Google+Facebook+iPhone: 08/04/11

Thursday, 4 August 2011

Are Twitter and Facebook Anti-Social Networks?

Seems everyone is on Twitter and Facebook, but not I. Here's why I'm anti-social network.

Each time I hear about how innovative and society-changing Twitter and Facebook are, I flash back to "The Telephone Hour" sequence at the start of Bye Bye Birdie.

In less than four minutes, every teenager in Sweet Apple, Ohio, is aware that Hugo and Kim have gotten "pinned" (goin' steady, in the parlance of the innocent and early 1960s). And not only did all their friends quickly get the news, they knew the entire 411 pinning details and exchanged diverse opinions about the match not only to each other, but within their gender and social cliques, and to the protagonists.

Now that's social networking.

No Twitter, no Facebook. And having lived through the period represented with two older sisters, I can state this rapid spread of social news sans Internet was not unusual.

If either Twitter or Facebook had been around during my school daze, there's a good chance some non-connected teens would have been left out of the Hugo & Kim loop. And a posting of the breaking Hugo & Kim news on either so-called social networking site would have been missed since the pinning alert would have been displayed with the same priority as a weight loss plan spam or link to a story on Conrad Birdie's impending departure for the army.

Compared to the Telephone Hour's personal one-to-one reach out and touch, the impersonal Twitter and Facebook are actual anti-social networks.

8 Percent of Facebook Users Wouldn't Migrate to Google+ Even With an Invitation

Almost three weeks since Google CEO Larry Page announced a Google+ user base of 10 million (in just two weeks), the number could now be up 20 or 30 million.

Although 30 million users is still small compared to Facebook's alleged 750 million users, does 30 million imply Facebook lost 30 million users? Or does it imply that 30 million users are simultaneously using both platforms to keep up with their friends and family?

The Christian Post launched an independent and unofficial online poll that has tallied 4,700 votes so far in order to better understand the behavior of online users using both Google+ and Facebook, or using only one of the two, or neither.

According to the poll measured by unique IP addresses, seven percent said they migrated completely to Google+ and closed their Facebook account; and 16 percent said "I don't have Google+, spend all my time on FB but am searching for a G+ invite."

California judge: trolling with someone else's Facebook is identity theft

Venkat Balasubramani's take

Rolando was a juvenile who received an unsolicited text message with the victim's e-mail password. According to the court, he used the password to gain access to the victim's Facebook account and posted several sexually inappropriate messages from the victim's account. The Facebook posts included posts on the walls of the victim's friends and the following change to the victim's profile:

Hey, Face Bookers, [sic] I'm [S.], a junior in high school . . . I want to be a pediatrician but I'm not sure where I want to go to college. I have high standards for myself and plan to meet them all. I love to suck dick.

The victim testified that she suffered stigma as a result of these and other posts. "I used to love going to school," she said. "Now, I dread dealing with this every day."

The juvenile was prosecuted under a California statute (section 530.55) which applies to anyone who:

wilfully obtains personal identifying information [of the victim and] uses that information for any unlawful purpose, including to obtain, or attempt to obtain, credit, goods, services, real property, or medication information.

Did the defendant willfully obtain the victim's "personal identifying information"? The court holds that, despite his argument that he "passively receiv[ed] the text message" which contained the victim's password information, he "willfully" obtained it because he remembered it or otherwise recorded it so he could use it later. Moreover, the court concludes that the defendant willfully obtained the victim's Facebook account password. The record was devoid of evidence as to how exactly the defendant accessed the victim's Facebook account, and in the absence of any such evidence, the court says it's "reasonable to infer" that the defendant reset the victim's Facebook password using her e-mail password and then gained access to the victim's Facebook account.

Did the defendant use the victim's information for an unlawful purpose? In addition to obtaining the information willfully, the perpetrator has to use the information for an "unlawful purpose." The first possibility was that the defendant violated section 647.6, which applies when someone "annoys or molests any child under 18." However, under California Supreme Court precedent, this statute requires a motivation by "an unnatural or abnormal sexual interest in the victim." [emphasis added] The court concluded that the facts did not fit into this statute because the defendant had no real contact with the victim other than the Facebook posts and he also testified that he "intended his comments to be taken as a joke."

The second possibility was that the defendant used the victim's personal information to commit a tortious act. The defendant argued that "unlawful purpose" as used in the statute should be restricted to criminal conduct, but the court disagreed, noting legislative intent to expand the scope of the statute in amending it.

The court also pointed to the fact that the definitions section of the statute included the term "crime," and the legislature chose instead to use "any unlawful purpose." The defendant practically conceded that his conduct satisfied the requirements of a civil defamation claim. The court therefore finds that the defendant's act constituted libel and constituted an "unlawful purpose" under the statute. Alternatively, the court held that the defendant's conduct satisfied the statute because it also constituted a criminal offense. The defendant's actions violated section 653m, which makes illegal any contact with another person using "obscene language... by means of an electronic communication device... with [the] intent to annoy."

