Mike Andrew's Internet Marketing Technology Blog

Facebook allows posts on other websites

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Thu, 1 Aug 2013 15:54:00 +1000

Facebook has begun letting people share social network posts at blogs or other spots on the internet.

An Embedded Posts feature being tested out at CNN, Huffington Post, Bleacher Report, PEOPLE and Mashable websites lets Facebook members broadcast posts in real-time to broader online audiences.

'We are beginning to roll out Embedded Posts to make it possible for people to bring the most compelling, timely public posts from Facebook to the rest of the web,' Facebook software engineers Dave Capra and Ray He said in a blog post on Wednesday.

'When embedded, posts can include pictures, videos, hashtags and other content,' they continued.

'People can also like and share the post directly from the embed.'

Facebook posts that people allow to be shared publicly can be fired off to blogs or selected outside websites, with the list of venues to grow quickly, according to the engineers.

Examples given by Facebook included an official British Monarchy Page publishing a picture of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their newborn son.

'Every day, public figures, journalists and millions of regular people share their thoughts on what's happening around the world on Facebook publicly,' Capra and He said.

'Many journalists post detailed commentary about world events from their Facebook timeline.'

The Twitter-style feature is being added as California-based Facebook works to expand its presence on the internet and its appeal to members increasingly accessing the internet on the go with smartphones or tablets.

Story source: www.bigpond.com

Car Accidents and Black Boxes

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 14:20:00 +1000

Today many modern cars have onboard computers that record data about speed, air bag deployment or failures, braking and other mechanical functions. This information can sometimes help to determine the cause of a car accident.

Police can establish for example how fast a car was travelling at the time of impact from recording devices onboard the vehicle. These recording devices are much like the black boxes everybody has heard about in aeroplanes.

Data recording devices, or black boxes, in both your car and in the car at fault, are one of the many tools experts can use as evidence to help determine fault for a car accident.

Nearly every car being manufactured right now comes with a little added bonus by way of a tiny recording device nestled under the centre console. And if you’re looking to keep your driving habits under wraps, you might want to start worrying.

As many as 96 percent of the cars mass-produced in 2013 include event data recorders, or EDRs, yet the existence of these small “black box” surveillance devices are rarely known among the automobile drivers whose data is being collected with every quick turn of the steering wheel.

This following story from the USA indicates how these will affect court cases in the future, and this includes Australia:

Despite widespread ignorance of EDRs, they could soon become mandatory. The US Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is asking that the installation of EDRs in light passenger vehicles be mandatory starting September 2014, and opponents are already attempting to raise awareness in order to make auto drivers aware that their sudden speed bursts and even seatbelt data is being collected and could be easily shared.But with little safeguards in place, the still emerging technology is raising a lot of questions about what can legally be collected and who can access that information.

But what kind of data is recorded exactly? Standard EDRs don’t log the identity or actions of specific persons in cars, per se, but they are able to provide investigators insight with what happened moments before a collision. When they were first rolled out, though, that wasn’t the plan.

Depending on the type of EDR, these black boxes can record the speed of a vehicle, the crash force at the moment of impact and an array of other information about the automobile’s inner workings.

Other information that can be collected and then shared includes whether or not the car’s brake was activated before the crash, the state of the engine and whether the vehicle seat belt was buckled before an incident.

A smart personal injury lawyer would send a letter to the driver at fault and to that person’s insurance company immediately after a car accident warning them against destroying or tampering with the black box, if the information stored electronically could be used to establish fault for a car accident.

If you have been injured in a car accident and want all the compensation you are entitled to, then call us now on 1300 302 318 to arrange a free no obligation appointment or email us your enquiry for a free online case assessment within 12 hours.

Story source: http://gclaw.com.au/news

Roadwork's Not To Blame for Car Accidents

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Wed, 3 Jul 2013 14:39:00 +1000

The continuing saga of ongoing road works around the country has been a frustrating exercise for most motorists including those who have ever been on a visit or holiday to the area. With roadwork's reducing speed limits and increasing congestion, motorists are becoming increasingly frustrated at the holdups and congestion they cause, but are road works the cause of car accidents, or are there other factors that contribute to these accidents.

Some police officers have reported an increasing number of car accidents related to the ongoing construction and roadwork's on our major highways. However, the increase in car accidents hasn’t been caused by the roadwork's. The increase in car accidents is due to drivers refusing to put down their mobile phone while they’re driving.

Recent surveys indicate that one in three car accidents that happen at roadwork's can be traced back to talking or texting while driving.

Experts emphasise that driving requires the drivers full attention, especially when additional hazards such as roadwork's exist. Distracted driving not only endangers people who are in vehicles, but also the road crews themselves.

Roadwork's are significantly more risky than normal intact roads. Drivers face lane changes, lane closures, uneven surfaces and narrower lanes that require a higher degree of concentration than everyday driving.

Research has demonstrated that drivers process less than fifty percent of the information they see while driving and talking or texting at the same time making them a real risk of injury to other road users.

If you or any member of your family has been injured in a car or work related accident, you need to contact the team at GC Law.

We specialise in personal injury compensation claims and can help you through the process of your compensation claim.

If you are worried about wether you should proceed, try GC Law's Free Case Review here, and we'll notify you if you have a good chance of a claim.

Story source: www.gclaw.com.au

Mobile Phone Texting and Social Media Increase The Risk Of A Car Accident

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 16:48:00 +1000

The number of car accidents caused by either mobile phone usage, either texting or talking on a mobile phone whilst driving, or social networking long into the night have been a major factor in a majority of car accidents increasing the number of personal injury compensation Claims.

Some of these facts include young drivers with an addiction to electronic socialising, who are increasingly at risk of being injured in a car accident caused by driver fatigue.

There is an increasing number of teenagers who have been involved in car accidents because they’re so tired from staying up all night using their electronic devices.

According to authorities, people under the age of 30 account for nearly two thirds of accidents involving sleepy drivers.

The car accidents are most likely to occur early in the morning or late at night. There is usually only one person in the car, and often only one car is involved.

Distraction has also been identified as a contributing factor in 22% of car crashes and near crashes and 71% of truck crashes (and 46% of near crashes) in naturalistic driving studies.

Using a mobile phone whilst driving is highly distracting and increases your risk of a crash four-fold.

Despite the dangers and illegality, approximately 25% of recently surveyed Queensland drivers reported using their hand-held mobile phone on a daily basis to answer or make calls, as well as read text messages, while 14% reported using their hand-held phone to send a text message on a daily basis.

The Facts

Driver distraction is one of the main causes of road crashes, estimated to account for approximately one quarter of car crashes.

Using a mobile phone while driving (especially texting), is highly distracting.

A person using a hand-held or hands-free mobile phone while driving is four times more likely to have a serious crash resulting in hospital attendance.

The legislation – How it affects you

It is illegal in all Australian states and territories to use a hand-held mobile phone while driving. This includes talking, texting, playing games, taking photos or video and using other phone functions.

Using a hand-held mobile phone is also illegal when your vehicle is stationary but not parked (when stopped at a traffic light).

It is illegal to use a hands-free phone while driving if it causes you to lose proper control of your vehicle.

Learner and P1 drivers are not permitted to use a hand-held or hands-free mobile phone while driving.

The most common types of crashes associated with mobile phone usage are “run off the road” and “rear end” crashes.

To read more on the facts about car accident statistics, click on the link.

