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Mashable: Latest 23 News Updates - including “Google Now Has a Street View Snowmobile” |  |
- Google Now Has a Street View Snowmobile
- Google Maps for Android Get Buzz Support
- Muppets + Digg + YouTube Commenters = FIRE! [VIDEO]
- Google Buzz: Will You Use It? [POLL]
- Associated Press Returns to Google News
- The Location Implications of Google Buzz
- Google Buzz: What It Means for Twitter and Facebook
- Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue Delivers Video from Page to Phone
- What Google Buzz Means for Mobile
- Google Buzz: Competitors and Experts React
- 5 Ways Airlines and Hotels Can Drive Revenue with Social Media
- Google Buzz: The Official Demo [VIDEO]
- Google Goes Social with Google Buzz
- Facebook Kills Lexicon, Focuses on Analytics for Page Admins
- 7 Ways to Promote Your Offline Event Using Social Media
- WordPress To Posterous Users: Graduate to a Full Blog
- Bonnaroo Lineup Announced on MySpace
- World’s Longest-Married Couple to Answer Your Romantic Queries Via Twitter
- Aperture 3 Hits the Apple Store
- Mashable Launches TED Channel
- 9 Odd But Awesome Tumblr Blogs
- Navigon GPS iPhone App Gets Twitter and Facebook Support
- Box.net for iPhone Adds Powerful Features for Business Users
- Apple Grabs 25% of the Smartphone Market, Android Doubles Market Share
| Google Now Has a Street View Snowmobile Posted: 10 Feb 2010 01:58 AM PST 
Neither of those two vehicles, however, can venture out in the snow, and this is why Google created the Google Street View Snowmobile. Just like the Trike, it was invented by Daniel Ratner, and it was created especially for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, so expect some beautiful imagery on Street View during the event. See a video introduction to the Snowmobile below.
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| Google Maps for Android Get Buzz Support Posted: 10 Feb 2010 01:13 AM PST 
Wow, things really are rolling out fast. After announcing their breakthrough new Gmail feature, Google Buzz, Google is making sure that everything else they do is buzzed (or at least buzzable). Google Buzz for Mobile is already available at if you visit http://buzz.google.com on your iPhone or Android device, but now other mobile apps are getting Buzz support. First in line is Google Maps 4.0 for Android, which now also supports Buzz and is available in the Android market. We already wrote quite a bit about the location implications of Buzz, but if you’re an Android owner, please let us know how this new feature is working for you. [Image credit: Engadget] Tags: android, google buzz, Google Maps
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| Muppets + Digg + YouTube Commenters = FIRE! [VIDEO] Posted: 09 Feb 2010 06:50 PM PST 
First they stormed YouTube with the Muppet rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody in 1080p. Then they followed that up with an iPhone app and more videos, most of which have become viral sensations. Now the Muppets, specifically Beaker, Statler, and Waldorf, are taking on YouTube commenters and Diggers with their latest clip, “Beaker’s Ballad,” which is well on its way to becoming a top YouTube video. The clip pays homage to Internet speak, harsh and angry YouTube commenters, and Digg bait, all while Beaker sings out his ballad. Oh, and a house gets lit on fire. Enjoy: Reviews: Digg, YouTube Tags: digg, fire, Muppet, muppets, viral video, youtube
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| Google Buzz: Will You Use It? [POLL] Posted: 09 Feb 2010 05:30 PM PST 
- Google Buzz has arrived. We’re all still chatting about and analyzing Google’s biggest move into social media yet — it’s a top trending topic on Twitter and the big subject in the blogosphere. While we think a lot more time needs to pass before we know the true implications of Google Buzz, especially whether it will succeed as a product, we want to know right now what you think. Today’s flash poll is simple: Will you use Google Buzz? After reading the stories and analysis across the web, do you think this is a product you’d use in your daily life or is it something you’ll completely ignore? We want to know your opinion. Make your voice heard by voting in the poll below and joining the debate in the comments. Reviews: Google, Twitter Tags: Google, google buzz, poll
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| Associated Press Returns to Google News Posted: 09 Feb 2010 04:35 PM PST 
The AP and Google have been in talks to establish a new agreement that would allow Google to continue to aggregate and host AP content, but because the AP has adopted a hawkish stance with regards to controlling its content online, Google stopped posting new AP stories in anticipation of a fall-through in talks. Today the Wall Street Journal’s Digits blog noticed that AP stories were again appearing on Google News. We have confirmed this as well. When contacted for comment, Google released the following statement:
The AP also responded, simply saying that it had nothing to add to Google’s statement. Last year, AP CEO Tom Curley said of online news aggregators, “We will no longer tolerate the disconnect between people who devote themselves — at great human and economic cost, to gathering news of public interest and those who profit from it without supporting it.” He also said that he and other figures in the journalism industry “must quickly and decisively act to take back control of our content.” That attitude is obviously in stark contrast to Google’s standard of openness for web content. Even though the AP and Yahoo struck a deal just over a week ago that allows Yahoo to keep posting AP content, we weren’t sure whether or not a Google/AP deal would follow because Google is known for fervently holding the free information line. If you’re curious what the AP or Google gave up to make the deal happen, you’re out of luck — no details about the deal have been made public yet. Hopefully we’ll find out soon. Reviews: Google, Yahoo! Tags: ap, associate press, Google, google news, media
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| The Location Implications of Google Buzz Posted: 09 Feb 2010 03:28 PM PST 
We learned earlier this morning that Google Buzz adds a shared social experience — very similar to FriendFeed and Facebook — to your Google contact circle via Gmail. Google also made it very clear that the mobile component, especially around location, is important to the product as a whole. Location plays a big role in Buzz — we saw this with the introduction of the snap, Google’s answer to the check-in. That one key feature demonstrates how right we were when we predicted late last year that “everything points towards Google taking big leaps on the location front in 2010,” and that “Google is interested in further assimilating the Latitude and Place Pages products into a more full-fledged location and recommendation service centered around places.” The assimilation is Google Buzz for Mobile, and the ambitious endeavor is Google’s attempt to catch up to the likes of Foursquare, centralize the location-sharing experience around Place Pages and collect valuable place data. Here we’ll explore Google’s second attempt at getting the location-sharing formula right, and what it means in terms of the bigger picture. Mobile Feature Run-DownThe mobile experience supports all the following features and functionalities:
Is it Foursquare Re-imagined?The answer to that question is not a simple yes or no, but Google was clearly inspired by the check-in model that Foursquare made popular. Here we will focus on the primary differences between the two approaches.
