News: Jean Royal starts his own blog

Back in December, reader Jean Royal sent us a Pico Cribs article that he had written and taken photographs for. Jean visited the rooms of onogina, Benry, and ¶PЯ-¶⋛⋋紫紗姫系⋌⋚™, whose rooms all had a Christmassy flair at that time.

Jean was very interested in writing about his experiences in Pico and he was encouraged to keep writing.

Since January, Jean has started his own blog, Pico Life Blog, where he captures the Pico Life of himself and his sister Eulalie.

The blog has funny commentaries by Jean, comic strips of his adventures in Pico and lots of other game-related goodness.

It looks as though Jean is also looking for writers for his blog. In a January 5, 2010 blog post he writes:

As you may know, I'm the editor of PicoLife; & I would be pleased to recruit some reporters. So if you want to apply, please send me your Pico name, Real name, age, as well as an article that you wrote at picolifers@gmail.com. I will then try to make a Pico appointment with you.

Take a look at Jean's blog and Follow with Google Friend Connect or Facebook to keep up-to-date on new posts.

Congratulations and good luck with your new blog, Jean.

• Visit Jean Royal's Pico Life Blog
• "Like" Pico Life Blog on Facebook

A case of content theft: cute_pauline

Sometimes wolves come in sheep's clothing. Young or old, age is not an excuse.

Very recently I became aware of posts from Pico Perfect and Picostyle that are being re-posted on cute_pauline's blog. Since credit has not been given to the original authors, cute_pauline is claiming the posts as her own - whether she realizes it or not. This is plagiarism.

In talking about the situation with sweet_mom, she asked that I write a post about intellectual property for those who read the Pico Perfect blog to make them aware of the issue (See: Ahoy, mateys. Beware of internet piracy.).

At this point I am posting my view of the situation because cute_pauline doesn't seem to take it seriously. I tried to talk to her in a civil way about it, so she would hopefully come to understand why it's not acceptable.

I was hoping she would change the posts she has re-published to include links to the original posts. cute_pauline chose to not listen. I even asked her to email us at picostylers@gmail.com so I could discuss it with her (her Pico profile did not allow me to send her a letter). cute_pauline said she would right away, but has chosen not to communicate (a week later ... I'm still waiting).

I have no patience for lies and theft since my bullsh*t tolerance level dropped, so, I'm calling her out on her theft of content from other blogs.

There's nothing "cute" about stealing other people's content.

As of last Friday I filed a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) against cute_pauline by clicking the Report Abuse button on the top bar of her Blogger.com blog. As part of the DMCA process, a copy of the DMCA claim was automatically forwarded to cute_pauline at the email address she registered her blog with. Since she probably chose to ignore it ... this is what happened:



This is what you'll see now if you visit her blog.

Posts that cute_pauline stole:
Better info menu and more Gachas

• Originally posted on Picostyle; January 13, 2011
• Excerpts posted on cute_pauline's Ameba Pico blog; January 15, 2011

How-to: Report Abuse in Ameba Pico (click to see image of stolen post)

• Originally posted on Pico Perfect; January 3, 2011
• Re-posted on cute_pauline's Ameba Pico blog; January 8, 2011

How-to: prevent your Pico from being hacked (click to see image of stolen post)

• Originally posted on Picostyle; December 7, 2010
• Re-posted on cute_pauline's Ameba Pico blog; December 8, 2010

How-to: Make Elevator Stairs (click to see image of stolen post)

• Originally posted on Picostyle; October 12, 2010
• Re-posted on cute_pauline's Ameba Pico blog; December 8, 2010

Conversation with cute_pauline:
On January 14, 2011, I left a room post in cute_pauline's room, since I am not able to send her a letter or contact her in any other way. Not long after, I received a notification that cute_pauline was in my room, so, I went there to talk to her. She seemed more concerned with getting my room guest (whose name hasbeen removed to protect anonymity) and I to follow her blog and drum up traffic.

