Google+Facebook+iPhone: 09/26/11

Monday, 26 September 2011

31 percent of Android users eyeing switch to iPhone

We know how passionate Android users can be because we hear from them regularly in our comments section. But what's a little surprising is that a recent survey suggests that rank-and-file Android users may not be so loyal to their platform, with nearly one in three contemplating a switch to the iPhone and an additional 10 percent in the "undecided" camp.

Granted, the survey conducted by UBS Research had a pretty small user sample (515 people overall and only 51 Android users), so we'll take it with a grain of salt. However, my own personal survey among friends suggests there's some truth to the numbers, with, for instance, some Verizon customers only switching to Android models because the iPhone wasn't available at the time (now that these folks are two years into their contracts, they're waiting on the next iPhone before making a decision on their next phone).

The survey also indicated that the iPhone is the "stickiest" phone out there, with retention rates at 89 percent, while Nokia and BlackBerry are slipping badly. According to the survey, Nokia's retention rate went from 42 percent in March 2010 to 24 percent, and BlackBerry dipped from 62 percent to 33 percent. Not good.

Android's adoption rate has been nothing short of phenomenal, but as the iPhone comes to more carriers, it will be interesting to see how many Android users end up being tempted to switch sides.

Source:http://www.zdnetasia.com/31-percent-of-android-users-eyeing-switch-to-iphone-62302223.htm

Bravo Fans hit Twitter to Silence Patti Stanger & Millionaire Matchmaker

I am not a fan of Patti Stanger, or her “reality” show, Millionaire Matchmaker. I think she is obnoxious, rude, disrespectful, bad for women, and bad for Jews. She claims to have a 99% success rate, yet there has never been a successful relationship depicted on her show. It is simply a fame whore skank fest.

She says she knows how to get a man, yet at 50, does not have one. She was in a relationship with a man she says she met through a matchmaker, although that seems contrived. She was engaged, then ended the relationship and shared the news via Twitter. How can you be an expert at something you fail at?

Speaking of Twitter, this afternoon, during a sixty minute span, I saw 73 tweets stating they want her fired, and for other Bravo fans to stop watching in an attempt to send the message to Bravo that the show should be cancelled. They even went so far as to ask for a boycott of Andy Cohen’s show, Watch What Happens Live, which premiers tonight after Patti.

If I saw 73 tweets, and I’m not much of a Twitter person, imagine how many there really were? If Patti were food, there would be a massive recall across the country to get her pulled off the shelves. I have never seen a blog or a tweet that showed any love for this woman. If we all can’t stand her, and we are Bravo’s audience, how much longer will she have a show?

Bravo fans are intense. They watch their shows religiously, and take it all very seriously. When it comes to the Real Housewives, there are many different camps, particularly for the NYC cast, where you either love Jill Zarin, or hate her. You either worship Bethenny, or are Satan. I happen to be in the minority as I love Jill, and think Bethenny is just as bad as Patti.

There are different camps on most of the shows, but when it comes to Millionaire Matchmaker, we are a united front. One large group, shouting out to anyone who will listen, we do not like Patti Stanger, or her ridiculous show, and we want it cancelled, as her having a show at all is offensive to us as reality television fans. I hope Bravo is taking notes.
Read more at http://www.jewishjournal.com/keepingitreal/item/bravo_fans_hit_twitter_to_silence_patti_stanger_millionaire_matchmaker_2011/
You can’t have a show about love when the star is unable to find it for herself, or anyone else. If I was a millionaire, and I was looking for love, I would never go to Patti Stanger. She is a hot mess and her staff looks like a joke. I would never give them my money, which makes sense since all the millionaires on her show get her services for free.

On the episode tonight, one of the “millionaires” is the hypnotherapist that she uses on the show. She cannot get a real millionaire to come on her fake show so she needs to use people she uses on her show? Are we supposed to believe he is a millionaire? This show is ridiculous and should never have been made. Cancel it and we will forgive you Bravo.

5 Ways to Increase Your Twitter Following

College students seem more likely to make Facebook their home, than Twitter, even avoiding LinkedIn until they’re nearing graduation. Twitter offers many advantages neither of the other services offer, although you can and should integrate your tweets with LinkedIn.

If you’re looking for way to increase your Twitter following without attracting spammers only, there are five steps you can take to ensure that you’re worth following:

1. Offer Information — Your profile should say something about you and include keywords that can help people find you. One of the most important words or phrases is the name of your school. Mention your school, your major and some of your interests, and find or make a background image that tells people something about you. For example, if you’re an astronomy major, a solar system background can help you get noticed.

2. Offer Advice — How much advice can you offer with just 140 characters to play with? More than you think! You can split your advice up into segments and post these one right after another. Not at once so that people take you as a spammer, but 1-2 minutes apart. Use a desktop client such as HootSuite to schedule your tweets, allowing you to collect your thoughts before uploading your tidbits. Be interesting — if you have unlocked the secret code to your favorite XBox game, then let people know how you did it.

3. Offer Assistance — Twitter is a community of people who tweet, but also retweet messages. Retweeting is important, because it shows that you care about what other people say and have found their tweet or link to be of value. People will follow you if you actively give and take with Twitter, and help you gain access to their followers too. Who knows, the H.R. guy at the company you like could be one connection away from someone you helped.

4. Offer Friendship — Social media seems to be so unsociable, at least when it comes to face to face contacts, right? Yes and no. It is easy for some people to hide behind a social media wall, but it is just as easy to reach out and befriend someone. Do so without an ulterior motive — demonstrate that you care and value this person’s Twitter activities. As far as face to face meetings go, that may come later when you both appear at the same social media convention.

5. Promote Thyself — Take care of the first four steps and you’ll have much more liberty to promote yourself. At this point, you’re a known quantity and just the person others are following and will recommend to their friends. Go ahead, send out some tweets to let people know that you’re looking for work. Or, wanting to meet up at a football game. Or, whatever. Your credibility allows you to push the envelope, provided that you avoid spamming and know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em.

Once you’re established on Twitter, don’t forget to move over to LinkedIn and update your information there. To add your Twitter account to LinkedIn, visit “Edit My Profile” and click “Add Twitter account” next to the Twitter field. Twitter will ask you to verify your account name and password. Once the account is verified, you’ll be asked how you’d like to share your tweets on LinkedIn. Once your accounts have been joined, you can make changes by clicking on “edit” adjacent to your Twitter name.

'Moneyball' Wins Fans at Academy, on Twitter

The film also played to what one Academy member described as a "huge crowd" Saturday night at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, where it had its official AMPAS members screening.

According to voters in attendance, "Moneyball" filled the 1,000-seat theater and played extremely well to the audience of members and guests, getting laughs in the right places and prompting generous applause at the end for star Brad Pitt and co-star Jonah Hill, and "respectable" applause for director Bennett Miller.

'Moneyball' Knocks It Out of the Park

And judging from Twitter, the movie has made itself some high-profile fans as well.

Among those who've sung the praises of Miller's movie about the small-market Oakland A's and their unconventional success in the 2002 basball season are comic Jerry Seinfeld, directors Edward Wright and Rod Lurie, actress Kate Walsh and former talk-show host Larry King.

