Patrick Oak

I'm an internet consultant. Over the past 10 years, I have built my own online businesses and helped companies build theirs. From strategy to development to marketing I am a jack of all trades and love sharing my experiences and advice.

Popular "platforms" and APIs

There's no doubt that the plethora of third-party developer platforms and APIs that exist today have given developers a considerable number of opportunities to build applications that can quickly made available to millions upon millions of people.

Here is a list of some of the more popular platforms and APIs that developers have successfully leveraged to build popular applications - some of which even reportedly generate significant revenues.

by Patrick Oak 15 September 2008 14:47pm 0 comments

Five open source Web 2.0 applications

Blogs, wikis, social networks, social news aggregator. Although there's certainly been a lot of hype around these things, when applied in the right circumstances they can serve a utility for many people and businesses.

by Patrick Oak 10 September 2008 16:00pm 2 comments

Should your business deploy Google Chrome?

With Google's new Chrome browser gaining lots of attention, it's inevitable that some businesses will ask whether Chrome is a suitable replacement for their browsers they currently have deployed.

Google claims that Chrome is faster and more secure than Internet Explorer and Firefox, while E-consultancy's own Graham Charlton gave it a test drive and came away with favorable impressions.

But is Chrome ready for deployment at your business? Let's take a look at the considerations.

by Patrick Oak 08 September 2008 09:00am 5 comments

Six essential networking tips

Last week, Econsultancy and Lemon Studios hosted the Lemon Summer Party 2008.

Events like these provide some of the best opportunities to network with people in the industry and if you're not attending events like this, you're missing out.

by Patrick Oak 12 September 2008 07:45am 0 comments

Using PayPal's IPN system

One of the benefits of having your own merchant account is the level of integration that it provides.

A payment gateway enables your customers to pay without leaving your website, and there is almost no limit to the ways that you can build specific functionality related to payments that makes business easier for customers and your business.

by Patrick Oak 05 September 2008 08:45am 3 comments

How to look like a million bucks

In the world of business, image counts for a lot. It may not be everything, but sometimes it's pretty darn close.

Sure, you always have to deliver, but sometimes getting a new client or closing a big deal is as dependent upon how you look to the client as it is upon how qualified you are.

by Patrick Oak 03 September 2008 08:45am 2 comments

Basic .htaccess tricks for SEO and convenience

If your website is hosted on an Apache web server, .htaccess is a great way to create SEO-friendly URLs, take care of issues that can harm SEO and make your life as a webmaster more convenient.

by Patrick Oak 01 September 2008 08:45am 5 comments

Don't lose a sale

A friend of mine recently purchased a new computer from a major computer brand that shall remain nameless (I will give a hint, however - it starts with an "L" and ends with an "o").

This brand has a reputation for producing quality computers and providing quality support so her experience was quite shocking to me.

by Patrick Oak 27 August 2008 08:45am 3 comments

The 10 most popular iPhone Apps

With the iPhone 3G making its debut around the world, I thought it'd be interesting to look at the iPhone Apps that have achieved the greatest popularity so far.

by Patrick Oak 29 August 2008 09:15am 2 comments

Buzz up!

Yahoo just made Yahoo Buzz open to all publishers and if you run a blog or publish content online, you might want to consider adding Yahoo Buzz to your website.

by Patrick Oak 26 August 2008 14:50pm 1 comment