Buzz Makes Move to Generate More User Interest

Twitter recently launched some new features for suggesting users to follow. The more people of interest you have to follow, the more useful you're bound to find the service. The same applies to Google Buzz, which is probably why Google decided to release a similar feature.

A Buzz Post from the Google Buzz Team says:

One of the things we've heard from avid Buzz users is that you're interested in finding more good people to follow. So starting today, the next time you load up the Buzz tab in Gmail, you may see just that: suggestions for new people you might be interested in following.

These suggestions are based on your frequent email/chat contacts, your public connections on other networks, and their activity on Google Buzz. Only people who have public Google profiles will appear as suggestions. If you see a suggestion you like, you can choose to follow them right from there. If you never want to see a suggestion for a particular person again, click "Ignore."

Buzz has been the subject of a great deal of criticism and skepticism since its launch. Once Google announced it was shutting down Google Wave, many began to predict that Google Buzz wouldn't be too far behind. Google hasn't shown any signs thus far that this will be the case. In fact, the company has been making moves (most notably with the Buzz API) to make the service more useful and better ensure it has a future.

How long that future lasts remains to be seen, but I wouldn't expect it to go away anytime soon.

Google Commits To "Canary Build" Of Chrome

Adventurous Google Chrome fans who are ready to try something beyond the stable, beta, and developer builds now have a fourth option.  Google recently announced what it's calling the "canary build," presumably in reference to the poor little birds that were once used as early warning systems in mines.

The purpose of the new canary build is in some ways similar.  Mark Larson, an engineering manager at Google, explained in a Google Groups thread, "The data we get back from canary users - especially crash statistics - helps us find and fix regressions faster."

Unlike miners' canaries, canary build users won't be screwed if things go wrong, though.  Google's made it possible for people to run two Chrome builds side by side, and Larson stated, "When something doesn't work on the canary, I can just fall back to my Beta Google Chrome."

There are some benefits to embracing the canary build, too.  Larson wrote, "[W]e're working on making it update as often as we have successful nightly builds. . . .  I recommend it for anyone who wants to help test the latest Chrome features."

So using the canary build of Google Chrome doesn't have to be a selfless act sure to end in (figurative) death.

Just note before trying to dive in that, at the moment, the canary build is only available for Windows, and it's not possible to set it as your default browser.

Microsoft Launches Limited Beta of New Security Essentials

Microsoft announced the beta for its next version of Microsoft Security Essentials today. Among the new features are:

- Windows Firewall integration
- Enhanced protection for web-based threats
- New protection engine
- network inspection system.

The new protection engine provides enhanced detection and cleanup features with better performance, according to the company. The network inspection system offers protection against network-based exploits. As far as web threats, Security Essentials integrates right with Internet Explorer.

The beta can be downloaded here (though some have apparently been having problems doing so). Microsoft offers a workaround here.

The limited beta is available in the U.S., Israel, and Brazil (the beta will also be available in China in Simplified Chinese later this year). It's available to genuine Windows users on a first come, first serve basis.

Apple To Address iPhone 4 Problems Friday

pple is holding a press conference tomorrow at 10 a.m. Pacific Time to address the issues surrounding the iPhone 4 and it antenna problem.

Many users of the iPhone 4 have reported weak reception when it's held a certain way, leading to it being called the "iPhone 4 death grip."



Earlier this week Consumer Reports said it could not recommend the iPhone 4, but did mention attaching duct tape to the antenna gap to remedy the reception issues.

"Apple needs to come up with a permanent-and free-fix for the antenna problem before we can recommend the iPhone 4," Consumer Reports said.

The controversy surrounding the iPhone has even attracted the attention of Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) who said in a letter to Apple CEO Steve Jobs that the solutions offered to fix the problem have been "insufficient."

"The burden for consumers caused by this glitch, combined with the confusion over its cause and how it will be fixed, has the potential to undermine the many benefits of this innovative device," Schumer wrote.

