Unless you've got a heart made of stone, you've got to admit a baby playing with an iPad is one of the cutest things ever.  The glow of the screen only highlights the look of true awe on a child's face as he or she navigates through the powerful device.

That's why two 22-year-old guys created a one-of-a-kind Tumblr page -- Babies With iPads.  Stelios Phili and Jeff Luppino-Esposito, the blog's co-creators, have compiled nine pages' worth of adorable photos, each complemented by an amusing caption.  "Whenever we see babies with iPads, we view them as social media rockstars in the making," Phili, a web producer for GQ magazine, told Mashable. "Right now, they look real innocent … but really, they’re just preparing to take over the world. We think that’s cute."

Let's take a look at some of my favorite snapshots of babies with iPads! 

Which image do you love the most?  Leave a comment below!

Yesterday, I stumbled upon an interesting collection of Pinterest boards.  The page contained a variety of images, from vintage historical photographs to motivational sayings.  After a few minutes of browsing, I realized the boards belonged to no average user.  No, they were photos and images pinned by none other than the U.S. Army. 

According to the army's Pinterest page, those who follow their boards "will find the most recent news stories, videos and photos that are pinned by the U.S. Army's Office of the Chief of Public Affairs."  The boards include photos of families, soldiers, training, and even fashion!

But my favorite U.S. Army Pinterest board by far is one called "Homecoming."

The heart-wrenching photos remind us that those fighting overseas are real people, not just numbers.  They're men and women with spouses, children, and homes, and yet they give all that up to protect our nation's freedom.  The photographs really had an impact on me -- to put it mildly, they're filled with emotion. 

Of course, the U.S. Army's Pinterest page is also most likely a means through which to recruit new soldiers.  But, as we all know, there's absolutely nothing wrong with promoting your company or organization via social media!  I'm actually pretty impressed that the military is doing so well on the social network.  What do you think of the U.S. Army's Pinterest account?

Foxnews.com is reporting today that Twitter will be putting a harness on its privacy settings.

The announcement comes shortly after the social media giant admitted that they copied entire entries in smartphone address books and saved them to servers - without the knowledge of the user.

When one uses the Twitter iPhone app and clicks on "Find Friends" the app copies the entire entry, saves it to its server and then proceeds with the search. According to the Los Angeles Times, these entries are held on a server for 18 months. This completely goes against Apple's policy on applications, stating exclusively that transmitting a user's information without their knowledge is illegal.

To better understand the process, Twitter Spokesperson Carolyn Penner said that language such as the current "Scan Your Contacts" will be replaced with "Import Your Contacts" or "Upload Your Contacts." By doing this, the Twitter user will be giving permission for these entries to be held online for the aforementioned amount of time. No word on when these changes are supposed to take place.  

While you can't keep your smartphone, tablet or computer safe from everything on the Internet, you can protect these devices from scratches and bumps with promotional iPod covers, custom imprinted iPad cases and promotional computer bags.  

Delis and restaurants everywhere are getting more and more technologically savvy, in their effort to improve sales.  While I was waiting in line at the local deli something new caught my eye.  There were promotional signs everywhere with QR codes on them.  With your smart phone you scan the QR code for your favorite eatery and text message your order in.  When you get to the establishment all you do is walk up to the express line, pay for you order and leave!  No lines, no hassle!  I though this was a fantastic idea and can’t wait to try it out.

    "A chalice is not a glass, it is a chalice"

     That is one of the many lines you will hear from the latest promotion by Stella Artois. It was a simple promotion that involved people becoming the lucky recipients of the ever-so-coveted chalice. The chalice is a cup that was specifically designed for the Stella Artois beverage. Its gold rimmed elegance makes it highly desirable, giving the holder of the chalice an aura of class and sophistication. The chalice is so detrimental to Stella, that even at a bar, Stella Artois will be served to you in a chalice.

     The promotion is simple. First, you must go to Facebook and "Like" their page. You need to do this so when Stella posts a status giving the number you need to call for the chalice, you can see it. Then visit the page and call the number that Stella posts. Now when you call this number, feel free to listen to the automated voice on the other line listing the options available to you. The options she says are quite humorous.

     Now I must warn you, you will have to either wait on hold for a while, or keep calling back. I had to call over 20 times to finally get through. A free chalice is not an easy item to come by. Now when you do eventually get through, all you have to do is give them all your mailing information, and email address, and you will get a free Stella Artois chalice in the mail. That's it!

     This is a great promotional campaign. It is simple to participate, and gives Stella a chance to get new customers, plus vital marketing information. I found it so easy to do that I told a few of my co-workers about this and they called too. This was also a great opportunity for Stella to push their La Societe de Stella Artois, a campaign where you can win prizes by being a member of La Societe. When you called for your chalice, you are asked if you want to join La Societe. This is a perfect way to get the consumer engaged and interested in your brand.