If you or any member of your family or friends is involved in a car accident it is important to be fully aware of your rights and what compensation for personal injury you may be able to claim.

GC Law are personal injury experts and they can help you assess your potential claim, you can even use their Free Case Review process to start your compensation claim.

Story source: www.gclaw.com.au

QR Code Scanning Isn’t Just A Young Person’s Activity

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Mon, 6 May 2013 11:21:00 +1000

QR code scanning – once the domain of the younger crowd – is becoming more evenly distributed across various age groups, according to [download page] data released by ScanBuy. The company, which says it processed a new high of 6.7 million scans via ScanLife in March, reveals that 57% of mobile barcode scanners were aged 35 and older in Q1, up from just 41% a year earlier. In particular, the 45-54 (18% share, from 12%) and 55 and older (14%, from 9%) groups represent rapidly growing proportions of scanners.

During that yearlong period, the biggest drop came from the 25-34 crowd. In Q1 2013, that age bracket constituted 35% of mobile barcode scanners, but that’s now down to 25%.

While QR code scanners seem to be getting older on average (a trend first noted here), their gender split hasn’t changed that significantly. In Q1, 65% of scanners were male, which is slightly (but not drastically) down from 68% in Q1 2012. In terms of operating systems, Android remains the leader at 57% share, up from 53% a year earlier, while iOS’ share has dipped 2% points to 41%.

The study also shows that QR code scanning tends to be popular throughout the week, with 14% share of scans occurring each day from Tuesday through Friday during Q1. Scanning volume did go up slightly on the weekend (16% on Saturday; 15% on Sunday) before dipping on Monday (13% share). Scanning volume also tended to rise after lunchtime and see sustained levels of activity until the primetime hours.

Other Findings:

The most scanned QR code campaigns in Q1 connected users to product information, social media, and mobile commerce.
The top industries, in terms of scanning activity, were retail, food and beverage, and wireless.

Source: www.marketingcharts.com

Social Media Statistics Australia – April 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Thu, 2 May 2013 16:29:00 +1000

Another month has flown by and it is now time to report our Australian Social Media statistics for April 2013.

As I have mentioned in the past, social media growth in Australia has slowed right up. The larger networks are now reaching saturation point and not growing like we saw in 2010 and 2011.

In Australia both Facebook and LinkedIn are happy to speak with members of the press about Australian user numbers. For some reason Twitter has never been so willing.

Last month I got a response from the official Twitter Australia, Twitter account – in regards to a question I have long been asking them: How many Australian’s are on Twitter?

This is a strange reply as Twitter have commented many times to the media about the US user numbers.

April 2013 stats:

(Please note the numbers below are the number of Unique Australian Visitors to the site over April).

1. Facebook – 11,489,380 Australian users/accounts (down approx 220).
2. YouTube – 11,000,000 UAVs (steady)
3. Blogspot – 3,000,000 (down 200,000)
4. WordPress.com – 2,900,000 (steady)
5. Tumblr – 2,800,000 (up 200,000)
6. LinkedIn – 2,700,000 ( down 57,000)
7. Twitter - 2,167,849 Active Australian Users (see calculation below)
8. Instagram - 1,083,924 Active Australian Users (see calculation below)
9. Flickr – 860,000 (up 10,000)
10. TripAdvisor – 830,000
11. Pinterest – 630,000 (down 10,000)
12. MySpace – 300,000 (steady)
13. Yelp – 220,000 (steady)
14. Reddit – 180,000 (up 10,000)
15. Google Plus – approx 100,000 (my estimation *revised*)
16. StumbleUpon – 95,000 (steady)
17. Foursquare – 51,000 (steady)
18. Digg – 33,000 (steady)
19. Delicious – 31,000 (steady)

Australian Twitter User Numbers

Facebook announced they have 1.06 billion active users worldwide.

Australia has 11,489,380, which equates to 1.08% of the total global user base.

According to Twitter’s Business Portal - they now have over 200,000,000 active users (monthly active user).

1.08% of this worldwide total of 200 million = 2,167,849 monthly Australian users. As mentioned above Twitter do not have or want to share their Australian user numbers.

Instagram User Numbers in Australia

Instagram recently announced they now have 100 million active users world wide. Therefore 1.08% of this equals 1,083,924 Australian users.

This is very much my estimation and if anyone can help further, please contact me. It’s important to note Facebook is well establish across the world, whereas Instagram isn’t as established in non western countries with lower smartphone uptake. This is worth considering when estimating the Australian Instagram user numbers.

Facebook Penetration in Australia

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Population clock - the population of Australia on 30/04/13 was approximately 23,007,086.

Facebook has 11,489,380 users out of a total country population of 23,007,086. This means 49.9% of the total Australian population is signed up to Facebook. An incredible stat considering those under 13 are not allowed to sign up, and many senior Australian’s don’t use technology like younger generations.

Why Has Facebook’s User Base in Australia Been Shrinking?

Some people have been speculating that Facebook is losing users in Australia. From these stats I produce, that is correct – but there is more to the story. Facebook has been on a mission over the last year to remove as much spam and duplicate accounts from their site as possible. Much of the decreases in my opinion are because of this reason.

In my opinion, a much smaller percentage of the decrease would be from users deactivating their accounts. Yes it does happen, but I think new users would make up for the deactivated users. Do remember children aged 10-12 are keen to come onto Facebook and I don’t see any reason for this trend to stop.

What Do All These Stats Mean?

Facebook is the biggest, largest and most engaging social network in Australia, and worldwide. If you are looking into Social Media Marketing then Facebook is where you should concentrate your efforts.

The secondary networks of YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, and blogging sites WordPress, Blogspot and Tumblr do attract large amounts of users but have less sophisticated platforms overall. However these sites can still drive large volumes of Australian traffic.

Google Plus usage in Australia is becoming very small. No-one really has concrete figures but I don’t think no more than 100,000 Australian’s use it on a monthly basis. Stats and Commentary by SocialMediaNews.com.au.

Story by David Cowling; Story Source: www.socialmedianews.com.au

Aussies social media use 'in decline'

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:45:00 +1000

The amount of time Australians spend on social media sites is declining, according to new research involving three million internet users.

Interest in sites like Facebook and Twitter grew rapidly in Australia from 2010.

But new data shows time spent on these sites via fixed-line internet connections fell in 2012, with average users now spending 14 minutes out of every hour online using social networks, compared to 16 minutes per hour in 2011.

Similar falls were recorded in the US and UK, according to broader research by information services firm Experian, involving another 22 million internet subscribers.

'The online landscape is constantly changing and it could be that we're starting to see social networking sites reaching their peak,' said Experian manager Matt Glasner.

The impact that surging smartphone and tablet use had on these figures is unclear.

Data published by Telstra in February showed that half of all Australians now own a smartphone, with many spending up to 12 hours per week accessing the internet using mobile devices.

But Experian and other researchers suggest most visits to social sites on phones and tablets are relatively quick.

David Cowling, owner of the Sydney-based Vivid Social agency, agreed that time spent on social media sites via desktop computers was decreasing and suggested overall numbers using the sites via all devices were static.

'I wouldn't say this comes down to a disinterest in social media, rather that we are becoming more efficient with our use,' he told AAP.

Dr John Lenarcic, a leading IT academic at Melbourne's RMIT University, said the efficient use theory was plausible as social sites became easier to use.

He added, 'The decline could also be that users don't refer to social networking' as a special category.

