This blog is about the Internet online industry, the trends, news and latest happenings
Digines - Google gifts Android phones to employees - Best & worst logos of 2008 - Wsj.com adds new features - Newspaper websites gain - MVNO license in India
Diginews - Warner music quits Youtube - Huffingtonpost stealing content? - Nokia mail on Ovi - China blocking NYT - Newspaper shuns web and thrives - Youtube generates more searches than Yahoo
Diginews - Repairs begin on undersea cable - Spanish airline launches MVNO - Youtube making millions for Universal Music - Academics to publish work on Wiki
Diginews - Yahoo picks 30% stake in Indian co - Motorola CEO takes pay cut - Yahoo shuts Kickstart - Socnet for NY Hotel
Diginews - Apple ditches Macworld - Nytimes needs 7x more traffic - Real names on Myspace - Yahoo to cut personal data storage duration - Ipod tax - Newscorp moves to Nasdaq
Diginews - Wiki launches mobile site - Dell made $1mn thru Twitter - Serious flaw in IE - Legal notice thru Facebook - BT to go ahead with Phorm
Diginews - Twitter integrates Google Friend connect - Davos WEF on Youtube - Ecom fraud touches $4B - Teacher sells ad on tests - NY Times freezes wages - Top innovations 2008 - China 3G license -
YouTube users are asked to answer one of four questions:
- Are you confident that global growth will be restored in 2009?
- Will the environment lose out to the economy in 2009?
- Will the Obama administration improve the state of the world in 2009?
- Should company executives have a code of ethics similar to doctors and lawyers?
Diginews - Iphone as a Credit card terminal - Russian patents ;-) - Flickr veteran laid off - India mulls censoring Google Earth - Asense for Domains
India goes 3G - Playstation soc net - Investor shows how to structure Yahoo search deal - Musicane - Gmail SMS chat - Windows Mobile slide - Cha Cha fastest SMS mobile search
3G enters India with MTNL launch
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh put the country on the global 3G map on thursday when he launched the services on the state owned MTNL network in Delhi. The 3G platform will enable telcos to offer high-end services such as high-speed internet, video conferencing on mobiles, interactive gaming, ultra fast downloads of video and music clips amongst other services. The PM also witnessed for sometime a live telecast of the India-England Test match on a mobile handset using 3G services.
PlayStation Home opens its doors
Sony's long awaited next-gen social networking site for PlayStation users goes into open beta today. PlayStation Home will let gamers create their own avatar -a virtual representation of themselves - and then interact with other users in a 3D environment. Players can chat to other users, invite them into their own "home", and will soon be able to stream music and video.
CBS to Merge CBSNews.com, CNET Newsrooms
CBS, which acquired CNET Networks for $1.8 billion in May, plans to merge its CBSNews.com and CNET newsrooms, and in the process lay off an unknown number of staffers. It's not clear whether the company's CBSNews.com and News.com sites will also be combined, although CBS Interactive CEO Quincy Smith told PaidContent back in June that "News.com is the pre-eminent place for tech news to date. We don't want to disturb that."
Walmart's Revivals of AC/DC, Others Are Reviving Music Industry
The world's biggest retailer has taken bands that seemed well past their prime and put their new releases at the top of the charts. That has created a new business model that has opened a new revenue stream for Walmart and promises -- at least for some bands -- a way out of the music industry's download-fueled downward spiral.
Sony, EMI Join Forces With Musicane to Take Bite Out of Apple
Sony BMG Music Entertainment and EMI Music -- the world's second- and fourth-largest record companies -- have reached deals with social-shopping company Musicane to offer their digital song catalogues for sale online through widgets. The move reflects a record industry that's trying to loosen Apple's vise-like grip on the digital-music category. Musicane has the added advantage of being able to offer additional money to artists who use its widgets on their own websites or blogs: An extra 5% of gross sales receipts is paid to whoever has installed the widget on a website, blog or social-network page. If that person is the artist, he or she will earn the 5%.
Gannett Says Now Is the Time to Invest in Digital, Launches ContentOne
The company described its digital business as "profitable," and predicts it will bring in between $700 and $725 million through its digital properties next year. Building on its acquisition of rich media ad tech firm PointRoll in 2005, Gannett enhanced its digital infrastructure this year by launching a series of local mom-centric social sites, buying in total the online shopping circular company ShopLocal, gaining a controlling stake in jobs classifieds site Careerbuilder, and acquiring social media services firm Ripple6.
Gmail Enables SMS Messaging From Chat
Only a few days after the launch of its new task manager, Gmail has introduced a new feature allowing users to send free SMS messages through its integrated Chat. To activate the feature, visit the Gmail Labs page and scroll down until you see the appropriate listing.