"To address this concern, I ask that Apple provide iPhone 4 customers with a clearly written explanation of the cause of the reception problem and make a public commitment to remedy it free-of-charge. The solutions offered to date by Apple for dealing with the so-called "death grip" malfunction-such as holding the device differently, or buying a cover for it-seem to be insufficient." source: www.webpronews.com/topnews/

More Cloud Announcements from Microsoft

Yesterday Microsoft had plenty of news coming out of its Worldwide Partner Conference, and today the news continues.

The company's new channel chief, Jon Roskill, addressed the Microsoft partner community for the first time, and unveiled business strategies and resources to help partners utilize the cloud (a major theme of Microsoft's during the event).

"The industry is at an inflection point, and Microsoft is leading the charge through what will be one of the biggest industry transformations of our time," said Roskill. "Partners have always been fundamental to Microsoft's business, and we are committed to helping our partners adapt and find the right cloud opportunities so we can grow and succeed together."

During the keynote, Roskill detailed partner opportunity guides for cloud services, the new Microsoft Cloud Essentials Pack and Microsoft Cloud Accelerate Program designation, as well as new solution incentives for partners. More from Roskill here.

Andy Lees, senior VP of Microsoft's Mobile Communications Business, announced that Windows Phone 7 will be complemented in the cloud by a new Windows Phone Live site. This will include a "Find My Phone" feature that lets users find and manage a missing phone with map, ring, lock and erase capabilities (BlackBerry just unveiled a similar security app as well).

Also today, Microsoft is launching Practice Accelerator aimed at making training and offering IP more accessible to partners, and Intuit is developing an SDK for Windows Phone 7.

Google Expands Its Reach With YouTube Leanback

Forget scooting forward, typing a fresh search query, playing with the mouse, and then pushing back again between clips. YouTube Leanback has debuted, and it's meant to make watching consecutive YouTube videos a more relaxed and uninterrupted experience.

YouTube Leanback qualifies as one of a number of projects meant to take Google into new markets and different parts of the average person's life. Consider that Chrome OS is supposed to make a splash on desktops, YouTube Mobile's targeted at cell phones, and Google TV is supposed to make the company a central fixture in living rooms.

In fact, YouTube Leanback might even turn out to be a sort of beta version of Google TV, since that isn't too close to arriving.

Anyway, if you haven't already guessed based on its descriptive name, a post on the YouTube Blog explained that YouTube Leanback, which is itself in beta, "is all about letting you sit back, relax and be entertained. Videos tailored to your interests play as soon as you visit the site and they play in full screen and high definition, continuously."

The post later explained, "This feed is based on your YouTube settings and preferences, including content from your subscriptions and videos your friends are sharing on Facebook (assuming you've connected your YouTube account to your Facebook account)."

As for the interface, everything can be controlled using only arrow keys, and you can get an idea
of what the whole thing looks like thanks to the following screenshot, which YouTube sent to WebProNews.

This should go over well with individuals who spend a lot of time on YouTube. It's likely to inspire more people to try watching YouTube on a proper TV, too.

Of course, YouTube for Television was introduced in January of last year, and YouTube XL was released about five months later, so Google's not at all guaranteed to achieve success here.

NASA Launches Free Online Moon Game

NASA has released a new free online video game called Moonbase Alpha.

Moonbase Alpha has single and multiplayer options that allow users to play the role of an exploration team member in a futuristic 3-D lunar settlement. Players must work to repair systems and oxygen flow after a meteor strike damages a solar array and life support equipment. Resoruces include an interactive command center, a lunar rover, mobile robotic repair units and an equipment shed.



It is the first game in NASA's Learning Technologies project. The project supports the delivery of NASA content through interactive technologies such as virtual worlds, games and software applications to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, education.

Moonbase Alpha is a precursor to a planned NASA-based massively, multiplayer online game project. The project is being designed to have content and missions that require players to gain and demonstrate STEM knowledge to succeed.