Seinfeld (@JerrySeinfeld) was the most enthusiastic, if one is to take his tweet at face value: "'MoneyBall' my new favorite movie of all time! Disregard all previous!"

(For the record, Seinfeld's last movie review on Twitter was this, in mid August: "#'CrazyStupidLove' My Best Movie of The Year. No questions. Just go.")

"Straw Dogs" director Rod Lurie, for his part, took note of the fact that the film is an atypical sports movie, deriving its drama not from on-the-field action but from dialogue about seemingly esoteric things like on-base percentage. "MONEYBALL is so layered and brilliant," wrote @RodLurie, "that I can't imagine how this cut survived research screenings. Brad Pitt hits a new high."

Edgar Wright (@edgarwright), the British director of "Shaun of the Dead" and "Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World," noted, "Have never watched a game of baseball, nor fully understand it & yet I dug 'Moneyball'. Great stuff from @prattprattpratt [actor Chris Pratt] & @JonahHill."

Notorious soft touch Larry King (@kingsthings) whipped out eight exclamation points for four sentences of praise: "You don't have to love baseball to love Moneyball. Brad Pitt in the performance of a lifetime! SIX stars!!!!! A great movie!!"

"Private Practice" star Kate Walsh (@katewalsh), meanwhile, made a big discovery: "Tw'eeps, I snuck out to watch 'moneyball' I enjoyed. Turns out: brad pitt is a movie star."

Twitter’s ‘Amazing Race’ Assist

Correction Appended

Just how attuned are television producers these days to chatter about their shows on Twitter? So much so that they watched in awe, half a world away, as two Twitter users saved a team on “The Amazing Race” from being kicked off the CBS show.

Sonja Flemming/CBSKaylani Paliotta, left, and Lisa Tilley narrowly escaped being eliminated from the show.

The 19th season of the race-around-the-world reality show had just started taping in June in Southern California when one of the contestants, Kaylani Paliotta, unknowingly left her passport at a gas station. The camera crew with Ms. Paliotta and her teammate, Lisa Tilley, noticed what had been left behind, but could not tell them. Instead, they sent word to producers at the next stop, Los Angeles International Airport, to expect a premature end to the team’s race.

“We were planning on eliminating this particular team,” said Phil Keoghan, the show’s host, “because there was no way they were going to travel.” A lost passport, he noted, led to a team’s dismissal two years earlier.

But this time, Twitter saved the day. Ryan Storms, a graphic artist and photographer who shares much about his life and promotes his business on Twitter, had been at the gas station and had given directions to Ms. Paliotta and Ms. Tilley. Shortly thereafter, when he spotted the lost passport, he described it on Twitter and wrote, “Looks like I have to look her up on Facebook.”

Mr. Keoghan said Mr. Storms’s messages were spotted right away by an anonymous “uber fan” of the show in Georgia who was apparently monitoring all Twitter mentions of “The Amazing Race.” Such fans act as “Amazing Race” detectives, tracking movements of contestants and discerning who might be winning along the way. The fan quickly replied to Mr. Storms, saying, “She’ll need her passport! Can you get it to LAX?”
Read more at http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/26/twitters-amazing-race-assist/

USA Today's Twitter account falls victim to hackers

The same group that hacked NBC News' Twitter account on September 9 and sent tweets about a bogus attack on Ground Zero apparently grabbed hold of USA Today's Twitter feed today and fired off a clutch of messages.

The taunting tweets from someone claiming to be The Script Kiddies asked if Twitter had the courage to suspend the group again and encouraged Twitter users to vote for the next account to be hacked.

"Fox News, Wal-mart, Unilevel, Pfizer, NBC and now USA Today. who's next? Vote now!" read one of the tweets.

As of this writing, it seemed USA Today had regained control of its feed.

"Again, @usatoday was hacked and as a result false tweets were sent. We worked with Twitter to correct. The account is back in our control," said one message. "We apologize for any inconvenience or confusion caused to our readers and thank you for reading @usatoday," readanother.

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-20111422-83/usa-todays-twitter-account-falls-victim-to-hackers/#ixzz1Z7ycNEaA

Amazon, Samsung, Apple, Netflix: Intellectual Property

Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN), the world’s largest online retailer, won a federal appeals court ruling that patent claims brought by software maker Cordance Corp. related to one-click shopping and customer feedback procedures weren’t valid, reversing a decision by a trial judge.

The ruling Sept. 23 from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington reinstated a verdict by a federal jury in Delaware. The jury found that while elements of a Cordance patent had been infringed by Amazon, the claims were invalid. The trial judge later reversed the finding on infringement, leading to Amazon’s appeal.

“The district court erred” in ruling that the Cordance claims were valid, the three-judge appeals court panel wrote. The claims were anticipated, making them invalid, the court said.

Cordance had initially sought more than $84 million in damages for infringement of three patents that are related to allowing customers to store payment information and shipping addresses in their Amazon customer accounts. The jury only found infringement for one of the three contested patents. Michael A. Albert, of Boston’s Wolf Greenfield Sacks PC and who represented Cordance, declined to immediately comment.

Cordance, a patent holder and software developer, sued Seattle-based Amazon in 2006, contending it was misusing technology patented by Cordance for one-click shopping and customer feedback procedures.

Samsung Says It Can Meet Tablet Target Amid Apple Lawsuits

Samsung Electronics Co., the world’s second-largest maker of mobile phones, said it can still meet its target for tablet-computer sales this year even as Apple Inc. (AAPL) seeks to block them in some markets.

The company is on track to raise sales of tablet computers by more than five times this year from 2010 as it planned, J.K. Shin, head of Samsung’s mobile-phone division, said at a media briefing in Seoultoday.

Samsung and Apple have been involved in multiple lawsuits around the globe, since Apple claimed in an April lawsuit filed in the U.S. that the South Korean company’s Galaxy devices copied the iPhone and iPad. Apple has blocked sales of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany, whichStrategy Analytics forecasts will be Europe’s third-largest market for touch-screen mobile computers this year.

In Australia, Samsung agreed to push back introduction of the product until the end of this month because of a hearing being held this week. Federal Court Justice Annabelle Bennett may grant a “brief” injunction on sales of the Samsung tablet as she considers arguments from South Korean company and Apple, the judge said today during the first day of a two-day hearing.

Shares of the Suwon, South Korea-based company rose 2.2 percent to 775,000 won at the 3:00 p.m. close in Seoul trading, while the benchmark Kospi index declined 2.6 percent.

Samsung Tablet Faces Further Delay in Australia Amid Apple Row

Sept. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Samsung Electronics Co.’s debut of its Galaxy 10.1 tablet computer in Australia may be delayed beyond the end of the month after a judge said she needs time to study Apple Inc.’s patent-infringement claims.

Federal Court Justice Annabelle Bennett may grant a “brief” injunction on sales of the Samsung tablet as she considers arguments from Samsung and the iPad maker, the judge said during the first day of a two-day hearing over whether the Galaxy Tab should be banned in Australia until the dispute is resolved. The judge urged both sides to consider starting their patent-infringement trial as soon as possible.

