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Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Create Your Own Personalized Sports Station With Slacker Radio”

Posted by Ashim Adhikari on 5:40 AM // 0 comments

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Create Your Own Personalized Sports Station With Slacker Radio”

Create Your Own Personalized Sports Station With Slacker Radio

Posted: 23 Mar 2011 05:33 AM PDT


Attention sports fans, the tournament between rival music subscription services has taken another turn, with Slacker Radio adding ESPN audio content to its suite of offerings.

Slacker is announcing Wednesday that ESPN content — from multiple programs (national and regional), including Mike & Mike in the Morning, SportsCenter, The Herd With Colin Cowherd — will soon be available on the web, in-app and on connected devices.

Users will have the ability to get ESPN SportsCenter headlines as hourly updates on a Slacker music station, to create their own stations composed of preferred sports programming and to listen to a station comprising dedicated ESPN content.

Slacker also lets its users cache stations for offline listening, so this should be especially useful for underground commuters.

This addition is sure to give the service an edge over some of its competitors (like Rdio, MOG and Spotify), which do not include content aside from music. (Satellite radio services like Sirius do offer such content.)

Last summer, Slacker integrated ABC News into its stable of content, allowing users to customize their news consumption as well as incorporate it into their Slacker stations. Now the service — which is set to launch its on-demand offering soon, as well as get into the in-car game — will likely be able to appeal to a wider audience.

Those who use Slacker’s free service will have access to the ESPN station, while those who pay for the service will have unlimited access to sports content: ad-free programming, unlimited skips, the ability to personalize stations and the option to add hourly updates to other stations.

Which music sub service do you prefer? Will sports lure you to the Slacker fold?

Photo courtesy of Flickr, Minimalist Photography

More About: ESPN, Slacker-Radio, sports

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Firefox 4 Downloaded 5 Million Times in the First 24 Hours

Posted: 23 Mar 2011 03:56 AM PDT


Firefox 4 has been downloaded over 5 million times in under 24 hours since it became available, according to Mozilla’s official download stats page.

Currently, the counter shows 5,755,000 downloads, most of which originated from Europe (2.5 million), followed by North America (1.6 million) and Asia (1 million).

In comparison, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 9 was downloaded 2.35 million times in its first 24 hours of availability.

The final version of Firefox 4 brings full CSS3 and HTML5 support, a redesigned UI, App Tabs, syncing accross multiple devices and Panorama, a feature that lets you organize tabs into groups using a drag and drop interface.

[via CNET]

More About: browser, downloads, Firefox, Firefox 4, mozilla, web, web browser

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GiftRocket Makes a Gift Card Accepted Anywhere

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 11:29 PM PDT


Is the gift card, a surprisingly desirable commodity for gift recipients, in need of a version 2.0? The decades old plastic present, predated by its paper cousin the gift certificate, may be in for a young and hip transformation at the hands of new startup GiftRocket.

GiftRocket’s version of the gift card is place-specific, but not in the traditional sense. The format is designed to open up the $100 billion-per-year gift card industry and allow gift givers to send gift cards to anyone via email for any thing — such as drinks, skydiving or a spa day — at any venue, regardless of whether the retailer sells its own gift cards.

Here’s how it works: the giver picks a place in a specific region, as sourced from Yelp’s business listings, via the GiftRocket website. Let’s use Peet’s Coffee in Marina Del Rey as an example. The gift giver then builds the GiftRocket by filling out a few key details like amount ($20), recipient name (Scott) and email, and a personal message. Finally, the buyer pays for the gift with his credit card.

Our lucky recipient, Scott, is notified via email of his new gift. The next time he visits Peet’s, he can press “redeem” on his smartphone (no app required) to cash in his gift card. After verifying Scott’s exact whereabouts, GiftRocket will approve the request and automatically deposit $20 in Scott’s PayPal account. Scott’s next lattes are on the house, theoretically.

The GiftRocket format will likely feel funky for some — the model has its flaws, including the redeem now, reward later flow for recipients. Not everyone is ready to exchange instant freebies for PayPal deposits. Still, the just-launched startup, which presented Tuesday at Y Combinator’s Demo Day in Mountain View, California, is seeing some early traction.

“People have started using it,” co-founder Kapil Kale promises. “People use it for places that don’t have gift cards, when they can’t actually buy their friend a gift card to the little Mexican place down the street.”

The service is also proving easier to use for early adopters looking to send quick gifts at locales that already sell their own gift cards, Kale sales. “Give me an example?” I ask. “Chipotle,” he says. “People have bought so many gift cards to Chipotle, particularly the people in Y Combinator that have been using it.”

The GiftRocket concept may not be an apples-to-apples comparison to the gift card but, says Kale, the startup is more about helping users convey the message, “hey, this one is on me.”

Ironically, GiftRocket’s backstory is just as unique as its product. The startup now traffics in digital, location-based gift cards, but the original idea that Kale and co-founder Nick Baum pitched to Y Combinator founder Paul Graham was a referral service to help people discover new places. Six days before their interview — the interview alone being a major coup — the guys risked it all: they dropped the original referral idea and went with GiftRocket instead. When they did pitch Graham, they had nothing but the idea, a piece of a paper and part of an Android app to show.

The GiftRocket idea, which slightly overlaps with the likes of Gifi from Venmo, was big enough to win Graham over. Now, the founders have a chance to demonstrate that their fun gift card alternative can grow into a viable business.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, slallison

More About: ecommerce, gift cards, giftrocket, y combinator

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Teenagers Translate Pokemon For the Facebook Generation

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 09:45 PM PDT


You start with a monster that is small and weak. Your job: Raise and train the monster to battle and best your friends’ monsters.

For those coming of age in the late ’90s, this role-playing game sequence brings to mind the Pokémon franchise; the Facebook generation may instead come to associate the monster RPG with MinoMonsters.

MinoMonsters is a Y Combinator social game upstart founded by teenagers Josh Buckley and Tyler Diaz, 19 and 17 respectively. The duo view their monster machination as a modern-day version of Pokémon, primed to eat Zynga’s lunch with the emotional engagement of an RPG and the casual appeal of a social game.

“Zynga, I think we can all agree, is fairly good at social games,” Buckley said to a packed house at Y Combinator’s Demo Day in Mountain View, California. “But, what they don’t focus on is emotional engagement. You’re not going to find kids this Christmas begging their parents for a CityVille plush toy. Pokémon, on the other hand, could sell anything with their name on it at the start of the decade.”

Buckley and Diaz are Y Combinator’s youngest founders ever. Buckley has an impressive pedigree for a teen, having sold his first virtual world company when he was just 15. Together, the pair appear to have a solid grasp on the gaming space and hope to have found a formula — social gaming + emotional engagement = MinoMonsters — that will make Pokémon’s $24 billion franchise seem miniscule.

As for the MinoMonsters game itself, it lives in Facebook and tasks players to choose a monster, teach it skills, take it on adventures, progress to higher levels and grow a clan by battling other monsters.

It could easily become addicting for social gamers — though this reporter in particular, who admittedly never glommed on to the Pokéman movement, is not exactly hooked. Perhaps I’m in the minority — the four-week-old game now has more than 110,000 players and is experiencing 10% growth each day, according to Buckley.

MinoMonsters gamers can expect Android and iPhone applications for mobile game play in the near future. Plus, the startup is talking to investors and hopes to secure $1 million in funding, a round that will likely fuel more rapid developments.

Image courtesy of joshbuckley.net

More About: facebook, minomonsters, pokemon, social gaming, y combinator

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Man Licks iPad 2, Wins Trip to Fiji [VIDEO]

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 09:27 PM PDT


I’ve waited all my young life to write a headline like that, and it’s entirely true: A young man, through the power of social media, licked an iPad 2 until he won himself a sweet vacation on a private island in Fiji.

Here are the dirty particulars: Socialcam, the official mobile app of Justin.tv, was running a contest during SXSWi. The rules were simple: Using Socialcam, upload a video of you or your friends doing a simple predetermined challenge. The list of challenges included options such as “Do a barrel roll,” “Do your best dance move,” and “Lick something — something wierd.”