Microsoft Lags Behind Mobile Rivals
Microsoft's mobile strategy is on the rocks, says BusinessWeek's Olga Kharif. In the third quarter, rival Apple shipped more iPhones than the 56 smartphone makers that create Windows Mobile-powered phones combined, according to research firm Canalys. In the past year, Windows Mobile has slid from being the world's second most popular mobile operating system to the No. 4 spot, behind Nokia's Symbian, Apple's OS X and Research in Motion's BlackBerry. To make matters worse, Google's Android operating system has been met with popular demand, causing a host of new carriers and handset makers to sign-up for making mobile devices that run on the Windows Mobile rival.
Big investor shows how Yahoo could structure search deal with Microsoft
"We envision a deal whereby Microsoft would acquire all of Yahoo's search assets and enter into a perpetual agreement for Microsoft to be the search provider for all Yahoo properties. In this deal, Microsoft would own and operate the combined search platform while Yahoo would become an affiliate that retains 80% of the revenues generated from the search traffic on its own sites. In addition, Microsoft would become the search engine for Yahoo's existing search affiliates. This deal would offer Microsoft the unique opportunity to immediately gain critical mass to better level the playing field with Google, while it would simultaneously allow Yahoo to both receive a sizable upfront cash payment and increase its prospective cash flow (i.e., EBITDA).
According to Nielsen, ChaCha is the fastest growing SMS mobile search service
According to Nielsen, ChaCha is the fastest growing SMS mobile search service for the second consecutive quarter, capturing more than 28 percent of the market. ChaCha is speeding past Yahoo SMS and gaining significant ground on Google SMS. For advertisers looking for an effective way to reach their target demographic with low risk and high ROI, the mobile search and answers space will be an important space to watch in 2009.
Diginews - Nortel bankrupt? - Text into space - Vertu Club MVNO - Zune phone - Nytimes.com ad campaign
Diginews - Sarin Yahoo CEO? - Mobile Ad guide - Myspace friends up with Google - Google Magazine search - Myspace toolbar
Arun Sarin being considered for Yahoo job
Among those being considered is Arun Sarin, who retired as chief executive of Vodafone Group PLC in July, according to people familiar with the matter.
Mobile Marketer's Classic Guide to Mobile Advertising
Targeting advertisers, media planners and buyers, agency executives, publishers, teleservices pros, carrier officials and service providers, this guide is chock-full of information on how to conceive, execute and analyze mobile ad campaigns. Mobile advertising is at a critical juncture in its history. Marketers have expressed interest in reaching consumers on the go through opted-in marketing, advertising and promotions. But not too many know their way around this latest wing of the multichannel marketing industry.
MySpace Links MySpaceID to Google Friend Connect
MySpace.com is teaming up with Internet search leader Google Inc. in a campaign to extend MySpace's reach and counter the expansion of their common rival Facebook Inc. The alliance, unveiled late Monday in Paris, builds upon MySpace's seven-month-old effort to make it easier for the 127 million worldwide users of its online hangout to connect with their social circles while they're at other Internet destinations.
Paulo Coelho: "MySpace Is My Wife, Facebook Is My Mistress"
Coelho, who has sold 135 million copies of The Alchemist
Google Adds Print Magazines To Book Search
In addition to books, Google has announced that they will be bringing more magazine archives and current magazines online, partnering with publishers to begin digitizing millions of articles from titles as diverse as New York Magazine, Popular Mechanics, and Ebony.
MySpace to launch MySpace Toolbar on Wednesday
MySpace is making a number of announcements today. In addition to MySpaceID, the company will be announcing the launch of MySpace Toolbar for Internet Explorer and Firefox. For now only Windows users will be able to run MySpace Toolbar - a Mac version is promised soon.
Gmail Finally Gets A To-Do List
Someone at Google finally realized how helpful it would be to add a to-do list to Gmail. It is called "Tasks" and is now available in Gmail Labs (click on the beaker icon next to "Settings" on the upper right hand corner of Gmail). When you enable Tasks, it appears as a link in the left-hand column under Contacts. Click on the link and a box pops up in the lower right-hand corner like it does with Gtalk. You can add tasks, reorder them, cross out completed tasks, switch to a new list, or pop out the box to keep on your desktop.
Ralph Lauren's Web Strategy Eclipsing the Magazines it Advertises In
Dylan Stableford: Polo.com boasts an average of more than 3 million unique visitors a month, a full-on digital magazine and more flash content than most magazine Web sites. The company itself has "a couple hundred" employees on the digital side. All of which begs the question: If your brand's Web site is so successful, why bother advertising on magazine sites, whose traffic—and expertise—you dwarf?
