Twitter-licious!

Well, by now many of you have heard the buzz about Twitter (and the various clones), so I thought now would be a good time to talk about our Twitter initiative.

@resideo has been up and running for a few months now, and I'm extremely happy with its reception and performance thus far.

We're slowly building our own community of followers and followees, and actively seeking out and interacting with folks who are looking for a hotel but not sure where to start -- all without being spammy and bot-like.

Here's a few messages we've received:

Rebecca_M: This is one more reason why I adore Twitter. @Resideo just made my vacation traveling plans a whole lot easier! Thank you!

retheauditors: New follower @resideo Looks interesting. Anyone else like this on Twitter?
retheauditors: I like your outreach. Not a bot.

Anywho, feel free to check us out, and be sure to "follow" (we always follow back). You can also check us out at the following places:

Pownce
Plurk
Jaiku
Identi.ca
Tumblr
kwippy
friendfeed

Be sure to say hello!

Speaking of contests...

Came across an interesting post on Twitter this morning. @bloggeries is giving away a 8GB Ipod Nano to someone who substitues the word "bloggeries" instead of "blog posts" or "blogs".

So, I could say "Hey, here's a list of the various bloggeries I contribute to.".

Hey, I think I just entered the contest. Woo!

Seriously, give it a try, and be sure to follow @bloggeries, you'll be glad you did. Original contest info post can be found here.

Microsoft's Live Search...getting desperate?

Received an email from Microsoft today, and was completely taken aback. Apparently, they're launching getsearchperks.com -- you earn "stuff" by using Microsoft Live Search.

Um. What? Ok, I know Google is the number 1 search engine, and Microsoft sucks, but really, this just screams desperation.

Of course, I signed up anyways, cause I'm a sucker for free stuff. But still...


Oh, almost forgot: You have to use IE in order to take part. Nice.



*UPDATE*
Attempted to download/install their tracking widget -- did not install on 3 different attempts. FAIL

Resideo one of the first to feature TripAdvisor reviews under new agreement

Hello again!

I know it's been awhile since my last post, but we've been busy here at Resideo. In fact, one of the new features has just been released -- we're now featuring TripAdvisor reviews for all of the hotels in our system. Under a new agreement with Expedia & Hotels.com, affiliates (like us) can now display and link to TripAdvisor reviews.

Everyone already knows that TripAdvisor is *the* place for hotel reviews -- they're the biggest and most respected, for good reason.

So, we're proud to be one of the first to take advantage of this unique arrangement, and we're sure you'll agree.

To see what we're talking about, head over to resideo.com and search for a hotel. Or, for a quick peak, check out the reviews for Gaylord Palms down in Orlando.

We've got lots of other great new features coming soon, so keep checking back!

From around the web: Hotel chains saying goodbye to phone books...

From the News & Observer (by David Ranii):

Next time you're staying in a hotel in a strange city and need to consult the yellow pages, you might be out of luck.

Some hotel chains have started saying goodbye to phone books.

Their position: Guests no longer let their fingers do the walking through the yellow pages, because they have the Internet at their fingertips.

Read the full article

From around the web: Talks with Google on a Mountain View hotel fizzle

Negotiations between Mountain View and Google to build a hotel on the city's east side may have fizzled, but officials are still pushing hard to bring a four-diamond resort to the area.

read more | digg story

Hotel Study Shows Rise Of Free In-Room Wireless Internet

Wireless Internet access is a near ubiquity at U.S. hotels, and fewer properties are charging for the service, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association's 2008 Lodging Survey, which was released this week.The survey, conducted by Smith Travel Research and based on the responses of more than 10,000 U.S. hotels, found that 91 percent of responding properties now offer wireless Internet access, up from 35 percent in 2004. The survey reported that 16 percent of hotels charge for in-room Internet service, down from 19 percent in 2006 and 22 percent in 2004 (BTNonline, Aug. 14, 2006).For the first time this year, AH&LA also included questions about green initiatives in its survey. Twenty percent of hotels reported that they've incorporated elements of the standards the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design standards in the past 12 months, and an additional 21 percent reported that they would be incorporating them within the next 12 months. More than two-thirds of hotels reported that they use energy-efficient lighting.

Source: BTNOnline.com

Search for hotels with free wireless internet, and book your room today at Resideo.com!

read more | digg story