User Experience Director Caroling Lee runs down a checklist of how to make a great first impression with your Web site.

Business Development Director Jean Conover offers some advice and resolutions for your network in the new year.

VLC Media Player by Videolan is a fantastic cross-platform, open-source multimedia framework, player and server and, well, a mouthful. To me, it’s a cool program that plays just about any video or audio file I throw at it – no more having to search for a program to play weird video files. It also does other fancy things like rip DVDs and stream media to other computers, but I just like having go-to program that’ll figure out file formats so I don’t have to.

Foursquare, the latest social networking app to hit the public, is somewhat of a spinoff of Twitter, but takes it to a whole new addictive level by letting users share where they are and learn about the places they frequent in their city. When you “check-in”, your friends are notified of your location and you can suggest other places to go and things to try out. Foursquare also boasts a competitive element by rewarding you with points and badges each time you arrive at a new location – I just unlocked the “Newbie” badge for checking-in at Hot Mama’s Espresso Bar down the street from the TradeMark studio! Check out how other businesses are using Foursquare to reward frequent visitors.