Facebook adds “Expected: Child” option for parents-to-be

Facebook has made it easier to let your friends and family know that you or your significant other is pregnant. The social networking giant has introduced an option that allows you to tell your network you are expecting a child.

All you have to do is pick the “Expected: Child” option from the drop down menu, pick a month day and year for the Due Date, and optionally provide a name. Last year, Facebook rolled out the option to add family members to your profile page (Edit My Profile => Friend and Family), but only recently has it added the option to include not-yet-born members.

The addition brings the total number of family members to 17. The other 16 are as follows: Daughter, Son, Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, Aunt, Uncle, Niece, Nephew, Cousin: Female, Cousin: Male, Granddaughter, Grandson, Grandmother, and Grandfather.

Facebook is constantly adding features that allow its members to further personalize their profiles. Six months ago, the company added two new relationship status options, “in a civil union” and “in a domestic partnership,” bringing the total number to 11.

Just like anything that Facebook adds or changes, this one is a controversial one. Should people really add unborn children to their profile pages?

You and your significant others should probably still use more personal forms of communication to tell the exciting news to your families and close friends. You should also remember who exactly is in your Facebook network of friends when making such an announcement: it would be unwise to tell an employer the news at the same time as everyone else. Then there’s the even more serious question: what if there’s a miscarriage? Deleting an unborn child from your profile page is the last thing you’ll want to do if you or your significant other has to go through such a sad experience.

How to succeed on Broadway? Mix Facebook, fans and video

The Broadway musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying is making a big marketing push on Facebook, with an innovative campaign to find the show’s biggest fan. The show, which stars Harry Potter‘s Daniel Radcliffe and Night Court‘s John Larroquette, hopes to drum interest with fan-generated video submissions.

The “Ultimate Fan” contest, which can be found at on the show’s website and its Facebook page, asks users to tell the producers why they are the show’s biggest fans. Those fans then get 20 seconds to record their best pitch. The contest winner will be flown to New York City to watch the show, meet the cast and take part in a video series highlighting the experience.

Jim Glaub, creative director of How To Succeed‘s Ultimate Fan campaign, said the producers of the show were looking for ways to engage with and reward fans on Facebook. The contest was one way to do that. But of course, there’s also a marketing angle to the contest. “Besides being able to reward one lucky fan, there are benefits from a marketing standpoint,” Glaub said.

The genius in the campaign is that the show’s biggest fans are also its biggest evangelists: Videos from fans can be watched by other viewers on the How To Succeed page or on Facebook. By showing real people with real enthusiasm for the show, How To Succeedhopes to drum up even more interest from viewers who might be on the fence.

Not just that, but fans that have recorded their own testimonials can then share their videos with friends. Since the number one way that theater goers hear about a new show is through word of mouth, getting on people’s Facebook walls is one very easy way to spread the word.

Facebook Acquires iPad Book Publisher

Facebook has acquired interactive iPad book maker Push Pop Press, the publisher of the digital version of Al Gore's book, "Our Choice."

Push Pop Press said in a blog post that Facebook isn't going to start its own digital publishing venture, but rather the "ideas and technology behind Push Pop Press will be integrated with Facebook, giving people even richer ways to share their stories."

The newly acquired company said that "[b]oth Push Pop Press and Facebook share a passion for improving the way we share and explore ideas and we couldn't be more excited about what the future holds."

Facebook reiterated that it doesn't plan to release any digital books, however.

"We're thrilled to confirm that we've acquired Push Pop Press, a startup whose groundbreaking software challenges the way people publish and consume digital content," Facebook said in a statement.

"We can't wait for co-founders Mike Matas and Kimon Tsinteris to get started and for some of the technology, ideas and inspiration behind Push Pop Press to become part of how millions of people connect and share with each other on Facebook."

Recently there has been a significant amount of buzz about a Facebook iPad app that is rumored to be in the works. TechCrunch recently discovered what it believed to be the Facebook iPad app hidden within the code of the Facebook iPhone app, But Facebook quickly blocked access to the alleged app.

Facebook hasn't made a peep about when it might release an iPad app, but there is speculation that Facebook would use technology from Push Pop Press in such an app.

Facebook would not comment further on the deal, and the terms have not been disclosed.

BUSTED: Wildlife Officials Catch Poachers On Facebook

Florida wildlife officials are going undercover online to catch poachers who take to Facebook to boast about catching their prey.

From underage drinking to pornography and every crime in between, some criminals recklessly share their exploit with Facebook friends, mistakenly thinking law enforcement won’t find the photos, videos status updates that end up becoming evidence.

The lawbreakers’ online friends often become whistleblowers. In Florida, tipsters can earn $100 for each tip they share with wildlife officials.

Take the case of Brian Spuler, who speared a snook in the Intracoastal Waterway in June, which is off-season for the fish.

Spuler proudly posted photos of his catch on Facebook and gave the fish to his Mom for dinner. Days later, he was arrested and fined $350, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The Internet Crimes Unit of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission formed in late 2009 to address the growing number of Internet-related calls that now number about 10 a week in South Florida — all of them involving people who post images of hunting and fishing out of season.