“Technology moves very quickly, ” Bennett said. “It would be in both sides’ interest to have this matter finalized quickly.”

The dispute is part of a global fight between the two companies, the world’s two largest makers of tablet computers, which began in April in the U.S. after Cupertino, California- based Apple sued Samsung claiming Galaxy products “slavishly” imitated the designs and technologies used in iPads and iPhones. Samsung struck back with lawsuits in South Korea, Japan, Germany and Australia.

Samsung, based in Suwon, South Korea, targeted the iPad 2 and adopted as many of its features as it could in developing its newest tablet, Steven Burley, Apple’s lawyer, said today.

It must have been “as plain as the Opera House to Samsung” that the design of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 infringed Apple patents, Burley said. “They ought to clear the way in advance rather than attempt to crash through.”

‘High Stakes’

Samsung threatens to steal Apple’s sales of iPads with its products and that would also threaten sales of iPhones, applications and accessories because people like to stick with one brand, Burley said.

A ban on the sale of the product would go too far, David Catterns, Samsung’s lawyer, told the judge.

“This is a high-stakes fight,” Catterns said. “This is where we draw the line.”

Apple’s iPad may account for 73 percent of tablet computer sales this year, according to the research firm Gartner Inc. Products that run on Google Inc.’s Android operating system, including Samsung’s Galaxy tablets, will probably have about 17 percent of the market, Gartner said in a Sept. 22 note.

Samsung agreed in August to delay a planned release of the Galaxy 10.1 tablets in Australia until Bennett rules on Apple’s request for an injunction barring the sale of the product.

Motorola Droid RAZR is very real and coming soon

We covered a leaked story about the Motorola Droid RAZR more than a week ago, and here is further confirmation that the purported smartphone is very real. It is interesting to see Motorola venture back into RAZR territory – after all, they were more or less a victim of their own success with the entire RAZR fatigue setting in, as phone after phone released post-RAZR failed to live up to expectations. At least the Droid was a turning point for Motorola, and to see them merge the two names together evokes a tingle in my spine.

Rumored specifications of the Droid RAZR include a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 1GB RAM, an 8-megapixel camera that does Full HD video recording as well, a front-facing camera for video calls, 4G LTE support and a 4.3″ qHD display which is said to feature a 540 x 960 resolution Super AMOLED screen.

To make it even hardier, it is said to come with splash-resistant Kevlar chassis – while it is no Sonim phone by any means, at least it does sound far tougher than what we’re used to these days.

Source:http://www.ubergizmo.com/2011/09/motorola-droid-razr/

New Motorola Atrix 2 images leaked, Droid Bionic like

Motorola Mobility’s unannounced new smartphone, the so-called Motorola Atrix 2 or Motorola Edison, is back in the leaks galore category courtesy of The Verge. The new images posted are obviously the press shots of the device, indirectly suggesting that the next version of the popular Motorola Atrix phone is ready for primetime.

According to the report posted on Saturday, the new Motorola device will use the “Atrix 2″ as the final name, and the new Android phone will take advantage of Motorola’s new accessories similar to the original Atrix and the new Motorola Droid Bionic.

Aside from the larger 4.3-inch screen, the new Motorola Atrix 2 is similar to the Droid Bionic because it will feature the LapDock compatibility. Lapdock is Motorola’s optional accessory that can transform your device into a functional notebook computer packed with full web browser and other productive applications.

The new press shots also reveal that the Motorola Atrix 2 is possibly thinner than the original (and bulky) Atrix phone released by AT&T in April. Other features of the phone were also outed like 4.3-inch qHD display, an 8 megapixel primary camera with autofocus and LED flash, a full 1GB of RAM, 8GB of on-board storage with expansion to a total of 40GB, and Motorola is reportedly giving away free 2GB of MicroSD card in the box.

The device is a Google Android-powered smartphone, but no word yet on the version used. It is worth noting that Android Ice Cream Sandwich is “just around the corner” and according to Google’s Chairman Eric Schmidt, the ICS is arriving in phones in October or November. ICS is Android’s upcoming update for smartphones and tablets, merging both Honeycomb and Gingerbread in one powerful OS, it is highly possible that the Atrix 2 will get the update sooner.

Aside from the Motorola Atrix 2, Motorola Mobility is also expected to introduce a new smartphone too, and could be a Verizon Wireless phone, theMotorola Droid Razr, the phone also leaked by The Verge on Saturday.

Source:http://popherald.com/news/new-motorola-atrix-2-images-leaked-droid-bionic-like/11341

Smartphone users think security is ‘too expensive’

Despite widespread security concerns by smartphone users, 82 per cent do not have any security products installed, a survey by research group NPD has found.

One of the perceived barriers for the quarter of all iPhone and Android respondents that did not install any security products was that they were too expensive.

This conflicted with the finding that of those that had security installed, 75 per cent paid nothing while the mean price was $3.

"Consumers are both unaware of security for their phones and reluctant to pay for it when they are aware," said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis for NPD.

iPhone users were much less likely to install security products than Android. Just six per cent of iPhone users have any security product installed on their phones, while 30 per cent of Android users have some form of security installed.

Many security features exist for the iPhone, such as password locks, device encryption, and remote data wiping, however Apple has yet to allow security vendors to develop the most widely used third-party security product on PCs: antivirus.

The failure to implement security did not however mean that users were not concerned about it.

According to the research, 40 per cent of respondents were worried about hacking, credit card security, monitoring and viruses, while a third were worried about malicious apps, emails and location tracking.

Besides the perceived cost of security, NPD found some confusion as to what steps to take to address these concerns.

Smartphone owners were “thoroughly confused about what to do about them," Baker said, noting that the biggest concern was theft or damage over other threats like hacking.

"Their biggest concerns were much more likely to be fears that their iPhone would be stolen or damaged, than any unwanted or harmful activities."

Source:http://www.cso.com.au/article/401945/smartphone_users_think_security_too_expensive_/?fp=4&fpid=959105#closeme

Despite 10M Units, Galaxy S2 Still Lags iPhone

Consumer electronics giant Samsung said this weekend that its popular Galaxy S2 smartphone sold over 10 million units globally, making it the most-sold Android phone in the world, but it still has a ways to go before it catches up to Apple.

The Asian company's flagship device -- seen as a viable threat to Apple's iPhone -- doubled units sold in just eight weeks, the company said. Overall, the 10 million milestone was reached in little less than two fiscal quarter's time.

"In just five months the Galaxy S2 has seen tremendous growth, reflecting its tremendous popularity with customers around the world, who in selecting the Galaxy S2 as their device of choice have driven the device's strong market position globally," said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business.

While the sales figures make the Galaxy S2 the most-popularAndroid-based phone, the sales are still small in comparison to arch-rival Apple. In the second quarter alone Apple sold 20 million iPhone devices.

But Samsung is taking the battle to Apple's home turf, recently introducing the device to U.S. consumers and approaching large U.S retailers.

Samsung is rolling out the device at select carriers and other outlets in the U.S. market this quarter, already getting the world's largest retailer, WalMart, onboard last week.
WalMart's Galaxy S2 will run on Sprint's 4G network, and it will be sold for only $99, a full $100 less than Samsung had originally announced, and also less than its biggest competitor, the iPhone 4.