'It's become a mundane part of communication, so some may not even consider what they do as social networking' but just another way of meeting up with friends.'

Australian Communications and Media Authority figures published in late 2012 showed there were 11.36 million Facebook users in Australia.

The number of Australian Twitter users is unclear but Mr Cowling suggested in March it was 2.16 million, a slight decrease compared to February.

Story source: www.bigpond.com

Coalition says NBN will be cheaper and better

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Tue, 9 Apr 2013 16:25:00 +1000

The federal coalition will deliver a faster, better, cheaper national broadband network (NBN) to all Australians if it wins government, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says.

Whether for good or ill, these job seekers made a strong first impression

Mr Abbott launched the coalition's broadband policy in Sydney on Tuesday with communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull.

"We believe in a national broadband network," Mr Abbott told reporters.
"We will deliver a better NBN."

Mr Abbott said if the coalition won government this year, users would be able to access a minimum download speed of 25 megabits per second (mps) by the end of its first term.

If it won a second term, the minimum speed would increase to 50mps for the vast majority of households.

While 25mps is about five times better than Australians get now, it's still well down on the average 100mps being promised by Labor.

But Mr Abbott said rolling out fibre optic cable to the node - or street corner - rather than all the way to the home or business as Labor would do, would be cheaper.

"We will build fibre to the node and that eliminates two thirds of the cost," Mr Abbott said.

"So we will be able to do this for under $30 billion, compared to the over $90 billion it will cost the National Broadband Network (under Labor)."

Mr Abbott also announced plans for three inquiries, including a commercial review to be completed within 60 days of the coalition winning office into how quickly the NBN builder can meet coalition objectives.

There would also an audit into Labor's NBN "mess" and an independent study into Australia's broadband future needs, which would include a cost benefit analysis.

Under the coalition's plan, the NBN rollout would be completed by the end of 2019, instead of the current deadline of 2021.

Priority would be given to areas with the poorest broadband services today.

The coalition also says basic broadband plans will "always" be more affordable.

It projects prices would be $24 cheaper per month by 2021 than Labor's projected NBN prices.

But in areas where there was very strong need for high broadband speeds - such as business centres, educational centres, hospitals and new housing estates - there would be fibre-to-the-premise services.

Mr Abbott also said the coalition planned to sell the network to the private sector once it was ready.

Mr Turnbull said the government shouldn't be building the NBN, when everywhere else such projects were being created by the private sector.

But he acknowledged that if the coalition won government it would inherit network builder NBN Co and would have to work with it.

He said the government had wasted billion of dollars that could not be recovered, but the coalition would save money.

The coalition says its plan will cost $29.5 billion.

Story source: www.ninemsn.com.au

EU countries take action against Google

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Thu, 4 Apr 2013 15:28:00 +1000

Google's new privacy policy is under legal attack from regulators in its largest European markets, who want the company to overhaul practices they say let it create a data goldmine at the expense of unwitting users.

Led by the French, organisations in Britain, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and Italy agreed Tuesday on the joint action, with the ultimate possibility of imposing fines or restrictions on operations across the entire 27-country European Union.

Last year the company merged 60 separate privacy policies from around the world into one universal procedure. The European organisations complain that the new policy doesn't allow users to figure out which information is kept, how it is combined by Google services, or how long the company retains it.

The fines' financial impact on Google would be limited - French privacy watchdog CNIL has the right to fine the company up to 300,000 ($A372,000) approximately the amount it earns in three minutes, based on its projected revenue of $61 billion this year. Britain can fine up to 500,000 pounds, but rarely does.

But successful legal action would hurt Google's image and could block its ability to collect such data until it addresses the regulators' concerns.

Google dominates the European market for internet searches. According to one survey, as much as 95 per cent of searches in Europe are carried out through Google, compared with about 65 per cent in the United States. European regulators have demanded specifics for anyone using Google on what's being collected and a simpler presentation.

Tensions between privacy and the swiftly evolving ability of companies to spin online usage data into vast profits are ramping up, especially in Europe, where privacy laws tend to be strong and nearly every country has a regulatory body. But internet users have consistently shown a willingness to give up privacy in exchange for convenience and new online services that Google and other tech companies offer.

Google says it merged its myriad privacy policies in March 2012 for the sake of simplicity, and that the changes comply with European laws.

'There is a wider debate going on about personal data and who owns and controls personal data,' said Colin Strong, a technology analyst with GfK.

'The question is the extent to which consumers understand the value of their personal data and the extent that they are happy with the trade that they're getting.'

Story source: www.bigpond.com

Facebook feed becomes personal newspaper

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:35:00 +1000

Facebook has started transforming the stream of updates from friends at home pages into a 'personalised newspaper' with news ranging from the personal to the global.

The News Feed on home pages at the leading social network has been revamped to get rid of clutter and present 'bright, beautiful' stories whether they are insights from friends or trending news of the day.

'I think there is a special place in the world for this sort of personalised newspaper,' Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg said in introducing the overhauled News Feed.

'It should have a front page and top news section or let you drill down into any topic you want.'

Facebook began rolling out the new News Feed 'very slowly' at its website reached by desktop or laptop and planned to begin adding it to its smartphone and tablet applications in the coming weeks.

Each News Feed will automatically be tuned to the interests of individual Facebook users, according to technical lead Chris Struhar.

Pictures in the feed will be gleaned from posts by friends or online pages people have indicated they 'like'.

If a Facebook user follows pages from CNN or other professional media organisations, top shared or trending stories are displayed.

Music or film lovers should see News Feeds touting fresh developments regarding bands, stars, movies, songs or other related subjects.

Struhar told AFP 'we hope you get all you need' without having to leave Facebook.

While the amount of content shared at Facebook has soared, the amount of time people have to spend at the social network remains limited, inspiring the drive to more efficiently connect people with news they most care about.

'Of course we all want to share with our friends, but we want updates from our favourite publications, artist, world leaders and more,' Zuckerberg said. 'This is the evolving face of News Feed.'

News Feed will give more prominence to major stories being shared by friends in the social network; trends at third-party applications such as Pinterest or Instagram, and weave in important personal bits such as a cousin with a new job.

'When I wake up in the morning and see all my friends are sharing the exact same news story or video, I know it must be something big,' said Facebook director of design Julie Zhuo.

'You get a richer, simpler, more beautiful News Feed focused on the things you care about, what your friends are saying, and what is trending.'

Story source: www.bigpond.com

The Top 10 tech trends for 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 17:04:00 +1000

(CNN) -- From the continuing rise of tablet devices to the daily-deals craze and the return of the Internet IPO, 2011 has been a transformative year for technology.

The pace of change has become blisteringly fast, with traditional industries -- bookstores, video-rental chains, newspapers -- crumbling more quickly than we could have imagined.

Predicting what will happen in 2012, therefore, is a shot in the dark: A year is virtually a lifetime in the digital era. And yet we can at least make a guess at what will happen in the early part of next year simply by looking at the trends that are shaping the latter half of this year.

Here's my best estimate of some of the innovation we'll see in 2012:

Pete Cashmore is the founder and CEO of Mashable.com.

1. Touch computing

New input methods will be the dominant trend of 2012. Tablet computers such as the iPad might seem like a nice alternative to desktop and laptop computers, but I believe they're more than that: They're replacements. Just as the command line (remember that?) gave way to graphical user interfaces, so the mouse will be superseded by touchscreens.