Place Page SignificanceOne way to look at the location features of Buzz for Mobile is to see as it another way to encourage business owners to claim their Place Pages. Google has been pushing Place Pages since their launch, and Buzz for Mobile extends the value of those pages. Now all Google Mobile and Gmail users are a few clicks away from Place Pages. Another thing to keep in mind is that Google has finally found a way to support its own system for status updates and to tie those to physical locations in a potentially mainstream way. We’ve already seen that this data is incredibly valuable, especially to businesses and advertisers, and with every snap and its associated buzz, Google is learning more about what we’re doing and where we’re going. Is Buzz for Mobile Too Ambitious?While there are advantages to using the location-sharing functionality of Buzz, the mobile application is bloated with features and will be a challenge for the average mobile user to grasp. The mobile application is certainly a nice complement to the Gmail experience, providing a convenient way to follow along and contribute to conversations. As a location service, however, Buzz for Mobile is overly complex. For those of you who have latched on to the location-sharing trend, the advantages to transitioning your check-ins from more niche apps with built-in rewards to Buzz are nonexistent at present. Reviews: Facebook, Foursquare, FriendFeed, Gmail, Google Tags: Google, google buzz, location, Mobile 2.0
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| Google Buzz: What It Means for Twitter and Facebook Posted: 09 Feb 2010 02:59 PM PST 
So far, Google has failed to launch a successful social web product to U.S. Internet users. Orkut has taken off in including Brazil and India, but not in North America. Wave is a neat concept, but it has proven too abstract to catch on. Is Buzz — Google’s new Twitter and Facebook-like social stream — the product that’s going to win Google a dominant — or at least prominent — place in the social web? That all depends. Integration with existing social networks are critical for Buzz’s success — especially Facebook. I don’t believe Buzz can enjoy significant success without Facebook integration. When Google unveiled Buzz today, it announced that the app will share your Twitter updates with your Buzz followers. That’s great news, but you won’t be as thrilled to learn that (at least at launch) there will be no integration with Facebook at all. We ought to consider the consequences of Buzz’s relationships with Twitter and Facebook. What are the relationships? Will Buzz, Twitter and Facebook co-exist elegantly or is this a zero sum game with a winner you can place your bets on? Google Buzz and Twitter: Probable Peaceful Partners When you post a new tweet using Twitter, Google can import that tweet and send it out to your Buzz followers with the rest of your Buzz updates. You won’t have to jump through any hoops or use any back-door methods to make it happen. Twitter is officially supported by Buzz — the same is true of Flickr, Picasa, Blogger and YouTube. However, you won’t be able to publish out to Twitter using Buzz, which makes this all seem less useful. And since Buzz won’t aggregate tweets from your Twitter followers (unless you happen to be following them on Buzz and they also happen to be pushing their tweets into Buzz as described previously), you’ll still have to keep both Twitter and Buzz open to reach all your contacts across both networks. That’s disappointing, but it’s no where near as disappointing as Buzz’s completely nonexistent relationship with Facebook. Google Buzz and Facebook: Cold Shoulders While Buzz and Twitter have some connectivity, there’s none at all between Buzz and Facebook. Buzz doesn’t import your Facebook status updates. It doesn’t post updates to your Facebook feed. It doesn’t display your friends’ feed updates. There’s no Facebook Connect integration at all. When asked about it this morning, Google said it has nothing to announce at this time. Google is going to have a difficult time building a userbase when everyone who has a Facebook profile (that’s just about everyone who uses the social web at all now) is concerned that they can’t see their friends’ updates. They’ll have to keep using Facebook to stay in touch with their Facebook friends. With more than 400 million users, Facebook is the world’s largest social network; Twitter by contrast has only 18 million or so. Gmail’s unique visitors numbered around 36 million as of last year. Clearly, Facebook is dominating. Google is attempting to challenge that dominance with Buzz, but Facebook is at the same time planning to move just as aggressively into Google’s territory. It was recently discovered that Facebook will eventually launch its own webmail service. You can already send messages to e-mail addresses from Facebook, but the execution isn’t as smooth as it needs to be. The new e-mail plan would address that. Codenamed Project Titan, the service would offer users e-mail addresses ending in @facebook.com. Facebook would become the largest webmail provider overnight. If the service is functional enough, it could threaten Google’s Gmail. People will be able to comfortably make the switch because they won’t lose the ability to e-mail their Gmail contacts — even if they move to another mail provider. The Outlook: Buzz Won’t Win the Social Web Without Facebook Integration I predicted at the end of last year that Facebook is well-poised to try to pry web dominance away from Google in 2010. Buzz doesn’t change my mind. Facebook is threatening Google, but Google isn’t threatening Facebook because it doesn’t offer any features so great that they incentivize people to leave behind their existing networks or spend their time updating and following yet another one when their friends are already all on Facebook or Twitter. Facebook now dominates the social web so completely that it’s difficult to imagine an exodus to a competing service, unless that service offered some revolutionary new features that Facebook couldn’t possibly match — Buzz doesn’t. I can picture one other success scenario, though: a service that aggregates other services’ features and content, and then offers up its own set of unique perks (like Buzz’s noise-control algorithms) that make the social web experience better. People would feel comfortable switching for the extra perks, because they wouldn’t have to leave their existing connections behind. The outlook could change if Buzz integrates with Facebook the way it does with Twitter. Unless that happens, though, you’re better off keeping your bets on Facebook in the coming year or two — at least if your standard of success is something greater than niche appeal. GMAIL USERS: You can now follow Mashable’s official Google Buzz profile here: http://www.google.com/profiles/mashable [img credit: Drew Olanoff] Tags: facebook, gmail, google buzz, Google Wave, orkut, project titan, social media, social networking, software, trending, twitter
