Content is sponsored by Microsoft
Remember how, as a kid, you looked up at the clouds and ignited your imagination? Windows puts a technological spin on that childhood fantasy, by letting PC users create their own personal clouds where they can create, connect, and share all of the important facets of their lives.
At its core, Windows Live is designed to simplify everyday life by giving users cool tools in new ways. Getting started is easy, too. Once you have Windows 7, download Windows Live Essentials, and then get to the cloud. Some of the ways it will change your life:
- Create – From editing your home movies in Movie Maker and photo editing the perfect holiday photo to working on dynamic Word documents that live online, Windows helps you maximize your creativity.
- Connect – Collaborating with others to plan an event can be cinch thanks to the ability to sync and access your files from all of your devices (even the cool flyer you made on your home PC but forgot to print out). And, you can invite others to contribute their ideas using Windows Live Mesh. The old school days of PTA meetings in the cafeteria are numbered!
- Share – No one likes facing down a clogged up inbox, even if it means seeing a great slideshow of your sister’s bridal shower. Upload your album in one click to your social media accounts using Windows Live Photo Gallery, and chat about them in real time using Windows Live Messenger.
Learn more about how to connect to the cloud: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/cloud/Default.aspx
25 comments
Katie
Hi Nicole. I just saw another post like this come up on your site today.
I am 100% okay with you advertising. But I am 100% disappointed that the advertising isn’t stuff that you 100% stand behind. If you ran ads like this one for a Mac or for something else that you use and love, then great. then I feel like you want to spread a message, not just make money with the post.
Good luck in figuring out what’s right in your heart – unless this is it. ;)
Jamie
Love your blog & I’m not bothered by sponsored posts whatsoever. If I don’t want to read it, I don’t. Plain and simple. Seems like Windows is choosing their advertising poorly though. My guess is that most of your readers use Macs.
Enos
So if you express an opinion and its not positive, then you’re a hater! What on earth… I don’t think anyone has said anything hateful and its massively disrespectful to say that about people who have made the effort to read Nicole’s blog and to post their thoughts. Unfortunately, those thoughts can’t always be gushing praise but that doesn’t mean they are hateful.
christa
I can’t believe all the haters on here. Geez! Don’t let them get to you Nicole.
lisa
I don’t mind sponsored post or ads, the ONLY thing that feels a tad “icky” about this post is we all know you are a Mac girl. So it feels a little bit “sold your soul” type of thing. To me at least it does.
Lindsay D.
Thank you for labeling it as an ad. I appreciate the hard work that goes into your blog and I think you deserve to make a good living for your work. Best wishes.
Enos
Actually, I don’t buy magazines. One of the reasons for that is because of all the adverts. You shouldn’t be so quick to judge other people’s habits. I used to buy magazines, then I realised what a waste of time they were because they are so full of boring adverts. I hope that in a few years I won’t be saying the same thing about blogs. I think a lot of the people who have commented have acknowledged that its a reality of making a living, but its a sad reality nonetheless. I think the reason I personally found it disappointing is that I have become used to seeing features about DIY, interior design, arts, crafts and so on. I was surprised to see an advert about Windows Live because it doesn’t seem at all relevant to the overall theme of Nicole’s (excellent) blog. I don’t think anyone blames her for making a few dollars, I just would have expected her to choose advertising that reflected the interests of her readership, or was a product she uses herself in some way and would want to recommend.
Piper
It’s interesting to me that so many people are objecting to advertising yet will *pay* for a magazine off the newsstand chock full of adverts. As a blogger myself and business owner, I can attest to the effort both in time and money that goes in to providing content for readers. Readers which she’s worked for and earnestly offered content and entertainment to for quite a long time now.
Nicole, I live in reality. I don’t mind your sponsored posts. You mark them clearly and are honest and up front. What more can one ask?! Spend a year as a blogger; one with traffic such as this one, please, before you offer such rebuffs.
Best,P
Jeannine
I think my main problem with this is that the entire thing is provided directly from Microsoft – and posted word for word. I guess I didn’t realize how much I’ve come to expect a certain voice in the blogs I read until someone else stepped in and spoke for them. It just felt very invasive.
I don’t know that I would have done things differently, just wanted to express my reaction.
Erin
Hey daily readers- This blog provides a service and since it does not charge readers, finacial support for the blog has to come from other sources. It is clearly labled as a sponsored post. Until people get used to paying for services online there is the necessity for sponsorship on this site and others (facebook, google, etc).
Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you for your hard work.
Reesa
Also agree.
Desiree Fawn
Agreed!
Piper
Agreed.
Kim
Agreed.
Nonsense
When posts like these are clearly labeled, what is the difference between a sponsored post and an ad in a newspaper? Your eye visually skips over the ad in a print newspaper so just skip over this.
susan
Also, how is this any different from what you can do with Google? Unless I’m just missing something.
Enos
I would agree here, advertising like this detracts from the general integrity of the rest of the blog…I’m sorry to be so negative but I don’t like it. I was also under the impression that this is a blog that is mostly about interior design and crafts. I’m not sure where Windows Live fits into that, especially as you yourself use a Mac. I do realise that we’re lucky to have such great blogs and all the resources they provide, for free. And, of course, advertising is a necessary evil in all that!
Eileen
I think we all have faced some hardship in this “new economy.” Being an artist, blogger, or crafter is financially demanding profession. Why not capitalize on an opportunity that provides you extra cash to do what you what you love? I don’t at all think this means Nicole or Making it Lovely has sold out. I think posts like this are evidence of gaining popularity and good use of resources. So don’t hate, appreciate.
Susan/Project Balancing Act
I don’t mean this to be snarky, but don’t you use a Mac? I do! This Cloud Computing sounds awfully similar to what we Mac users have had for a long time.
MerryLand
Kind of an unfortunate development in your blog. I’m sure you can use the $, but, well…it makes me, a daily reader, feel like I’ve been had. I love your blog and all you put into it, but I’m going to say, respectfully, this sort of thing makes me love it a teeny bit less.
Shannon
Seconded.
Getting kind of tired with big name sponsored blog posts, all-round, not just here.
I was reading another (un-named) blog and she was talking about this girl who was doing an awesome project and she wascually said “get this girl some sponsors!!!”. Why? Why does everything need to be sponsored now? Why can’t things just be?
I mean, I realize that people need money, it’s the basis of life, but come on.
Michele
This spells sellout. Lost a reader.
Vicki @ Piccolo Takes All
Does this mean you’re dumping Apple and switching to PCs?
Emily
Sounds good! I might just go and have a closer look.
Catherine
I don’t have a problem with you doing sponsored posts but I noticed something interesting- I have AdBlock Plus turned on and the body of your post was blocked due it being an ad. Thank you for clearly labeling the post as being provided by Microsoft, I wish more blogs would do that.
Comments are closed.