Virtual world for Muslims debuts
A trial version of the first virtual world aimed at the Muslim community has been launched.Called Muxlim Pal, it allows Muslims to look after a cartoon avatar that inhabits the virtual world. Based loosely on other virtual worlds such as The Sims, Muxlim Pal lets members customise the look of their avatar and its private room. Aimed at Muslims in Western nations, Muxlim Pal's creators hope it will also foster understanding among non-Muslims.
Sony Ericsson to develop Android-based handset
Sony Ericsson announced its membership in the Google-led Open Handset Alliance industry group, confirming the move signals its intention to develop a device based on Google's Android mobile OS. According to Sony Ericsson, joining the ranks of the Open Handset Alliance complements the handset maker's existing Open OS strategy, which is based on the Symbian and Windows Mobile platforms.
Would You Pay Money to See Your Favorite Site Ad-Free?
When we asked consumers if they would pay $39.99 a year, which comes out to less than $4 a month, for an ad-free version of one of their favorite sites, only 2.4% said definitely yes, they would be likely to do so. And only 3.5% said they'd be very likely. In fact, 84% of the people said they'd be unlikely or not at all likely. Consumers might "hate ads," but not enough to pay even as little as a few cents a day to avoid them.
Newspaper Ad Revenues See Historic 18% Drop
Total print and online newspaper advertising revenues plummeted to $8.92 billion in Q3 2008, an 18% drop of nearly $2 billion from Q3 2007, and a 6.9% drop from Q2 2008, according to figures released by the Newspaper Association of America, MarketingCharts reports.
Amazon Innovates Its Way Through The Recession
How does Amazon.com finally plan to put its brick and mortar competitors out of business? Using a new mobile feature from the online retailing giant, consumers can take mobile photos of items they want to buy, store them in an online shopping cart, and then complete the purchase --usually at a discount -- whenever they want. The application, designed for Apple's iPhone, lets consumers reference Amazon's entire catalog of items and complete purchases with a single click.
An Interview With a Cost-Per-Lead Expert
Performance media buying is one way to minimize risk associated with media dollars in these strange economic times. a scoop from an expert in the space: Jonah Mytro, director of Mediaspike, based in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Yahoo cuts search agency commissions in UK
Yahoo! has been informing agencies that it will be reducing the levels of UK paid search commission it hands out from the 1st January 2009. The move follows Google's decision to scrap their similar scheme Best Practice Funding (BPF) entirely on the same day. Although Google's move is the more extreme, agencies have been 15 months notice to plan for the changes, while Yahoo's move has only just been announced.
Diginews - Tribune files for Ch. 11 - TV guide sold for $1 - NYT to borrow against bldg - Mouse turns 40 - Ballmer Qi q&a - Facebook phone
Tribune files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Tribune Co files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday, according to a court filing. Tribune and several dozen affiliates file for bankruptcy protection with U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware. Tribune says has $7.60 billion assets, $12.97 billion debts as of today, December 8.
Yahoo CEO hunt saga, Chernin may not be interested
"If you were Chernin, would you want to trade your powerful, well-paid, glamorous job in Hollywood and New York for what will surely be a slog of a job in Sunnyvale, and in a cubicle?" In any case, Chernin is still in negotiations to extend his hefty contract with News Corp beyond its June expiration, and having his name floated doesn't hurt.
TV guide sold for $1
In 1988, TV Guide was sold to Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation for about $3 billion. In 2000, it was sold for $9.2 billion. Last week, TV Guide once again changed hands. This time, the selling price was one dollar.
New York Times Co. to Borrow Up to $225M Against Building
The Times Company owns 58 percent of the 52-story, 1.5 million-square-foot tower on Eighth Avenue, which was designed by the architect Renzo Piano, and completed last year. The developer Forest City Ratner owns the rest of the building. The Times Company's portion of the building is not currently mortgaged, and some investors have complained that the company has too much of its capital tied up in that real estate. The company is borrowing to ease a potential cash flow squeeze as the company grapples with tighter credit and shrinking profits. Standard & Poor's recently lowered its credit rating on the Times Company below investment grade, and Moody's Investors Service has said it was considering a similar move. Times Company stock, which has lost more than half its value this year, closed on Friday at $7.64, down 30 cents.
The humble mouse hits 40-year milestone
On 9 December 1968 hi-tech visionary Douglas Engelbart first used one to demonstrate novel ways of working with computers.The first mouse that Dr Engelbart used in the demo at the Fall Joint Computer Conference (FJCC) was made of wood and had one button. Much of the technology shown off in the demo inspired the creation of the hardware and software now widely used. Dont miss the video.
Microsoft Interview: Steve Ballmer And Qi Lu
In the first joint interview together, Mr. Ballmer and Dr. Lu on Friday morning discussed their plan for making Microsoft more competitive on the Internet. Mr. Ballmer also reiterated his interest in acquiring in Yahoo's search business and how it would be better for both companies if they can do a deal "sooner than later."