The Top 10 HDTVs of 2011

This is a great time to buy an HDTV. Televisions in 2011 have taken 2010's hot trends--3D, Internet apps, and LED lighting technology for LCD sets--and made them better and cheaper. Today, most sets from major manufacturers offer a wide array of Internet-connected features and 3D support through active-shutter or polarized 3D glasses. Traditional CCFL-backlit LCD panels have nearly disappeared from store shelves, supplanted by their LED-backlit or LED-edgelit cousins, which deliver more-vivid color and sharper contrast despite using less power overall.

Meanwhile, plasma TVs haven't managed to get quite as skinny as LED-edgelit sets, but they're still very much alive and kicking; and some of the plasmas that we tested earned image quality scores comparable to those achieved by high-end LED sets that cost nearly twice as much. If you're looking for big and less expensive, plasma is still your best bet--as long as you're okay with a television set that consumes up to twice as much power as an LED TV of equal size.

The LG Infinia 47LW6500, combines a slick design, a 47-inch LED-backlit screen, excellent features, and attractive passive 3D performance to emerge as one of our favorite HDTV sets of the year. (Photograph by Robert Cardin)

Our PCWorld Labs jury of testers found that this year's sets did not display content significantly better than last year's, though the refresh-rate war seems to be largely over. LCD sets used to handle motion-heavy scenes far worse than plasmas, since LCD sets couldn't refresh the screen image fast enough to keep up, and as a result the video sometimes looked blurry. Now Sony and Samsung are offering LCD televisions with refresh rates as high as 960Hz, though most LED sets remain at 120Hz or 240Hz--and exceeding 240Hz may not make things look better.

In fact, we often notice more "juddering" (image artifacts created when fine patterns warp or vibrate on screen) in 240Hz sets than in 120Hz TVs--so don't be fooled into thinking that the bigger number is always better. Read our online feature "LCD HDTV Motion Features: How Do They Work?" to understand why this happens.

Microsoft and Samsung Collaborate to Enable Optimized Performance and Power Efficiency for Server Systems

MUNICH & SEOUL, South Korea, Sep 25, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Microsoft Technology Center, Munich and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced availability of an optimized platform utilizing Samsung's advanced Green Memory in Microsoft's virtualized data center. A system based on Samsung's 30 nanometer (nm) class* DDR3 memory and Microsoft's data center platform proved to deliver significant power savings, as part of an overarching system evaluation study.

The evaluation platform, which is available through the Microsoft Technology Center, can be used immediately. Detailed findings on the evaluation testing are available in a white paper posted on Microsoft's website: www.microsoft.com/germany/msdn/kontakt/mtc.mspx and Samsung's Green Memory website: www.samsung.com/GreenMemory .

Frank Koch, infrastructure architect and Green IT lead of Microsoft Germany summarizes the joint efforts: "The world notices a dramatic increase of energy usage in data centers with more and more people leveraging their IT and moving to a private cloud. With the innovative memory modules from Samsung, we do not only measure higher throughput and performance for our hyper-v cloud solutions but a lower power consumption of the involved server systems, too. This is a great win-win situation for everyone."

"Our collaborative efforts with Microsoft are focused on expanding solutions with greater energy efficiency and IT investment savings for next-generation and current server systems, thus enabling more sustainable business practices such as 'creating shared value' for customers on a grander scale," said Wanhoon Hong, executive vice president of memory sales & marketing, Device Solutions, Samsung Electronics.

"In the near future, we also plan to develop solutions based on our 20nm-class* 4Gb DDR3 and enterprise SSD to keep providing the greenest memory products with optimal performance, which will significantly expand the rapidly growing green IT memory market." Hong added.

Samsung's legal woes threaten to crimp tablets, chips

The two technology firms have been locked in an acrimonious global battle over smartphone and tablet patents since April, and Apple has successfully blocked Samsung from selling its latest tablets in Germanyand some smartphone models in the Netherlands.

The iPhone and iPad maker has also forced its rival to indefinitely delay launching its new Galaxy tablets in Australia, where a court will give its ruling this week.

Another loss could dent Samsung's ambitious attempt to close the gap with Apple in the global tablet market. The Galaxy gadgets, powered by Google's Android operating system are seen as the biggest challengers to Apple's mobile devices.

"Samsung's tablet business will be most affected and its chip business will also take a hit as Apple moves to diversify away from Samsung to the likes of Toshiba," said Nho Geun-chang, an analyst at HMC Investment Securities.

"But taking passive steps for fear of losing its biggest customer will slow down strong growth momentum at its telecoms business, which Samsung doesn't want to see as the business is set to become the biggest earnings generator this year and make up for weakening chip profits. It'll be a costly battle for Samsung."

The South Korean conglomerate supplied Apple with about $5.7 billion in components last year, some 4 percent of Samsung's total sales.

Apple's portion grew to 5.8 percent of Samsung's sales in the first quarter, driven by booming iPadand iPhone sales, which Samsung supplies chips for, along with Japan's Toshiba.

Samsung Galaxy S II Tops 10M Units Sold

Samsung has sold 10 million units of its popular Galaxy S II smartphones worldwide, including 5 million in just the last two months.

The top Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android handset OEM, which is locked in patent infringement suits with Apple in court over its Android handsets and tablets, began selling the Android 2.3.4 "Gingerbread"-based S II last April in Korea.

The handset, which employs a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display and a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, sold 1 million units in that country in less than a month and 3 million in 55 days.

Proving that this wasn't just some aberration in a single country, Samsung reported in July that it sold 5 million Galaxy S II handsets in 85 days, spanning South Korea, Japan and some European countries. This all happened before the handset launched in the United States.

Samsung actually hit the 10 million unit sold mark with minimal U.S. sales, as the Samsung Galaxy S II, Epic 4G Touch from Sprint has only been on the market since Sept. 16.

That device is different from existing S II units overseas, featuring a 4.52-inch display. eWEEK found the Epic 4G Touch to process applications quickly and smoothly on Sprint's 4G WiMax network.

T-Mobile has not revealed when it will launch its S II, although AT&T (NYSE:T) will begin selling its own S II Oct. 2 for $199.99 on contract.

eWEEK has been playing with that device, which has the same 4.3-inch screen of its overseas cousins, and will publish the full review this week.

Comcast preparing AnyPlay live TV streaming service for the iPad

Comcast has been promising for some time now that it would bring live TV to the iPad, and the cable giant looks like it’s getting closer to its goal. According to a story on MacRumors, the company is readying its AnyPlay service, which will use a special Motorola box to relay broadcasts to your iPad (and presumably Android tablets) over your wireless home network.

Apparently, you will be able to sign up a maximum of 10 tablets, though only one can run the AnyPlay service at one time. As with other services from competitors like Time Warner Cable, subscribers will only be able to watch live TV on a tablet within their home, not in the wild (a.k.a. the rest of the world). Engadget speculates the service may require the new Motorola Televation set-top box, which can convert broadcasts coming from your cable connection to MPEG-4 streams for tablet consumption. The existing Xfinity app would still provide access to Comcast’s on-demand programming.