NASA released the game on Valve's Steam network. The agency will use the Steamworks suite of services for server browsing, leaderboards, and statistics.

NASA has released a new free online video game called Moonbase Alpha.

Moonbase Alpha has single and multiplayer options that allow users to play the role of an exploration team member in a futuristic 3-D lunar settlement. Players must work to repair systems and oxygen flow after a meteor strike damages a solar array and life support equipment. Resoruces include an interactive command center, a lunar rover, mobile robotic repair units and an equipment shed.



It is the first game in NASA's Learning Technologies project. The project supports the delivery of NASA content through interactive technologies such as virtual worlds, games and software applications to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, education.

Moonbase Alpha is a precursor to a planned NASA-based massively, multiplayer online game project. The project is being designed to have content and missions that require players to gain and demonstrate STEM knowledge to succeed.

NASA released the game on Valve's Steam network. The agency will use the Steamworks suite of services for server browsing, leaderboards, and statistics.

USA.gov Search Now Powered By Bing

The U.S. General Services Administration has launched a newly redesigned USA.gov featuring new mobile applications and better search functionality.

"Revamped with direct input from the public, USA.gov leverages cutting-edge technology to provide faster, easier, more innovative government services directly to the American people," said Dave McClure, GSA Associate Administrator of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies.

"Through mobile apps, citizens can leverage government information to make decisions affecting their daily lives, whether checking airport wait times in line at the airport or scanning a bar code at their local store to check for food and product recalls."

USA.gov's new search engine, powered by Bing, is nine times faster than the previous website and helps users navigate through government information with "related search-as-you-type" function.

Initially featuring 17 mobile applications, USA.gov said it plans to expand the number and invites the public to share feedback on app they find useful by using government information available on data.gov and usaspending.gov.

The USA.gov mobile apps gallery features product recalls, U.S. Postal Service tools, U.S. Transportation Security Administration's MyTSA, USA.gov Mobile, National Institutes of Health's mobile MedLine Plus and body mass indicator calculator, Environmental Protection Agency's ultraviolet index, U.S. Department of Agriculture's My Food-a-Pedia, National Renewable Energy Laboratory's alternative fuel station locator and FuelEconomy.gov, Department of State's America.gov mobile and U.S. embassy locator, EPA Mobile, FBI's most wanted, Federal Emergency Management Agency mobile, NASA app, and Veterans Affairs mobile.

USA.gov provides information from and links to more than 10,000 pages of federal, state, and local government information. Information on student loans, child care, small business licensing regulations, visa information, and more are available through the website. source: www.webpronews.com/topnews/

New Apple Tablet Evidence Surfaces: Around 50 Test Devices Identified

A new report by mobile analytics firm Flurry concludes that the Apple Tablet indeed exists, that about 50 test units are housed at Apple’s headquarters, and that it is primarily a media machine for gaming.

Flurry’s analytics platform, because it’s run on thousands of different applications worldwide, is able to measure data such as OS, location, and engagement. In its data, Flurry has discerned that a group of about 50 devices are running the yet-unreleased iPhone OS 3.2 software, all of which have been geographically pinpointed to be located on Apple’s main Cupertino, CA campus.

Flurry concludes that these devices are most likely the fabled Apple Tablets that we expect to be announced on January 27th, though the company traces testing on these devices back to “as early as October of last year.” App usage has increased dramatically this month, consistent with what we’d expect for an Apple-built tablet.

Approximately 200 of the apps that Flurry tracks were downloaded onto these mystery devices. Approximately 75% of the apps downloaded, ~150, fall into the gaming category, with entertainment, books, and lifestyle apps being the next most popular. Here’s a graph depicting the downloads:

While this is no confirmation of the unicorn-like tablet, it is some of the strongest evidence we’ve seen yet. We’d expect that any copies of the device would be placed under secure lock-and-key at Apple’s HQ and that it would be able to run iPhone apps.

