Archive for August, 2010
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010
Tiger Woods kept dozens of girls under wraps for years. But that’s nothing compared to the Internet under-cover feat that Facebook has just accomplished.
With Facebook Places, they kept this gigantic GPS check-in application almost completely off the radar. Which many companies are able to do. But not after letting so many employees know about it. Because it turns out that Facebook’s headquarters had more than 7,000 check-ins over the past 6 months. Suffice to say, a lot of their employees knew about it. And didn’t say a word.
Now, Facebook didn’t keep Facebook Places a complete secret. Industry insiders spotted some early code on the touch.facebook.com site months ago. And most people knew that something like this was coming from them. But, with a company the size of Facebook, it’s almost bizarre. 1,500 employees. No employee leaks about the app. No leaks about the page.
If when the “Google Me” social network comes out, it turns out that all of Google’s employees have been playing on it for months, that’s the only thing I can imagine topping this digital secrecy.
Tags: facebook-places, Google, google-me, gps-check-in, internet-marketing-company, social-media-marketing, tiger-woods
Posted in facebook, Google, GPS, Social Media | Comments Off
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010
With Google’s new Google iPhone App, notifications from your various Google accounts can now be pushed straight to your iPhone. No more need to check your e-mail. An icon badge will automatically pop up when you receive new mail in Gmail. Or what if a scheduled Google Calendar event is about to occur? That desktop reminder is only useful if you’re sitting patiently by your computer at the time. Now, a reminder will instantly pop up through your Google app on to your mobile home screen.
But more than just a convenient way to experience traditional Google account services, this new Google iPhone App will help you get information faster than ever before. When looking up stock quotes, flight info, weather, currency conversion or more, you’ll start to see your answers populate before you even hit the ‘Search’ button. This “as-you-type” search results feature is one that Google is playing with for their main search site as well.
The Google iPhone App is now available in the iPhone App store.
Tags: Google, google-adwords-advertising, google-iphone-app, iphone-app-store, mobile-marketing
Posted in Apple, Google, Google AdWords, mobile-marketing, Smartphones | Comments Off
Monday, August 23rd, 2010
I know we should remain skeptical when we hear rumors about the next great thing in Internet entertainment. But this rumor is coming from Digg Founder, Kevin Rose, an authority in the field, and typically 6 months ahead of the rest of his peers in terms of banking on the right new technology. Rose was one of the first to break the news about Google’s new social network, the tentatively named, “Google Me”.
But Apple TV, a new set-top box from Apple has some “change everything” potential. Rose says to expect an App Store for interactive TV apps that will allow you to get rid of your monthly cable bill.
Now, it’s hard to imagine the future sometimes. I totally understand the idea of paying a subscription fee for a season pass to a show I like. But, how will I find new shows to watch if I have to pay for them first? Or course, maybe I won’t. Perhaps Apple TV will include an ad-supported free-view version as well.
Apple TV is rumored to cost an astonishing low $99, placing it significantly under their main competitor, Dish Networks’s Google TV. Now, will Google TV be able to come through a lower distributor and low-ball Apple TV? Will non-MAC users feel more comfortable using a Google product than a MAC one?
It’s going to be fun to see.
Tags: Apple-TV, digg, dish-network, google-me, google-tv, internet-consulting, kevin-rose, social-media-marketing, tv-app-store
Posted in Apple, Google, Social Media | Comments Off
Monday, August 23rd, 2010
What’s the best way to have your Web App store hit the ground running when it goes live later this year? Release a preview store for Web developers to experiment with.
While the Chrome Web Store won’t open until later this year, developers can now visit the Chrome Web Store to mock-upload apps and experiment with packaging, installation and integrating payments into them. But you don’t have to worry about putting anything up you don’t want people seeing. These apps will not be visible to other visitors of the gallery during the developer preview. It is simply a great way to test out the process so you’re comfortable with it once the Chrome Web Store goes live. Of course, apps in the Chrome Web store are not Chrome-specific. They can be made available to anyone on any compatible browser.
But, in this same gallery, you can continue to publish Chrome extensions and make them available to Chrome users. Because the new Chrome Web Store will replace the current gallery, and offer a totally new design for users to find great apps, themes and extensions – all in one place.
Tags: chrome-apps, chrome-extensions, chrome-web-store, Google, internet-marketing, website-marketing
Posted in Google, google-chrome | Comments Off
Friday, August 20th, 2010
You thought Facebook was annoying when people were self-entertaining themselves through monotonous games like Farmville, right? Well, it’s about to get a whole lot worse – but a whole lot more social.
Facebook has partnered with a company called Rounds to launch an interactive video chat platform for Facebook. Think Skype, but integrated with Facebook. And way more than that. Because both users can interact with the Web simultaneously. Playing games. Interacting with each other’s video feed. It’s almost like real friendship, except you never have to leave your house.
But admittedly, Rounds is really cool. And the possibilities are endless. Facebook, you win again.
