You may have heard about the controversy surrounding the Netflix launch event in Toronto. As part of the event to announce the availability of the video streaming service in Canada, Netflix apparently hired a number of actors to mingle among the crowd of those gathered. These hired actors were told to act as if they were regular people, but they were to show an extra level of excitement over the announcement.

This would give the crowd a artificially-inflated level of energy and it would make the launch event seem more exciting than it really was. These actors then spoke with reporters, still under false pretenses, saying how excited they were about the launch of Netflix Canada. This was very disconcerting for several individuals on moral grounds.

While I imagine that such practices aren’t exactly uncommon, they can still reflect very poorly on the companies that do partake in such strategies. There is nothing wrong with hosting a major event to launch a new product, but to hire actors to speak positively of the product may be seen as unethical. If Netflix wanted an increased level of buzz, they could have gone about it a different way.

Say, for instance, if they hosted a contest on Twitter or some other social media platform. This can increase word of mouth interest in the product, because people would be talking about Netflix with the hopes of winning some sort of prize. They could have had similar giveaways at the live event. This would help to make people feel excited and engaged in a more natural way. What are your thoughts? Is the hiring of actors unacceptable for such events?

The Apple iPad has certainly garnered its fair share of attention, especially since it currently has a virtual monopoly on the tablet market. That is very much about to change, since there are several other tablet devices being released by other manufacturers. For instance, BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion is set to launch its Playbook device early next year.

Even before that, though, we will be seeing the Samsung Galaxy Tab. This is a slightly smaller tablet device compared to the iPad, since the Samsung has a more portable seven-inch display. It also runs on the increasingly popular Google Android platform, opening up all sorts of accessibility to Google products, as well as new apps from Android Market. Just as iPhone apps were converted to the larger screen of the iPad, the same will presumably happen with many apps for the Galaxy Tab.

Some other standout features on the Samsung device include integrated 3G connectivity, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, a Cortex A8 1.0GHz application processor, and a large 4,000 mAh battery good for more than seven hours of movie viewing time. The Galaxy Tab includes SWYPE input for ease of text entry, front and rear-facing cameras, lots of multimedia support, and the Media Hub.

The expectation is that the Samsung Galaxy Tab will be released in November with availability coming through many of the major wireless carriers in Canada and the United States. You will be able to enjoy a subsidized price on the device should you choose to sign a service contract with one of these providers.

Many professionals from a range of different industries host their websites with BlueFur and one such person is Rhonda Sherwood. She is a wealth advisor with ScotiaMcLeod and she prides in taking a “holistic approach to financial management, looking at your total assets and objectives and then giving strategic advice on how to meet your financial goals.”

She is definitely mindful that there is no such thing as a “one size fits all” solution for everyone’s financial needs, which is why she aims to work collaboratively with her clients to reach their specific goals. Among the financial services that she offers are estate planning, retirement planning, tax planning, asset protection, and education planning.

In addition to her main website, Rhonda also has a blog that discusses a range of different financial issues that you may face. Recent posts approach such subject areas as dealing with adult children who ask for money, money principles to teach your children, the best use of your tax return, and whether investing in a mortgage or RRSP makes the most sense.

Do you use BlueFur to host your websites? Let us know and we can feature you in a future blog post. Send an email message to blogfeature@bluefur.com with your name, website URL, and a brief description of what you’d like to see highlighted.

The great thing about WordPress is that while it is a fantastic platform for all sorts of different blogs, it is also suitable for a range of other kinds of websites too. By using some design tweaks and specialized WordPress plug-ins, your website can be just about anything you want, from an e-commerce store to an official company website. It can also be a photo portfolio.

To do that, you might want to consider the free BirdSITE WordPress theme, designed by sysbird. This theme caters to photographers, digital artists, and other professionals focused on the visual arts. Instead of running a largely text-based site, you want to show off your various images. This is good for both photoblogging and as an online portfolio.

The layout consists of the main header image with simple navigation, below which you’ll find the main content area. This is laid out as a grid for your images, providing space for small captions and short descriptions as needed. The footer area then contains the information that you may normally find in the sidebar of other blogs, including categories, archives, and so on. Each image is essentially its own post, so you can allow for comments too.

Check out the live preview and the free download link at the WordPress Free Themes Directory.

What’s new in the blogosphere? A little bit of everything!

Chris Bibey is a fellow freelance writer who I greatly respect, which is why I think his recent post on writing rates is noteworthy. He asks whether your rates are negotiable. You typically can’t haggle at Best Buy, but nearly everyone does it when buying a new car. For freelance writing rates, I think the negotiation has to be a two-way street. I’ll agree to a lower rate if you’ll agree to higher volume or some other incentive, for instance.

RT Cunningham chimes in the recent Katy Perry controversy regarding the segment she had on Sesame Street with Elmo. Many parents are up in arms about her choice of outfit, but RT disagrees. In his post on cleavage and augmentation, he says that it was likely just one big publicity stunt. If that’s the case, it worked.

Miss 604 lets us know about the upcoming haunted trolley tour in Vancouver. Every Halloween, visitors are taken around the city to visit “real” haunted houses and hear murderous tales. The regular price for a ticket is $35, but if you quote “Miss604″ while booking, you get five dollars off for tours between October 8 and 15.

Dragon Blogger recognizes that technology plays a very important role in our lives, so you shouldn’t take these purchases lightly. As such, he describes some tips on how to buy a laptop. Are you paying attention to the processor, battery life, screen size, memory, and other important features? An extra $100 investment can go a long way!

Joseph Planta approaches a rather touchy subject in his recent interview with Ezra Levant. They touch on the hot topic of Canada’s oil sands, looking at “our hypocrisy when it comes to our oil consumption, where we purchase it, and who benefits from it.” Levant wants to use the oil sands, but Greenpace and others think otherwise.

Promotional products can be one of the best ways to market your company, but you have to be careful not to waste your budgets on little trinkets that will ultimately end up in the trash. If you hand out generic keychains with your company logo on them, for instance, you can likely expect them to be forgotten and buried. If the same keychain has a secondary function, like a bottle opener, magnifying glass, or laser pointer, then it is more likely to be kept and used.

For this reason, a couple of the best promotional items that you can start considering around this time of year are wall calendars and day timers. Every person in business needs something to keep track of their time and while many have turned to electronic versions, there is still something to be said about paper-based calendars. These are clearly visible at all times and great for cubicles. They’re also great for keeping your brand awareness high throughout the year.

Promotional calendars and day timers are relatively inexpensive to order and they are usually available with a wide range of previously created designs. All you do is add your company logo, company information, and perhaps a slogan or two. You can personalize it further with your own imagery, important dates, and quotes, but this will come at an additional cost. Depending on the nature of your business, they may or may not be worth the premium.

If you are considering promotional wall calendars and day timers as part of your marketing mix toward the end of the year, it is prudent to get your orders into your preferred suppliers now. It takes time to create these products and you want to have enough time to distribute them to your customers, colleagues, and business partners.