed videos through Qik and one of his favorite times to stream is Rope Drop at a park.
Henry asks the panel where they think Twitter will evolve.
Scott and Jeff agree that video clips will take over.
Nate would like to see more geotagging of pictures and video and websites that utilize that technology.
Thank you again to Touring Plans for sponsoring the Betamouse Podcast.
Remember Katie and Henry will be at TentFest, please come say hello!
Katie and Henry will also be running the Princess 5k so look for them there to say hello.