No doubt you will pay extra for this privilege, though there’s no word whether that includes paying for the box separately. In fact, there’s no official word on when AnyPlay will launch, where it will launch first, and how much it will cost subscribers. Two other questions: Will anyone want to pay for it, and, if so, how much will they be willing to tack onto their monthly bills?

Source:http://www.zdnet.com/blog/home-theater/comcast-preparing-anyplay-live-tv-streaming-service-for-the-ipad/5237

Spreading Freedom: Google, Microsoft And The War For The Web

WASHINGTON -- You can't swing a dead cat video in Washington lately without hitting a lobbyist, consultant, attorney or adviser on retainer to Google or one of its tech rivals. Google, whose top executives have long been a bottomless cup of campaign coffee for Democrats, is finally entering its bipartisan phase, theatrically hiring Republican operatives and broadcasting the news through insider Washington publications, pumping air into a K Street tech bubble.

The shift in political strategy comes as Google faces a serious antitrust threat, punctuated by a high-profile hearing on the company held Wednesday afternoon in the Senate. But Google's investment in the infrastructure of the conservative movement goes much deeper than what's been reported this summer.

The company known for its progressive politics is now giving money to the Heritage Foundation, the American Enterprise Institute, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the Republican Governors Association, the GOP firm The David All Group, Crossroads Strategies, the Republican Attorneys General Association and the Republican State Leadership Committee, among others. On Thursday, Google and Fox News cosponsored a Republican presidential debate.

In the last nine months, Google has hired 18 lobbying shops -- not 18 lobbyists, but 18 firms, a dozen of them since July, a head-turning torrent of hiring that also includes consultants not required to register as lobbyists.

"I consider myself a public works project right here," Sen. Pat Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the committee leading the antitrust investigation, told HuffPost. "My colleagues call it the Leahy Full Employment Act."

The GOP effort hasn't quite sunk in: Republicans in the House and Senate reacted with pleasant surprise when told by HuffPost that Google had started donating to movement conservatives. "Are you saying they're finally becoming bipartisan? That's a good thing. Bipartisanship is a positive thing," said Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the head of the Senate GOP's fundraising arm and one of three Republicans on the subcommittee holding the antitrust hearing. "I understand why people feel like they need to have people they can talk to on both sides."

Google's Schmidt plugs Apple in US Senate

Minutes prior to testifying on Wednesday last week before a US Senate subcommittee investigating whether Google stifles competition, Google's chairman sat down at the witness table to allow himself to be photographed. As cameras clicked, Schmidt decided to open a laptop.

The computer was a MacBook Air.

One of the leaders of one of the most powerful internet companies was about to be given the third degree by US lawmakers, and he was making sure to be photographed trusting his notes or his pre-grilling web surfing to a device made by a competitor. Was this the beltway equivalent of a shout out? Schmidt is, after all, a former member of Apple's board.

Certainly, he wasn't going to be seen with a PC, right? Not when he dedicated some of his opening remarks to pointing out the differences between his company's business practices and those employed by Microsoft in the late 1990s. Microsoft was accused by the US government back then of unfairly crushing competing web browsers by bundling Internet Explorer into its ubiquitous operating system. On this day, Schmidt wanted to put as much distance between his company and the software maker as possible.

Still, why not whip out a tablet computer that runs Android, or one of the company's newfangled Chromebooks?

Return engagement?
Here's another question that some in Washington are asking: does Schmidt's appearance before a Senate subcommittee make it more or less likely that he will be called to testify on other matters facing the company? Members of Congress want to know whether Google threatens privacy, and others are studying whether the company has a wink-and-nod relationship with copyright violators.

A Google representative did not respond to an interview request.

Groupon's IPO prospect loses luster as COO leaves

Chicago-based Groupon, which created the deals craze, on Friday said Chief Operating Officer Margo Georgiadis is returning to former employer Google. The blow came as Groupon cut in half its previously stated revenue.

Groupon CEO Andrew Mason wrote on the company blog, "Sales, channels, international, and marketing will now report directly to me." He gave no reason for the departure. Georgiadis will become president of Americas at Google.

Groupon shaved its revenue for the first half of this year to $688 million, from $1.5 billion, in an acknowledgment on Friday of accounting missteps with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Groupon had reported the entire deal coupon as revenue instead of subtracting the merchant's cut. Groupon says in SEC filings that revenue minus merchant fees was always the metric to consider.

The double whammy is the latest dose of bad news for what was expected to be one of the hottest initial public offering contenders of the year.

Georgiadis is the second COO to exit in six months. Rob Solomon left after starting in early 2010. Georgiadis joined shortly after the company filed to go public in a bid to raise $750 million.

She held 1.1 million in restricted stock options, according to the SEC. A return to Google today would certainly not match such financial reward. Google declined to comment.

"A COO leaving with all those shares? There's no question that this raises questions," says PrivCo analyst Sam Hamadeh.

Groupon's woes are mounting. The start-up recently canceled its IPO roadshow. And it is losing boatloads of cash — $223 million in the first half of 2011 alone, according to the filings — as it faces a crush of rivals, including deep-pocketed Google.

The deals giant is also operating without cash. Groupon reported working capital of negative $305 million in the first half of 2011, SEC papers showed. Worse, company executives are cashing out from the $1.1 billion that venture firms invested.

Dealing With an Identity Hijacked on the Online Highway

DESPITE his prominent position as a Republican candidate for president, Rick Santorum has lost control of his online identity. And for all the snickering online about it, his predicament stands as a chilling example of what it means to be at the mercy of the Google algorithm.

For those not in on the joke, Mr. Santorum’s torment is that when you look up his last name on Google, and the Bing search engine as well, you encounter a made-up definition of “Santorum” meant to ridicule him in a way that isn’t remotely fit to be described in a family newspaper.

And Mr. Santorum has responded in a way that only holds himself up to more ridicule. He has taken aim at Google,telling the Web site Politico last week: “To have a business allow that type of filth to be purveyed through their Web site or through their system is something that they say they can’t handle, but I suspect that’s not true.”

•

The immediate reaction to Mr. Santorum’s statement has largely been, “How quaint. He thinks he can get Google to fix the Internet for him if he asks?” Mr. Santorum could have hurt his cause more only if he had told the company’s officials to roll up their sleeves and put a plug in the tubes carrying the offensive material.
Google had its own response to Mr. Santorum: “Google’s search results are a reflection of the content and information that is available on the Web,” the company explained helpfully, concluding with a summation of its philosophy: “We do not remove content from our search results, except in very limited cases such as illegal content and violations of our webmaster guidelines.”

Winning the Twitter primary

" 'We don't allow faster-than-light neutrinos in here,' the bartender said. A neutrino walked into a bar ..."

The news out of Geneva that Albert Einstein might have been wrong collided with the GOP presidential primaries and the arrival of Meg Whitman atop Hewlett Packard to produce a big bang of analogies and lousy jokes.

"Rick Perry's numbers are falling faster than neutrinos in a hurry."

"The half-life of an HP CEO is twice the speed of a neutrino."