The signs are obvious: Windows 8 and Mac OS X Lion, the latest desktop operating systems, borrow heavy from their mobile counterparts. These new interfaces essentially impose a touchscreen-inspired interface over the traditional desktop environment.

Over time, this half-step will become a whole one, and mobile operating systems will dominate. The transition won't be complete by the end of 2012, but we'll be much further down the path, and using computer mice much less often.

2. Social gestures

In the social media realm, social gestures appear to be the leading trend of 2012. Launched by Facebook in September, this so-called "frictionless sharing" functionality removes the need to click a button to share media with your friends. Instead, everything you listen to, read or watch is automatically posted to your profile once you approve the relevant app.

If you've seen apps such as Spotify or Social Reader in your Facebook news feed, you're already aware of these features.

The trend makes sense for social networks: With 800 million people already on Facebook, its growth is bound to slow. But if sharing becomes automatic, the volume of content on Facebook will grow at an accelerated pace. There's a big problem, however: Users may be "creeped out" by all this automated sharing of their Web activity and grow suspicious of the apps using it.

3. NFC and mobile payments

Google Wallet, Google's mobile-payment system, may become more widespread in 2012.

Next year is likely to be the year when mobile payments blossom. While we've seen a great deal of innovation in mobile payments technology this year -- including the success of Square's iPhone dongle, allowing anyone to accept credit card payments -- 2012 is the year of NFC.

What's that, you ask? Near Field Communication essentially lets you replace your credit cards with your phone: Wave an NFC-enabled phone near the credit card reader in a store (or taxi cab), and the money is deducted from your account.

By 2013, 1 in 5 cellphones are expected to be NFC-equipped. Early contenders include Google Wallet, Visa Wallet, Serve (by American Express) and ISIS.

4. Beyond the iPad

If touch computing is the future, then the iPad is surely king. And yet the iPad came up against serious competition in the latter part of 2011: As I wrote previously, I expect the new Amazon Kindle Fire to outsell the iPad in 2012. Why? Simply put, the iPad costs $499 while the Fire costs $199.

Amazon's advantages don't stop at the price point, however: The company owns an entire content store of movies, e-books, TV shows and other media. With tablet devices, the hardware is somewhat important but the content available for the device is absolutely critical: With plenty of media available for the Fire right away, it's an appealing proposition.

Why does one device constitute an entire trend? Well, as a true competitor to the iPad emerges, content producers, distributors and even app developers may have an entirely new platform on which to push their wares. (And yes, the Kindle Fire does indeed run Google's Android operating system, but Amazon's version is so unlike other Android tablets that neither users nor app developers will perceive it as "yet another Android device" -- it's a whole new platform.)

5. TV Everywhere

So you thought you'd be able to watch all your favorite shows online and get rid of your cable subscription for good? Not so fast!

The cable companies have a cunning plan: They'll let you watch live TV, plus on-demand movies and TV shows, on your connected devices if you keep your cable subscription. Dish Network, Time Warner and Comcast are among those offering the service.

TV Everywhere has been buzzed about since 2010, of course, and could be a dud -- but the rise of tablet devices would seem to create increased demand for a "TV in your hands."

6. Voice control

Here's another trend that's got a moderate chance of taking off in 2012: Voice control.

Siri, the voice-control feature in the iPhone 4S, may spread to other devices.

The novelty of Siri on the iPhone 4S -- which allows you to send texts, create reminders, search the Web and much more using just your voice -- may be the start of a new trend in voice controlled devices.

Surely voice control has been around for years? Yes, but it wasn't very accurate.

Siri and its ilk define a new era in which we talk, and our devices understand -- often on the first attempt. Other device makers will likely follow suit. What's more, Apple may use voice control to replace the TV remote.

7. Spatial gestures

Other input methods are gaining traction too: Microsoft's Kinect, for instance, has given rise to interfaces that use spatial gestures. Just like in "Minority Report," your devices can be controlled simply by waving your hands in the air.

Thanks to the many innovators who have hacked Kinect to work with other platforms, we may see more devices using this input method next year.

8. Second-screen experiences

"Second-screen experiences" is a buzz-phase among TV and movie execs these days. It refers to apps (mainly on the iPad) that listen to the audio output of your TV and display content related to the show or movie you're watching. The chances are that you already use your tablet computer or phone while watching TV, so there's ample opportunity to make the viewing experience a more interactive one.

Disney already has second-screen apps for movies such as "The Lion King" and "Bambi," while multiple TV networks have similar offerings: We can expect many, many more to be released in 2012.

9. Flexible screens

Personally, I just can't wait for flexible screens: These awesome new bendable interfaces will let you zoom in, zoom out and scroll around a page simply by twisting your phone or tablet.

Nokia and Samsung have both hinted they may release phones with bendable displays in 2012. The really exciting stuff, however -- like paper-thin devices that roll up to fit in your pocket -- is still years away.

10. HTML5

Can I squeeze in one more trend? It's HTML5 -- the fifth iteration of the HTML standard -- and it lets developers create richer, more interactive applications than ever.

Why does this matter? As developers tire of building applications for every operating system out there -- from Android to iOS to Windows Phone and beyond -- HTML5 offers the opportunity to build an app once and have it work everywhere.

The rise of HTML5 is bound to be accelerated by a recent revelation: Adobe is killing off Flash for mobile devices, meaning one of the primary methods of serving videos and rich applications on mobile phones is about to disappear. HTML5 will fill that gap. For us as consumers, that means richer applications and experiences on all our devices.

In short, 2012 is all about new ways to interact with our devices through touch and voice control, new lightweight ways to share content, a revolution in mobile payments and a plethora of rich Web applications -- not to mention the hundreds of new innovations that we've yet to dream up. I can't wait.

Story by By Pete Cashmore, Special to CNN, story source: www.cnn.com

US Internet Ad Revenues Rise to Historic $17 Billion in First Half 2012, Up 14% Over Half-Year 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 11:49:00 +1000

Mobile Increases Almost Two-Fold Year-Over-Year

In the first half of 2012, internet advertising revenues climbed to an all-time high of $17 billion, representing a 14 percent increase year-over-year, according to IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report released today by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and prepared by PwC US. This performance is compared to the landmark $14.9 billion reported for the first six months of 2011.

Also marking a 14 percent year-over-year increase, second quarter internet ad revenues for this year hit $8.7 billion, up from $7.7 billion during the same time period in 2011.

Highlights of the report include:

Mobile generated significant growth – almost doubling year-over-year – up 95 percent to $1.2 billion in half-year 2012 from $636 million in the comparable 2011 period
Digital video, a component of display-related advertising, saw an increase of 18 percent year-over-year, bringing in a little over $1 billion in revenue in the first two quarters of 2012 compared to nearly $900 million in the first six months of 2011
Search revenues in the first half of the year totaled $8.1 billion, up 19 percent from nearly $6.8 billion during the same timeframe in 2011
Display-related advertising revenues in the first half of the year totaled almost $5.6 billion, accounting for 33 percent of 2012 half-year revenues, up 4 percent from $5.3 billion in the first half of 2011
Retail advertisers constitute the largest category of internet ad spending for the first half of this year, claiming 20 percent of the total revenues at $3.4 billion, while Automotive brought in $2.2 billion for first-half 2012, marking an uptick to 13 percent versus 11 percent of category spend reported for half-year 2011 at $1.7 billion

“This report establishes that marketers increasingly embrace mobile and digital video, as well as the entire panoply of interactive platforms, to reach consumers in innovative and creative ways," said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO, IAB. “These half-year figures come on the heels of a study from Harvard Business School researchers that points to the ad-supported internet ecosystem as a critical driver of the U.S. economy. Clearly, the digital marketing industry is on a positive trajectory that will propel the entire American business landscape forward.”