Boulder police: Theft victim uses 'Find My iPhone' app to track suspect

The victim of a locker-room theft at the North Boulder Recreation Center used an app on his stolen iPhone on Monday to track the suspect to the Boulder Main Public Library, where he was detained until police arrived.

Police arrested John Mason Millhiser, 35, on suspicion of multiple counts of burglary and theft. According to jail records, Millhiser is homeless.

According to a police report, Hugh Huffaker and several friends were at the North Boulder Recreation Center around 5:30 p.m. Monday. Huffaker left his credit cards, shorts and iPhone in an unlocked locker for about five minutes. When he returned, the items were missing, as were a pair of shorts that another friend, Alfred Hanson, had left in another locker.

Huffaker has an application on the phone that allows him to track it through the Internet and can set off an alarm on the phone, the police report said. Huffaker used a computer at the rec center to track the phone, while other friends left to try to find whoever had it.

In an interview, Huffaker, a 27-year-old Tennessee man who was visiting the Boulder area to go rock climbing, said he installed the app, called "Find My iPhone," because he frequently misplaces his phone.

"I'm really absent-minded," he said. "I'm always going, 'Where is my phone?' and with the app, I can go online and make it sound an alarm."

When Huffaker noticed his things were missing, his first concern was his ID, because he is scheduled to fly home Wednesday. Within a few minutes, though, he remembered the app and asked to use the Internet on a rec center computer.

"He was crossing the Boulder Creek toward the library, and then he stopped in front of the library," Huffaker said, describing how the app used GPS tracking to map the phone's location. "I felt like Will Smith, like I was in an action movie."

iPhone Top Device For In-Flight Browsing

Gogo offers in-flight Wi-Fi to a growing number of airlines around the country. The service provides basic Web access to mobile devices such as laptops and smartphones on a daily or monthly basis. For some, Internet access on a plane is a requirement, to others a nuisance. Whatever your personal feelings are, Gogo dove into its data and came up with some interesting factoids.

Of all the mobile devices being used to access Gogo's Wi-Fi services, 65% are iPhones. Throw in the iPod Touch, and iOS's share jumps to 80%.

Android users apparently aren't that interested in surfing the cloud from the clouds. A meager 12% of Gogo's Wi-Fi services are accessed by Android handsets. (What are they doing on the flight, sleeping, watching the movie?)

Worse, BlackBerrys (you know, the business user's smartphone) only represent 6% of Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi users. I guess that means some BlackBerry users aren't as interested in keeping in touch with the office while in the air as their iPhone-using colleagues are. Windows Phone 7, webOS, and others make up the pathetic remaining 2% of Gogo Wi-Fi users.

Are Foxconn robots the answer to worker suicides?

Is my lust for the iPhone and other cheaper electronics causing people to commit suicide? The three Ds of robotics are the Dull, Dangerous and Dirty work they take out of human hands. In the short term this could mean unemployment for the less skilled, with the touted benefit of more interesting and creative jobs on the horizon. Such has been the dilemma since the 19th-century luddite rage against the machines.

Now the Taiwanese company Foxconn, one of world's largest manufacturers of electronic products, such as the iPhone, is threatening to replace many of its million workers in China with robots. It says it is to cut labour costs, but it comes in the wake of a spate of worker suicides last year. The media blamed harsh management practices, long working hours (12 hours a day) without break, and low wages. Undercover research by Sacom (Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour) claimed there were militaristic conditions inside the factories where employees have to sit in exact lines working intensively and are not allowed to speak. They reportedly fear the bullying of security guards and have to live in dormitories with strict rules. Ironically, some of the workers say that they are made to feel like robots.

Foxconn, which insists that it is a responsible employer, has expressed sorrow over the deaths and called in experts for advice on preventing further suicides.

But if half the reports are to be believed, there are clearly serious ethical questions to be asked. If people are being deprived of their rights to wellbeing and dignity and a number are throwing themselves off the roofs of the factories, would it not be better to be replaced by robots?

A similar ethical dilemma emerged for the sweatshops that several major clothing companies were using. When the public boycotted them into submission, some asked if the unskilled workers were better off now without jobs or income. Again, in the short-term the answer has to be "no" but in the long run, there will be better working conditions for everyone. This may not be much compensation if you are starving.

In the case of Foxconn, the threat of replacing workers with robots is not the real moral issue at stake here. Yes, we do have to ensure that our lives are not degraded by technology, but we must not let old arguments about "technology creating unemployment" be a smokescreen for the real issues. It is the responsibility of the large corporations to ensure that the companies making their electronics abide by similar practices as in their home countries. And it is the responsibility of all of us not to buy goods made by workers who are stripped of their rights and dignity.

iCloud website now live for software developers

Apple Inc. took another step toward connecting its users to the "cloud" on Monday night when it opened an iCloud website to software developers, also encouraging them to update their iPhone and iPad apps to take advantage of Apple's upcoming Internet service.