Twitter has done this, unleashing the virtual standup comic in every wise guy who thought his seventh-grade salad days were long gone.

The Twitter feed during the GOP presidential debate Thursday encapsulated the future of media. The conventional wisdom was forming about Gov. Rick Perry's performance on an answer-by-answer basis as @freddoso, @RyanLizza, @jpodhoretz, @daveweigel, @jaketapper, @TheFix, @jmartpolitico, @guypbenson, @JPFreire, @ByronYork, @mkhammer, @benpolitico, @EdMorrissey, @mtapscott and the rest of the highly "followed." They led a vast army of Twitter political junkies on a gallop through the fresh material.

It's hard to spin a virtual consensus of folks who aren't even in the same state, much less the spin room, and who have finished their work before the candidates are off the stage.

Saturday's straw poll result brought another avalanche of tweets to chuckle by. "This campaign season brought to you by M. Night Shyamalan" tweeted @JPFreire as Herman Cain surprised the field and the national news media with a big upset of Team Perry.

According to Politico's Alexander Burns and Maggie Haberman, the Florida result stunned Gov. Perry and "amounted to a vote of no confidence from dissatisfied activists," which seemed a touch dramatic. Over-the-top, hands-clasped proclamations are on the rise as the commentariat struggles for eyeballs in a new media world where unique visitors aren't going to pause to read the long news they had consumed from Twitter long ago.

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/2011/09/winning-twitter-primary#ixzz1Z7rl4W2N

After yearlong suspension, receiver Jaz Reynolds gets shot at redemption for No. 2 Sooners

NORMAN, Okla. — A hurtful comment on Twitter led to a year’s worth of embarrassment for Jaz Reynolds.

Now, he’s finally getting his chance to redeem himself for second-ranked Oklahoma.

Reynolds moved up in the receiving rotation after Kenny Stills developed concussion-related symptoms and was ruled out this week, and Trey Franks was suspended indefinitely.

He caught five passes for a career-high 93 yards in the Sooners’ 38-28 win against Missouri on Saturday night, making his first contributions since being suspended last September for insensitive remarks he posted online.

“It just shows his determination to stay in it,” All-American receiver Ryan Broyles said. “After he (lost) some spots in the rotation, he just continued to chip away.

“All throughout camp, he was going to get better even if he wasn’t in a starting spot. That just shows a lot for him.”

It was a year ago this week when Reynolds reacted to news of a gunman committing suicide on the University of Texas campus by posting “Hey everyone in Austin, tx.......kill yourself” on Twitter. He sent out a disregard request 5 minutes later, but the damage was already done.

Coach Bob Stoops suspended him indefinitely, saying he was “incredibly disappointed that someone connected with our team would react so callously” and the Red River Rivalry with Texas “will not come at the expense of dignity and respect.”

Councils issue Twitter work updates

Scottish councils are turning to the internet in a bid to keep taxpayers informed about what they do.

Councils across the country are to stage a 24-hour event on microblogging site Twitter, telling users about the services they provide.

The event, called What We Do, is designed to raise awareness about the range of services provided by councils to people across the country.

The event will take place from noon on Tuesday to noon on Wednesday and employees from across the 28 participating authorities will tweet about their services from the frontline.

People from across the country will get a view of the daily scope of council activities as diverse as road repairs, nurseries and trading standards.

Scottish councils already have thousands of followers on Twitter, where they can announce urgent information, such as emergency road and school closures, and it was highly effective during the severe weather last winter.

Councillor Jim McCabe, leader of North Lanarkshire Council, one of the councils taking part, said: "Councils provide literally hundreds of services around the clock, 365 days a year, and this event will give service users a chance to see one day in the life of a council.

"We face challenging financial times but it's important that people understand the kinds of services we provide, even faced with those challenges.

"It's very easy for people to focus only on the services they directly receive but there are so many more. Residents may also be surprised at the extent of our services and by the commitment which so many council employees demonstrate every working day."

Marvell Showcases 16 China Mobile TD-SCDMA Smartphones from Leading Global OEMs at PT/EXPO Comm China 2011

SANTA CLARA, Calif. and BEIJING, Sept. 25, 2011 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Marvell (Nasdaq: MRVL), a worldwide leader in integrated silicon solutions, today announced it will showcase a full suite of China's 3G TD-SCDMA solutions at PT/EXPO Comm China 2011 in booth 1B005. The lineup includes smartphones, tablets and mobile hotspots powered by Marvell's PXA920 single-chip product line and the PXA1202, the industry's first Downlink Dual Carrier (DLDC) TD-HSPA+ modem. Considered the most influential exhibition for China's burgeoning communications industry, PT/EXPO Comm China 2011 takes place September 26 to 30 in Beijing. Marvell will demonstrate a total of 16 TD smart devices that feature its single-chip solutions from leading global OEMs: ASUS, Hisense, Huawei, Guangdong Mobile, Motorola, RIM, Samsung, Sharp, Sony Ericsson, Yulong and ZTE.

"We're very pleased to see the great progress we've made with our vision of the connected lifestyle for everyone in the world. I believe the breakthrough in our China's 3G TD-SCDMA technology with the largest mobile carrier, China Mobile, in the largest mobile market, is a major milestone and testimony to our vision. When China Mobile began its mission to build an advanced and affordable smartphone more than four years ago, Marvell was the major silicon partner who committed to the program because we believed in China Mobile's vision and bright future of this great opportunity," said Weili Dai, Marvell's Co-Founder. "I believe Marvell has enabled a quantum leap in the development and adoption of the TD-SCDMA standard. For example, Marvell is leading the way to a new era of seamless global connectivity for the masses with the industry's first single chip 3G/4G modem with support for FDD-LTE, TDD-LTE, HSPA+, TD-SDMA, and EDGE. Now through our work with other industry leaders, billions of end users can experience high-performance web browsing, live video, 3D gaming and other popular features on affordable, advanced devices including smartphones, tablets and mobile hot spots. I am very proud and thankful for Marvell's global team of engineers for their hard work, innovation and dedication to move the industry forward. The products we are showcasing exemplify what can be accomplished with cutting-edge technology – and this is only the beginning of what's to come with our continued commitment to TD-SCDMA."

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/25/3937844/marvell-showcases-16-china-mobile.html#ixzz1Z7r5quau

Judge shreds, dismisses iPhone privacy class-action

iPhone users sued Apple and various advertising networks, alleging that defendants violated their privacy rights "by... allowing third party applications that run on [iOS devices] to collect and make use of... personal information without user consent or knowledge." The court dismisses the claims, but grants leave to amend.

Judge Koh's order has the feel of a professor grading an exam, and it covers a lot of ground, including many cases we've blogged about. (It's well worth the read.)

Plaintiffs alleged that Apple made public statements about protecting user privacy but the design of its iOS system "permit[ted] apps that subject consumers to privacy exploits and security vulnerabilities." Plaintiffs alleged that Apple devices allow apps to track, access and use the following customer information: address book, cell phone numbers, file system, geolocation, International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), keyboard cache, photographs, SIM card serial number, and unique device identifier (UDID).