The prize was airfare and a weeklong stay on a private island in Fiji, courtesy of travel-focused startups Airbnb and Hipmunk.

Here’s the winning video, showing self-described “interactive specialist” Samuel Yu getting PG-13 all over an iPad 2:


Samuel, Olivia Munn would be proud of you, but we hope you don’t kiss your mother with that mouth.

In the end, the challenge brought a lot of great publicity to Socialcam and the other startups involved. The team kept us updated on number of signups before, during and after the challenge, and the app’s adoption seems to be on an upward-curving trend.


In case you’re curious, this is where Yu is headed for his ill-gotten getaway. If watching makes you jealous, remind yourself that you should have downloaded the app and licked your way to glory.

More About: AirBNB, contest, hipmunk, socialcam, video

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Startup Helps You Create a Sign-Up Page In Minutes

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 09:07 PM PDT


The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.

Name: LaunchRock

Quick Pitch: LaunchRock helps startups set up a sign-up page for their private beta, in minutes.

Genius Idea: LaunchRock offers budding companies a custom launch page that allows interested parties to sign up, invite other friends to join, and push the page to their social networks.

LaunchRock’s private beta sign-up page doesn’t elaborate on its product in detail, but it’s not because the six-week-old startup is in stealth mode. It’s because the product is the launch page.

In the time it takes to upload a couple of images and type a brief description of the service, companies get a more intricate page than they are likely to build themselves — one that manages the sign-up list showing who’s made the most referrals.

If startups prefer, they can use a LaunchRock widget or API for the same service.

“It’s our philosophy that you should start building an audience and testing your messaging as soon as you get a domain name,” explains co-founder Jameson Detweiler. “There’s no reason you shouldn’t start getting feedback and building that feedback loop and finding who your best customers are.”

More than 1,000 businesses have already launched pages using the platform (see some examples here, here, and here). The waiting list, Detweiler says, is much longer than that.

Sometime in the next six weeks, he and co-founder Zachary Melamed, who have each been averaging four hours of sleep a night since launch, hope to do away with the waiting list and launch a public beta version of the site. This version will include revenue-producing premium features. The founders haven’t said what those features might be, but did say the company will offer products applicable to post-launch startups.

With the sheer number of startups reaching a level that makes such “startup to startup” services viable, it’s easy to wonder whether we’re seeing a bubble. That could burst and leave companies like LaunchRock client-less.

The as-yet unfunded company, however, isn’t worried. Its client list is starting to expand beyond startups. Says Detweiler: “anyone wanting to build an audience or user base is our customer.”

Besides, he says, this bubble is different: “Will funding go up and down? Sure, but people will still build apps and web services without funding — just like they are today.”

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, mooneydriver

Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark

Microsoft BizSpark

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark, a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today.

More About: beta, launch page, launchrock

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New Tablet: Is the Revised Galaxy Tab 10.1 an iPad 2 Killer? [GALLERY]

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 07:55 PM PDT


Samsung’s redesigned 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab is thinner and lighter than an iPad 2. But can it compete against the Apple juggernaut?

The numbers are all there for the specmeisters, with this reworked Galaxy Tab rocking a slightly larger touchscreen over the iPad 2, higher resolution, a 1GHz dual core processor and lighter 595g weight compared to the 601g of the iPad 2 Wi-Fi. But the most important number of all is its price. Unlike Samsung’s overpriced predecessor, the 16GB Wi-Fi Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 will cost exactly the same as the iPad 2 Wi-Fi 16GB: $499. Bam!

The first Galaxy Tab didn’t fare too well. In fact, the day of the iPad 2′s rollout, even Samsung’s Executive VP of its mobile division Lee Don-Joo admitted its shortcomings: “We will have to improve the parts that are inadequate… Apple made [the iPad 2] very thin… The 10-inch (tablet) was to be priced higher than the 7-inch (tablet) but we will have to think that over,” he said.

We didn’t care much for the first Samsung Galaxy Tab, either. When we got our hands on it earlier this year in Barcelona, it was flimsy, felt cheap, and we thought its much-ballyhooed Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) interface was confusing and buggy. And, the device got uncomfortably hot in one corner.

While this thinner, redesigned model reportedly felt much better in all respects, it’s still missing one key number, and that is the hoard of software Apple offers for the iPad 2, more than 60,000 apps specifically created for the platform. But that impressive number also includes the fart apps, too. Even so, Apple has a huge head start.

Meanwhile, Samsung introduced another contender it calls the Galaxy Tab 8.9, a little more than an inch smaller than its big brother. It includes the same 1GHz dual-core processor, and looks just about the same as the 10.1-inch model, as you’ll see in the gallery below.

Both of Samsung’s new tabs beat the iPad 2 easily in the camera spec department, with a 3-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel up front, both shooting 1080p video. In what could be the clincher for many users, the Samsung tablets boast another capability lacking in the iPad 2: Adobe Flash playback.

Want to try one? You’ll have to wait until June 8 for the Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wi-Fi, priced at $499 for the 16GB version and $599 for 32 gigs. Samsung was not as specific with the release date for the Galaxy Tab 8.9 Wi-Fi, which it said would be available in “early summer” at $469 for 16GB and $569 for 32 gigs.

So is the Galaxy Tab 10.1 an iPad 2 killer? I don’t think so, but it’s a lot closer to being competitive than Samsung’s first attempt. Tell us in the comments if you agree.

Here’s a gallery featuring both new Samsung Galaxy Tabs:


Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, 2-shot





Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 -- Front





Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 -- 3/4 angle





Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 -- Back





Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 -- Side View





Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 -- Front





Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 -- Back





Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 -- Side View





Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 -- Two-shot




More About: 8.9, iPad 2 Killer, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, tablet pcs

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New York Times Asks Twitter to Disable Paywall-Jumping Feed

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 06:08 PM PDT


Think you’re pretty smart, figuring out a way to get around that 20-article limit The New York Times will begin imposing in the U.S. next Monday (3/28)? Not so fast.

In the new paywall scheme, if you get to a Times article by following a link, it doesn’t count against the 20 articles you can read for free before you have to pay a monthly subscription fee. That’s where Twitter feed @FreeNYTimes could come in handy, linking to every single New York Times article so people can use Twitter as a free jumping-off spot.

But the Gray Lady is having none of that. Today it asked Twitter to disable @FreeNYTimes because “it is a violation of our trademark,” according to a spokesperson for the Times. A Forbes reporter asked her about other ways to get around the paywall. For example, a simple browser app called NYTClean gives you admittance to any article with a single click. The Times said that’s to be expected. They will continue to monitor the situation and plan no changes, the spokesperson said.

Is it a trademark violation? Well, if you take a look at @FreeNYTimes (pictured above), you’ll notice that distinctive Gothic “T” of The New York Times prominently displayed. Perhaps that’s where the trademark violation takes place. Then there’s the term “NYTimes,” identical to the newspaper’s URL. Looks like the Times might have a point in this case, but what if someone starts up another Twitter feed — “@FreeNYSlimes”, say — that links to all the Times’ articles?

Here’s another idea: Make the price of admission cheaper, and maybe people will be willing to pay. The Times’ price of $35 per month to access the site on a computer, smartphone and iPad (or $15/month, computer-only) is likely to fan the flames of freeloaders. Why? Because $35 is roughly twice the monthly cost of the digital version of the Wall Street Journal, and almost four times that of The Economist, according to Silicon Alley Insider.

Most of you agree. Respondents to our Mashable poll certainly aren’t thrilled about this idea. A mere 7.58% said yes, they would be willing to pay to access the New York Times online.

More About: freeNYTimes, new york times, NYTClean, paywall, twitter

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Pop-Up Store Creates Buzz for Software Firm Podio

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 02:45 PM PDT


Pop-up stores are usually employed for fashion labels, retailers or even vodka brands. Now a software firm claims to be benefiting from their use as well.

Podio, a Danish software company that makes a “social work platform,” sometimes called a “Facebook for businesses,” is renting a space on 224 6th St. in San Francisco for the next couple of weeks to launch its U.S. operations and the next version of its software platform. Tommy Ahlers, the CEO of Podio, says that the space cost about $25,000. Since the location opened last Sunday, about 250 to 300 people have come through. Ahlers says that's a pretty good return on investment so far.

