I recently added google adsense ads to the UKNova signup tool I created.

The tool itself mashes my server by sending HTTP requests to UKNova every 30 seconds for each user, and loads of people use it! (I think I’m going to make an AJAX version soon)

Anyway, I started off with a page 8 google ads on it asking people to click to support the tool. I noticed in adsense that my eCPM had gone done which is the estimated cost per 1000 impressions, so I guessed I’m just reduce the number of ads to 1. I logged in today to find my eCPM is up from ~$8 to ~$403!

I guess its a good place for ads, but I’m not going to put them anywhere else on this site except that sort of tool.

[tags]Google, Adsense, Sellout[/tags]

I was strolling through Manchester today near the Triangle and spotted the big wheel going up again. I’m a big fan of the big wheel but it does seem it is in the Triangle square more than not now. The wheel was taken down for a communal world cup watching venue but now it’s back!

Some people think the wheel should be a permenant feature on the city centre, but I’m sure the novelty would wear off after a while… actually I said that two years ago when the first one went up and people still seem to be flocking to see it. I’m not sure it would have so much popularity if it hadn’t have been gone for the summer months.

The Manchester big wheel went over to Germany while not in Manchester but still had the MEN logo slapped all over the cars.

In other big wheel news, apparently the owners of the wheel are applying for a licence to allow couples marry on the ride. Crazyness!

[tags] Manchester, Big Wheel, Crazy Marriage [/tags]

I just got home to find Tiscali had connected my broadband 7 days earlier than they said they could!

I have been without internet in my new flat for over a month now, so this means I can finally get down to some work!

The only slightly annoying thing, is that my broadband speed is only 1mb. Tiscali said they could only do 1mb so I assumed this was a universal thing because all broadband companies share the same database… I was wrong. BT and Virgin Broadband both said I can get speeds of up to 8mb, doh!

Tiscali did say my exchange would be upgraded by the end of the month so fingers crossed, but BT is doing the work so I’m not holiding out for speed any time soon!

[tags] Broadband, Tiscali, BT [/tags]

Google today launched a full release of documents and spreadsheets available at: docs.google.com

I am very impressed at the capabilities of the spreadsheet tool. It seems many of the basic features of Excel or the Open Office Math are covered, and is surprisingly fast for such a large JavaScript application.

The document writer however doesn’t seem as good as fckedior or some of the other online rich text editors.

One of the nice features is that you can collaborate with other users, and publish your work on Google. I suppose it’s the little extras that make Google so popular.

There has been talk of Microsoft producing Office for the web, and Google’s early move into the market is inevitable an attempt to gain the market share before Microsoft muscle everybody else out of the market.

[tags] Google, Internet, Microsoft, Spreadsheet[/tags]

I just got back from the Rico shopping park in Coventry which hosts the largest Tesco in Europe and I guess, probably in the world.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of visiting this Tesco, it is a huge building larger than most airport hangers and could easily contain several 747′s. This does make it hard to find the cheese!

It was tipping it down with rain while I was in Borders book shop and heard Tesco’s roof had collapsed! I don’t think anybody was hurt but apparently water was flooding in and falling on the tills so they had to close the store.
As a result of the store closure everybody tried to get out at once which lead to a massive traffic jam in the car park. I waited a good 45 min to get out, during which at least 6 fire engines arrived, some accident support units, several police cars but no ambulances which I guess is a good sign.

On a related note, I got the Wagamama Cook book which gave me something to read in the car… Which also reminds me, when I got in the car I was juggeling my umberalla, my cook book and a Starbucks. When I got in the car, I put the coffee on the roof which I got in the car and then proceeded to forget about it until the guy in the next car beeped his horn!

[tags] Tesco, Flood, Borders, Wagamama, Coventry [/tags]