Though only registered Apple developers can access the new site, bloggers have posted images showing it contains Web-based email, Calendar, contacts and the Find My iPhone feature -- all of which were previously available via Apple'ssoon-to-be-defunct MobileMe service.

But unlike MobileMe, a for-pay subscription service, a basic version of iCloud will be available free to users of most Apple phones and tablets. The software will sync users' email, apps, music and other information so that it works across all Apple devices. Users will get 5 gigabytes of storage for free, but have the option to as much as 50 gigabytes more for an annual fee of up to $100.

Apple has also begun encouraging app developers to start using iCloud, which can store and back up application-related data -- presumably to do things such as save games and back up photos and records from exercise apps.

The iPhone rocket is poised to leave Android and the rest in the dust

Yes, he only surveyed 216 mobile phone users in Minneapolis, chosen not so randomly near "food courts, on the street, near the entrance of a baseball stadium on game day." But analyst Gene Munster struck a raw chord with his account to Piper Jaffray clients on Monday, as reported byFortune CNN.

Munster found that 94 percent of iPhone users plan to buy another iPhone when they get a new smartphone. But he also found that just 47 percent of Android users say they plan to buy another Android smartphone -- and most of those who plan to abandon Android (42 percent) say they're going to get an iPhone next. Ouch!

The outlook for BlackBerry is even worse. (Spoiler alert: if you own a BlackBerry or actually likeyour BlackBerry, skip the rest of this article. It could save you a shock of gray hair and a bottle of Maalox.)

Of current BlackBerry users, 67 percent say they're going to get an iPhone when their BlackBerry goes belly-up. In all fairness, Munster only found 61 BlackBerry owners to take part in the survey (itself not a good omen). But 67 percent. ...

Already, Apple has become the top seller of smartphones in the world, followed by Samsung (mainly for its Android devices), and then by Nokia, for years the leader in global smartphone sales that abandoned its decrepit Symbian OS this year and is betting on Windows Phone 7 "Mango" to reinvigorate its smartphone business in 2012. Android devices as a group outsell the iPhone, but Munster's survey suggests that Android momentum may be dissipating, whereas iPhone momentum is only increasing.

Why the mass migration to the iPhone?

One of the most credible explanations: A lot of Verizon Wireless customers are waiting for the"iPhone 5," Apple's forthcoming iPhone update. They already have phones, bought before Verizon offered the iPhone 4 in February, and they aren't going to give the old phones up until the "iPhone 5" gets here in September or October. T-Mobile and Sprint customers, who may or may not get the "iPhone 5" as an option from their carriers this year, may also be waiting for the chance to switch phones -- and perhaps change providers at the same time if Apple doesn't expand the number of carriers that offer the iPhone.

My theory? It's the halo effect. Apple's firing on all cylinders, with the MacBook Air, iPad 2, and iPhone 4 rolling over the market in the United States, and other Macs soon to appear, as well as all the positive buzz over the new Mac OS X Lion. The iPhone is not only a sound choice, it's a cool one -- technically, of course. Apple's brand loyalty has always been intense -- rabid, even. These days it's not only intense, but infectious.

Rumor: Wireless carriers now testing secured iPhone 5 prototypes

Charles Arthur of The Guardian wrote on Tuesday that anonymous carrier sources have told him that boxes encasing the next iPhone have been transported to carriers for testing. He characterized this as an "important step" in the release cycle for the next-generation handset.

Based on the timing of this, Arthur agrees with analyst Mike Abramsky of RBC Capital Markets, and sees Apple launching its next iPhone in September rather than October.

"The next iPhones go for their testing inside locked and sealed boxes so that the carriers can carry out checks on their network compatibility in their labs," he wrote. "It's very high security, as you could guess; my understanding is that barely anyone inside the carriers gets to open those boxes, and even when they do the hardware is encased in a dummy body which means there's no clue to what the actual phone will do."

He added: "Either way, the new iPhones are in the system, which means they now just have to get approval -- which will probably only take a few weeks at most -- and can then be signed off for manufacturing."

Arthur presented this as evidence for a September launch of the next iPhone, though he admitted he is not 100 percent certain of when Apple will unleash its next handset. However, he believes that customers will be "raring to go" for a new iPhone come September.

"The only reason why Apple would delay the launch in that way would be if it is has hit a manufacturing problem," he wrote. "But supply lines are quiet; there's plenty of capacity (Apple secured it after the Japanese earthquake in March). So it can't be a supply constraint either."

Analyst Dishes Up New-Old iPhone 5 Rumors

Oh, iPhone 5! Will the rumors of your pending arrival and creamy goodness never cease?

A day after All Things D threw a spanner in the works with a firm scolding of all the gossips predicting a September release date for Apple's next-generation smartphone, Stern, Agee & Leach Equity Research analyst Shaw Wu dished up some unconfirmed specs for the iPhone 5.

"Our supply chain sources indicate that it will sport a slightly larger display than the current 3.5-inch retina display that is already industry leading," Wu wrote in a research note Tuesday.