"We've never seen anything like this before," says Ahlers, who says he's not aware of any other software companies that have launched a pop-up store.

Though most pop-ups are aimed at curious pedestrians and function sort of like a three-dimensional billboard, the idea behind Podio's is more targeted since the company has used its Twitter feed to draw developers to the store. When it opened on Sunday, some 70 developers showed up for a Hack Day. Since then, there's been a "working lunch" where businesspeople bring their laptops and have Podio's developers build an app "that addresses their pain points," Ahlers says.

The custom development angle is especially important for Podio because the company's software lets consumers build their own web-based apps even if they don’t have any technical knowlege. (The new platform officially launches on Thursday.) In order to cultivate a vibe where such creative types feel welcome, the store drew design inspiration from Apple stores and Ikea, and aims to be minimalist and fun. As this video shows, there are also a bunch of blue ukeleles on the wall for some reason.

Is this clever marketing or a waste of money for Podio? Let us know in the comments.

More About: MARKETING, Podio, pop-up stores, startup

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HOW TO: Use Facebook Social Plugins on Your Website

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 02:36 PM PDT


This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

While many companies’ early social marketing efforts were limited to social media sites such as Facebook, most are now eager to build social capabilities into the rest of their marketing efforts and turn their customers into brand advocates at every touch point.

One of the easiest ways to make your online presence more social is by adding Facebook social plugins to your website. There are many different Facebook social plugins to choose from — here are four of the top plugins for business and tips on how and when to use them.

1. Like Button

The Facebook Like button lets users share pages from your site back to their Facebook profile with one click. When the user clicks the Like button on your site, a story appears in the user’s friends’ News Feed with a link back to your website.

You can include a Like button next to any piece of content on your site, from a product listing to an article to a video. Otilia Otlacan, founder of online ad news site AdOperationsOnline.com, puts the Like button at the top of every article — she has found that nearly 0.7% of users click on this button to post it to Facebook, quickly adding up to a sizable number of free impressions.

StyleFactory, a crowd-sourcing site for home decor, enables shoppers to vote on which products should be produced and which products should be offered at a discount. The site encourages shoppers to share its products on Facebook and Twitter to help “tip” the deals. When a user “likes” a product, the product is posted to the user’s Facebook Wall along with a message noting how many more orders are needed to tip the deal. This extra push is an innovative use of the Like button.

Tea Collection, a children’s clothing site, also uses the Like button to enable customers to vote on their favorite dresses; the products with the most Likes at the end of the day are offered at a discounted price the following day. Its initial campaign drove more than 3,000 Likes in about 12 hours and a 300% increase in site traffic.

E-retailers should also consider including a Like button as part of the checkout process — customers are excited about their order, and it’s an easy click for users to share their brand loyalty with friends.

2. Like Box

The Facebook Like Box enables users to “like” your Facebook Page and view its stream directly from your website. For starters, you can choose a pared-down box with your Facebook Page name, logo and Like button (as pictured above).

On the other hand, you could choose a more fully featured box that displays how many users already “like”the page (and which of their friends “like” it, too), shows recent posts from the page and allows users to “like” the page with one click.

You may want to stick to the simplified version if your Facebook activity and fan base are limited. This strategy might also net you more engagement — Otlican saw her “likes” jump 31% when she switched to the simplified Like Box.

Some companies even provide an incentive for visitors to “like” their page. Motorcycle Superstore, for example, ran a sweepstakes on Facebook using Extole’s SocialBuilder that encouraged fans to share the Motorcycle Superstore page with their friends. The site experienced a 240% increase in daily “likes” and a 30% growth in total “likes,” with more than 13,000 “likes” generated during the month of the campaign.

Of course, the easiest way to enable visitors to become a fan is simply to put a Facebook icon on your site, either on its own or as part of a social toolbar such as the Wibar from Wibiya.

You can use one of the standard Facebook icons, or even use a custom design, as Michelle Ciarlo-Hayes of MKC Photography did here:

3. Recommendations

The Facebook Recommendations plugin gives users personalized suggestions for pages on your site they might like, based on what people are sharing. Otlican displays the Recommendations at the bottom of each article — she’s found that nearly 0.6% of readers click on content in this box.

You can even see how this feature will look on your site before you add it — simply enter your website address here, click on the page and it will show you the recommendations Facebook already has for your site.

4. Comments

The Comments Box lets your users comment on your site’s content — whether it’s for a webpage, article, photo or other piece of content. The user can share the comment on Facebook to post to their Wall and in their friends’ streams.

In addition to providing a viral engagement boost to your site, using the Comments Box can also reduce the amount of spam comments on your site. Users will need to be logged into a real Facebook account to comment, and they won’t be able to post anonymous comments. It can makes commenting easy, since many people are probably already logged into Facebook when they arrive at your site.

Getting Started

Ready to make your website more social? Visit the Facebook developers page for instructions on how to automatically generate customized code to add to your site.

Once your plugins are up and running, you can use Facebook Insights to track how they’re doing — check out this step-by-step guide to getting started. Understanding performance of your plugins will enable you to test which ones work best and which locations yield the highest engagement.

Interested in more Facebook resources? Check out Mashable Explore, a new way to discover information on your favorite Mashable topics.

More About: business, facebook, Facebook social plugins, social plugins

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AOL Shutters 30 Brands After Huffington Post Merger [REPORT]

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 02:21 PM PDT


AOL is planning to shutter about 30 of its online media brands, according to multiple reports.

The news comes as little surprise after the struggling tech giant laid off about 900 employees earlier this month, shortly following its $315 million acquisition of The Huffington Post. The staff of some publications were wiped completely.

Many of AOL’s existing sites will be rolled into existing Huffington Post verticals, such as Politics Daily (to be folded into HuffPost Politics), Walletpop (now a part of Daily Finance), Urlesque (folded into HuffPost Comedy), PopEater (folded into HuffPo Entertainment), Luxist (folded into StyleList), ShelterPop (also folded into StyleList) and TV Squad (folded into AOL TV), according to Forbes and All Things D.

AOL blogs Lemondrop and Asylum have already ceased publication.

We have reached out to AOL for confirmation of these changes and will update this post with any further information.

More About: aol, Huffington Post

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WSJ To Begin Selling Single Issues for iPad Wednesday, Apple To Take 30% Cut

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 02:16 PM PDT


The Wall Street Journal will begin selling individual copies of its morning newspaper through its iPad app on Wednesday, a Dow Jones spokesperson confirmed in an email to Mashable.

Full issues will be available for $1.99 through the WSJ‘s existing app for the iPad. Non-subscribers can continue to get the same limited range of free content through the app, but now users who want to access all of the morning’s content can do so without committing to a subscription.

Content will be limited to what’s published in the morning’s print edition, and will not be updated throughout the day. Users can also buy issues from the previous seven days, also for $1.99 each.

Currently, a digital subscription — which includes full access to WSJ.com and its apps for iPad, iPhone, Android and BlackBerry — costs $3.99 per week. Since the WSJ handles print and digital subscriptions through its website, Apple does not take a cut; however, Apple will take a 30% share of revenue generated from single issues sold through the app.

The sale of single issues is part of a greater, ongoing strategy to increase subscriptions. “We have found historically that people are more likely to subscribe after they've sampled the product –- whether it's Open House promotions on the site or access via the Starbucks Digital Network,” a spokesperson explained. “We continue to seek new distribution channels.”

Image courtesy of Flickr, dpstyles

[via PaidContent]

More About: app store, apple, ipad, itunes, media, newspapers, wall street journal

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Why Your Email Inbox Is Bringing Home the Bacon [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 01:38 PM PDT


Bacon (or "bacn") is known as the more legitimate cousin of spam. The big difference, though, is that bacon is something you ask for. Good examples of bacon include Google News updates, Facebook notifications and Groupon deals. In practice, the fact that you once signed up for bacon, though, doesn’t make it much less annoying than spam.