Plaintiffs claimed that they were not put on notice of this tracking. Plaintiffs also alleged that the "Mobile Industry Defendants" exploited this information and "use[d] the merger of personal information to effectively or actually de-anonymize consumers." Despite being put on notice, Plaintiffs claimed Apple did not take any action to prevent this tracking and use of information.

iPhone 5 Release to Take Place at Apple Headquarters

The announcement of the iPhone 5 will take place at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. on Oct. 4, several sources tell All Things Digital.

The initial announcement regarding the iPhone 5 was going to take place at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, where major technology products have been introduced to the public before. The reason for the venue change is unclear.

All Things Digital notes that the iPad and iPad2 were launched at the center, along with all the versions of the iPhone to date.

It is unclear when exactly the iPhone 5 will be hitting stores, although almost everyone expects it to happen next month. On Saturday, the International Business Times reported that Verizon was selling the iPhone 4 for $120 through the end of the month, with clearing inventory in preparation for the new phone the likely reason for the sale.

Furthermore, PC Magazine points out that Apple has blacked out vacation dates for its employees from Oct. 9-12 and from Oct. 14-15, thus another indication that the iPhone might be hitting stores around that time.

The new phone is expected to include an 8-megapixel camera, an A5 dual-core processor, mobile payment functions and perhaps the Qualcomm mobile phone chip. Furthermore, the phone will have a better display, more memory and a more durable battery life.

iPhone 5 cases with clear back push for curved corners and button realignment

Another set of cases have appeared on an online merchant site, this time in three versions. As you should know quite well by now, the iPhone 5 is one of two iPhone devices expected to be revealed at the next Apple keynote event, this event likely for some time before the end of 2011, and possibly inside October. What we’re seeing today is a set of three cases, each of them said to be fitting the iPhone 5, and each of them showing one unique sort of case change for this model. Though we’re certainly not sure of the legitimacy of the online sales site (our tipster encouraged us to buy, so we’ll tell you NOT to buy, of course), it’s interesting to see these new renders.

Or perhaps they’re photos? More likely they’re not quite real in the sense that they probably haven’t been manufactured quite yet, but they certainly appear real enough to be real in the near future. There’s one called “Air Series”, another called “2.0 Cover”, and another called “Ex-Sleek”. Legitimate names, right? The online store says they’ll be shipping these cases on October 1st, 2011, this of course tying up nicely with the early October guess for the Apple event.

New Samsung chip line boosts flash memory

Samsung Electronics, the world's largest memory chip maker, says it has begun mass production at a new line to raise production of flash memory chips used in tablets and smartphones.

The South Korean firm also announced it has started mass production of advanced DRAM (dynamic random access memory) chips, which use 20-nanometer process technology.

It said in a statement these offer significant improvements in productivity and cut energy consumption.

The flash memory chip market is robust thanks to growing demand for mobile devices such as tablet computers and smartphones.

But demand is weak for DRAM chips used in personal computers, pushing prices down and giving makers an incentive to adopt more advanced technology.

"The global semiconductor industry is in a period of fierce cyclical volatility," said chairman Lee Kun-Hee in a ceremony at the new plant at Hwaseong south of Seoul.

"We must prepare for an intensifying storm in the semiconductor industry by further enhancing our technological capabilities and expertise in order to maintain our leadership position."

Samsung said it has invested 12 trillion won ($10.4 billion) in building the new plant since work started in May last year.

Samsung had a market share of 41.6 per cent in the global DRAM market in the second quarter, according to research firm IHS iSuppli.

Its share of the world market for NAND flash chips was also 41.6 per cent in the second quarter, ahead of Toshiba's 28.7 per cent.

The company said it would raise production of NAND flash chips to meet growing demand, and would begin production of more advanced flash chips using 10-nanometer process technology next year.

Rogers getting Samsung Galaxy S Glide in time for the holidays

Sure, Rogers will soon be launching its flagship Samsung Galaxy S II LTE, but sometimes you just gotta have a tangible keyboard. That's where the Galaxy S Glide comes in: the folks at MobileSyrup were able to take a brief tour of the device, and discovered that this previously unannounced phone has a four-row QWERTY with a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, 1.2GHz dual-core CPU and 8MP rear / 1.2MP front-facing cameras. Not quite up to par with its 4G-equipped older brother, but anyone not needing the fanciest toy on the market but craving high performance may find this option particularly intriguing. It's expected to show up sometime between now and the end of the year (that narrows down the timeframe quite a bit) and has no established price point as of yet. We could see the device hovering around the mid-range for now, at least, and will likely be much more popular than the tragically-unrelated Samsung Glyde.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/25/rogers-getting-samsung-galaxy-s-glide-in-time-for-the-holidays/

Music, media pin hopes on Facebook

LOS ANGELES — Music and media companies are pinning fresh hopes for reviving their businesses on a small ribbon that Facebook has begun putting on user profiles called the “ticker.”

The new, slim stream of updates automatically lists users’ activity on a range of apps made for listening to music, watching movies, reading news and playing games. The updates come after users consent to the continuous sharing just once.

Clicking on your friends’ items in the ticker can lead to automatically being signed up for free trials on services such as music plans Spotifyand Rhapsody, many of which may eventually ask for a monthly fee.

While the new feature is billed as a way of fencing off a huge volume of information on what you’re doing, for the businesses involved, this passive way of sharing is a giant viral marketing machine.

Axel Dauchez, the chief executive of music subscription service Deezer, said the integration with Facebook is key to his company’s plan to roll out in more than 130 countries other than the U.S. over the next several weeks. Deezer has 1.4 million paying customers in France and the U.K.

Facebook users who click on links of songs that friends are playing onDeezer are automatically signed up for a two-week trial with accounts that use their Facebook preferences. Then they are able to listen to their friends’ picks in real time or later at their convenience.

Mr. Dauchez said he hopes the system spawns a “revolution” in how people listen to music, although it remains to be seen if more people end up paying for subscriptions.

Seriously, Netflix, Facebook -- Did You Forget About Your Consumer?

Why do tech companies hate their customers all of a sudden?

It's a question worth asking after a wild week for two of the most valuable and important internet businesses. Netflix, already in the doghouse after announcing a price hike back in July, only made things worse by announcing its DVD rental business would be severed from its streaming video offering and shoved into a new company with a terrible name, Qwikster. Then Facebook rolled out critical changes to the social network's interface before users had a chance to get used to the last round.

Netflix disc

At first blush, these moves don't seem to have a lot in common, but look deeper and you'll see that what unites them is a tin ear for what their consumers want. Netflix subscribers don't want higher prices for essentially the same service, and they certainly don't want any complications, real or imagined, from having to deal with a separate company. They also didn't want an apologetic and misguided letter from CEO Reed Hastings that communicated the business strategy behind the move without explaining the consumer benefit. (Possibly because there isn't any.)

What Facebook users don't want is constant flux on a platform that's become an important habit for many. What they want, more than anything else, is stasis-an end to or, at least, a slowing of the fast-running stream of tweaks and overhauls that forces them to study up on how their personal information is shared and spend hours tweaking their profiles so they can avoid having their own, private social-media crisis.

Could Facebook Changes Lead to a Google+ Boom?

