We are pleased to announce that today 37 Signals, creators of Basecamp, the preferred project management system used by Spike, launched Basecamp Mobile for phones and devices with WebKit browsers. This includes the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad, Motorola Droid X, Motorola Droid 2, Samsung Galaxy S, HTC Incredible, HTC Evo, Palm Pre 2, BlackBerry Torch, or any other device running iOS 4+, Android 2.1+, webOS 2, or BlackBerry 6.

Basecamp Mobile is not a native app, it's a web app. All you have to do is visit https://spikesalesllc.basecamphq.com on your mobile phone. No apps and nothing to install - it just works. Since virtually all of our clients currently use Basecamp this is really BIG news.

Ever had a call from a print vendor that asks, "Hey, what font are you using here?" only to have to be forced to reach out to the guy (you barely remember) that originally designed part of your graphic years ago.

As most of our clients already know, we value the fonts used in collateral. It's important. We even have a system for saving and organizing them. We also spend time teaching our clients when and it what situations to use them. 

Still, most business owners need to backtrack. They need to be able to quickly go to a "font well" when their original fonts weren't saved or organized properly.

There are numerous free options to choose from. With the help of some font gurus out on the web, we have compiled the information you need to quickly find the font used in your original design.

Font Park will start you off with over 70,000 to choose from. Da Font is a smaller, more curated collection with tons of great options. There are plenty of other free font tools and resources, but it's more important to first understand typography. WDL offers up seven free typography ebooks to get you started. If you want additional portability, you can download the Typography Manual iPhone app. One you've got a basic understanding of typography, take a look at mastering font combinations. Rarely will you stick with a single typeface in a design, so understanding the principles of combining fonts can save you a lot of frustration.

Of course you can always speak with your Spike Account Executive to point you in the right direction.

We have a saying here at Spike that "Content isn't just King... It's EVERYTHING."

Fresh relevant content about your company, products and services is absolutely vital, yet a few of our clients opt to try a crack at writing their content themselves in an effort to cut costs and save money. After all, it looks easy, you have a high school diploma, spell checker and samples of what other people or competitors are using right?

In an effort to help out our DIY clients speed up the process of copy-writing. I found this super simple exercise to be very helpful. It snaps writer's block and stops you from being to long winded.

I am going to keep the F-BOMBs out since some of you reading this might have it blocked at work and I also don't want to make my Mom mad if she reads it. But it is important to note that when you go through this exercise, that you absolutely make sure you use the F-BOMB. Otherwise it loses it's effect.

Since content is what makes up your marketing messages, website, brochures, and other collateral, it is important to get to the point and let your audience know exactly what you want to convey.

You probably already have some good keywords or adjectives or standard sayings that you use when describing your company, product or service. You can probably say to someone what it is you do, who you are, or why they should buy your product or service. But when you try to put that down on paper you type to much, go off on tangents, and find it hard to get to the point.

THE EXERCISE:

Take the subject you want to write about, put it in your mind's eye. Next picture a teacher, drill instructor, football coach or some other type of person that you have a love/hate relationship with. Now imagine them walking up to, puffing up their chest getting right in your grill and screaming...

"What the F@$K are you trying to say?"

"What the F@$K does it do?"

"Who the F@$K are you?"

"Why the F@$K should I buy it?"

"When the F@$K is the event?"

"Where the F@$K do I go?"

You get the point. This list can go on and on.

Make sure when you answer, you are screaming right back. Screaming is the only way I have found it to work. You'll be amazed at how much simpler and to the point the answers become. This is where you should begin with your writing and only add to your answers when necessary.

Take it a step further and call your Google Voice number and record your answers so you don't even have to type the bulk of it. To see how to do that go here

Ohhh... it should also be noted that you will crack up laughing at yourself when you do this, it's just part of the process.

Have fun with it.

Logging into your Google account couldn't be easier. Once there you will be able to access your Gmail, Calendar, Docs, and every other App. This quick video will show you how to do it.

 OpenOffice.org 3.2.1 for Windows (Link)OpenOffice.org 3 is the leading open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more. It is available in many languages and works on all common computers. It stores all your data in an international open standard format and can also read and write files from other common office software packages. It can be downloaded and used completely free of charge for any purpose.