If your email box seems to be bulging at the seams these days, bacon may be the reason, according to Unsubscribe.com, which finds a huge increase in “spam 2.0″ in the past few years. The appeal for marketers is obvious: It costs almost nothing to send bulk emails and the return for online retailers was $26 billion last year.

How to deal with the deluge? According to the infographic below, created by Unsubscribe.com and Infographicsworld.com, most people just delete. But why not unsubscribe? Read on to find out.

To view the full size, click the image.

More About: Bacon, email, infographic, MARKETING, spam

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Google Receives Patent For Its Doodles

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 01:29 PM PDT


After waiting for nearly 10 years, Google finally won a patent on its “Google Doodles” on Tuesday.

The patent, titled “Systems and methods for enticing users to access a web site [sic],” protects Google’s system of changing a company logo to correspond with a special event or story line as well as its practice of associating a link or search results with said special event logo. Google co-founder Sergey Brin is credited as the inventor of the system.

Considering this is the company that created a car that can drive itself, a patent on doodles might seem a bit frivolous. But remember, this is also the company that successfully patented its nearly blank homepage design in 2009.

Do you think Doodles deserve a patent? Let us know in the comments.

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10 Tips for Posting on Your Brand’s Facebook Page

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 01:15 PM PDT


Ekaterina Walter is a social media strategist at Intel. She is a part of Intel's Social Media Center of Excellence and is responsible for company-wide social media enablement and corporate social networking strategy.

Once your brand is on Facebook, the question becomes: How you engage those fans and sustain a meaningful online dialogue with your customers. Facebook fans will only want to engage with us if we serve up relevant content and truly participate. We also forget about EdgeRank — Facebook's News Feed algorithm that helps display "relevant" stories. The News Feed only displays a small subset of stories generated by the friends and brands users engage with the most. The more popular your story, the more likely it is to show up in people's News Feed. News Feed optimization becomes as important as your content strategy.

Let's explore ways we can create updates that are optimized for the News Feed and engagement. Below are some dos and don'ts to remember each time you tackle that all-important question, “What should we post to our Facebook Page today?”

1. Don't Automate Your Status Updates

Don't automatically feed your blog posts or your Twitter updates into your Page. Often, automated content doesn't make it into users’ News Feeds. Your fans can also distinguish between “auto” posts and customized ones. For a lot of brand pages, auto posts do not engender engagement.

Don't share the exact same content across all networks (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) in exactly the same format. We all understand the value of saving time, but respect your customers enough to manually post customized copy. You will get far better engagement and show your fans you care. Some folks who use Facebook don't really like Twitter and get irritated when they see hashtags or other Twitter-specific content in their Facebook stream.

2. Don't Be Afraid to Show You’re Human

Thank your fans for their replies and for sharing their opinions with you. From time to time, talk about things other than your products. Wish them happy holidays. Ask them fun questions or to share their personal stories.

If you make a mistake — admit it. Everyone knows you are human, and no one expects you to be perfect. You will actually score points for admitting that instead of trying to hide it.

Don't be afraid of negative comments or people posting on sensitive topics. You’ll find that most of the time your fans will jump in and defend you or address these comments for you. And that carries much more weight than you trying to chime in. And at the end of the day, this is your opportunity to turn haters into loyalists by providing timely responses and great customer service.

3. Do Post More Photos and Videos

Media like videos and photos always perform well on Facebook. Not only do they seem to be a favorite of the News Feed algorithm, but they just grab people’s attention in a feed full of text updates. A lot of web users choose to watch more than they read.

Facebook also offers you a nice little feature that helps bring more fans to your Page. If you post a video and a non-fan of your Page sees it, a little non-intrusive call to action will pop up in the top-left corner that invites them to Like your Page.

4. Do Put Your Fans in Charge Every Now and Then

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Not afraid to crowdsource? Your Facebook Page is a perfect place for it. Not only will your fans feel valued and heard, but some of their decisions might help your content strategy in the long run. Let's face it — sometimes we don't always make choices that resonate with our customers.

My favorite example of this was Budweiser. They let their fans choose the commercial that would run during the 2010 Super Bowl.

5. Do Target Your Status Updates

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If you are a global brand, make good use of targeting. We sometimes forget that not all of our fans want to know about campaigns or contests we are running in a specific region or country. Target your updates by country or language as necessary. In the U.S. you can even target by state and city.

6. Do Ask Questions and Involve Your Fans

Want your fans to express their views on a topic? Ask them. Want your fans to share their favorite content with you? Ask them. Want your fans to share your content? Ask them. You get the point.

If you want your fans to participate more, just ask them every now and then, you will be surprised how many of them respond. Multiple experiments by other brands and yours truly show that the posts where you include a call to action get better than average engagement.

7. Do Watch Your Post Frequency and Timing

Don't overwhelm your fans with too many posts. I suggest posting once a day to start with and potentially moving to twice a day, especially if you have great news to share. As far as timing goes, many people catch up on their Facebook activity at the end of the day and during weekends. However, this trend varies, and might be different for your target audience. Be patient, watch the response trends on your Page, and identify the frequency and timing that works best for you.

8. Do Have a Unique Voice

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It is important to know your voice. Skittles does a good job maintaining a consistent brand voice on their Facebook Page. It’s entertaining, funny and refreshing.

That is not to say that you shouldn’t experiment and step outside your comfort zone to see what else might work for you. Find a voice and tone that is representative of your brand and yourself.

9. Do Diversify Your Content

Change up your content every now and then. Often, people are not sure what to post on a regular basis. You could try adding how-tos, trivia about your company, breaking news, polls, fill-in-the-blanks, relevant third-party content, multimedia, or even experts to speak about your field or business.

10. Do Track the Performance of Your Posts

Do you know your average number of comments and Likes per post? Watch for trends on your Page and feedback from your consumers on topics/programs/discussions and adjust your content strategy appropriately. Don't become complacent.

Hopefully these tips will help you gain an edge on EdgeRank, and put your brand on top.

Good luck!

Interested in more Facebook resources? Check out Mashable Explore, a new way to discover information on your favorite Mashable topics.

Image courtesy of Flickr, smemon87

More About: brand, business, edgerank, facebook, facebook page, MARKETING, metrics, Pages, social media

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Shazam Taps Into Your Facebook Friends for Deeper Music Discovery

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 12:59 PM PDT


For a while now, Shazam has been a handy tool for its 100 million users to discover new jams via music identification. Now, the 10-year-old service (2-year-old app) is offering a whole new layer of music discovery, dubbed Shazam Friends.

Shazam Friends is a part of a new update [iTunes link] for the service’s iPhone, iPod touch and Android apps — iOS available today, Android in the coming weeks — that lets users share music with Facebook friends. In-app, users will have access to a news feed featuring songs that their friends have tagged.

For those unfamiliar, Shazam is an app that lets users identify songs in real time. Say I’m in a coffee shop and I like the music that the barista is playing, but I’m too scared to ask him what CD it is. I can fire up the app, let it “listen” to the tune, and Shazam will identify the song, allowing me to tag it, share it via Twitter, Facebook or email, and buy it, if I so desire.

Now, the sharing aspect has become more streamlined. “Our users love to share songs with friends and family members,” says David Jones, EBVP of Marketing at Shazam. “They wanted that to be easier. To bring all those Shazam songs from friends into one place.”

“You can Shazam a song — that’s one way of discovery,” he adds. “But everyone has a friend whose taste they like, and this is a way to share with those people. We’re expecting the amount of music discovery to take off. To go from proactive searching to a browsing experience as well.”

To access the service, simply update the app on your phone, and a new tab reading “Friends” will pop up. You have to connect the app with your Facebook account in order to use the service, and you can only interact with Facebook friends who have also activated the update.

What do you think of this addition? Will you tap into your social graph to seek out new music?

Image Courtesy of Flickr, Hygiene Matters

More About: android, apple, iphone, shazam

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FitFu Turns Your iPhone Into an Exercise Motivation Tool [VIDEO]

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 12:50 PM PDT


Mobile fitness app FitFu hopes to get you out of your desk chair and on the ground doing situps — through a combination of push notifications, short exercise routines, social features and motivational speeches from a strange blue creature.