One interesting observation: this device seems to run the iPhone 3.2 software, rather than the iPhone 4.0 OS that is rumored to be unveiled this week. Could that mean that the device Flurry has identified isn’t the tablet, or that iPhone 4.0 won’t be ready for release for several more months? We’ll find out on Wednesday.

source: http://mashable.com/2010/01/24/flurry-apple-tablet/

Facebook Phasing Out Microsoft Ads in Favor of More Social Formats

When Microsoft invested $240 million to take a small stake in Facebook at the then gargantuan valuation of $15 billion, the deal was as much about securing an ad deal as an equity bet. But now, Microsoft is seeing some of its advertising pulled as the social network continues to build out its own ad options and revenue models.

According to BusinessWeek, Facebook (Facebook) has dropped Microsoft’s banner advertising in several international markets, and is considering doing the same in the US. Currently, Microsoft serves fairly generic banner advertising on Facebook, but the social network is pushing more engaging formats, like brands promoting their Pages and encouraging users and their friends to become fans.

Perhaps then, this a sign that Facebook’s social ads are performing well and its business is maturing – so much so that the company needs to grab back some of the inventory that has previously been filled by Microsoft. At this point, that looks more likely than any sort of riff between the two companies, whose deal also includes Bing powering web search results on Facebook.

Recent estimates suggest that Facebook is on track to bring in more than $700 million in revenue for 2010.
source: http://mashable.com/2010/01/20/facebook-microsoft-ad-deal/

Google Changes How It Handles Synonyms

In a post on the Official Google Blog, Google opens up the curtains a bit on how it handles synonyms in search queries and results. It’s a fairly detailed peek inside one aspect of Google’s search algorithms — an aspect that Google says affects a lot of searches:

“…our measurements show that synonyms affect 70 percent of user searches across the more than 100 languages Google supports. We took a set of these queries and analyzed how precise the synonyms were, and were happy with the results: For every 50 queries where synonyms significantly improved the search results, we had only one truly bad synonym.”

Google shares an example of a bad synonym: substituting “pc” as a synonym for “precision” in a search query like [dell system speaker driver precision 360].

Google also says it’s changing how synonyms are displayed in search results: Rather than only bolding direct variants of words (like “photos” for “pictures”), Google has “extended this to words that our algorithms very confidently think mean the same thing, even if they are spelled nothing like the original term.”

On his personal blog, Matt Cutts follows up the official post with some words of advice for webmasters:

“Think about the different words that searchers might use when looking for your content. Don’t just use technical terms–think about real-world terms and slang that users will type. For example, if you’re talking about a “usb drive,” some people might call it a flash drive or a thumb drive.”

The official post also mentions that users can turn off synonyms by putting a plug sign (+) before a word in your query, or by putting the query in quotation marks.

Not mentioned in either post is that you can use the tilde symbol (~) to force Google to show additional synonyms (and related words) for your query. For example, a search for [~murder statistics] leads Google to bold words like “crime,” “crime statistics,” “suicide statistics,” “criminal,” and more.

Vodafone Sells 50,000 iPhones in First 24 Hours

Vodafone, the fourth carrier in the UK to get the iPhone, had an impressive first day of sales, unloading more than 50,000 iPhones on Thursday alone according to The Independent. To put that in perspective, Vodafone sold 30,000 more iPhones in a single day than Google sold Nexus Ones in a full week.

What’s perhaps most interesting about the news is that in the UK the iPhone is already sold by Orange, O2 (whose exclusive deal with Apple expired at the end of 2009), and Tesco. In fact, Vodafone actually out sold Orange by a ratio of 5:3 for the first 24 hour period.

The Independent writes:

“There had been fears the group would see customers move to rival operators as a result. However, one company insider said: “When we didn’t get the iPhone initially, everyone predicted that customers would leave. These sales figures have proved that wrong.”