     So several weeks go by, and one by one, each of my co-workers and myself begin receiving our promotional drinkware. They come packaged in very sturdy cardboard boxes, and have a thank you letter enclosed. I also received my membership into La Societe, which made my other co-workers very jealous. It came in an elegant black envelope, with a handbook, membership card, and invitations that I can give to people so they can join La Societe.

     Isn't she beautiful. Her hourglass figure and golden top make the chalice look stunning. Everyone is enjoying their chalice. My co-worker and friend Nicole, loves hers so much that she even drew a picture of us celebrating our chalices. Isn't the drawing amazing? (I am the handsome one in the picture)

I am a huge sports fan and love football and baseball.  The bleak few months after the Super Bowl are especially boring for me.  I don't watch too many t.v. shows and the cold weather makes it difficult to go to any outdoor establishments. I try to dabble a little in basketball and hockey but  it does not do much for me.  Thankfully, I have recently discovered Words, Scramble and Hanging with Friends.  I put my promotional iPad case on my iPad and I was ready to roll.  I have to admit, at first I wasn't sold, but after a little while I was hooked. Think I can't handle 20 games at once? No big deal!  Give me my promotional water bottle and a comfy chair and I'm all set. Thank goodness for a worthy distraction until my Mets are finally back!

Do you recall when you could only sign up for Facebook if you were a college student?  Remember when you were only allowed to join Google+ if you'd received an invite?  There's something about exclusivity that gets people excited.  In a nutshell, we all want to be invited to the party (and we'll do anything to get in).

One dating Web site has taken this strategy to a whole new level.  Online dating service Sparkology is not only invite-only, but the men who sign up must also have graduated from one of America's top educational institutions.

Founder Alex Furmansky dreamed up the site when he was a college student.  Mashable reports that Furmansky noticed women only gave attention to "the loudest most obnoxious guy at the bar." According to the University of Pennsylvania graduate, he was too easily overlooked: "If you’re looking for more than just a quick lay, and you’re not loud, it’s hard to find a partner."

The goal of Sparkology is to wipe out the grime that dominates the online dating industry.  Sparkology has therefore branded itself as "classy and sophisticated", a far cry from match-making services like Plenty of Fish and Match.com.  The Web site's founder actually "hands out personal invites sealed with a wax stamp to educated singles he approves of."  Sparkology also teaches men how to court a woman -- in November 2011, 50 male members were invited to an event to learn about fashion and fine scotch (no logo beer glasses here!).

So far, the New York-based online dating site only has around 1,200 members.  However, it plans to expand to new cities throughout the United States.

Do you find Sparkology's elitist approach to be appealing or insulting?  Let us know!

This past Thursday January 26th, Ken, Laura, Samantha and myself attended the SAAGNY winter showcase 2012.  The plethora of trade show items were amazing.  Any promotional product you could think of was there.  Any item you may want imprinted they had on display.  It really makes you think about how many of these items you come in contact with every single day.  We all had a great time walking the show and are looking forward to selling many of these item to our customers!

We've received threats before -- on November 5, 2011, Anonymous, a global network of hactivists, said it would shut down Facebook over privacy concerns.  Nothing came of it, though; the massive Web site remained untouched.  Now, the same group claims it's planning to take down Facebook on January 28, 2012 in reaction to the government shutdown of Megaupload, a file-sharing site.

In a video uploaded to YouTube yesterday, Anonymous made the following statement: "An online war has begun between Anonymous, the people and the government of the United States. While SOPA and PIPA may be postponed from Congress, this doesn’t guarantee that our Internet rights will be upheld."  The video then provides directions for downloading and running a program, Low Orbit Ion Cannon (LOIC), in order to help launch the attack.

Think it's just another empty threat?  You might want to think again!  According to Mashable, Anonymous has already begun taking action:  "Following the U.S. government shutdown of file-sharing site Megaupload Friday, Anonymous attacked the U.S. Department of Justice’s website, among others."

However, Anonymous' Twitter account asserts that the video is a hoax, and that the group has not planned an attack against Facebook.  Watch the video below and decide for yourself!

My coworkers tease me because I know little to nothing about football.  And as we approach Super Bowl XLVI, I feel more confused than ever.  If I do tune into the February 5 event, it will be strictly for the custom food products and funny commercials.I'm a social media nerd -- I love blogging, I keep in touch with friends across the world via Facebook and Twitter, and I was an "early adopter" Google+ user.  So when I read a Mashable piece about the Super Bowl's first-ever social media command center, I was pretty excited.  Finally, something football-related that I can understand!

According to Mashable, beginning today, "A team of strategists, analysts and techies will monitor the digital fan conversation via Facebook, Twitter and other platforms from a 2,800-square-foot space" in downtown Indianapolis.  The social media super team will help fans locate parking, promote Indianapolis' big attractions, and be available in case of a disaster.

Why not stick to traditional communications methods?  According to Taulbee Jackson, CEO of digital marketing firm Raidious, "Social media is just how people interact now."  That's why the social media command post will likely set "a precedent for other major events."