FitFu, which will make its first appearance Tuesday as a member of Y Combinator‘s class of spring 2010, is trying to make “micro-exercise” a part of daily life. The startup’s iPhone app sends periodical push notifications letting you know when it’s time for a quick workout. The app also includes a Fu Time Diary so you can schedule your workouts in advance.

The $0.99 app reminds you to take a few minutes out of your day to do some crunches, squats, pushups or jack knives. The app utilizes the iPhone’s accelerometer to track your progress, and provides motivational talk to keep you moving. If you do pullups with FitFu, your iPhone will call out how many you’ve completed and when you’ve reached your goal.

Some slick animations, designed by creative digital studio Despark, power these exercise routines. One of these animations is a blue creature with a snout that looks like a cross between an anteater and a toucan. The thing knows how to keep you motivated and engaged, which is one of the most difficult things about keeping a regular workout schedule.

Jof Arnold and Benjie Gillame founded FitFu and have been working together on iPhone apps since 2008. In addition to the money they received from Y Combinator, they have also raised funding from several angels and $150,000 in uncapped convertible debt from Yuri Milner and SV Angel’s Start Fund.

To celebrate the newest version of its iPhone app and its debut at Y Combinator’s Demo Day, the FitFu guys created a short video, below. If you try the app, let us know your experience in the comments.

More About: Fitfu, iphone app, Start Fund, y combinator

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5 Ways Retailers Are Winning Big With Facebook Commerce

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 12:00 PM PDT


Macala Wright Lee is the publisher of FashionablyMarketing.Me. Wright Lee is a retail consultant who specializes in marketing consulting for fashion, luxury and beauty brands. You can follower her on Twitter at @FashMarketing.

Facebook commerce is the topic at the front of every brand marketer's mind, and retailers are starting to explore how they convert "Likes" into actual purchases. Here’s a look at five ways retailers have had success with Facebook commerce.

1. Pop-Up Shops and Insider Shopping Events

In August, Rachel Roy launched a pop-up store on Facebook. The insider shopping event gave the brand's Facebook fans early access to Roy's new jewelry line — a collaboration with British R&B artist Estelle. The pop-up store, which lasted three days, boosted Rachel Roy's fan base by 25% in the first day and 100% by the end of the campaign. The Facebook Page was acquiring 1 fan every 1.5 seconds. The collection featured an exclusive, limited edition piece that sold out in only six hours.

The Rachel Roy pop-up shop was built on a software-as-a-service solution created by Fluid Social Fan Shop. Peter Goldie, the vice president of marketing at Fluid Agency, an ecommerce firm whose clients include Diane von Furstenberg, Nine West, Theory, Vans and Coach, believes that retailers need to create engaging social merchandising experiences that increase a brand’s fan base while driving transactions.

"Marketers are always looking for ways to drive customer purchases," Goldie said. "Having limited edition, time sensitive sales helps retailers drive sales without having to discount." Goldie added that pop-up shops are a great way for brand manufacturers to test the ecommerce waters without going into full-scale website development.

“Few retailers are delivering premium Facebook shopping that not only rewards fans but pulls them into a deeper relationship with the brand,” Goldie said. “Slapping a store on Facebook doesn’t deliver. Fan Shop enabled Rachel Roy and Coach to create immersive brand experiences that fully integrate shopping as well as the shopper’s wider social network.”

2. Private, Fan-Only Sales

In August 2010, Philadelphia-based Kembrel launched a private shopping community for students that sells clothing, books and computer gadgets at 40-75% off — and they did it entirely via Facebook. Kembrel's summer beta period successfully attracted more than 20,0000 registered student members. This initial growth was mostly organic through word of mouth, with little reliance on traditional marketing.

"The total market is 17 million students and every year, they spend over $300 billion. Now two-thirds of that $300 billion dollars [goes toward] school, housing, food and essentials; there's $100 billion dollars spent on apparel, shoes and accessories and that's the market we're going after," said Cherif Habib, Kembrel’s CEO.

What makes Kembrel's private sale model unique is that the marketing strategy completely relies on the social behavior of participating college students to drive consumption. The product assortment is tightly curated by young buyers who understand the student market. The day-to-day student activities are also student-run. To date, there are also more than 250 brands that have signed up to reach students through the Kembrel platform.

“College students spend two to there hours a day on Facebook. By bringing our store to where our customers spend the most time online, our goal is to provide them with the most convenient and relevant shopping experience,” Habib said. Kembrel is taking student relevance a step further by launching an internship matching service for fashion students who sign up for the site, connecting the shopping experience to the community.

3. Wish List Features: Bulgari

Luxury retailers are starting to explore Facebook as a revenue channel as well. In February, Bulgari launched a wishlist feature via Wishpot, a universal wishlist and registry service that lets retailers save things from stores all around the web as well as on Facebook. Bulgari fans can also purchase select jewelry through the app.

"Bulgari has developed entry-level priced jewelry, leather goods and perfume perfect for the Facebook audience. A new customer, who's never been in the Bulgari store on Fifth Avenue can access the brand in the comfort of their Facebook world," said Ruth Staiman, president of The Fashion Office, a luxury marketing consultancy. "The opportunity to create a personalized luxury gift for a Facebook friend priced at $370 with a portion of the proceeds going to Save The Children is nothing short of brilliant.”

Staiman believes that luxury brands should be looking at Facebook to offer diffusion lines while keeping the integrity of their brand sound through unique Facebook Pages. Developing a presence with interactive components is key.

4. Facebook Ecommerce Apps

Are you a small- to medium-sized retailer that wants to set up shop on Facebook on a shoestring budget? Well, San Francisco-based Payvment has created a solution for you — and it's free. The company's software allows retailers to create Facebook storefronts that accept payments via credit cards and PayPal.

Payvment's ecommerce Facebook app allows anyone with a retail store to set up shop on Facebook and create a compelling storefront, complete with discount offers, incentive programs, and the ability for customers to complete their purchases within Facebook. The app even prompts buyers to become a fan of a store in order to receive exclusive deals. The app offers unique features for shoppers as well, allowing them to carry their goods with them across thousands of Payvment-powered storefronts on Facebook.

According to Payvment's CEO Christian Taylor, the company was setting up 250 new Facebook retailers each day as of last December, and hosts more than 40,000 with 750,000 items for sale. Notable shops include Grayce By Molly Sims, Yes To Carrots and Cartoon Network's Adult Swim UK.

5. Full Ecommerce Integration

In fashion, sometimes a retailer has to go big or go home, and that's exactly what U.K. retailers ASOS and Young British Designers have done. In January, ASOS launched the company’s entire 150,000 product catalog on Facebook in hopes of increasing revenue from mobile commerce, which currently amounts to just $1.5 million, or about 3% of its revenue.

Young British Designers launched a fully-integrated Facebook store a few hours after the ASOS store went live. Both stores allow consumers to buy designer items, search products, add items to their basket, edit cart contents and check out securely. Both have also have integrated social shopping features. Customers can “Like” items and share and tweet products that they purchase.

A third retailer, Tesco Clothing, has generated over £2 million (approximately $3.2 million) in sales over the past year through its U.K. Facebook Page. Tesco tracked its activity on Facebook using vouchers, finding that a campaign called “Friday Frenzy” resulted in more sales in two hours than it would usually get in a week. Though successful, Tesco has shut down the Facebook shop due to staffing and budgetary constraints.

"Full ecommerce integration stands to benefit companies with a strong or sole ecommerce focus, particularly independent or boutique firms looking to stand apart from larger conglomerates," said Jessica Quillin of Quillin Consulting, LLC. The concept of a Facebook store is to combine direct marketing and online shopping into a fully-tailored, streamlined retail experience. Online fashion and luxury retailers, especially those that sell high-end goods, are a natural fit for full ecommerce integration simply because they cater to a sophisticated demographic with busy lives who likely crave a more personalized, quick-access shopping experience." 