Could changes on Facebook become a crucial business opportunity for Google+?

The storyline seems familiar: People at first rant about the new changes to the site, but then eventually accept it, thus allowing Facebook to continue its growth.

With previous site changes, users did not have as many well-known options to fight the company's decisions. MySpace was dying out, which meant people either accepted the changes or left the social-media scene (more chose the former).

But now, Google may have the answer to some people's prayers. On message boards, blogs and even Facebook profiles, those upset with Facebook's new changes have said they are off to Google+.

With over 750 million accounts, Facebook has dominated the social media scene for years. Robert Drew, a professor of communication at Saginaw Valley State University, told the Midland Daily News that Facebook's dominance may make it difficult for a company such as Google to compete.

"It'll be a tough go for Google because Facebook's user group is so large and entrenched by now," Drew said. "It's not like the days of MySpace, or before that, Friendster, when there was a great deal less loyalty and force of habit among consumers."

Jason Swackhamer, director of Web communications at the same university, told the paper he doesn't envision a mass exodus away from Facebook given that it has become so ingrained in so many people's lives. However, he notes that Google is trying to capitalize on privacy concerns with Facebook, which could begin to eat away at time spent on the social network.

Couple asks Facebook users to pick child’s name

27-year-old Dave Meske and 24-year-old Lindsey Meske can’t settle on a name for their unborn baby girl, due in January. After weeks of disagreement, their solution is simple: ask Facebook users to pick for them. That’s right – you can help!

The Illinois couple wasn’t interested in the conventional methods of picking a name: considering the many names of their parents or grandparents, buying a book of names, or simply using eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Everyone on the social network (a potential 800 million votes) can participate. Since Lindsey has lot more relatives than Dave, he convinced her to let the whole world vote.

Rather than ask for suggestions, they’ve narrowed down the list to four names they’re particularly fond of: McKenna (Lindsey’s first choice), Madelyn (Dave’s first choice), Addilyne (Lindsey’s second), and Emily (Dave’s second). Voting will end as soon as the baby is born, and if there’s a tie, they’ll just flip a coin.

You can vote on the poll on the following Facebook Page, which even has an ultrasound scan of the baby: Name My Child; you’ll have to give the app access to your Facebook account first. Here’s the poll’s description:

I need your help on naming my new baby girl! So Lindsey and I cannot decide on a name for our new baby girl. So we have decided to be the first parents ever to let the people of Facebook make that decision for us!

The Meskes had no trouble naming their firstborn, now 4-year-old Brianna. They originally picked Cooper for what they thought would be a boy, but the ultrasound on September 6 told them they had to pick another girl’s name.

“My in-laws think it’s funny. They know my personality,” Dave told the Daily Herald. “My parents think I’m crazy; they tell me, ‘You’re such a goofball.’”

“I was a little anxious about it at first, but then I thought, it might be kind of fun to have a story behind the name,” Linsey said. “He’s always coming up with harebrained ideas, and me being the good wife, I said OK, I’ll support him.”

This is not the first time Facebook has been involved in naming a baby. Back in February, an Egyptian father named his firstborn daughter Facebook to show his appreciation for the social network. In May, an Israeli couple named their daughter Like, after the Facebook feature.

Source:http://www.zdnet.com/blog/facebook/couple-asks-facebook-users-to-pick-childs-name/4026

Facebook 'Likes' Small Business

In a push to gain more small-business users, Facebook Inc. is expected on Monday to reveal plans to launch a new program that includes giving away $10 million of advertising credits.

The initiative is being launched in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Federation of Independent Business, a small-business group. It is intended to educate small businesses on how to promote themselves on the social-networking site, like buying display ads targeted to specific markets, but also through cost-free measures to engage more with customers.

The new program will officially kick off next month with a cross-country road show in coordination with state and local chambers of commerce and regional NFIB offices. At locations still to be determined, Facebook officials and members of the two business groups will meet with local businesses to discuss best practices for marketing to customers through Facebook.

Then in January, Facebook will begin giving away $50 per business in free advertising credits to as many as 200,000 small businesses. Such companies will be able to redeem the discount on a first-come, first-served basis when purchasing ads on the social-networking site, which can be targeted to specific users as a business sees fit.

David Fischer, vice president of advertising and global operations for Facebook, says the company's goal with the program goes beyond a desire to expand its customer base to include more small businesses than the estimated 9.2 million that currently have Facebook pages. He said Facebook wants to help small businesses grow by using the social-networking site as a marketing platform that can assist these companies in securing more customers and increasing sales.

"We see an opportunity for Facebook to give small businesses a boost," Mr. Fischer says.

Facebook tracks you online even after you log out

Facebook has had privacy issues for a long time, and while the company has been working to improve its image, today’s episode will likely set it back once again. Thanks to a modified cookie, Facebook allegedly knows what you’re doing online even when you’re not logged in.

At least that’s what self-proclaimed hacker Nik Cubrilovic claims. After running a series of tests analyzing the HTTP headers on requests sent by browsers to facebook.com, he discovered that Facebook alters its tracking cookies the moment you log out, instead of deleting them. Since your uniquely identifying account information is still present in these cookies, Facebook can continue to track you, Cubrilovic argues.

This means that if you log out of Facebook, you’re not really doing much. If you then head to a website that contains a Facebook plugin, your browser will continue to send personally identifiable information back to Palo Alto. Here’s Cubrilovic’s explanation:

With my browser logged out of Facebook, whenever I visit any page with a Facebook like button, or share button, or any other widget, the information, including my account ID, is still being sent to Facebook. The only solution to Facebook not knowing who you are is to delete all Facebook cookies. You can test this for yourself using any browser with developer tools installed. It is all hidden in plain sight.

So how do you get rid of these Facebook cookies in a way that will still let you use the service? Well, you can delete them every time after you log out of the website. Alternatively, Hacker Newsuser buro9 says you can use the following AdBlock Plus rules:

Why I Love Facebook Timeline [OPINION]

Facebook has announced big changes in the past few days, and one of them is Timeline, a new way of looking at your personal data that will change the way you use Facebook — and even the way you look at yourself. I love it, and here’s why.

When CEO Mark Zuckerberg demonstrated Facebook‘s newTimeline profiles at Thursday’s event, it all seemed abstract to me at first. But as his own personal timeline scrolled on the big screen behind him, racing from his birth to the present, I began to understand the significance of presenting personal data this way.

The next day, we found a way to enable the Facebook Timeline prior to its widespread rollout. It was only when I had activated the Timeline on my own Facebook account that I realized its full impact, as it loaded and displayed my personal photos, Facebook comments, posts and life events into its long-scrolling tableau. Only then did I realize why Zuckerberg seemed to become slightly choked up on stage when he was describing Timeline’s features as he showed off his own personal data.

Those of you who have already gone through the (slightly difficult) process of converting your Facebook profile into this new Timeline will understand what I mean: It’s an eerie feeling — some have even called it creepy — to go back in time and see all your data compiled as a chronological scrapbook, recounting how many friends you made during a particular year, steps you’ve taken in your career, personal victories and defeats, and myriad things lost and gained. It’s a time machine.

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Monday, 26 September 2011