The Decline and Fall of an Ultra Rich Online Gaming Empire
The rise and fall of Internet Gaming Entertainment
A Profile Of Google's Sergey Brin by The Economist
Sergey Brin, one of the founders of Google, believes knowledge is always a good thing—and that more of it should be shared.
Yahoo BOSS Reaches 10 Million Queries Per Day
Yahoo Search BOSS, a search web service which launched just last July, is now serving an average of more than 10 million daily queries, or 100 queries per second, the company says.
3 debuts 'Facebook phone'
Mobile network operator has launched the first handset designed to fully integrate Facebook's features into the traditional functions of a mobile phone, such as a contacts book and text messages. The device, called INQ1 (pronounced 'ink one') is the first phone from new handset maker INQ, a venture set up earlier in the year by 3's owner Hutchison Whampoa.
Diginews - Motorola downgraded to junk by S&P - Docomo cancels Nokia E71 - Koobface virus on Facebook - WSJ editor sees hope for print ads
Motorola Inc. had its credit rating lowered to junk status by Standard & Poor's because its declining handset business is eating into profitability. The rating was cut two levels to BB+, one notch below investment grade, S&P said today in a statement. On Dec. 2, Moody's Investors Service said it may downgrade Motorola's debt, currently rated Baa2, or two levels above non-investment grade.
DoCoMo cancels Nokia E71 due to Nokia's pullback from Japan
Probably everyone has heard that Nokia is upping stakes and shifting out of Japan with the exception of their luxury mobile phone division Vertu. Well seems like Japanese mobile operator NTT DoCoMo has got the huff over Nokia's departure and has cancelled the planned launch of the Nokia E71.
Google opens up Google Friend connect beta
Soon after Facebook launched its Facebook Connect, Google has come up with Friend connect.
Google launches fully unlocked Android Dev Phone
Google today catered to Android developers either outside of T-Mobile coverage or eager to avoid restrictions with the Android Dev Phone 1. Essentially a carrier-neutral T-Mobile G1, the new model is completely unlocked for both its SIM card slot and hardware features to let users test the device on other GSM networks, including AT&T. The The change lets any owner run Google's reference firmware as it appears. The black design also sports a unique back engraving with a fractal-like pattern and the Android logo.
Obama Says Internet Key to Economic Recovery
"It is unacceptable that the United States ranks 15th in the world in broadband adoption. Here, in the country that invented the Internet, every child should have the chance to get online, and they'll get that chance when I'm President - because that's how we'll strengthen America's competitiveness in the world," he said.
Facebook Moves to Cope With Koobface Virus
Facebook's 120 million users are being targeted by a virus dubbed "Koobface" that uses the social network's messaging system to infect PCs, then tries to gather sensitive information such as credit card numbers. It is the latest attack by hackers increasingly looking to prey on users of social networking sites.
WSJ editor sees hope for print ads
Thomson believes that advertisers are starting to understand that consumers often ignore ads in other media because they are doing other things at the same time that sap their attention. With papers, the ads may be more valuable because they stick around with the printed page. Online, people get distracted, flipping from page to page, and if they notice ads at all, it is because they are annoyed by their intrusion. "The only multi-tasking that you can do while reading a newspaper is drink a cup of coffee," he said. Online, he said, the link between the reader and the ad is more transient.
Google OS? - Hallmark joins Google TV ad platform - Timeout NY for sale - Comscore Ecom 07-08 comparison - NYT site links to stories on other sites - No Newspapers in 2010
Automobile maker Skoda is running a mobile campaign to promote its new Fabia car to Chinese consumers. Skoda is using MyClick's image-matching marketing platform. Chinese consumers just snap a picture of the Fabia logo and text it to 106631111.
2007 | 2008 | +/- | |
---|---|---|---|
Nov. 1 - Dec. 1 | $12,217 | $12,025 | -2% |
Before Thanksgiving | $10,035 | $9,588 | -4% |
Thanksgiving and after | $2,182 | $2,437 | 12% |
Thanksgiving Day | $272 | $288 | 6% |
Black Friday | $531 | $534 | 1% |
Weekend | $645 | $769 | 19% |
Cyber Monday | $733 | $846 | 15% |
Dollars given in millions
Source: comScore, Inc.
Sites I read, in no particular order
- Ad Week
- Adage Digital
- All Things Digital
- BBC Tech
- Brand Week
- ClickZ
- Contentinople
- Diginews
- Gigaom
- iMedia Connection
- Information Week
- Internet News
- Marketing Vox
- Media Buyer Planner
- Media Post
- Media Week
- Mobile Marketer
- Moco News
- Paid Content
- Radio and Music
- Read Write Web
- Tech Crunch
- Telecom Paper
- Wired
- Yahoo Tech Blogs