CRM Update – Apr 20 : 1:02 pm

Pets provide us with much-needed companionship, cuddles, and photos to illustrate Consumerist posts with. But they’re not cheap to have around. Food, toys, litter, collars, leashes, routine vet care…those are all of the things you consider and budget for when you start cruising Petfinder to look for a new buddy. Only there are larger expenses that are large, sudden, and impossible to plan for. After one illness, having a pet could cost as much as a decent used car. That’s what happened to Carolyn Kylstra, whose cat Hooligan (great name) has cost her $5,550 over three years…

In this video I interview Robert Halper, who is the director of video communication for Johnson & Johnson.Robert shares the story and strategy behind the company’s successful social media activities. You’ll also learn how Johnson & Johnson’s social media communication is not just about the brand and how they create awareness with YouTube videos.Be sure to check out the takeaways below after you watch the video.Here are some of the things you’ll learn in this video:How to engage your viewing audienceFind out the most powerful way to use videoThe best ways to connect with people through videoHow to humanize your brandWhy engaging content can boost your brand indirectlyWhy engagement is one of the most important aspects of social mediaHow video helps people feel connected with your companyConnect with Johnson & Johnson on Twitter here and you can also check out their videos on YouTube…

The long-awaited sequel to the Crysis series, Crysis 3, is due to hit the stores in spring 2013, and today we get a first glimpse into the game with a very short teaser trailer.
The trailer only shows a couple of seconds (8, to be exact) of gameplay, but boy, does it look good!
The graphics look incredible, as one would expect from the gaming series which managed to torture even the most powerful PC configurations.
Also, a new weapon — the composite bow — can be seen in the trailer…

Catch Yogi Berra’s Social Media Wisdom
Social media can learn a lot from baseball, particularly in terms of consistently practicing to improve your results and putting the greater good of the team and its community ahead your personal feelings.
One of the greatest catchers in baseball history, Yogi Berra (aka Lawrence Peter Berra) offered some great social media lessons in his well-known quotes during his 19 year baseball career, most of which was spent playing for the New York Yankees.
Fracturing the English language with his malapropisms, Yogi Berra’s often funny sayings provide useful social media insights…

At the European soccer championships this June, top national teams including the Netherlands, Portugal and France will be decked out in stylish new Nike uniforms.
But there’s a catch — the “kits,” as they’re called, are made from recycled bottles. It takes an average of 13 plastic bottles to manufacture a set of uniforms and shorts. The video above gives some insight — albeit choppily edited, music-heavy insight — into how the uniforms are made.
The two-minute spot — which gained more than 60,000 views in its first three days on YouTube — was a collaboration between Nike and the marketing outfits Conscious Minds and Optimist LA…

When Scott found socks on “buy one, get one half off” sale at Kohl’s, he picked up a few packages. The sale signage stipulated that the discount was off the original price…but was that the original price, or the original original price? Scott noticed that a sticker had been placed over the original tag, raising the price from $12 to $14. So what’s the original price?

I was shopping for socks at Kohl’s and came upon a buy 1 get one 1/2 off sale for Kohl’s brand socks…

Welcome to this morning’s edition of “First To Know,” a series in which we keep you in the know on what’s happening in the digital world. Today, we’re looking at three particularly interesting stories.
Microsoft Posts Strong Quarterly Results
Microsoft announced revenue of $17.4 billion for the quarter ended Mar. 31, 2012, a 6% increase from the prior year period and a record for the company. Operating income was $6.4 billion, a 12% increase compared to the same period last year.
Samsung to Unveil Cloud Service Called S-Cloud [RUMOR]
Samsung plans to unveil a new cloud service called S-Cloud at its press event in London on May 3rd, Maeli Business reports citing a leaked document from Samsung…

Six tips for transforming your marketing group from a cost center to a revenue center.

Make your ads for video stand out.

The Summer Gadget Series is presented by the Galaxy Nexus from Sprint. Android 4.0, Google Wallet and Google Play make it pure Google. Truly Unlimited data from Sprint makes it unstoppable. Check it out.

Product: Jawbone Jambox
Price: $199.99 / £159.99 / €199.99
What It’s Good For: Wireless, portable audio and speakerphone calls
Who It’s Good For: Anyone with a Bluetooth-enabled laptop or phone
Limitations: High price.
Bottom Line: You don’t have to compromise on style, sound or size with the Jambox — but it will cost you…

Even if your older HDTV has an HDMI port, you may not be able to connect your DirecTV receiver to your TV — at least not if you want to watch HBO.

ZatzNotFunny.com recently posted about receiving complaints from some DirecTV customers who suddenly found out — without warning or explanation — that they can’t watch HBO if their receiver is connected to the TV via an HDMI cable.

Why not?

Glad you asked. Seems like some older HDTVs do not have High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), which as the name implies, is intended to prevent copying of content transmitted over a connection like HDMI or DVI…