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| Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue Delivers Video from Page to Phone Posted: 09 Feb 2010 02:08 PM PST 
Once you pick up your issue (available on stands today), simply search through the pages for the JAGTAGs — or 2D barcodes — featuring a black and white image of what they’re calling a “mobile beauty.” Snap a photo of the JAGTAG and send it via MMS in order to get behind-the-scenes videos of the models sent directly to your phone.  As the web becomes more and more ubiquitous, encroaching on print’s territory (iPad, anyone?), magazines continue to try to find new and different ways to convince people to buy the physical copy (especially as newsstand sales are on the decline). Back in November, Esquire launched its augmented reality issue, a neat little edition that gave one more content when one held a page up to a webcam. Back then, editor-in-chief David Granger told The Wall Street Journal that the issue was a gimmick, but one that allowed for a more interesting reader experience and cross-platform ad sales. SI’s efforts with the Swimsuit Edition could be considered a horse of a very similar color. Although mobile technology such as this is far from new, and even though SI has used it in the past (in various articles last summer and in recent marketing materials), the swimsuit issue has a certain cache with SI fans (i.e.: It features girls in swimsuits, and dudes like that). "The 2010 Swimsuit Edition is a mass media event and JAGTAG is the only 2D barcode solution capable of reaching a mass mobile audience," said Charlie Saunders, executive director of integrated marketing for Sports Illustrated. Saunders is referring to the fact that you don’t need a smartphone to yoink this content, which opens it up to a wider audience. Have you picked up the latest Sports Illustrated yet? How’s the view from inside? [img credit: SI Vault] Tags: MARKETING, Mobile 2.0, pop culture, software, sports, video
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| What Google Buzz Means for Mobile Posted: 09 Feb 2010 01:31 PM PST 
Earlier this afternoon, Google announced Google Buzz, a semantic approach to social status updates that live inside Gmail. The demonstration video showed off some of what you can do with Buzz on your desktop — but what seems really exciting is what Buzz can do in your pocket. Android and iPhone Optimized SitesIf you visit http://buzz.google.com on your iPhone or Android device, you’ll be taken to a WebKit-optimized interface for using and connecting with Google Buzz. When you do that, you’ll either be asked to log in to your Google account or, if you’re already logged in, you’ll be taken straight into the main Buzz screen. Here you can see Buzz from the people you follow and from nearby locations, view your own posts, and find other people.  The web-based interface fits in perfectly with the Gmail-optimized webpages that iPhone users are accustomed to using — Buzz is merely a new tab in the interface. Sharing with FriendsYou can view Buzz surrounding your followers in a real-time stream. The concept is very similar to something like FriendFeed or Cliqset, in that each status update can become its own conversation. You can also share and view photographs via Buzz.   The Buzz About LocationOne of the most compelling aspects of Google Buzz is its integration with Google’s Latitude service. Using your device’s GPS or Wi-Fi connection, Buzz will find your location (or show you nearby locations) and you can send an update and pin yourself to that location. Unlike Foursquare, where you can just check in to a location, if you want to indicate that you are someplace currently (or leave an opinion about an establishment), you have to send a Buzz message.  The Nearby tab is pretty cool because it shows you information from the public stream about what’s going on nearby. If you’re in a new city or simply trying to find out what’s going on in your neighborhood, this could potentially work like Gowalla or Loopt Mix. OverallLike Buzz in general, Buzz Mobile is still very much in development. The web app, while well-designed, doesn’t let you actively manage any of your accounts or connections. It’s also somewhat limited, for the time being, in what you can do — based on what type of access you or your followers have been given. Once everyone has Google Buzz in Gmail, we’re sure that the mobile options will become a bit more well-rounded. As it stands now, there’s lots of potential, but not a ton of substance. Have you used Google Buzz for your iPhone or Android device? Let us know! Tags: buzz, geolocation, google buzz, web applications
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| Google Buzz: Competitors and Experts React Posted: 09 Feb 2010 01:17 PM PST 
It’s no shocker that the web is buzzing about Google Buzz (terrible pun intended), Google’s most aggressive push into social media yet. The new social updating and aggregation feature integrates with your mobile and your Gmail, providing a service that seems like a hybrid of Foursquare, Twitter, Facebook and Yelp. People are already taking sides, including some of Google’s competitors. Yahoo struck first, putting out an e-mail about its own previous (and similar) social media efforts before Google even finished its announcement. Microsoft didn’t take long to make its thoughts heard, either. Here are some choice reactions from web experts and Google’s rivals: Microsoft
Here’s the actual statement in its entirety:
In three sentences, Microsoft manages to rip Google for building yet another social network, claim the social innovation crown, and promote its social integrations with its popular Hotmail product. In reality, Buzz is far more advanced than anything Google has ever put out. However, Microsoft does own a piece of something that directly compete with Google Buzz: Facebook. Google Buzz has the most potential yet to give Facebook and Microsoft trouble in the social space. Yahoo