--- You have moved to Catero | The C@ House
(19:05) cute_pauline: hi
(19:05) Catero: pauline
(19:05) Catero: hey
(19:05) Catero: we need to talk
(19:05) cute_pauline: plz follow my blo
(19:05) cute_pauline: blog*
(19:05) Catero: i do
(19:05) cute_pauline: w8
(19:05) cute_pauline: hayley's online
(19:05) Catero: ok
(19:06) Catero: hey [Another Pico (name removed)]
(19:06) Another Pico (name removed); : hey
(19:06) Catero: every time i see you, you look different
(19:06) cute_pauline: yes
(19:06) Another Pico (name removed); : i know
(19:06) Another Pico (name removed); : wait
(19:06) cute_pauline: 2 guys
(19:06) cute_pauline: plz follow my blog
(19:06) Catero: i do, pauline
(19:06) cute_pauline: k
(19:07) Catero: i need to talk to ou
(19:07) cute_pauline: [Another Pico (name removed)] follow my blog too
(19:07) Another Pico (name removed); : me too
(19:07) Catero: you
(19:07) Catero: about your blog
(19:07) Another Pico (name removed); : i did
(19:07) Catero: can you email picostylers@gmail.com, plz, pauline?
(19:07) Catero: can i can talk to you thru email
(19:08) cute_pauline: plz take a picture
(19:08) cute_pauline: and add my blog
(19:08) cute_pauline: to picostyle
(19:08) Catero: isn't it already added to picostyle?
(19:08) cute_pauline: take a pic
(19:09) Catero: do ... you say please often?
(19:09) cute_pauline: yes
(19:09) Catero: when you ask someone to do something you should say it with a please
(19:09) cute_pauline: u'll post the picture
(19:09) Catero: no
(19:09) cute_pauline: in the new post
(19:09) cute_pauline: [Another Pico (name removed)]?
(19:09) cute_pauline: gtg
(19:10) Another Pico (name removed); : huh
(19:10) cute_pauline: bye!
(19:10) Another Pico (name removed); : sorry afk
(19:10) Catero: pauline
(19:10) Catero: email us
(19:10) Catero: UGH

cute_pauline leaves my room.

(19:10) Another Pico (name removed); : why?
(19:10) Another Pico (name removed); : whats wrong?

Seconds later, cute_pauline comes back to my room, says for a couple of minutes, then leaves when I ask her about the posts on her blog.

(19:10) Catero: [Another Pico (name removed)], can you plz give me a minute
(19:10) Catero: to talk to pauline?
(19:10) Another Pico (name removed); : k
(19:10) Catero: thx
(19:10) Another Pico (name removed); : i'll be afk
(19:10) Catero: lol ok
(19:11) Catero: pauline, do you have a few minutes to talk?
(19:11) cute_pauline: yes
(19:11) Catero: i noticed that on your blog ...
(19:11) Catero: there are some posts that you have taken from other blogs
(19:11) cute_pauline: changed the name
(19:11) Catero: like picostyle
(19:11) Catero: yes?
(19:11) cute_pauline: w8
(19:11) cute_pauline: bye!
(19:12) cute_pauline: gtg
(19:12) Catero: i am reporting you

Poof! cute_pauline was gone again.

Boys! You too, can look cute!

James On Pico is a fun Pico blog I enjoy reading. This particular blogpost made me smile!

You guys should read it!

How-to: Using your Pigg Blog

I've been wanting to use my Ameba Pigg blog for ages and by ages I mean since I opened my Pigg account in April. Sadly, the lack of fluent English speakers and my very bad Japanese (I don't speak any), communication has been a no-go. Thankfully, Saiya was able to get her friend Uverkuu to walk me through it. Uverkuu! You are so awesome!

Anyway! Personally, I would just use Google Chrome because it will translate the Japanese text on the Ameba Pigg website into whatever language you pick. I wished I had thought about this sooner but erm, I dropped the ball -cries- ...but since the tabs cannot be translated and for whatever reason when you first run the Ameba Pigg page it does not always pop up the function asking you if you want the page translated so here goes!

1. Open up your Ameba Pigg Homepage. Once logged in it should look something like the images below.



2. Click on the tab I've circled in the above image, that will take you to your blog post page. But let's revisit this in a minute cause I know you guys want to make your Pigg blog pretty first :P

Editing Blog Information

3. Clicking on the text circled above your user name in the green bar will allow you to personalise your blog's details. If you're using Google Chrome this is what you will see:


*Click on the image to view larger version

Use this image to fill out the appropriate information it calls for if you're not using Google Chrome and if you want to enable YouTube embedding remember to tick that function. Leave everything else as is and scroll all the way to the bottom and click the button to save.