Three Things Retailers Need For Facebook Commerce Success

There are three things that I believe retailers need to remember in order to reap the rewards of Facebook commerce:

  • Remain authentically social. Being "social" is the whole point. Brands and retailers should focus on creating meaningful interactions with their Facebook fans through brand and customer content before they focus on selling them anything.
  • Augment the social aspects of your Facebook presence with ecommerce. Make sure your fans' interaction with content seamlessly translates over into their purchase experience. This must live within the Facebook community, not redirect them to your main ecommerce site.
  • Monitor user behavior to develop incentives that turn fans into customers. Use Facebook's internal tracking system, Facebook Insights, in addition to other analytics, in order to develop coupons, deals, discounts or rewards programs that increase purchase conversion.

"40% of Facebook users follow a brand and 15% of those fans intend to make a purchase from that brand within 60 days," said professor Scott Galloway of L2 ThinkThank. "Facebook is a transformative platform that needs to be incorporated into every retailer’s marketing strategy. Over time, digital marketing channels will significantly reduce offline ad spends."

As Facebook expands as a social and ecommerce platform, retailers should focus on keeping fan experiences social and experiential, instead of focusing directly on monetizing the social network. These examples should point you in the right direction, but let us know of any other successes you’ve encountered in the comments below.

Interested in more Facebook resources? Check out Mashable Explore, a new way to discover information on your favorite Mashable topics.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, AndyL

More About: business, e-commerce, facebook, fashion, List, Lists, MARKETING, retail

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New Freestyle Rap iPhone App Could Get You a Record Deal

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 11:20 AM PDT


There have been scads of iOS-toting musicians of late, and it seems as though aspiring rappers might be able to grab the limelight by following their lead, thanks to a new app from XXL Magazine.

The app, available in the Apple App Store [iTunes link], features a hip-hop news feed, stories from the magazine, trivia, a “Where They At?” feature that lets users find friends, tweets from rappers, and — most intriguingly — a feature called “Ready or Not.”

Via this aspect of the app, users can record and upload 30-second freestyles, which will then be judged by the likes of Lloyd Banks and Sha Money XL, the senior VP of A&R at Island Def Jam.

Rappers will have the chance to be featured on the XXL website, in the magazine or on the app, and could possibly be signed (due to exposure).

The app’s release coincides with XXL‘s 2011 Freshman Class, which is a feature in the magazine that identifies the choice up-and-comers of the year. This year includes Yelawolf, Mac Miller, Cyhi The Prynce, Kendrick Lamar, Diggy Simmons, Lil Twist, Lil B, Fred the Godson, Meek Mill, Big Krit and YG.

More and more, we’re seeing online services and mobile apps giving musicians the chance to access industry heavy-hitters. For example, due to Ning's recent integration with SoundCloud, musicians can now submit their songs to ThisIs50.com, the Ning community dedicated to 50 Cent's G-Unit Records, for a chance to be featured on the site.

There’s also SignMeTo, the Roadrunner Records social network that helps bands get signed by the label.

What do you think of services like XXL’s new app? Is the music industry getting more democratic, or are efforts like this mere novelties?

More About: hip-hop, iphone, Mobile 2.0, music, rap, xxl-magazine

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Firefox 4 Has Arrived

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 10:56 AM PDT


After months of development, no fewer than 10 beta releases and a release candidate, Firefox 4 is finally here.

An ambitious release for Mozilla, Firefox 4 promises to be not only faster than previous releases — but also more streamlined. We’ve already discussed some of the major changes in the venerable browser and will be putting out our own in-depth review later today.

Firefox 4 enters the browsing market at an important time. Not only is Microsoft back in the browser game with IE 9, but Google’s Chrome browser continues to gain in popularity around the world. Features like tabbed browsing, extensions and add-ons that once set Firefox apart from the crowd are now standard features across all major browsers and platforms.

The results, in our early tests, are a leaner, faster Firefox that holds up well against its increasingly tough competition.

Check out this video that interactive agency JESS3 made to introduce Firefox 4 to the world:

More About: Firefox, Firefox 4, mozilla, web browsers

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7 Ways To Celebrate #WorldWaterDay 2011 Online

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 10:56 AM PDT

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Today is World Water Day, and the term is already trending pretty hard on Twitter. And for good reason too. World Water Day is aimed at raising awareness around water sanitation issues, which are rather prevalent on a planet where people are more likely to have cellphones than toilets. While it may not be the most talked about issue, Water.org estimates that diarrhea kills more young children than AIDS, malaria and measles combined.

World Water Day hopes to raise awareness, as well as raise some funds for issues ranging from clean drinking water, to digging new wells, to basic sanitation and hygiene. If you’re looking to get involved and show your support for water sanitation issues world-wide, we’ve collected some ways that you can join in.

How You Can Help

The United Nations: The U.N. has created a social media outreach aimed at gathering opinion, thought and support around water issues. Check out its Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr pages dedicated to World Water Day.

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One Week for Water: Run by a coalition of major organizations, the site asks you to donate your digital voice in support. By signing up on Twitter or Facebook, the site will post daily updates on your account informing your social network of friends and acquaintances about how they can help. The coalition includes names like CARE, charity: water, Procter & Gamble, Save the Children, Water.org, and many more.

Water.org: This site has all sorts of ways you can help, but check out my.water.org for a first-hand look at how you can help it bring water to a community in Haiti. Check out Water.org for even more ways to help.

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Groupon: Yup, even Groupon (in partnership with Water.org) is getting into the spirit. One of its daily deals allows you to “purchase” a matching donation. For every $15 donation to Water.org, an anonymous donor with pledge another $10 donation up to $20,000.

Gowalla: This geo-location platform has created a special World Water Day pin. Users can create an event under the World Water Day category. Checkins to that spot will then receive the pin.

Twitter: Head over to Twitter to get involved the old-fashioned way. You can check out Water tweeps like charity: water, water.org, the U.N., or follow along with popular hashtags like #worldwaterday and #water2011.

Mashable‘s Coverage: Mashable‘s Social Good section has been keeping an eye on water issues throughout the year, whether it’s a World Poopin’ Day (yes, actually), water widgets, or even tips from last year’s World Water Day.

We know we’ve only scratched the surface of how can you help so please let us (and your fellow readers) know of other sites, sources, and causes supporting World Water Day. Share your tips in the comments below.

Image courtesy of Flickr, Yogendra174

More About: #water2011, #worldwaterday, charity, non-profit, social good, twitter, water, world water day, world water day 2011

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YouTube Video of the Day: One Man Disney Movie

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 10:33 AM PDT

Since Mashable has been far away in Texas for the past 10 days or so, YouTube Video of the Day has — shall we say — lapsed a bit. Well, we’re back, and upon our return we bring you: One dude acting out a melange of Disney tunes.

Check out Pixar animator and YouTube singer Nick Pitera acting out every stock role in a Disney flick — from heroine to chorus member to villain. This should serve as a nice salve for those currently sloughing of the debauchery of SXSW (you know, riots and whatnot).

More About: disney, music, viral-video-of-day, youtube

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Global Advertising Executive David Jones Will Deliver Keynote at Mashable Connect

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 10:21 AM PDT



David Jones, who Adweek named one of the top two executives of the 2000s for his role as global CEO of Euro RSCG Worldwide and CEO of France’s Havas Worldwide, will be a keynote speaker at Mashable Connect 2011, a unique event at Disney World in May that will bring together digital leaders within leading companies, brands and organizations.

He joins Raymie Stata, Yahoo’s CTO, as keynotes for the event. We will announce two more keynotes soon.

Jones was recently promoted to CEO of Havas Group, where he is responsible for all Havas companies. He was previously Global CEO of Havas Worldwide and Euro RSCG Worldwide, a position he still holds.

As the top gun at Havas Group, Jones manages one of the world's largest global agency networks. He advised United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron on advertising strategy in the run up to his general-election victory in May 2010.

If you’re interested in hearing Jones speak at Mashable Connect, you still have time to apply to attend the this invite-only event being held May 12 to 14. Tickets are limited and we expect to sell out by March 31.

Since becoming the youngest global CEO in the history of Euro RSCG in 2005, Jones has made a name for himself as a driving force for change, both within his own agency and in the broader industry and world.