“The tremendous growth of mobile advertising revenue over the past year is an indication of the importance of location to advertisers and mobility to consumers,” said David Silverman, a partner at PwC US. “Bringing the power of the internet to mobile devices has opened up a world of possibilities to both consumers and marketers.”

“Solid double-digit growth in a stagnating economy is a significant accomplishment,” said Sherrill Mane, Senior Vice President, Research, Analytics and Measurement, IAB. “There is evidence that CPMs are maintaining, and even increasing, further substantiating the vitality of the internet ad market.”

Story source: www.iab.net

The business of buying social

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 16:11:00 +1000

It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that the social juggernaut of our time decided to move into eCommerce.

Facebook said earlier this week it would partner up with some retailers, including Victoria’s Secret and Fab.com, to start its online commerce program. Basically, people can press the “want” button on Facebook, share that information with their friends, and then actually buy the products after being directed to the retailer’s website.

It’s no big revelation. Earlier this year a developer unveiled a piece of code suggesting Facebook would be doing exactly this, and analysts have seen it coming from a mile away.

(Also, as an aside, it takes more than a few hints from Pinterest, which should be a nice validation for the “other” social network.)

Of course, the move doesn’t just represent an attempt on Facebook’s part to boost its revenue and arrest a falling share price. It also signals a change in how businesses should think about social commerce.

Last week, Forrester released some research showing only 1% of online sales could be attributed to social media.

That’s a very low number. Now, it excludes small business, which would probably see a higher amount of sales, and it also excluded some important variables. But 1% is still a very low number.

Local expert Sam Yip, from research house Telsyte, made a point that contradicted the survey – social networking leads to sales, but not necessarily in a direct way. It builds brand awareness that eventually feeds its way through to your bottom line.

It’s an excellent point, but the main thought here is that social networking doesn’t necessarily convert sales in a direct way.

Facebook’s decision may change that. If you can create a system where people buy products through social networking, then it will lead to more sales, depending on your strategy.

Right now, Facebook’s program is restricted to a few retailers, and it won’t be opening up to small business any time soon, but it makes a key point – managing your ROI on social media is something that will only become more important, not less.

How you do that is up to you, but if you’ve built a prominent social media presence, then you need to start experimenting with sales. Using social media to refer certain products, or offer discounts, isn’t a bad idea if you can determine just how much traffic you’re getting through your Facebook or Twitter presence.

Even asking a question like, “How did you find this product?” at the end of a transaction can give you some key insight.

Facebook’s announcement doesn’t mean much for SMEs – at least, not right now. But it does show that social commerce is going to transform business and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get a head-start.

You can follow Patrick Stafford on Twitter @pdstafford. Story by Patrick Stafford, story source: www.smartcompany.com.au

Vest lets Facebook users hug from afar

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 13:54:00 +1000

A vest developed in Massachusetts Institute of Technology lets Facebook users hug one another no matter how far apart they are.

A Like-A-Hug vest on display on Friday at the website of designer Melissa Kit Chow was touted as "wearable social media" that inflates to embrace wearers whenever Facebook friends "Like" items they post at the social network.

Chow worked with Andy Payne and Phil Seaton in the MIT Media Lab to create the puffy black vests, according to her website.

Like-A-Hug lets hugs "be given via Facebook, bringing us closer together despite physical distance", Chow said in a post describing the vest.

And, provided the sender is also wearing Like-A-Hug, a recipient can return a hug by squeezing their own vest to deflate it.

Chow described herself as a graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Design who subtly skews everyday interactions with the environment for "a reawakening of a sensorial spacial experience".

Story Source: www.ninemsn.com.au

PM's Facebook discussion turns nasty

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Tue, 9 Oct 2012 15:27:00 +1000

A Facebook QA with Prime Minister Julia Gillard has attracted sexist and hateful comments, with her office having to censor the comments.

Ms Gillard took to the social networking site on Monday to talk about her education policies.

But the discourse turned ugly, with one man calling the prime minister a slut.

Another man asked how her father was. John Gillard died last month.

'Get my dinner ready' posted another man, while one asked if her 'pubes' were as 'radiant, shiny and glorious' as his own.

A number of other Facebook users labelled her the worst prime minister and criticised her voice, with one saying her voice and demeanour were like nails on a blackboard.

Others jumped to Ms Gillard's defence, one posting that 'nothing any of these sexest (sic), Hateful, disrespectful, unaustralian idiots can get to you!'

'You are an inspiration to Australians and the world,' said another.

And another: 'Keep up the great work running the nation Julia! You have quite rightly earned the respect you deserve.'

Ms Gillard has an official Facebook fan page, which is maintained by her office.

A spokeswoman for Ms Gillard said the site was moderated to remove offensive comments and, like all Facebook sites, comments could only be removed after they had been posted.

'A handful of comments after the session were offensive and have been removed,' the spokeswoman said in a statement.

The question and answer session was the first of its kind by a senior politician in Australia.

While in Tasmania last week, Ms Gillard took part in a live question and answer session for a news website, with no levelling of offensive remarks.

Story source: www.bigpond.com

Facebook private message rumour is 'false', site says

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 10:02:00 +1000

A rumour that Facebook users' private messages were appearing on public timelines is false, the firm has said.

Some users, mostly in France, reported that "private messages" sent between 2007-2009 were suddenly public.

However, Facebook told the BBC: "[The] messages were older wall posts that had always been visible on the users' profile pages.

Separately, Facebook shares fell up to 11% after an influential journal said the stock is worth just $15.

On the messaging rumour, the social network said: "Facebook is satisfied that there has been no breach of user privacy."

Another source at the company told the BBC that engineers said there was "no way" the two areas of data could get mixed up.

Private material

The source said that "no mechanism" had ever been created that would allow a private message to be published onto a user's wall or timeline.

Similar rumours surfaced and were investigated in 2011, the source said, but after "extensive investigation" they were proven to be untrue.

Despite Facebook's statement, many users reported finding what they believed to be old private material.

"There are messages I've got on my wall that are most definitely private messages! From 2006 all the way up to 2012," wrote Poppy Dinsey, owner of fashion social network What I Wore Today.

"I'm 100% sure by content and from memory. And also some posts on my wall were clearly beginnings of (private) group [messages]."

Meanwhile, Facebook shares were under pressure after the US financial publication Barron's said the stock is worth perhaps only $15 a share, well below the $38-a-share flotation price.

On Wall Street, the shares ended down 9.1% to $20.79, having fallen more than 11% earlier in the day.

Barron's said: "Facebook's 40% plunge from its initial public offering price of $38 in May has millions of investors asking a single question: Is the stock a buy?

"The short answer is 'No.' What are the shares worth? Perhaps only $15," Barron's said.