"We are picking up that it will retain a similar form factor and size but with [a] thinner bezel. We believe this makes sense to improve the iPhone experience without making it too bulky as we have seen with models from competitors."

Though Wu wrote that Apple's tweaks to its market-leading smartphone could result in "a bigger upgrade than expected," the prediction of a near edge-to-edge screen courtesy of a wicked thin bezelis not new.

Nor is the analyst's belief that the iPhone 5 will sport a dual-core processor, perhaps the same Apple-designed, ARM-based A5 chip that powers the iPad 2—Wu himself already predicted this previously.

Ditto for Wu's rehashing of his belief that the iPhone 5 won't have 4G LTE due to what he termed the new wireless standard's unresolved issues with network coverage and taxing battery life.

So what we're left with is some brand new iPhone 5 scuttlebutt that's really only cobbled-together old iPhone 5 scuttlebutt.

Privacy Risks Increase as Facial Recognition Technology Improves

Facial recognition is an Internet feature which is growing in popularity. But while Facebook and Google (News

- Alert) are expanding facial recognition options – researchers from Carnegie Mellon University are warning about the dangers it poses to privacy.

Several Carnegie Mellon researchers were able to ID some one-third of the subjects they tested, using a photo and facial-recognition technology from Google.

Alarmingly, one of lead researchers, Alessandro Acquisti, said that 27% of the time, using data from the subjects’ Facebook (News - Alert) profiles, they could correctly identify the first five digits of the subject’s Social Security numbers, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.

“Two experiments demonstrated the ability of identifying strangers online (on a dating site where individuals protect their identities by using pseudonyms) and offline (in a public space), based on photos made publicly available on a social network site,” Acquisti wrote on his website. “A third … experiment illustrated the ability of inferring strangers' personal or sensitive information (their interests and Social Security numbers) from their faces, by combining face recognition, data mining algorithms, and statistical re-identification techniques.”

The results of the study raise many issues on “the future of privacy in an ‘augmented’ reality world in which online and offline data will seamlessly blend,” he said.

Their study also looked at the “convergence” of facial recognition, cloud computing and online social networks. They also came up with a mobile phone app “to recognize and then predict someone's sensitive personal data directly from their face in real time,” Acquisti said.

In addition, the researchers took images of college students using a webcam and compared the photos to images from Facebook profiles. The researchers were able to re-identify about one third of the students.
“Considering the technological trends in cloud computing, face recognition accuracy, and online self-disclosures, it is hard not to conclude that what today we presented as a proof-of-concept in our study, tomorrow may become as common as everyday's text-based search engine queries,” Acquisti predicts.

The Pentagon Enters the Social Web With a Call for Memetrackers

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the DoD progenitors of revolutionary tech like passive radar and the Internet, is calling for research applications of social media to strategic communication. According to an agency announcement (PDF), DARPA is looking to shell out $42 million in funding for "innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems." The general goal of the Social Media in Strategic Communication (SMISC) program is to develop a new science of social networks built on an emerging technology base.

In short, the Pentagon wants to up its intelligence game to keep pace with the constantly expanding, interwoven latticework of connections in the social space. The military wants to be able to track the formation, development and spread of ideas and concepts, use linguistic clues to ferret out purposeful or deceptive misinformation, and use sentiment analysis and opinion mining to extrapolate, for example, where the next Arab revolution might take place, or identify credible (or debunked) threats reverberating across cyberspace.

This certainly isn't the federal government's first foray into using social media for intelligence gathering. The FBI began using social networking sites to gather information about the whereabouts of fugitives, even combing through Facebook and Twitter for clues as to the location of notorious Boston gangster James "Whitey" Bulger. But as David Streitfeld reported in the New York Times, such methods of information collection and analysis are far from systematized:

Google+ hits 25M users in month, faster than Facebook

Google Inc.'s new social-networking service reached about 25 million visitors in less than a month, outpacing Facebook Inc. and MySpace in their early days, according to Wedbush Securities, citing ComScore Inc. data.

Read more http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-google-hits-25m-users-in-month-faster-than-facebook-20110802,0,6483660.story

A Peek at the New Facebook Campus

Who says Facebook doesn’t care about privacy?

Its new campus in Menlo Park, Calif., is dotted with phone booths, in case someone wants privacy while making a phone call. At Facebook, nobody has an office, not even the chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg. They don’t even have cubicles. Everyone rat-tat-tats on their keyboards on rows of long tables and chairs.

Hence the phone booths. They are real phone booths, with doors, like the kind Superman used to use to change into his tights. These are freshly painted industrial grey. There are other retro touches in the building, including midcentury modern chairs that reek of “Mad Men” cool and conference room walls that are painted the color of yellow No. 2 pencils.

Quaint, isn’t it? Pencils.

Conference rooms seem to be a big deal at Facebook. Some are named after Internet memes: Cool Story Bro is one. Rooms on the second floor meld a Star Wars theme with mixed drinks. My favorite: Whiskey on the Ewoks. (Mr. Zuckerberg will have his own conference room at the new campus, just as he does at the existing company headquarters in Palo Alto.)