Changing Your Blog's Layout

4. Refer back to the second image, click on the other circled text. That link will take you to this page:



Frankly, you can click on any of those links in the above image to pick a layout for your blog. I've specifically circled the one I did because it shows you all of them. Some layouts will cost money but there are plenty that are free.



Pick one and you're ready to blog!

How To Blog

5. Okay, go back to Step 2 and click on the tab to pull up this page:



There's just a few more things I want to tell you guys in case you're not using Google Chrome (seriously, why aren't you using Google Chrome?).

How to Publish Your Entry

6. Scroll all the way to the bottom of that page and you will see three buttons:



(From left to right)

First Button: Save Draft
Second Button: Post Friends Only
Third Button: Public Post

This was where I epic failed the first time I tried to blog back in April... I kinda just saved draft cause I guessed! Now you won't make the same mistake :P Keep in mind once you've published a post, if you get text in blue it was successful and if you get text in red there was an error.

How To Add An Image To Your Entry

7. Lastly, if you want to include an image in your blog entry click on the link shown below:



From there it's pretty self explanatory. Pigg blogging looks really fun and from what I can see while playing Pigg is that the Japanese really enjoy it. Ayuhime and I are going to give it a try, you should too!

Here are our blog links if you are interested in following us:
あゆ姫のブログ (Ayuhime's Blog)
Peggyのブログ

Happy Blogging!

Keeping Things Fresh.

Peggy here! Just wanted to let you guys know I tidied up our Blogs We Follow section a bit... to help keep me and other readers from clicking on bad links and inactive blogs (blogs that have not been updated since June). If you use to be on our blogroll but have been removed and feel it's an error, please leave me a comment with your blog URL here <3 If you would like to be added to our blogroll please do the same!

Thanks!

How-to: Get your blog on!

People are always asking us questions about blogging. How to get people to "Follow" or "Subscribe" to our blog is the most common.

Here are a few simple steps that can help in gaining a following for your blog and having people revisit your blog on a regular basis.

1. Let people know your blog exists
The single most valuable thing you can do to let people in Pico know that your blog is out there is to put it as your profile URL.

2. Be social
Really, just get out there and prop people. Why? Because they're likely to prop you back ... and to prop you back they must look at your profile. Chances are they will see you have an URL link and click it out of curiosity. Yeah. It's that simple.

3. Have good content that continues
This is the hardest part of getting people to continue visiting your blog. Having interesting, fun and engaging photos and stories on your blog is what will keep people coming back to read. Having a mixture of topics you love writing about in a fun(ny) way will help you in connecting to readers. If people like what you're doing with your blog they may bookmark your site or subscribe using tools on your blog (see #4).

Photos that are clean, crisp and big will catch people's eye and draw them into reading your posts.

To learn more about how to take good photos in Pico, read the 'How-to' on how to take good photos in Pico.

4. Use social media tools
Your blog should have a clear, simple and familiar way for people to be reminded of your blog and any new posts or updates.

For Blogger.com users, this is your "Followers" gadget. This is is connected to Google Accounts (and the Google Friend Connect tool in particular). If you're really passionate about your blog, Google Friend Connect has the tools that will allow you to create and send out a newsletter to your Followers.

• To find out more about Google Friend Connect, view this helpful video on YouTube.com.
• Find the Followers gadget from your Dashboard: Design → Page Elements: 'Add a Gadget' link → Basics (menu): 'Followers' link → Save

For Wordpress.com users, this is your "Blog Subscription" widget. Readers can choose to sign up with their email address. When you publish new posts, subscribers will be notified by email.

• To find out more about the Blog Subscription widget, read the info page.
• Find the Blog Subscriptions gadget from your Dashboard: Appearance → Widgets → Blog Subscriptions → drag and drop the widget onto your sidebar and customize your settings → Save

5. Add some extra oomph
Do something different and interesting. Get creative!

Start a Facebook group for your blog ... or for general interest in Pico • Create a photosharing group and add the slideshow to your blog sidebar • Make a video sharing (e.g. YouTube or Vimeo) film of your Pico adventures and post it on your blog • Have a theme week or month • Have a party so your followers can meet you • Put a message board on your sidebar • Let guests have their say - ask for their opinions or other submissions and post it for others to see.