Choice quotes:
Clearly Yahoo feels threatened by Google’s product and, perhaps just as importantly, the buzz it is receiving. Yahoo is quickly becoming the oft-forgotten “other guy” despite being first with some of the features that Google is touting. Forrester ResearchForrester Research’s Augie Ray had this to say:
We agree with Forrester’s initial reaction: Google Buzz isn’t compelling enough to pull people away from Foursquare, Facebook or Twitter — at least, yet. Google is putting a lot of resources into this project, and it won’t give up the fight for social easily. YouNow it’s your turn. What do you think of Google Buzz? Do you think it has the potential to challenge Facebook or Twitter, or is this going to end up being another Orkut or Google Knol (remember that thing?). Let us know in the comments. Tags: Google, google buzz, microsoft, Yahoo
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| 5 Ways Airlines and Hotels Can Drive Revenue with Social Media Posted: 09 Feb 2010 12:18 PM PST 
Social media is no longer the "new" thing, especially for airlines. JetBlue has over one an a half million followers on Twitter. Lufthansa allows passengers to update their Twitter or Facebook status about where they are in the sky. AirAsia drives buzz about its new destinations through custom micro-sites. However, most airlines (and airports and hotels) are still struggling to earn direct revenue from their social media efforts. Yet if Dell can make $6.5 million from Twitter, why can't airlines? Here are five ways that social media can directly drive dollars for airlines (and other travel companies, like hotels). 1. Clear Distressed Inventory on Twitter
United Airlines recently launched Twares, where it clears off seats for the upcoming weekend every Wednesday and Thursday. JetBlue's Cheeps program works along similar lines. All it takes is to create a separate fare category in the revenue management system for such deals and have one person put them out on Twitter, once or twice each week, after looking at how full the flights are. Of course, you have to set clear expectations with your followers that the account will only be sending out deals, and is not a customer service vehicle. Ultimately, using real-time platforms like Twitter helps the airline circulate cheap fares and get people to fly more often, or even for the first time. Hotels could similarly post unfilled room inventory on Twitter. Ultimately this fills up the planes and hotels and drives more revenue. 2. Infuse Social Media Reviews Into the Booking Engine
For airlines, leveraging reviews correctly requires integrating them into the booking path when a person is searching for flights, especially at the point when the potential customer is most likely to convert into a sale — similar to how many airlines integrate selling travel insurance. The critical factor here is to be transparent about where the reviews are coming from. They shouldn't look made-up at all. Stating that reviews come from a source like TripAdvisor or Skytrax only further establishes trust. 3. Integrate with Social Media Travel Applications People around the world are using applications like TripIt and Dopplr to announce their travel intentions and plans to their friends well before the journey actually takes place. I personally share my plans up to two months in advance. These status updates are also often integrated with generic social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn, allowing a whole network of friends to find out where the person intends to travel to. As an executive at a travel company, what more could you ask for than the intentions of a prospective customer to travel to a destination you serve? Because most of these applications have open APIs, airlines and hotels can pull the data being submitted and build custom applications using it. For example, an airline could integrate TripIt data with their frequent flier database to create a list of their loyal customers and the destinations those customers are planning to visit. The airline could then reach out to them with a custom-tailored travel deal. 4. Create Private Online CommunitiesThe social web offers a great opportunity for travel companies to create private online communities to give some of their loyal customers an exclusive experience. By targeting socially influential customers, these frequent travelers could be nudged toward becoming true brand ambassadors. Creating an experience that offers exclusivity and privilege doesn’t have to cost big bucks — companies could start with basic white-label social networking tools like Ning. Offering that experience to select customers will increase their loyalty and the likelihood that those customers will evangelize the brand to fellow travelers. 5. Remember: Social Media is About Relationships
It's important to remember that social media is always about relationships first. A good example of relationship building is Lufthansa's MySkyStatus, which allows you to share your location with your Facebook and Twitter friends during the flight. Right now, it's not generating any revenue for Lufthansa, but if they integrate a field to input a passenger's frequent flyer number, they might be able to mine the data for some unique insights. However, right now, they’re concentrating on building a relationship with passengers through social media, not hammering them with ads. It is important to always set the right expectations with your fans or followers on what you're going to be doing. If you're only selling seats or rooms, let them know. If you're providing customer service, let them know that, too. More business resources from Mashable:
Images courtesy of iStockphoto, craftvision, pidjoe, Barghest, gchutka Reviews: Dopplr, Facebook, LinkedIn, TripIt, Twitter, iStockphoto Tags: airline, Airlines, business, Flying, hospitality, Hotel, hotels, List, Lists, MARKETING, small business, social media, travel
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| Google Buzz: The Official Demo [VIDEO] Posted: 09 Feb 2010 11:08 AM PST 
