ConnectFive/////

So MediaCom is not building my confidence…can someone tell me which “Iowa City” should I choose? If this is because of multiple ZIP Codes, then show me the ZIP codes…come on people.

And this is not it (and this is not me!). I mean seriously man…is this the time and the place to be sporting your Bose Triport Headphones and MP3 player while taking a picture of your kids on your cell phone? I mean the glasses are necklace are sweet but loose the rest. If I see you again next year, I will shove you in.

Checkout the cycling gear Twin Six is kicking out. They are local but like The Jeffersons they are “movin’ on up” and getting a buzz in the bike mags. I put in an order yesterday that included this sweet bag. I’m also a big fan of their Brew Pub 07 jersey and The Deluxe jersey. Once they replenish their stock, I’ll be getting one of each.

Now go ride your bike.

///// Update 05.08.07
I just received the bag and other goods today and this bag is super sweet. It’s top quality material and design. It makes me want to carry stuff on my bike.

I’ve always been suspect of third party “Click-Stream Panels” like Alexa, hitwise, etc. but I’m building confidence in Compete.com Basically, they have the largest pool of participants (2,000,000+) and they also pull data from major ISPs/ASPs, opt-in panels and people using their Compete Toolbar (see their comparison). This service is free and it gives you a unique ability to learn about traffic to other sites (like your competitors that you compete with, thus the witty name). It serves as a “public record” of sorts that people can view contrast and compare. Here’s a snapshot chart I created to compare some major online shopping sites. Notice the holiday surge and how Amazon’s pattern is different:

What you can learn and not…
You can see user traffic volume and patterns over time but like most metrics you should not get hung up on exact numbers. You should focus on relationships and percentages. All the numbers are coming from the same large pool, so even if they the exact numbers are not quite accurate they will still be proportionally accurate. You can easily compare and contrast sites like the chart above to see who has the most traffic, who is showing a trend of growth, what seasonal patterns exist or what spikes maybe occurring due to ad campaigns, product launches, bad pr, etc. Bottom line, you can see who is using their sites effectively and who is not.

They also have a nice blog that offers some insights and observations around trends and topics. Here are a few interesting ones:
Google and the rest of the usual suspects continue to dominate video
UFC: 6th Most Popular Sport in U.S.?
And with the first Pick in the NFL Draft…

So give it a try! If you install their Compete Toolbar you get some added value about the “trust” of sites you search and visit as well as their popularity ranking and deals that are offered. And the more of us that use it, the more accurate it will become.