This came despite Vodafone offering customers the device on a similar tariff to Orange and O2, scotching talk that a bitter price war was set to break out. Both Orange and Vodafone have instead looked to sell the phone off the strength of their networks. Mr Laurence reiterated yesterday that the “exceptional demand” had been driven by the strength of the company’s network.”

If anything, Vodafone’s initial success with the iPhone clearly demonstrates that each additional carrier matters to Apple’s bottom-line, and may even serve as a bit of foreshadowing for the day that Verizon gets the iPhone in the United States.

source: http://mashable.com/2010/01/16/vodafone-iphone-sales/

The Big List: 2010 Marketing Predictions & Resolutions

Here we are, starting the second full week of 2010. Chances are good that you’ve already made your own marketing resolutions for the new year, or perhaps penned your own set of predictions for what 2010 will mean to online marketers. If so, you’re not alone; there’s been a lot of thinking about the new year amongst internet marketers.

Just like last year, I’ve been collecting links to as many articles as I could find that offer predictions and resolutions for 2010 to create the following big list. And you’re welcome to let me know what I missed down in the comments.

SEO

• Search Engine Land: Link Building Trends For 2010
• Search Engine Watch: 5 New Year Resolutions for Search Marketers in 2010
• Acidgreen: SEO Trends in 2010: Search Engine Optimization Techniques for Online Marketers
• Internet Marketing Inc.: Three 2010 SEO Trends to Look Out For: Social Media, Onpage SEO & Link Diversity
• Small Business Trends: SEO Trends to Watch for in 2010
• SEOptimise: 20 SEO New Year’s Resolutions for 2010
• Search Engine Land: 6 New Years Resolutions For In-House SEMs
• Search Engine Journal: 2010: A New Age For Search Marketers
• SEOmoz: 8 Predictions for SEO in 2010
• David Harry: White Coat SEO resolutions for the New Year

Search Marketing/PPC

• Search Engine People: My 3 PPC Resolutions – Why 2010 Will be Defined by Mobile, Facebook and the Website Optimizer
• PPC Without Pity: Three PPC Predictions For 2010
• Search Engine Land: My PPC New Year Resolutions
• Search Engine Watch: Search Marketing 2010: Plan ahead by looking back
• PPC Hero: 5 PPC Resolutions for 2010
• Search Engine Land: Five Search Marketing Predictions For 2010
• Web.com: 5 Pay-Per-Click Trends to Watch in 2010
• Google: Think2010: Personalization and accountability (Google AdWords video series)
• Search Engine Land: 2010 Planning: 3 Tips To Improve Search Results Next Year
• eMarketer: eMarketer Weighs In on 2010: Online Advertising & Usage

Local/Mobile Search

• GigaOM: Will 2010 Finally be the Year of Location?
• Local SEO Guide: Local SEO Predictions 2010
• Mashable: Location, Location, Location: 5 Big Predictions for 2010
• Small Business Trends: Five Can’t-Miss Mobile Marketing Trends For 2010
• Search Engine Land: Predictions For The Changing Local Search Landscape In 2010
• Marketing Charts: Top 10 Wireless Predictions for 2010

Social Media

• Social Media Explorer: Five Things We Should All Do In 2010
• Mashable: Facebook: 5 Predictions for 2010
• ReadWriteWeb: 10 Ways Social Media Will Change In 2010
• Dan Zarrella: My Predictions for Social Media Marketing in 2010
• DreamGrow Digital: 22 Social Media Marketing Trends for 2010
• Social Media B2B: 11 B2B Social Media Predictions For 2010
• eMarketer: eMarketer Weighs In on 2010 Trends: Social Media & Paid Content
• Search Engine Land: 12 Social Media New Year’s Resolutions For 2010
• 10e20: 6 More Social Media New Year’s Resolutions For 2010
• Harvard Business Review: Six Social Media Trends for 2010
• 451 Marketing: Top Social Media Strategists to Watch in 2010
• SmartBlog on Social Media: Looking ahead to 2010 with Shiv Singh