Google has just unveiled its latest attempt to become more relevant in the social media space: Google Buzz. The product is integrated within Gmail and will be rolled out gradually to all of the webmail service's users over the next few days. We're still digesting all of the implications of Buzz (and will have more coverage throughout the day), but in the meantime, here's the two-minute demo of the product in action both on the Web and via mobile that Google showed off during today's press conference: This video from Google looks specifically at the mobile features of Buzz: What are your initial reactions? Another soon-to-be-forgotten Google social product? A FriendFeed clone? A Facebook/Twitter killer? Let us know in the comments! Reviews: Facebook, FriendFeed, Gmail, Google, Twitter Tags: Google, google buzz
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| Google Goes Social with Google Buzz Posted: 09 Feb 2010 10:21 AM PST 
It’s official: Google has just announced Google Buzz, its newest push into the social media foray. This confirms earlier reports of Gmail integrating a social status feature. On stage revealing the new product was Bradley Horowitz, Google’s vice president for product management. While introducing the product, Mr. Horowitz focused on the human penchant for sharing experiences and the social media phenomenon of wanting to share it in real time. These two key themes were core philosophies behind Google Buzz. “It’s becoming harder and harder to find signal in the noise,” Bradley stated before introducing the product manager for Google Buzz, Todd Jackson. Here are the details: Google Buzz: The Details - Mr. Jackson introduced “a new way to communicate within Gmail.” It’s “an entire new world within Gmail.” Then he introduced the five key features that define Google Buzz:
 - Google then began the demo. Once you log into Gmail, you’ll be greeted wiht a splash page introducing Google Buzz. - There is a tab right under the inbox, labeled “Buzz” - It provides links to websites, content from around the web. Picasa, Twitter, Flickr and other sites are aggregated. - It shows thumbnails when linked to photos from sites like Picasa and Flickr. Clicking on an image will blow up the images to almost the entire browser, making them easier to see. - It uses the same keyboard shortcuts as Gmail. This makes sense. Hitting “R” allows you to comment/reply to a buzz post, for example. - There are public and private settings for different posts. You can post updates to specific contact groups. This is a lot like Facebook friend lists. - Google wants to make sure you don’t miss comments, so it has a system to send you an e-mail letting you know about updates. However, the e-mail will actually show you the Buzz you’ve created and all of the comments and images associated with it. - Comments update in real time.  - @replies are supported, just like Twitter. If you @reply someone, it will send a buzz toward an individual’s inbox. - Google Buzz has a “recommended” feature that will show buzzes from people you don’t follow if your friends are sharing or commenting on that person’s buzz. You can remove it or change this in settings. - Google is now speaking about using algorithms to help filter conversations, as well as mobile devices related to Buzz. The Mobile Aspect - Google buzz will be accessible via mobile in three ways: from Google Mobile’s website, from Buzz.Google.com (iPhone and Android), and from Google Mobile Maps. - Buzz knows wher you are. It will figure out what building you are and ask you if it’s right. - Buzz has voice recognition and posts it right onto your buzz in real-time. It also geotags your buzz posts. - Place pages integrate Buzz.  - In the mobile interface, you can click “nearby” and see what people are saying nearby. NIFTY, if I say so myself. - You can layer Google Maps with Buzz. You can also associate pictures with buzz within Google Maps. - Conversation bubbles will appear on your Google Maps. They are geotagged buzz posts, which lets you see what people are saying nearby.  - They just showed off a video for Buzz. We’ll have it up soon. The Third Act- Google’s philosophy on social is this: It wants buzz to be the paragon and poster child for creating a social destination in an open environment that adheres to open standards. - It’s launching at 11:00 a.m. PT in its first wave. Reviews: Android, Facebook, Flickr, Gmail, Google, Google Maps, Picasa, Twitter Tags: android, gmail, Google, trending
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| Facebook Kills Lexicon, Focuses on Analytics for Page Admins Posted: 09 Feb 2010 10:20 AM PST 
Don’t know what Lexicon was? That’s OK, a lot of people didn’t; it was announced very quietly, but it was a neat tool. You could use Lexicon to see how frequently, and when, certain terms were trending in status updates, just like you can use Google Trends to do the same with search terms. For example, our own Stan Schroeder was a bit perplexed a couple years back when the word “sex” had a massive spike in usage on May 30, 2008. It was the launch day of the Sex and the City movie in the United States — understandably something a man in another hemisphere might not follow closely. Unfortunately, those amusing little mysteries and insights are now lost to Facebook users, and Facebook hasn’t provided a satisfactory explanation as to why. The notice that hangs where Lexicon used to be says:
Facebook has already launched its analytics tools for Page owners, but it is probably working on expanding them. Still, that doesn’t seem like a sufficient reason for taking down Lexicon. We’ll update here if we learn more. Reviews: Facebook, SEX Tags: analytics, facebook, google trends, lexicon
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| 7 Ways to Promote Your Offline Event Using Social Media Posted: 09 Feb 2010 10:10 AM PST 
We all know about Tweetups and online events, but what about events that you didn’t specifically invite the Twitterati to attend? Conferences, meetings and parties are all events that might not have started online, but which can definitely benefit from online promotion and mention. Leverage your offline event with some smart social media marketing. Here are seven ways you can maximize exposure of your event using online tools. 1. Blog About It