In the new space, which used to belong to Sun Microsystems, ceilings and walls have been punched out to expose ducts and raw beams. Leftover carpet glue from the previous occupants has left a swirly pattern on the raw cement floors. And in keeping with the faux-proletarian feel of the place, the bar (yes, there is a bar) is stocked with Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.

Some walls have been covered with blackboard paint, encouraging employees to doodle and scar. Soon the graffiti of David Choe, which marked the walls of the very first Facebook office in Palo Alto, will be transplanted to the new headquarters.

The 57-acre campus, built more than 15 years ago, sits next to a six-lane highway, on the edge of a vast gorgeous marsh that is likely to draw the occasional pied-billed grebe and certainly goose droppings.

Speaking of faux, the campus will eventually mimic an old-fashioned cityscape. In what is now a standard courtyard encircled by office buildings, Facebook plans to install a café, a burger stand, and a noodle joint — as well as a bike shop. Never mind that this is in the middle of a sprawling suburb where life without a car is impractical if not impossible.

Facebook employees have begun to trickle into the new space. The last of the bunch will move in by the end of the year. The mini-kitchens have been stocked with Cheerios and Red Bull — standard technology-industry nourishment.

Facebook is nothing if not ambitious: It currently houses a little over 1,000 employees across two buildings. The new campus, with a footprint of over 1 million square feet, can house up to 7,000 people.

Q & A: The Creator Of Facebook’s Most Engaging Page

You might have noticed that the most engaging page on Facebook isn’t a pop star, athlete nor brand.

Jesus Daily has dominated our weekly ranking of most engaging pages ever since we launched the list back on April 4 of this year, holding the top spot for 14 weeks in a row.

And yet, the creator of this religious page is not a minister, priest nor church of any kind. I had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Aaron Tabor, the creator of Jesus Daily, via email.

When did Jesus Daily get its start, and how did the page come into fruition? Is there any specific thought or notable force, especially those that relate to your daily occupational and/or social environments, which lent a hand in its creation?

I started Jesus Daily on April 7th, 2009, after realizing there were many Bible verse pages and groups, but none (that I could find) focusing on the words of Jesus. I added the word Daily to give it more of an urgent, news-style feel.

As a gene therapy researcher, physician, and son of a pastor, I’ve been around emotional suffering and physical death for much of my life. I wanted to create a page that encouraged and inspired people with Jesus’ words because of this family and career background. We have people asking daily for prayers regarding breast cancer, divorce, and to find jobs. The page is fulfilling its purpose.

Do you continue on as the sole administrator at this point, or is it a team that handles aspects of the responsibilities? If it is a team effort, could you tell me a little more on how this group has come together and grown into what it is today?

I am the sole administrator of the page at this point that generates all of the daily content. I have recently hired a moderator to help keep the page in good shape. Jesus Daily is actively seeking technology partners to go to the next level including social gaming apps, online education, and faith-based music.

What is your daily occupation, and how much of your time do you find yourself putting into the page on an average week? Did you have any social media experience prior to starting Jesus Daily?

I started a gene therapy company called Gene Facelift with The Johns Hopkins Hospital. We are developing gene transfer based therapies for wounds, wrinkles, and inherited skin diseases. I also run a diet and anti-aging nutrition company.We sell products online and through QVC.

It’s easy to spend six to eight hours a day on Jesus Daily because there are so many people in need of encouragement. I’ve dealt with people so desperate for comfort that they are contemplating suicide to people rejoicing over a clean cancer-free doctor visit. Helping and ministering to others is addicting.

Jesus Daily has expanded into Spanish, Arabic and Portuguese now. These sub-pages are listed in the left-hand column of the main page.

My social media experience was limited prior to Jesus Daily so it has been a fun few years. I’m still learning. I’m taking what I learn and applying it to my commercial pages.

New Missouri Law Bans 'Exclusive' Online Contact Between Teachers, Students

A controversial new law in Missouri designed to protect students from sexual misconduct bans direct contact between educators and students on social networking websites, but has prompted criticism from those who say it goes too far in its effort to clearly define digital boundaries.

Senate Bill 54, also known as the "Amy Hestir Student Protection Act," was signed into law on July 14 by Gov. Jay Nixon.

The law requires state school districts to report allegations of sexual abuse to authorities within 24 hours, and holds those districts liable if they fail to disclose suspected or known abuse by past employees.

It also bans registered sex offenders from serving on local school boards and strengthens criminal background checks on school bus drivers.

But one provision of the bill -- section 160.069 -- also prohibits teachers in elementary, middle or high schools from establishing, maintaining or using a "work-related website unless it is available to school administrators and the child's legal custodian, physical custodian, or legal guardian," effective Jan. 1.

"Teachers also cannot have a nonwork-related website that allows exclusive access with a current or former student," the new law reads.

The new law is believed to be the first of its kind nationwide. Other states and school districts have only recently formed guidelines and policies on student-teacher online interaction.