Jones has also taken to the global stage as co-founder of One Young World, a non-profit organization that gives a voice to leaders age 25 and younger from around the globe. Ahead of the United Nations' climate summit in Copenhagen in 2009, Ghanaian diplomat Kofi Annan selected Jones and his team to create and lead TckTckTck-Time for Climate Justice, an open-source campaign that recruited more than 17 million "climate allies" to the cause. Jones had worked closely with Cameron and the U.K. Conservative Party from 2007 until 2010 when Cameron was elected prime minister.

Jones was inducted into the American Advertising Federation's "Hall of Achievement" in 2005 and was named to the "40 Under 40″ lists of both Crain's New York Business and Advertising Age.

Publicly available details about Mashable Connect can be found here: http://mashable.com/connect

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SocialVibe Raises $20M for Engagement Ads in Social Apps

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 10:02 AM PDT


Digital ad technology firm SocialVibe today announced it has secured $20 million in equity financing from Norwest Venture Partners. SocialVibe handles “engagement” advertising for Zynga's network of social games, and a slew of other popular apps and publishers.

Current investors Jafco Ventures, Redpoint Ventures and Pinnacle Ventures also participated in the round. Jeff Crowe from Norwest Venture Partners will also now join SocialVibe's board of directors.

SocialVibe presents itself as an alternative to display ads, which the company deems disruptive. SocialVibe delivers what it calls "engagement advertising" to consumers while they're playing a social game, getting virtual currency, donating to charity or accessing premium content. For instance, SocialVibe gave FarmVille, PetVille and Mafia Wars players the opportunity to interact with Kia's 2011 Super Bowl ad in exchange for free Zynga game currency.

Such ad units are also integrated into Pandora, Causes and The Huffington Post. Advertisers on SocialVibe's platform include GE, Best Buy, Disney, McDonald's and Coca-Cola, among others.

The funding, which brings SocialVibe's market capitalization to $44 million, is the latest influx of cash into the social media marketing category. In October, Buddy Media raised $23 million to expand its Facebook Brand Management System, while Syncapse, which creates social media campaigns for Research In Motion and Electronic Arts, got $25 million in additional funding in February. Vitrue, a social media management company that powers more than 2,500 Facebook and Twitter accounts for Ford, Intel, McDonald's and Best Buy, among others, received $17 million in funding in February too.

More About: Buddy Media, norwest, socialvibe, syncapse, Zynga

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Is Give2gether a Google Analytics for Philanthropy?

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 09:56 AM PDT

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Everybody needs a little help every now and then. Give2gether is banking that non-profits want a little help from economic professors applying their years of study towards making online giving more efficient.

The site itself is similar to other philanthropy-enabling platforms like Kickstarter, Crowdrise or even Jumo. Non-profits can set up a page on give2gether and use it to share news and raise money.

What sets the site apart, however, is its claim to improve the probability that non-profits — big or small — will raise enormous amounts of money by simply using it. Rather than just rely on the goodwill of the “crowd” to donate, give2gether is backed by some complicated metrics on how and why people give, including 10 years of research in game theory and behavioral economics. “We think of it as a google analytics for philanthropy,” said Arnon Shafir, CEO and co-founder of give2gether. The other two co-founders are economic professors from NYU and UC Berkeley.

campaign image

Some of the studies behind increasing that probability include counter-intuitive ideas like limiting how much people can donate to a campaign. It may not sound like the best idea, but that limit often does lead to higher overall donations.

The actual study behind the trend is filled with all sorts of variables and econ-speak, but the basic principle actually makes sense. People are more likely to give if they see that a non-profit can’t fulfill its donation goal with just one donation. For example, Charity X needs $1,000. If it sets a donation limit at $20, it’s more likely to get a bunch of people donating at the lower rate to help push the charity to its goal. Those micro donations often get charities to their goals, or above them, more quickly than holding out for large lump sums.

The strategy, one of many, relies on the belief that people fundamentally want to give. And, for all its high-minded algorithms, give2gether is strangely focused on the human nature of fundraising. “If you want to raise $50,000 to put a CT machine in Mt. Sinai hospital, the machine might cost $40,000, mounting it another $10,000,” Shafir said. “But it’s not about that check, it’s about the people that are moved and inspired by the hospital and want to give back.”

Accordingly, the site has integrated with Facebook and Gigya to allow registered non-profits to share out across a slew of social networks. The site is less about optimizing social media and more about understanding the people that use those social networks. All of this feeds back into give2gether’s built-in analytics that help track outreach and fundraising efforts.

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The site is for-profit and takes in a monthly $300 fee and 5% transaction fee. An enterprise version is available for larger organizations at $3,000 per month with no transaction fee. It sounds a little pricey, but Shafir said that 90% of the non-profits raise a couple of thousand dollars within the first weeks, and give2gether’s offering a one-week free trial to see if it’s a fit. Shafir said the organization aims to give 10% of its own profits to charity, but it just needs to actually be profitable first.

Shafir made it clear that the site didn’t intend to fleece non-profits out of money, claiming that the site’s fees will never rise above 7% of a non-profit’s total overhead. Will they adjust their fees if a non-profit lost money? Shafir said they’ve never run into that problem. “We do say no to non-profits that don’t stand a good chance of raising that threshold.” Those calculations are based on number of followers, email contacts, and potential for outreach. The goal, however, is still about doing as much good as possible. “Happy non-profits spread the word faster than anyone else,” Shafir said. “We work with them. Their success is our success.”

What do you think of having a strong analytic approach to fundraising and philanthropy? Does social good need more metrics and better optimization? Sound off in the comments below.

Image courtesy of Flickr, lumaxart

More About: analytics, charity, give2gether, non-profit, social good

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Android-Powered Sidekick 4G Coming to T-Mobile This Spring

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 09:01 AM PDT


The T-Mobile Sidekick 4G, perhaps one of the last Sidekick phones to hit the market under the T-Mobile name, will hit stores this spring. The device will cost $99.99 after rebate with a new two-year contract.

This Sidekick may look similar to models from the past, but on the inside, it’s a very different device. Built by Samsung, the Sidekick 4G runs Android 2.2. This is only fitting, when we consider that the co-founder of Danger — the company that originally created the Sidekick and its at-the-time-revolutionary UI — is none other than Andy Rubin, who now oversees Android at Google.

T-Mobile will also be releasing the new G-Slate from LG sometime this spring. The 3D capable device runs Android 3.0 Honeycomb and features an 8.9-inch HD display and a dual-core Tegra 2 processor.

T-Mobile will offer the G-Slate for $529.99 after rebate with a two-year contract. That pricing is slightly better than what Verizon offers users for a subsidized Xoom — however with the iPad 2, the Wi-Fi only Xoom and the new BlackBerry PlayBook all available within the next 30 days, it remains to be seen if 3D is enough to get customers to buy a contract-laden G-Slate.

What do you think of the new Sidekick 4G? Do you like the idea of a QWERTY-friendly Android phone? Let us know in the comments.

[via BGR]

More About: android, honeycomb, LG G-Slate, sidekick, sidekick 4g, T-Mobile, tablets

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5 Mobile App Trends You Can’t Ignore

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 08:40 AM PDT


The Mobile App Trends Series is sponsored by Sourcebits, a leading product developer for mobile platforms. Sourcebits offers design and development services for iOS, Android, Mobile and Web platforms. Follow Sourcebits on Twitter for recent news and updates.

The mobile application world continues to expand at a breakneck pace. If 2010 was all about push notifications and “real-time alerts,” 2011 is about localized content, better photo and video support and cloud-based storage. We want to highlight some of the trends that are already taking hold of the mobile app market or that we expect to take off in the near future.

1. Localized Search and Deal Updates

The explosion of location-based technology was revolutionary in the app world. Now we’re using that location information to deliver personalized and relevant updates and alerts. The number of apps and services that support hyper-local experiences is on the small side, but this is an area that is ripe for growth.

Location-based services like Loopt, Foursquare and Gowalla are all investigating ways to let users know not just when their friends are nearby, but what offers are available in their areas.