SXSW attendee Allen Stern liveblogged several sessions at the 2009 event. His blog posts are little more than notes from the presentation, but they do a good job of relaying the highlights to readers quickly. 2. Post Photos on Flickr Everyone loves seeing photos of themselves (as long as they’re flattering). By posting photos of your event on Flickr and tagging them with people’s names, you can generate interest in your event from the people who attended and those who follow them on various social media channels. BlogHer posts photos from its conferences and events both in the header on its website and in its Flickr stream. It invites participants to upload their own photos from the events into the Flickr stream, which encourages interaction. 3. Put it on Facebook You can also post the photos and tag them on Facebook. The added benefit of doing so on Facebook is that when you tag someone, it appears on their wall. Anyone who is a friend of someone you tagged can see the photo. The idea is that it will lead them to want to learn more about the event (because hey, they want their photo put on Facebook from a cool local event too). Note that you’ll only be able to tag people that you’re connected to. If your event or company has a Facebook Page, you can include highlights from the event, like quotes from keynotes, activities, awards or even faux pas from speakers. For even more interaction, visit the profiles of those that attended and leave custom comments: “Hope you got that wine stain out of your blouse. Sorry about that!” “Great comment you made at the keynote presentation!” Etc. The Wine Conference, an annual event held in Houston, posts updates on the conference to its Facebook Page. Here the event posts logos for its sponsors, photos from events, and blog links about the conference. 4. Post Photos to Twitpic Twitpic is a great tool that allows you to take a photo with your phone or camera and upload it directly (via a shortened URL) to Twitter. Anyone following you on Twitter will see your tweet and the link to the photo, and can click to view it. During your event, what better way to show those not in attendance what they’re missing than by taking photos and sending them in real time? Save your hi-resolution photos to be processed later, but upload snapshots from your phone instantly to create a sense of visual livestreaming as the event is underway. 5. Tweet the Event
Make sure your organization or business doesn’t have legal objections to you tweeting from the event. If the event covers trade secrets or other sensitive stuff, you may be entangled in more legal issues than you can shake a stick at if you’re not careful. The NFL banned tweeting from football events this season, for example, and is imposing fines for those that violate the ban. 6. Use Hashtags The easiest way to track tweets and other mentions of your events on social media platforms is to ask all participants to use a # with a designated keyword or phrase when discussing it. For example, in 2009, BlogWorld New Media Expo used the hashtag #bwe09 on Twitter to track all mentions of it. Many presentations used this hashtag or one relating to a particular topic as a way to field questions and comments during the presentations. For those unable to attend, following the hashtag was a great way to stay updated on soundbites from the conference. 7. Livestream Your Event If your event is a conference or educational platform, consider livestreaming it via web video. Using services like Justin.tv or Ustream.tv, you can broadcast your event live over the Internet. This helps expand your audience and interact with them, even if they are not present in person at your event. Wrapping it UpRemember that you can get the most out of online promotion if you start long before the event. Map out a strategy that includes what you will do prior to the event, during, and after. Ask employees and attendees to assist you by posting their own take on the event through their blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr accounts. Make it as easy as possible for anyone to share their content and photos of your event online. More social media resources from Mashable:
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, sjlocke Reviews: Facebook, Flickr, Twitpic, Twitter, iStockphoto Tags: blogging, BLOGS, business, event planning, Events, facebook, flickr, justin.tv, List, Lists, live blogging, livestream, livestreaming, MARKETING, small business, social media, social networks, twitter, ustream
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| WordPress To Posterous Users: Graduate to a Full Blog Posted: 09 Feb 2010 09:57 AM PST 
The new WordPress.com utility can be found via the Tools section within the Dashboard. All that’s required to run the import is your Posterous host name, user name and password, and it can import all of the following: posts, tags, comments and images. On the flip side, Posterous has supported the inverse functionality — import from WordPress (and other blog platforms) — for several months, along with an autopost to WordPress option. Now that you can get your content both in and out of Posterous and WordPress, it seems as if there’s a battle brewing between the two services, which serve overlapping purposes but offer unique advantages. We see the value in both, but we’re curious if WordPress’ we’re-just-as-dead-simple-as-the-other-guys strategy will convince you to switch over. Share your thoughts in the comments. Reviews: Posterous, WordPress
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| Bonnaroo Lineup Announced on MySpace Posted: 09 Feb 2010 09:39 AM PST 
Artists will also be making their own announcements over the course of the day (they started at noon, EST) via various social media channels, and the MySpace page will aggregate that list. Tickets also went on sale today — which is a milestone, since this is the first time ticket sales and the lineup announcement have fallen on the same day. Acts that have already been revealed include: Cross Canadian Ragweed, John Fogerty, Medeski Martin & Wood, Weezer, The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs performing The Dark Side of the Moon, The Avett Brothers. While this idea is certainly creative, it is rather messy in essence. Why? Because information about the line-up is currently all over the web like confetti on the sidewalk after New Year’s. Bonnaroo provides no links to individual artist announcements, so if you’re not, say, Rolling Stone (who has a more comprehensive list than the Bonnaroo MySpace page), you’re stuck staring at a rather irritating flying light bulb for six minutes until the page refreshes with a new announcement. I know cubicle culture breeds downtime, but I doubt anyone has the hours — or patience — for that. Reviews: MySpace Tags: music, myspace, social media