In Massachusetts, some districts have adopted a model by the Massachusetts Association of School Committees that bans "improper fraternization" via Internet and telephone.

Elsewhere, teachers in several districts in Toledo, Ohio, have been told they can communicate with students when it directly relates to school matters. But some teachers say Missouri's approach, although well-intended, is heavy-handed and will ultimately hurt students by restricting access to educators.

"Throwing the baby out with the bathwater when it comes to social networking is bad policy," said Todd Fuller, spokesman for the Missouri State Teachers Association, which represents 44,000 members statewide. "There's so much gray area in this bill that it's difficult for us to define them," Fuller said.

Without Klout, Google+ is dead to me

If you have anything to do with media and you haven’t discovered Klout yet, you’re behind the curve. Klout is the measure of your online influence. Media types (writer, on-air personality, podcaster, videocaster, celebrity), need to check your Klout scoreimmediately). Very low scores (<30), need help fast. But, you won’t be able to pump it up with Google+ because they’re not connected. So, for me, that means I’m not posting anything to Google+ until it is. Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and LinkedIn are all Klout connected. Google, if you want more acceptance, you’re going to have to have Klout or you’re dead to me.

I like Google+. I really do but it has got to get plugged in to compete with or usurp Facebook as the “Go To” Social Media outlet for users. Adoption by users will be transitory unless Google moves fast in the social media networking circles. So far, the adoption of it is slow.

The Significance of Klout

Your Klout score is kind of like your credit score: You don’t care about it until it limits you in some way. Media people may find that editors who pay attention to Klout scores will shun them if their scores aren’t high enough. Let’s face it, if you can’t influence a lot of people, you just aren’t worth as much as those who can.

I foresee a time when your Klout score will mean so much to those who pay for influence will have a sliding pay scale depending on that all-important score. Mine is pretty low today (41) because I was on vacation for eight days and didn’t tweet, didn’t post to Facebook and didn’t contribute to LinkedIn. My bad.

My score fell about one point per day. That’s a pretty tough hit on someone who needs to influence a lot of readers, advertisers and editors. I need a high score but it’s a part-time job to keep it high. We, as media folk, don’t have the advantage of a paperboy who stands on the corner shouting, “EXTRA, EXTRA, read all about it, Google+ is dead without Klout.”

Our circle of influence has replaced that paperboy with his digital equivalent: Social Media.

Facebook buys digital bookmaker Push Pop Press

Facebook has purchased digital bookmaker Push Pop Press, the companies announced today. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Push Pop Press made a name for itself by developing an iOS app version of former U.S. Vice President Al Gore's book "Our Choice." The application received widespread praise from critics and earned the company an Apple Design Award earlier this year.

But all that doesn't mean that Facebook will be getting into the digital-publishing business. According to Push Pop Press, Facebook is acquiring the company for its technology, which will be used in some way on the world's largest social network.

"Although Facebook isn't planning to start publishing digital books, the ideas and technology behind Push Pop Press will be integrated with Facebook, giving people even richer ways to share their stories," Push Pop Press said in a statement today. "With millions of people publishing to Facebook each day, we think it's going to be a great home for Push Pop Press."

Facebook echoed that sentiment in its own statement on the acquisition, saying Push Pop Press' co-founders, Mike Matas and Kimon Tsinteris, will be bringing some of their ideas to the social network.

"We're thrilled to confirm that we've acquired Push Pop Press, a start-up whose groundbreaking software changes the way people publish and consume digital content," a Facebook representative told CNET in an e-mailed statement. "We can't wait for co-founders Mike Matas and Kimon Tsinteris to get started, and for some of the technology, ideas, and inspiration behind Push Pop Press to become part of how millions of people connect and share with each other on Facebook."

Read more at http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20087032-17/facebook-buys-digital-bookmaker-push-pop-press/#ixzz1U53Z7SdG

Start Google Plus Combines Google+ with Facebook and Twitter

Start Google Plus is a great extension for Chrome and Firefox that lets you update Twitter and Facebook from within Google+, also adding feeds from both social networks onto your main page. We mentioned it in our Facebook to Google+ migration guide, but felt it deserved to be highlighted on its own because it's so useful.

To get started, you just download the extension and install it like any other, then log into Google+ and authorize both your Twitter and Facebook accounts. Once you've done that, you'll see your Twitter stream and Facebook news feed show up in your Google+ feed. This is really great if you want to go to a single location for all your updates, but if it's too much in one place you can always just turn it off. What's really useful is the ability to post status updates to all three services directly from Google+. The extension adds buttons to select which networks your messages gets posted to and those buttons live right by where you add which circles and specific people get to see your message. You can toggle them on and off, so it's really easy to make changes on a message-by-message basis.