Story source: www.bbc.com

QR Codes Most-Used Mobile Channel For Engaging Customers

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 16:32:00 +1000

1 in 2 company marketers say they are using QR codes to encourage their customers to interact with their brand, per results [download page] from an Econsultancy survey released in June 2012, in partnership with Responsys. QR code usage by these respondents surpasses other mobile channels, including creation of applications (35%), mobile commerce (29%) and mobile optimized emails (29%). Roughly one-quarter are using SMS marketing, while less than 1 in 5 are employing location-based marketing. Just 7% have turned to MMS and 2% to NFC.

Agencies show some different patterns with regards to their clients. 54% say their clients use apps to encourage their customers to interact with their brands, while 49% indicate their clients use QR codes. Agencies are more likely than companies to report client use of mobile optimized emails, SMS, and location-based marketing.

According to a Multichannel Merchant survey also released in June, merchants are integrating QR codes into their marketing strategies at a far greater rate this year than last. 47% of respondents this year said they are using QR codes, a dramatic increase from just 8% a year ago.

Search Most Popular Ad Type

Data from Econsultancy’s “Cross-Channel Marketing Report 2012″ indicates that mobile search marketing is the most popular type of mobile advertising used by company marketers, at 35% of respondents, followed by push notifications (29%).

A plurality of agencies also say their clients are engaged in mobile search marketing (42%). Mobile display advertising (banner) is cited by 41% of agencies, compared to one-quarter of companies, with agencies also more likely to indicate their clients’ use of advertising on apps (37% vs. 22%), location-based targeting (30% vs. 22%), and mobile display advertising using video (19% vs. 12%).

Various studies have highlighted the growth of mobile’s share of search marketing budgets of late, with IgnitionOne most recently reporting mobile paid search spend growing 333% year-over-year in Q2, to reach 14% of total US paid search budgets.

Display Ad Engagement Sentiment Mixed

Respondents to the Econsultancy survey do not paint a clear picture when it comes to engagement rates with display advertising via smartphones as opposed to via PCs. Among company respondents, 33% feel that customers are more engaged with display advertising on smartphones than on PCs, while 40% say they are less engaged. Among agencies, 35% feel that engagement is higher on smartphones, compared to 33% who feel that it is lower.

Other Findings:

1 in 5 company marketers say they personalize mobile display advertising based on location, while 28% of agencies report their clients’ use of this targeting method.
Roughly one-quarter of companies are using offline advertising to promote engagement on mobile devices, and a further 17% are planning to do so. Agencies indicate slightly higher levels of offline ad use by their clients: 35% say their clients are using offline advertising to promote engagement on mobiles, and an additional 20% say their clients are planning to do so. According to Google survey results released in February, two-thirds of US smartphone users who say they at least rarely notice advertising have used their device to run a search in response to an ad they have seen offline.

Aussies face off on social networking

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Thu, 31 May 2012 08:13:00 +1000

Facebook and other social networking sites are all about putting names to faces, but half of Australians do not want them to use facial recognition technology to get the job done.

A national Newspoll of more than 1200 people found 95 per cent of those surveyed believed it was acceptable for airport officials to use facial recognition software to identify passengers on police watchlists.

Some 92 per cent said police should be able to use the same technology to identify people from CCTV footage or videos shot by the public.

But only 38 per cent trusted Facebook with the technology, and 50 per cent said it would be unacceptable for that site to use facial recognition technology to make it easier to tag users in photos posted online.

Story source: www.bigpond.com

Facebook smartphone to be 'released next year'

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Tue, 29 May 2012 07:44:00 +1000

Social networking giant Facebook is to launch its own smartphone by next year, reports have suggested.

The New York Times cited unnamed sources, including Facebook employees, suggesting that the network had been hiring several smartphone engineers.

Facebook recently admitted it was struggling to make money out of its growing mobile audience.

The company, which recently floated on the stock market, has also just launched its own mobile app store.

The App Center currently offers links to Facebook-enabled apps within Apple's iOS and Google Android stores but developers will soon be able to write apps to be placed exclusively in Facebook's store.

According to the New York Times, Facebook has hired experts who worked on the iPhone and other smartphones.

It quoted a Facebook employee as saying the site's founder Mark Zuckerberg was "worried that if he doesn't create a mobile phone in the near future... Facebook will simply become an app on other mobile platforms".

Mobile money

A Facebook smartphone has reportedly been in the works for some time.

In 2010, Techcrunch reported that Facebook was "secretly" building a smartphone - although this particular project is said to have broken down.

The company's desire to enter the smartphone market could be a result of increasing pressure to improve the potential of mobile to make money.

In a statement for potential investors ahead of its initial public offering earlier this month, the company admitted it had concerns about more users accessing Facebook through their mobile - a trend which could make it more difficult to sell advertising.

When asked, a spokeswoman for Facebook said the company did not comment on speculation, and referred instead to a written statement.

"Our mobile strategy is simple: we think every mobile device is better if it is deeply social," the statement read.

"We're working across the entire mobile industry; with operators, hardware manufacturers, OS providers, and application developers to bring powerful social experiences to more people around the world."

Story source: www.bbc.co.uk

ACCC wins appeal against Google

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:22:00 +1000

This week the Full Federal Court unanimously upheld the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s appeal filed in October 2011 against Google.

The Full Court declared that Google, by publishing the four advertisements that were the subject of the ACCC’s appeal on result pages of the Google Australia website, engaged in conduct that was misleading or deceptive, or likely to mislead or deceive, in breach of section 52 of the Trade Practices Act 1974*.

The Full Court also ordered it to put in place a consumer law compliance programme and pay the ACCC's costs of the appeal.

"Google's conduct involved the use by an advertiser of a competitors name as a keyword triggering an advertisement for the advertiser with a matching headline. As the Full Court said this was likely to mislead or deceive a consumer searching for information on the competitor," ACCC chairman Rod Sims said.

The central issue for determination on appeal was whether the primary judge erred in finding that Google did not “make” the representations contained in the four advertisements that were the subject of the appeal.

"The ACCC brought this appeal because it raises very important issues as to the role of search engine providers as publishers of paid content in the online age," Mr Sims said.

"This is an important outcome because it makes it clear that Google and other search engine providers which use similar technology to Google will be directly accountable for misleading or deceptive paid search results," Mr Sims said.

In upholding the ACCC’s appeal, the Full Court concluded that "here Google created the message which it presents. Google’s search engine calls up and displays the response to the user’s query. It is Google’s technology which creates that which is displayed. Google did not merely repeat or pass on a statement by the advertiser: what is displayed in response to the user’s search query is not the equivalent of Google saying here is a statement by an advertiser which is passed on for what it is worth."

The Full Court also stated that “the enquiry is made of Google and it is Google’s response which is misleading… Although the key words are selected by the advertiser, perhaps with input by Google, what is critical to the process is the triggering of the link by Google using its algorithms.”

Background

Today’s judgment follows an appeal filed by the ACCC in October 2011 against the decision by Justice Nicholas of the Federal Court in relation to certain advertisements appearing on Google’s website.

At first instance, the ACCC alleged that Google had engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct by publishing eleven advertisements on Google’s search results page. The headline of each of the advertisements in question comprised a business name, product name or web address of a competitor’s business not sponsored, affiliated or associated with the particular advertiser. When a user clicked the headline of the advertisement, he or she was taken to the advertiser's website.

The ACCC alleged that the advertisements contained representations that, in summary, by clicking on the headline users would find information as to the competitor’s business.

The primary judge found that although a number of the advertisements were misleading or deceptive, Google had not made those representations. Google merely communicated representations made by the advertiser. As such, Justice Nicholas ruled that Google had not breached the Act.