Video

• Reel SEO: 11 Predictions for the Online Video Industry in 2010
• VidiSEO: 2010 Video Marketing Predictions

Analytics

• Search Engine Land: 5 Web Analytics New Year Resolutions
• Avinash Kaushik: Five Sweet Web Analytics Resolutions To Kick It Up A Notch

General Online Marketing

• Online Marketing Blog: 5 Online Marketing Resolutions for 2010
• Conversation Marketing: 11 internet marketing trends to ignore in 2010
• Search Agents: The Search Agents Predictions for Online Marketing in 2010
• Search Cowboys: Disa Johnson’s 2010 predictions
• Online Marketing Blog: 5 Top Email Marketing Tactics for 2010
• Ad Age: 9 Digital Marketing Mistakes I Won’t Make Next Year
• Hit Search: 43 Internet Marketing predictions for 2010
• MediaPost: 10 Things Changing Marketing In 2010
• Mashable: Marketing in 2010: It’s All About the Data
• Fast Company: 10 Marketing Predictions for 2010
• Search Engine Land: 5 Things On My B2B Wishlist For 2010
• Jeremiah Owyang: 2010 Trends: More Speed and Integration (video)
• eMarketer: Seven Predictions for 2010 from eMarketer’s CEO
• Forrester: 2010: The Year Marketing Dies…
• eMarketer: eMarketer Weighs In on 2010 Trends: UK & Europe
• Online Marketing Blog: SES Chicago: Internet Marketing Tips for 2010
• Web Profits: 2010 Online Marketing Predictions
• Evan Carmichael: The Top 50 Marketing Blogs To Watch in 2010

Miscellaneous

• Small Business Trends: Public Relations Trends for 2010
• Kosmix: Some predictions for 2010
• ineedhits: Our Search Wishlist for 2010
• Small Business Trends: Top Web Design Trends For Small Business In 2010
• John Battelle: Predictions 2010
• PR Squared: 2010 Predictions for Communications
• New York Times: Five Tech Themes for 2010
• TechCrunch: Ten Technologies That Will Rock 2010
• New York Times: Five 2010 Predictions About Tech Companies
• Google Operating System: Predictions for Google’s 2010
• USA Today: Ask an Expert: Top 10 Trends in Small Business for 2010 (Part 1)
• USA Today: Ask an Expert: Top 10 Trends in Small Business for 2010 (Part 2)
• CNN: 2010: Year of digital distraction?
• Web Design Ledger: Web Design Trends for 2010
• iMedia Connection: 9 digital trends to watch in 2010
• Digital Media Buzz: Top Digital Trends For 2010
• CNN: 10 Web trends to watch in 2010
• Trendwatching: 10 Crucial Consumer Trends for 2010

source: http://searchengineland.com/big-list-2010-marketing-predictions-resolutions-33200

Near Me Now: Google’s Mobile Homepage is Location Aware

Go to Google.com in your iPhone or Android browser and you’ll see a small new addition to the homepage: a tiny Near Me Now option below the search box. The new functionality turns your location into an automated search query and makes finding or learning about places in your immediate vicinity a no-brainer.

The U.S.-only functionality uses GPS on your device to pinpoint your whereabouts and sort nearby results — right on the Google.com mobile homepage — into the following functional categories: Explore right here, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and ATMs and banks.

In fact, the “Explore right here option” serves up an instant drop-down menu, providing you with results that are literally right in front of you. You’ll immediately get a quick glance at a venue’s Place Page rating and its distance from you. As a result, the simple and smart addition to the mobile Google experience is bound to be both a big time saver and a boon for Place Pages.

It’s no mystery that Google is trying to attack mobile location-based services and customer review sites like Foursquare and Yelp head-on, and actively promote its Place Pages. This update is a natural progression to help it do just that. We do have to wonder, however, as to why the functionality isn’t a part of the Google Mobile app yet.

source: http://mashable.com