Supremacy of Apple iPhone Over Other Smartphones

There are many Android smartphones in the market today, however, iPhone users can enjoy connectivity at up to 30,000 feet. Currently, there are 65% of iPhone users who access the Wi-Fi service of Gogo while traveling by air and only 12% of Android users. Additionally, if you add iPod touch users connecting to the service, then the figure will reach 80%. There are only 6% of BlackBerry users who use the service.

iPhone Users Are More Informed
Chief marketing officer Ash ElDifrawi of Gogo explained, “Many smartphone users simply aren’t aware that you can turn your phone service off on a Gogo equipped plane, yet still access the Internet through a Wi-Fi enabled mobile device and surf the Web, send email and access most of the features of your smartphone aside from making a phone call.” He also observed that iPhone users understand how to take full advantage the Wi-Fi service offered by Gogo. This is the edge enjoyed by users of Apple iPhone than those who opt for another smartphone.

Smartphone Users Continue To Grow
Reports indicate that smartphones being sold in the market today are plenty compared to the traditional cell phones. Most users of smartphones believe that one of the most critical role of their phones is their ability to access their email or the Web. ElDifrawi is confident that the increasing use of smartphones will also mean that more and more airline passengers will use their smartphones to access the Internet on the plane.

Skype for iPad is Finally Here

The long-awaited Skype for iPad app arrived late last night. While the iPhone version of the popular VoIP service’s app has been available for use on the iPad, this is the first time we’ve seen a native tablet version.

The app brings all of the same functionality that its iPhone app brings. This list includes voice calls, video calls, instant messaging, and basic account management. Premium Skype services can let you make calls to non-Skype users and have your own phone number.

Skype is known for making its mobile users wait forever and a day to get big updates, and the iPad version of their app was no exception. Was it worth the wait? Well… the iPad version of Skype is very basic. It doesn’t really add anything that wasn’t in the iPhone app, and the interface isn’t particularly noteworthy. Still, it’s Skype (our pick for one of the best VoIP apps on iOS), and you don’t have to deal with the ugly pixel-doubled iPhone app blown up to full screen.

The Skype for iPad app won’t show up as an update to the iPhone version (it’s a stand-alone tablet app, not a universal iPhone/iPad app). It may not show up at the top of an AppStore search yet. If you don’t see it in a search for ‘Skype,’ simply select ‘show all’ from the results and you’ll see it on the second or third page of results.

Apple iCloud pricing starts at $20 a yea

Apple has launched a beta version of its iCloud website for developers, and announced pricing for those who want to store more than 5 gigabytes of data. For those who use up to that amount, the service — expected to launch for real in September — is free.

If you want more than 5 GB, this is what it will cost:
10 GB for $20 a year
20 GB for $40 a year
50 GB for $100 a year

How do those prices compare to well-known current cloud services such as Drop Box and SugarSync?

Dropbox gives users up to 2 GB of storage for free; if you want 50 GB, it's $99 a year. SugarSync gives users up to 5 GB of storage at no cost; for 30 GB, it's $49.99; 60 GB, $99.99.

"It should be noted that Dropbox is the only truly cross-platform service," said 9 to5 Mac, which compared the services. "Dropbox provides a desktop client for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux and utilizes a clever file handling mechanism which takes care of translating file and meta data differences among platforms."

For those who want to take a peek at what iCloud apps — including email, contacts and calendar and productivity suite iWork — will look like, both 9 to 5 Mac and AppleInsider have published some screenshots.

Android Outsells iPhone 5-to-2, Has Nearly 50 Percent of the Market

Android's open platform and broad selection of hardware, thanks to liberal licensing, has proved a winning formula for Google Inc. (GOOG) and its hardware partners. Competitors like Apple, Inc. (AAPL) and Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) have been unable to keep up with the platform's wild growth.

According to [press release] market research firm Canalys, for every 2 iPhones sold, approximately five Android phones are now sold (1:2.5). This is another milestone for Google, who only recently heard the news that it was outselling Apple two to one globally.

The study looked at 56 countries and found Android to be the top platform in 35 of them. Its global market share

is now at just under 50 percent, thanks to a 379 percent year-to-year growth in shipments. In Q2 2011 it shipped on an estimate 51.9 million smartphones, globally.

Google's smartphone operating system

continues to soar after a quiet 2005 acquisition by Google and 2008 product launch. Google didn't pick up much momentum until 2009, when its partners began to release bleeding edge handsets like the "Droid" from Motorola Solutions Inc. (MSI). Since then it's been unstoppable. However, threats loom from lawsuits [1][2][3][4][5] from Apple and licensing demands [1][2] from Microsoft.

Speaking of Apple, it posted impressive growth of its own, passing Finland's Nokia Oyj.(HEL:NOK1V), with 20.3 million units shipped. Apple is now the clear number one in terms of global sales by a single manufacturer.

Despite falling behind Android in growth, Canalys had kind words for the highly profitable Apple. Canalys VP and Principal Analyst Chris Jones states, "The iPhone

has been a phenomenal success story for Apple and a watershed product for the market. It's an impressive success story, given that Apple has only been in the smart phone market for four years. With the next-generation iPhone anticipated in Q3, it's likely that Apple’s position will grow even stronger in the second half of the year."

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Thursday, 4 August 2011

Venkat Balasubramani's take