Tags: facebook-rounds, farmville, skype, social-media-marketing, video-chat
Posted in facebook, Social Media | Comments Off
Friday, August 20th, 2010
Recent reports have indicated that Google, HTC and Verizon are working together to bring a Chrome OS tablet to market by Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, and the biggest electronics buying day of the year.
But now, another report claims that Google is looking for Motorola to create an Android tablet for the Verizon network.
Now, this shouldn’t be surprising to us. It’s simply an example of Google wanting to play nice, right? Maybe. But, this is new stuff. And Google may just not be sure who’s going to come through for them. Now is not the time to put all your money on the wrong horse. But, as far as how Android and Chrome operating systems could coexist on a tablet, we’ll have to wait and see.
Tags: android, android-tablet, chrome-os-tablet, Google, google-advertising, google-marketing, htc, motorola, verizon
Posted in android, Google, google-chrome, ipad | Comments Off
Thursday, August 19th, 2010
It’s official. Facebook has launched their very own GPS check-in service called Facebook Places. And they surprised us once again.
Here at Windy City Strategies, we had been predicting that this launch would kill current market leader FourSquare overnight. But, representatives from FourSquare were at the news release yesterday when Facebook announced their new “location-based service” product.
Currently only available for the iPhone, but soon to be available for other smartphone devices, you can simply log-in to your Facebook app and click the new “Check-In” button under “Places”. Then, using your phone’s GPS technology, Facebook will let you know what registered “places” are nearby for you to check in to.
Here’s where the FourSquare friendship kicks in. Facebook has merged their rewards system with FourSquare’s. So FourSquare people don’t have to start over. Those 117 check-ins at the 7-11? They’re still good. Phew. All those slurpees aren’t a waste.
Now, the question is, how long will these rivals be able to play nice with each other? And how fast can sheer integration with the biggest social media network the world has ever seen tip this relatively niche technology?
Tags: facebook-places, Foursquare, gps-check-in, iphone, mobile-marketing, social-media-marketing
Posted in facebook, GPS, mobile-marketing, Smartphones, Social Media | Comments Off
Thursday, August 19th, 2010
It’s official. It now looks like Google has bought out companies in every single industry. With their recent video game company acquisitions, I think it’s safe to say that Google can now officially take over the world.
I’m being facetious of course. But perhaps that’s what they hope to accomplish through their upcoming Chrome Web Store. Recently, Google presented this concept for their Chrome Web Store, an HTML5 apps marketplace, during its I/O conference.
It looks like Google’s new app store will resemble the iPhone app store in many similarities. But, unlike Apple, Google won’t be taking a 30% cut of profit. Rather, they will only collect a “processing fee” of approximately 5% of the app purchase.
This huge profit incentive alone could win developers over right away. But, the real magic behind Google’s Chrome Web Store can’t even be answered yet. Because it’s to soon to tell how Google will incorporate Gmail, Buzz, their future “Google Me” social media network and every other proprietary site they own to help make this site both viral and network-driven.
The Chrome Web store is reportedly launching in October.
Tags: app-store, Apple, gmail, Google, google-adwords-advertising, google-buzz, google-chrome-web-store, google-me, HTML5, i/o-conference, iphone-app-store, social-media-marketing
Posted in Apple, Google, Google AdWords, HTML5, Social Media | Comments Off
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
You log in. You check your e-mail. Different log-in. You check your Facebook. Different log-in. You check your Twitter. Different log-in. You update your Fantasy Sports Team.
That’s a lot of work. And shouldn’t we be technologically advanced enough where we can avoid these little life interruptions?
Well, third-party log-in options are becoming more and more mainstream. And Google and Facebook currently lead the way. Google because they own so many sites you see. And Facebook because everyone has a Facebook log-in. Yahoo, Twitter and Windows Live round out the top 5 options.
So, if you’re a new site, why would you create your own unique username/password system when you could just utilize someone else’s?
Tags: facebook, google-adwords-advertising, social-media-marketing, third-party-log-in, Twitter
Posted in facebook, firefox, Google, Google AdWords, Twitter, Yahoo | Comments Off
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
MySpace, the fast-fledgling social media service has finally listened to their critics and updated their terribly-designed site. Unfortunately for them, it’s about 3 years after their market share gave up and made the move to Facebook.
But, to their credit, or folly, they have not given up. And MySpace has actually just launched a really cool new product.
MySpace Music Romeo is a free music video app that can be accessed via iPad or its Website. Users can select from 15 different music genres, and stream popular music videos served at random.
Users will be subject to one 15 second ad every 14 minutes. Users can also “love” their favorites and MySpace Romeo will recommend new videos based on the user’s selections, similar to Pandora and other Internet radio stations. Integration with the iTunes store will allow MySpace Romeo users to instantly purchase the songs or videos as well.
Tags: facebook, internet-marketing, MySpace, MySpace-Music-Romeo, social-media-marketing
Posted in facebook, Social Media, Uncategorized | Comments Off