The ACCC appealed the primary judge’s decision in relation to four of the eleven advertisements pleaded at first instance.

With respect to the four advertisements the subject of the appeal, the primary judge found that if Google had in fact made the representations, it would not have been able to rely on the publisher’s defence (as per section 85(3) of the Act) as Google would have been unable to show that it had no reason to suspect that publication of these advertisements was a breach of the Act.

The appeal was heard on 27 and 28 February 2012 before Keane CJ, Jacobson and Lander JJ.

Civil pecuniary penalties may be imposed for certain contraventions of the Trade Practices Act and Australian Consumer Law for conduct after 15 April 2010. There are no penalties for a contravention of section 52 of the Trade Practices Act or its equivalent - section 18 of the Australian Consumer Law.

* On 1 January 2011 the Trade Practices Act 1974 was renamed the Competition and Consumer Act 2010.

Release # NR 065/12
Issued: 3^rd April 2012

Purchase Recommendations From Blogs Highly Influential to Women

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 09:28:00 +1000

61% of women who are active blog users say they have made a purchase based on a recommendation from a blog, a proportion that rises to 87% among BlogHer network members, according to a March 2012 survey from the company, which polled a sample of women from the general population and a sample from its community. Recommendations from blogs compare favorably to popular social networks: among Facebook users just one-third of the general population sample (and 54% of BlogHer community respondents) report having made a purchase based on a recommendation from the network.

Meanwhile, Pinterest scores higher (47%) than Facebook among general population respondents who use the fast-growing network, but slightly lower among BlogHer community members (53%) who use it. Just 3 in 10 respondents from both groups who are active users of Twitter say they have made a purchase based on a recommendation from the site.

The study also notes that the influence of blogs is consistent across verticals: indeed, results from a BlogHer survey released in January 2012 indicated that general population respondents were 30% more likely to use advice from blogs than information or updates from a social network (69% vs. 53%) to help with a consumer electronics purchase, while BlogHer community respondents were 50% more likely to do so (84% vs. 56%).

Most Trust Info and Advice From Blogs

Meanwhile, according to BlogHer’s “Women and Social Media in 2012″ report, blogs’ influence on women’s purchase decisions is likely related to the amount of trust they place in the information and advice they gather from this source. Among BlogHer network respondents that are active users of each of the following media sources, 98% trust the information they receive from blogs, ahead of Facebook (86%), Twitter (85%), and Pinterest (85%). Among general population respondents, blogs and Pinterest (both at 85%) are the most trusted, with Twitter (73%) and Facebook (67%) trailing.

Facebook More a Social Space

Facebook is possibly less trusted as an information source due to women seeing it more as a communal space rather than as an information source. Presented with various categories, general population respondents chose Facebook over blogs for staying up to date with friends and family (87% vs. 20%), having fun (77% vs. 41%), entertainment (69% vs. 50%), and contributing to a community (41% vs. 28%).

By contrast, women said blogs were better suited than Facebook to find out about new products (41% vs. 24%), seek advice and recommendations (39% vs. 35%), get product information (37% vs. 17%), and help make purchase decisions (36% vs. 17%).

Other Findings:

General population respondents indicated they were more likely to use Pinterest than Twitter to find out about new products (39% vs. 24%), to have fun (58% vs. 47%), and to get product information (26% vs. 18%).
Daily blog readers from the general population sample were 52.2% more likely than the overall general population sample to say that turning to an online or social media site is the first thing they do when they want to buy something (35% vs. 23%). They were also far less likely to say they do not go online or to social media for a shopping decision (19% vs. 41%). According to a white paper released in January 2012 by Fleishman-Hillard in partnership with Hearst Magazine, more women reported that information found online (40%) was a highly important decision factor to them than their parents (30%), friends (27%), and children (24%). Additionally, information found online was also more significant than information in magazines (17%), newspapers (17%), or on the TV (16%).
BlogHer network respondents were more likely than the general population sample to use Facebook (94% vs. 84%) and YouTube (75% vs. 62%), and less likely to watch TV (85% vs. 93%).

About the Data: The BlogHer survey fielded two samples online in February 2012. The results are based on the BlogHer network sample of 1,060 women, and the general population sample of 1,011 women. The general population survey was fielded by Vision Critical.

Microsoft unveils Windows 8 for testing

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Sun, 4 Mar 2012 14:20:00 +1000

Microsoft this week let consumers start trying out its upcoming touch-based Windows 8 operating system, which aims to power a new wave of computer tablets and traditional PCs designed to counter Apple's big gains in the market through its Macs and iPads.

The test "beta" version of the revamped system was introduced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the planet's largest cell phone trade show, and borrows some of the look of Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 software for Windows 8.

Windows 8 doesn't have the traditional "Start" menu, and applications are spread across a mosaic of tiles in a design Microsoft calls "Metro" - seen as an attempt by the company as a scramble to preserve its market share. And executives said it powers up on PCs in eight seconds, much faster than the previous version.

The tiles, which resemble road signs, can be navigated with a finger swipe on the screen or with a keyboard and mouse. But those testing out the new operating system won't be able to try out the finger swiping unless they already have systems enabled for touch use, and the system isn't expected to make its official debut until September or October.

Microsoft executives in Barcelona showed off how users can use their fingertips to swipe in and out of applications, and tilt upright computer screens to a flat position so they can be used as two-person gaming boards or big drawing tablets. A slim laptop had a hinge allowing it to be turned inside out so it could be used as a tablet instead.

"It's beautiful, it's modern, it's fast, it's fluid," said Steven Sinofsky, president of Microsoft's Windows division. "Windows 8 is a generational change in the windows operating system."

Microsoft is also opening an Internet "Windows Store" where users can download applications for the operating system, but only if they have Windows 8. Applications are free for those testing out the beta version, but would include both free and paid versions after the operating system is released.

The test version was downloaded by people from more than 70 countries as Microsoft gave its presentation about Windows 8, but the company didn't immediately disclose the number of downloads. The software can be downloaded at http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/consumer-preview.

Apple is also moving features from its iPhone and iPad software over to its Mac software. That trend will be particularly visible in Mountain Lion, the new Mac operating system that's expected to be released this summer.

Windows 8 will also be the first Microsoft software in a long time besides its cell phone software that will run on non-Intel style processors. The company is developing a version that will run on phone-style chips, such as those used in the iPad.

If Windows 8 is a hit, it could help struggling PC makers, including Hewlett-Packard Co. and Dell Inc. Besides giving businesses and consumers a reason to consider new PC purchases, Windows 8 is expected to spawn a new breed of hybrid machines that will be part tablet computer and part laptop like the device that Sinofsky demonstrated.

If Windows 8 is a flop, however, it will increase the pressure on Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. His 12-year reign has been marred by the company's troubles adapting to an Internet-driven upheaval. As Microsoft has stumbled, faster-innovating companies such as Apple and Google have elbowed their way into a position to steer the direction of computing for the next decade or two.

Microsoft's financial performance traditionally improves when it releases a new version of Windows. The last upgrade came in October 2009 when Windows 7 hit the market. The company has sold more than 525 million copies of Windows 7 since then. Part of Window 7's success stemmed from pent-up demand; the previous version, Vista, was so clunky and buggy that many PC users stuck with the system they already had on their machines or switched to Apple's technology on Mac computers.