6. Be practical
Here are a few simple things to think about and you create or develop your blog.

1. Let people know who is behind the blog. Create a biography page for you and any other blog authors that includes your Pico user name, or add a sidebar widget that has info about you.
2. Make things easy to find. People should be able locate information and posts as easily as possible on your blog. This could include:
• Adding a search box. 
• Using 'Labels' (for Blogger.com) or 'Tags' (for Wordpress.com) to add keywords to your posts.
• Making sure tags/categories or archives are on your sidebar so people can search for what interests them by topic or date.
3. Think about readers who may not speak English. Can you add a translator gadget or widget to your blog? Then do it. Use the Design (for Blogger.com) or Appearance (for Wordpress.com) menus to search and find a tool to let non-English speakers/readers read your site. It increases your potential readership!
4. Check your statistics. Are you curious? From time to time, look at your blog's stats to see which of your posts have been read the most and how visitors are being directed to your site.
   
   • For Blogger.com: Dashboard → Stats
   • For Wordperss.com: Dashboard → Site Stats

Happy blogging!

How-to: Take good photos in Pico

Note: This "How-to" is written for PC users. If you're a Mac user, your computer already has a neat little utility called Grab that makes it all simpler. Grab lets you take a high quality picture of all or part of your computer screen. Learn how to use it here.

Have you ever wondered how you can use your PC to take bigger, better photos beyond what pressing the Camera button in Pico will allow?


If you use Facebook to log into Pico you'll notice that images you take with the Camera button that upload to your Facebook album have low photo quality; they're not crisp and clear like the Pico world you see on your computer screen. Not to mention that they're small, since clicking the Camera button will only allow you to take a photo that is small: 320 pixels in width by 240 pixels in height (the equivalent of 4 inches x 3 inches).

You can! And in this tutorial, we'll show you the things you need to know to do it.

Taking bigger, better quality photos is simple. But you will have things you need to know and things you'll need to have before you start taking a photo. Are you ready?

Inventory

Things you will need to know:

• How to use the zoom and scroll buttons in Pico.
• How to use the Print Screen button (sometimes shown as Prt Scr, Print Scrn, Prt Scn, Prt Sc, Prt Scrn, or Prnt Scrn) on your computer's keyboard.

Things you will need to have:

• A graphics editor. A software program that lets you crop, rotate, resize and alter your photos as needed (example: Paint, GIMP, PhotoShop, Corel Draw, PaintShop Pro, SumoPaint, etc.).
• An online photo album. A place that let's you upload and store your images online (example: Flickr, Picasa, Photobucket, imgur, etc.).
  
  

Blog Life

Blog life is like Thug Life, except it's less depressing and has a higher level of literacy (hopefully).

Did you know that many Pico players have started blogs about their lives in Pico?
We've come across so many other people who have their own fun blogs to chronicle their Pico adventures and viewpoints. Putting your Pico blog lets curious people who click know about what you have to say.

Here at Picostyle, when we find someone with a (positive) blog that we haven't seen before, we list it under 'Blogs we follow'  on our sidebar to share with the rest of you.

So far we've discovered ... Awesome Pico,  AwsomePico, Best Friend Bears Life♡,  Emily Pico, InPico, Logout, Mel's Point of View, Michelley123's blog, Must Love Gummies, Pico Crazy, PICOblog, PICOdesign, PICOfreaks, PicoFun, Picon Pie!, PicoRocks, Pop Pico, Random Pico, The Peachie Pie, XlogX.

If you have a blog that's not on our list that you'd like us to include on 'Blogs we follow'? Let us know by emailing your URL to picostylers@gmail.com.

Would you like to start your own personal blog, but you don't know how?
Blogging is easy. There are a bunch of blog services that will host your free blog. Two of the most commonly used are Blogger.com and Wordpress.com.

To create your blog:

1. visit Blogger.com or Wordpress.com
2. create an account
3. name your blog
4. pick your template
5. start posting

If you need help with how to use Blogger.com, visit Blogger's YouTube help channel.
If you need help with how to use Wordpress.com, visit Wordpress's support site.

Get out there and get writing!