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| World’s Longest-Married Couple to Answer Your Romantic Queries Via Twitter Posted: 09 Feb 2010 08:39 AM PST 
That’s right, while some of the older set just can’t wrap their heads around Twitter (unless it’s connected to a fax machine), the Fishers will be all up on the microblogging site this V-Day, dispensing pearls of wisdom to the younger set (for whom the sanctity of marriage has already been destroyed by Facebook). The whole project was dreamed up by blinkbox, which is an on-demand movie and TV website in the UK. Herbert and Zelmyra — who were married in 1924 and are 104 and 102 years old respectively — are inviting us romantically bankrupt miscreants to visit their Twitter page, @longestmarried, from today until February 12. Simply tweet your question to the pair, who will select 14 questions that they will then answer on February 14. The couple, who enjoy hanging on their front porch, watching trains pass by, counting cars and talking to their neighbors, are apparently the model of wedded bliss. They each have their own bedroom — so Herbert can stay up late watching baseball. Well, I guess distance does makes the heart grow fonder. Reviews: Twitter Tags: dating, online dating, twitter, valetine's day
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| Aperture 3 Hits the Apple Store Posted: 09 Feb 2010 08:27 AM PST 
The software — which is $199 for new users and $99 to upgrade from a previous version of Aperture — lets you organize, edit and export or print all of your photographs. Aperture 3 adds a bunch of new features, including the Faces and Places features first introduced in iPhoto ‘09. This feature will automatically detect people in your photographs, allowing you to add tags and identify people — which makes exports to Facebook and Flickr pretty simple. The Places feature uses GPS data embedded in your photographs to add location-related data to the photo. This is really cool if you’re on a trip and want to create a supplementary map of all the places you visited and took pictures.  The other big new feature with Aperture 3: It supports video. Photos are still the main focus, but as more and more digital cameras start to feature video and HD video, it makes sense to be able to import all the same data alongside your photographs. You can create a JPEG from a frame, create multimedia slideshows and edit clips. I just got my fiance a Panasonic GF1 micro four-thirds camera that shoots AVCHD Lite. Not having to use different programs to import footage from the card will be a great time-saver. Even my favorite feature of Aperture — Photo Books — got an upgrade. You can now order extra-large 13×10 books, and Apple added some new book themes. I don’t think I’ve ever given my parents a better gift than the Photo Book that I created with Aperture for Mother’s Day 2008. The print quality was astounding and my parents still keep the book on the coffee table. Are you a photog or photog in training? What is your favorite photo editing software tool? Let us know! Reviews: Facebook, Flickr Tags: aperture, aperture 3, apple, mac, photography, software
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| Posted: 09 Feb 2010 07:59 AM PST 
To help you track the most insightful presentations and news at TED, we’re launching a dedicated TED channel today at mashable.com/ted. Don’t forget to check out the TED channel – or bookmark it – to see what the world’s most influential people are saying about technology and social media innovation. If you’re new to TED, check out 5 Insightful TED Talks on Social Media to get started. Special thanks to Nokia for sponsoring the TED channel, which will be featured on Mashable for the next week. Reviews: Mashable
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| 9 Odd But Awesome Tumblr Blogs Posted: 09 Feb 2010 07:21 AM PST 
This list is far from comprehensive, seeing as how there’s scores of Tumblrs on the web — with more popping up every day — but it does contain both staff and popular favorites. We know we’ll probably miss a few that you have bookmarked, so please feel free to post them in the comments. Selleck Waterfall SandwichThis blog is basically self-explanatory, which isn’t really explaining much. It will leave you oddly hungry — whether it’s for Selleck or the sandwiches is up to you.  Awesome YouTube CommentsOf all the trolls in the land, those who frequent YouTube are by far the most amusing/horrible. Get a daily dose of idiocy and rare lyrical clarity here.  Unhappy HipstersOK, so it’s no longer a Tumblr and those aren’t really hipsters (“yuppy” would be more accurate), but this blog is hilarious. If decorating magazines generally put you to sleep, this blog will stir your ventricles back into wakefulness.  Animals With CastsCome on, if the title alone doesn’t melt your heart, you are obviously made of granite and sitting in a courtyard, pigeons roosting peacefully on your shoulders.  Lunch Bag ArtThis dad pimps out his kids’ lunch bags every day with awesome art. Um, can I get a parental upgrade? (And someone else to make me lunch…)  Clients From HellYeah, bosses can be a drag, but what about the people who are supposed to be “always right”? This blog has some real gems…  The Daily WhatThis pop culture aggregator has everything — weird news, videos and ephemera galore. So many time wasting diversions, so little, well, time.  (via The Daily What, via Delete Yourself) Slaughterhouse 90210Page meets primetime with this photo blog, which combines literary quotes with photos from popular TV shows.  F*ck Yeah Indie Boys!OK, a list of entertaining sites wouldn’t be complete with a little eye candy (and one of the denizens of the “F*ck Yeah!” meme), and seeing as how we covered Sports Illustrated models last week, I thought we needed a little something for the ladies. Incidentally, there’s a version for the gents as well.  Reviews: Tumblr, YouTube Tags: blog, pop culture, tumblr
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| Navigon GPS iPhone App Gets Twitter and Facebook Support Posted: 09 Feb 2010 07:11 AM PST 
The latest version of the app (available here) has an option to alert your buddies to your current location via Facebook or Twitter. It also adds an option called MyRoutes, which enables you to create custom routes according to your needs and habits. Finally, Panorama View 3D gives you a 3D terrain view, based on NASA’s data. The price of the app itself is currently $20 cheaper than before: $69.99. However, if you want live traffic information that’ll cost you an extra $19.99 (promotional price, applies only until the 15th of February), and the Panorama View 3D will cost you an additional $9.99. Put all that together, and it’s 100 bucks; not exactly cheap, but it’ll definitely buy you a full-featured navigation package on your iPhone. Reviews: Facebook, Twitter Tags: facebook, iphone, Mobile 2.0, Navigon, twitter