Microsoft shares dipped 13 cents to close at $31.74 Wednesday after the new operating system was introduced. The stock has been hovering around its highest levels since April 2008.

Windows 8 is radically different from its predecessors, with its tiles that provide a glimpse at the activity occurring in applications connected to the Web, such as email.

The system also is expected to enable users to easily back up their pictures, movies, music and other files on a Microsoft storage service called SkyDrive, which will compete against Apple's iCloud.

Julie Larson-Green, head of "Windows Experience" and responsible for delivering a new operating system that wows the world's PC users, showed how documents and data can be stored in one device only to appear instantaneously in another.

"It will populate with everything you are used to using right away," she said.

The operating system's versatility means it can be used to power computer tablets, as well as traditional PCs.

Microsoft badly wants a piece of the tablet market that has been cutting into PC sales since Apple introduced the iPad two years ago.

In the quarter that included the holiday shopping season, Apple shipped 15.4 million iPads, more than doubling the volume from the same time a year earlier. Meanwhile, worldwide personal computer sales dipped slightly, and Microsoft's revenue in its Windows division declined 6 percent. It marked the fourth time in the past five quarters that Microsoft's Windows revenue has fallen from the previous year.

Reversing or slowing that trend is critical for Microsoft. It still relies on the PC industry for about 55 percent of its revenue, according to Nomura Equity Research analyst Rick Sherlund.

"The launch of Windows 8 should provide a few years of robust growth and opportunity for Microsoft to reposition itself to better defend its position against challengers," Sherlund wrote in a note after Microsoft reported the latest erosion in its Windows division.

Besides spurring more sales of the new operating system, Windows 8 is likely to drive demand for the next generation of the Office suite, another major moneymaker for Microsoft. In the demonstration in Barcelona, Office looked just like it normally does - but can be opened with a finger swipe.

Windows 8 could inspire more PC makers to design machines that combine the convenience of tablets with the utility of a notebook computer. These devices would be similar to the so-called "ultrabook" computers that offer a Windows-based version of Apple's lightweight MacBook Air machines.

Once Windows 8 is available, the ultrabook line could be expanded to include machines equipped with a screen that swivels off the keyboard to take advantage of the system's touch controls and provide a tablet-like experience.

Story source: www.ninemsn.com.au

The Safe Way to Save Data Online

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Sat, 3 Mar 2012 09:07:00 +1000

Maybe you’ve seen this error message on your computer: “Oops … the system encountered a problem (#700).” Or this one: “Arrggh! Our tubes are clogged!”. Or, sometimes most distressing of all, a notice that a site will be shut down.

These are no ordinary messages. They’re attached to online services that store your mail and contacts (Gmail); photo collection (Flickr); music (Lala) and more. When the computer servers on these sites -- and others like them -- go down, you lose access to your data, and you can’t do anything but wait.

More people are storing information on the Web than ever before -- 143 million in 2009 alone, according to ABI Research. That number is expected to grow to 160.6 million by 2015. Naturally, companies are coming out with new services that store files away from your computer and external drives, or “in the cloud.”

The rewards -- and risks -- of cloud computing
With this rush to offer cloud services comes unregulated risks that have caught the attention of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC has set its sights on the question of who owns the data on the servers and what happens to that data if you decide to discontinue using that service. Earlier this year, the FTC asked another government agency, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to look into what cloud computing means for individuals -- and whether the government needs to step in to protect you from cloud computing service providers.

“The storage of data on remote computers may ... raise privacy and security concerns for consumers,”wrote David Vladeck, head of the FTC's Consumer Protection Bureau, in a letter to the FCC. The FTC is concerned that the collection of data stored on a server could mean that your personal information is aggregated with other consumers’ to draw conclusions and sell to advertisers.

Although these issues still have months -- if not years -- to be resolved, cloud services are still a viable option for data storage. You just need to know how to keep your data safe.
How to protect yourself
“There are most definitely ways to protect yourself as a consumer,” says Jeffrey Payne, CEO of Coveros, a security consulting firm that analyzes software for risks. “While some risks are difficult to address, others are easily dealt with by anyone savvy enough to use Gmail.”

The World Privacy Forum suggests taking these steps to understand a service provider’s plans for your data:

Read the Terms of Service before placing any information in the cloud. If you don’t understand the Terms of Service, consider using a different cloud provider.
Don’t put anything in the cloud you would not want the government or a private litigant to see.
Pay close attention if the cloud provider reserves rights to use, disclose or make your information public while you’re using the service.
Read the privacy policy before placing your information in the cloud. If you don’t understand the policy, consider using a different provider.
Find out if, when you remove your data from the service, the cloud provider still retains rights to your information. Consider whether that makes a difference to you.
Ask if the cloud provider gives advance notice of any change of terms in the terms of service or privacy policy.

According to a study by Harris Interactive, 80 percent of respondents had security concerns with cloud computing. Knowing what the risks are -- and how to avoid them -- will make cloud computing a breeze.

Chinese court hears Apple appeal on iPad

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Fri, 2 Mar 2012 08:45:00 +1000

A Chinese high court has begun hearing an appeal brought by Apple against a Chinese firm, Proview Electronics, over the use of the iPad trademark.

Apple Inc is in several legal battles with Proview Electronics Co, which the US company says sold it the rights to the iPad trademark in 10 different countries, including China, in 2009. Apple contends that Proview has refused to honour the agreement and has not indicated any willingness to settle with Proview, a maker of computer monitors and LED lights.

Walking into the Guangdong High Court in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou on Wednesday, lawyers for Proview expressed confidence, but also indicated the company remained open to settling with Apple.

'I don't rule out the possibility,' Xie Xianghui, a lawyer representing Shenzhen Proview Technology, the company's main Chinese subsidiary, told reporters.

On Tuesday, Proview announced it was seeking to regain worldwide rights to the iPad name and is suing Apple Inc in the US for alleged fraud and unfair competition, hoping to have a 2009 sale of the trademark ruled void. Proview was previously only claiming rights to the iPad name in China.

Apart from having the trademark sale voided, it also is seeking unspecified compensation, a share of Apple's profits from alleged 'unfair competition' and an order for Apple to stop using the trademarks.

So far, two lower courts in Guangdong have sided with Proview on the issue, while a Hong Kong court ruled in Apple's favour. Last week, Shanghai's High Court rejected Proview's effort to get Apple to stop selling the popular tablet computer under the iPad name.

Proview, once a major computer monitor manufacturer, launched its own version of iPAD, or internet Personal Access Device, in 2000 but it was not a market hit. Apple launched its popular iPad in 2010.

Proview contends Apple intentionally misled it when it bought iPad trademarks through a special purpose company called IP Application Development Ltd that concealed it was acting on Apple's behalf.

Story source: www.bigpond.com

UK legal claims served via Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Andrew Real Estate Blog) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:30:00 +1000

Legal authorities say a judge at England's High Court has allowed lawyers to log on to Facebook to serve legal claims.

The Judicial Office for England and Wales said Justice Nigel Teare had agreed to the use of the popular social networking site to serve a claim in a commercial dispute.

Lawyers had been seeking a former employee embroiled in the dispute and successfully applied for permission to notify him via Facebook in a hearing last Friday.

The office had few other details of the case, but said it is thought to be the first time lawyers had sought to use Facebook in this manner.

Ordinarily British legal claims are served in hard copy, although unconventional means are occasionally employed if the people involved are hard to pin down.