Take Loopt as an example. At SXSW 2011, the company launched a roving Loopt Rewards truck that alerted users when the truck was nearby and giving away prizes.

Companies like Groupon are also looking at ways to alert users to deals happening in their vicinity. The process isn’t perfect and some users might scoff at the notion that they can receive alerts based on where they are, but this is the next phase in location-based engagement.

App developers are already capturing a tremendous amount of data from users. The next step is to use that data to provide contextual options and feedback.

2. Integration with Dropbox and Other Cloud Services

A growing number of applications are taking advantage of the APIs provided by companies like Dropbox and Box.net and building in-app support for cloud storage and file access.

What this means is that when composing a document or a note on an iPhone or iPad, that same document can be retrieved and edited on an Android device, a BlackBerry, a desktop or a laptop. The use of Dropbox and other cloud storage tools within mobile apps has evolved over the last year — shifting from a simple way to access documents to treating Dropbox as the default place to store files.

For instance, the 1Password apps for iOS and Android can access and save backups of the password database directly from Dropbox, circumventing the need to manually sync with a Mac or Windows PC.

Likewise, photos apps like QuickShot save photos directly to Dropbox with no intervention needed on behalf of the user. That makes accessing those photos — either in other apps or from other devices — simple.

The moving trend with mobile phones is to make data accessible across platforms — and that means not keeping data locked into smartphone jails. Using cloud storage tools, developers can find better, more innovative ways to use the data, and cloud-based options will continue to gain steam.

3. Easy Access to Tumblr, Twitter, Flickr, Facebook and Foursquare

Mobile apps that can connect to Twitter and Facebook are nothing new — but the growing number of companies that use OAuth means that it’s easier than ever for developers to add support for the most popular social networks.

Sharing photos, videos, checkin information and status updates to a variety of different networks is becoming the norm. For instance, the photo sharing apps that support the widest range of share targets tend to be more popular. Even apps like Path — which by design are meant to be private — have learned that it is essential to allow users to post their data to other networks, like Facebook.

4. Front-Facing Camera Apps

These days, it isn’t enough for a smartphone — or a tablet — to ship with just one camera, the standard is one on the front and one on the back.

That opens up a whole world of new options for photo and video apps — particularly when looking at devices like the Motorola Xoom or iPad 2.

Whether it’s enabling the user to add his own real-time photo as an in-app avatar or integration of video chat support, the addition of a front-facing camera means that app developers who might not otherwise have bothered with camera integration now have a reason to add it in the feature.

5. Photo and Video Filters

In late 2010, photo sharing apps really started to take over the mobile app space. Photography has always been a popular mobile app category — from Flickr to Facebook — and mobile phones are consistently the most popular cameras in existence.

What has made this latest crop of mobile photo apps — led by Instagram, Hipstamatic and PicPlz — stand out are the filters and photo effects that can be applied to images before they are shared.

Yes, it sounds silly — a digital, low level photo filter shouldn’t make a big difference in how often an app is used, but it does. The retro effects that are created with Hipstamatic bring an analog experience to the digital age. Both PicPlz and Instagram have a great selection of filters and color hues that can turn an otherwise boring photo into something interesting and aesthetically pleasing.

Tilt-shift effects and add-ons make these apps even more powerful. I took this photograph in Austin, Texas during SXSWi using Instagram — it’s easily one of the best photographs I’ve ever taken, thanks to the tilt-shift feature and the built-in filters.

Video filters are now starting to hit the scene, too — which means we can expect to see a lot more faux-vintage videos hit YouTube over the course of 2011.

Series Supported by Sourcebits

The Mobile App Trends Series is sponsored by Sourcebits, a leading developer of applications and games for all major mobile platforms. Sourcebits has engineered over 200 apps to date, with plenty more to come. Sourcebits offers design and development services for iPhone, Android and more. Please feel free to get in touch with us to find out how we can help your app stand apart in a crowded marketplace. Follow Sourcebits on Twitter and Facebook for recent news and updates.

More Mobile Resources from Mashable:

- 4 Free Apps For Discovering Great Content On the Go
- 10 Terrific Tilt-Shift iPhone Photos
- Mobile Development: 5 Tips for Small Businesses
- 22 Essential Resources for Android Owners
- HOW TO: Create a Blockbuster Mobile App]

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, webphotographeer

More About: cloud storage, Dropbox, Location-based services, Mobile App Trends Series, mobile apps, picplz, quickshot, tumblr, twitter

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Google Adds Checkins to Latitude, Translates Places to 30 Languages

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 08:35 AM PDT


Google has updated its Latitude app for the iPhone, adding checkins and bringing the app up to date with the Android version, which received that same feature in February 2011.

In addition to seeing where your Latitude buddies currently are on a map and sharing your location with them, you can now use the iPhone Latitude app [iTunes link] to check into places.

The app requires iOS 4 and above to work; iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPod Touch and iPad are supported. Latitude will also automatically check you out when you leave if you set it to continuously update your location, but that feature doesn’t work with the iPod Touch.

Google has also translated its Google Places app [iTunes link] into 30 languages and added the ability to personalize your experience by saving places. To see the places you’ve saved or starred, tap on the new “Saved” icon on the app’s main screen.

More About: android, Google, google latitude, google places, Mobile 2.0

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Microsoft Ads Attempt To Steal the iPad 2′s Thunder [VIDEOS]

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 08:20 AM PDT


As Apple's iPad 2 hits the market this month, Microsoft is attempting to offer a viable alternative with a slew of videos promoting Windows 7 as shown on one such device, the Asus Eee Slate.

The videos, which have run on Hulu, among other places, show artists, moms, business people and bloggers using the device, which is presented as more of a fully functioning PC than other tablets. While the iPad 2 isn't mentioned by name, the ads take shots at perceived limitations of Apple’s tablet. For instance, the artist in the video above remarks that "the good thing about the Eee Slate is it's a full computer, you know, it's Windows 7. I've got everything I need. I'm not limited to like what applications I can put on it and I don't have to go to an app store. I put Photoshop on this thing." A business owner in another ad, meanwhile, talks about how he's able to use Excel with the Eee Slate giving him a "mobile office." (See videos below.)

Asus introduced the Eee Slate at CES in January and it is now available for pre-order at $1,099.

Other Windows 7-based tablets from Lenovo, Samsung and Viliv are also expected to hit the market soon. Microsoft is a niche player at the moment in the tablet segment, whereas Apple had about 75% of the market in 4Q 2010, according to reports. Nevertheless, Microsoft has played the underdog card against Apple even in markets where the former is dominant, like PCs, where Windows has more than 90% share of the category, by units. For instance, in 2009, the brand ran a series of ads called “Laptop Hunters” that showed price-conscious consumers thumbing their noses at expensive Apple gear.









More About: advertising, apple, Asus, iPad 2, MARKETING, microsoft

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Amazon’s New Appstore for Android Lets Shoppers “Test Drive” Apps Before Purchase

Posted: 22 Mar 2011 08:06 AM PDT


Amazon has launched what it hopes will be the Android equivalent of Apple’s App Store.

The company aims to improve the shopping experience offered by Google’s Android Market, currently the go-to store for more than 200,000 Android apps. (For comparison, Amazon’s new store has 3,800 applications, and Apple’s App Store has more than 300,000.)

One of its most innovative features is “Test Drive,” which allows users to test apps in a simulated Android phone on their desktops before committing to a purchase. Shoppers can also peruse personalized recommendations, customer reviews and set up one-click payment options, just as they can with any other Amazon’s stores for ebooks and music.

As an incentive to visit the new Appstore, Amazon is offering users a free download of Angry Birds Rio, which debuted on Android Tuesday morning. Amazon plans to continue offering a different paid app for free every day.

Interested parties can access the Appstore at amazon.com/appstore, via the mobile browsers on their Android phones and tablets, and through the Amazon Appstore application. Purchases made in the Appstore can be used on a purchaser’s entire range of Android devices.

Apple filed a lawsuit against Amazon for trademark infringement and unfair competition for using the term “App Store” on Friday.

More About: amazon, android, apple, appstore

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