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| Box.net for iPhone Adds Powerful Features for Business Users Posted: 09 Feb 2010 06:49 AM PST 
New iPhone AppBox.net was one of the first collaboration companies to enter the iPhone space, back in October of 2008. Since that time, the company has been working hard to bring the Box.net experience to your pocket. The new version of the Box.net iPhone app adds a bunch of new features that go a long way to achieving that goal.   Box.net 2.0 adds in file preview (similar to the enhancements rolled out last month for the full site), the ability to comment and view comments on files or folders, the ability to share files or folders straight from the app, and the ability to view updates to an account or project. In the last 18 months, we’ve watched as Box.net has transitioned from a cloud storage solution into an entire cloud-based content management system. At this point, Box.net is actively pitting itself against Microsoft’s SharePoint for small and large business users. Quickoffice IntegrationThis is where Box.net gets cool. One of the long-touted benefits of the cloud is that it is location agnostic. So if I’m in Miami, San Francisco, New York or Atlanta, I can access my files — even if I’m not using the same computer at each location. When it comes to mobile solutions, however, while Google Docs is doing what it can — especially on the Android platform — to bring in the mobile editing experience to docs stored in the cloud, most of the existing solutions are tied to local files on your phone. This is why it’s awesome that Box.net is integrating with the Quickoffice Connect Mobile Suite. That means you can edit Word and Excel files on your Box.net account on your phone and save the changes back to your Box account, all within Quickoffice for the iPhone. This is a huge boon for business users. And when you think about the power of something like this when paired with Apple’s upcoming iPad, the possibilities become fantastic. The Quickoffice app that offers Box.net integration will be available shortly in the App Store. If you already use Quickoffice, check your updates — it’s coming! New Mobile APIsOne of the things I’ve always liked about Box.net has been its OpenBox platform. This allows Box.net to plug into other web services like Salesforce.com. When OpenBox Mobile launched in September, developers were given the opportunity to add support for Box.net storage and file integration into their own apps. A number of applications have done just that — including my favorite PDF reader, GoodReader. Now Box.net is expanding its developer APIs to add in more options for search, commenting, update notification and other ways to plug into the Box.net ecosystem.  Developers can check out Box.net/developers for more information and to access the OpenBox Mobile APIs. I think that GTD and to-do apps that could integrate with Box.net could be absolutely killer. Think how great it would be if you could add in a link to a file on your Box.net account when crafting a to-do or setting a meeting agenda. Mobile MattersThe biggest benefits of cloud-based storage — and really cloud computing in general — isn’t really visible at the end-user until you leave the workstation and embrace being location agnostic. This is what mobile integration does. We expect more and more companies to follow in Box’s footsteps and add mobile integration at the API level to their cloud-based products. What do you think about mobile computing paired with cloud storage? Let us know! Reviews: Android, Google Docs Tags: box.net, cloud computing, iphone, openbox mobile
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| Apple Grabs 25% of the Smartphone Market, Android Doubles Market Share Posted: 09 Feb 2010 05:33 AM PST 
In December 2009 RIM was still the leading mobile smartphone operating system in the U.S., with 41.6% market share, a slight drop from 42.6% from September 2009. Apple has risen from 24.1% to 25.3% in that same period, and Google, although still in the fifth place, has doubled its market share – from 2.5% to 5.2%.  Microsoft lost one percentage point and dropped to 18% share, but the biggest loser of the bunch was Palm, which dropped from 8.3% to 6.1%, despite recent price cuts which made their smartphones one of the cheapest on the market. If Palm doesn’t do something to reverse this trend, it may soon be looking at the back of Android, which is growing like a weed, both in the US and internationally. [Image credit: comScore] Reviews: Android, Google Tags: android, apple, Google, iphone, microsoft, palm, RIM
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The Muppets are rapidly becoming socially savvy, and the result is one burnt muppet.
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Bummed because you don’t have the time to salivate in front of the 
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Microsoft’s statement can be distilled into one very simple phrase: Nobody should care about Google Buzz.
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Imagine going to a cookout, only to see one of the guests waving a CD for some new software program, and shouting "new release, buy today!" That person would be completely out of place, and probably ignored by most of the other attendees.
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Susan Payton is the President of 
Before, during and after your event, blog about it. Blogging beforehand can alert others about your event and encourage them to learn more or register to attend. 
Don’t overlook the best real-time tool in social media for your event. Sending tweets out to your followers is a great way to keep everyone updated on what’s happening. Whether it’s an awards show where you can share the winners before journalists write about them, or a conference where you can tweet soundbites, Twitter is a great tool for connecting people online and offline to your event.
In an effort to remind you that WordPress can be just as flexible and 
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