Six Simple Tips For Better Facebook Page Success
If your brand’s Facebook page isn’t exactly the life of the social media party, there’s still hope. Digital marketing agency iCrossing studied the brand pages of Fortune 500 companies for one year and came up with some ways that engagement can be fostered. Although most page administrators don’t have the big bucks to spend on campaigns, the six steps from iCrossing apply to any budget.
Include a call to action
If people aren’t commenting, liking, or sharing posts, maybe it’s because you haven’t told them to. Of the pages that iCrossing analyzed, the company found that posts that contain the word “like” gained 240 percent more likes than posts that did not. Additionally, posts that asked for some kind of input from users garnered 70 percent more comments.
Get to the point
The agency found that to really get through to users, prose or long-winded posts didn’t work. Success was found in shorter, more succinct postings. Questions that were fewer than 144 characters gained 129 percent more comments than longer posts. The iCrossing study explained:
If your question won’t fit in a tweet, it doesn’t belong on Facebook, either. Posts with more than one question generate 37 percent fewer comments than single questions. Questions followed by a link get normal response rates, but links followed by a question seem to confuse people and get 60 percent fewer comments.
Ask for short responses
Just as users don’t want to read long posts, they don’t want to get too technical with their comments. The researchers found that simple, fill-in-the-blank prompts, such as, “My favorite flower is _____,” received 370 percent more comments than when a company posted an open-ended question — “What is your favorite flower?” When pages gave users choices, such as “Paper or plastic?,” posts received a slight bump compared with open-ended queries, with 18 percent more responses. However, iCrossing noted that pages shouldn’t patronize their audiences by delivering specific instructions for replies.
Pin the important posts
Facebook allows page administrators to pin one post, giving it higher prominence on the page. The folks at iCrossing don’t have statistics regarding pinned posts, but they believe that doing so boosts likes and comments. Facebook marketers should include pinned posts in their social media strategies.
Keep a casual, yet appropriate tone
If you’re a bank or an investment firm, you’re probably not going to post happy-go-lucky status updates and viral photos of kittens. However, it’s still important to have a conversational tone on Facebook, iCrossing notes:
After visually reviewing thousands of successful posts, we noticed that a casual, conversational tone was much more engaging than a formal tone. We call it the “water cooler” principle, meaning that there are some tones of voice and topic that will encourage conversation at the office water cooler and others that will drive coworkers away. Hard-sell, condescending, or overtly business-oriented posts consistently performed poorly. Facebook users expect to interact with friends; brands that don’t act like friends will be defriended.
Picture your success
This one is a bit of a no-brainer. People love to look at (and engage with) photos on Facebook. Brands should make sure to post interesting images that will make users click on the post, like it, share it, or comment on it. The agency believes that the old adage of a picture being worth 1,000 words definitely rings true on Facebook. People are more likely to stop and examine a post if there’s a striking image attached to it.
Readers: How have you managed to boost engagement on your Facebook page?
Image courtesy of Shutterstock.
Posted by Justin Lafferty on October 12, 2012.
Monday, October 15, 2012
WHEN NEWS CONSUMERS GO MOBILE, THEY GET MORE NEWS
How Local Publishers Can Take Advantage of Mobile News Boom
by Amy Gahran, October 15, 2012
A recent major Pew study of mobile news users offers context that could help community news publishers hone their mobile strategy. In "The Future of Mobile News," published earlier this month, the Pew Research Center's Project on Excellence in Journalism offers evidence that news publishers should focus their mobile strategy on the mobile web, rather than downloadable platform-specific "native" apps.
This survey was quite large: From June 29-August 8, 2012, Pew surveyed 9,513 U.S. adults. The report compares this year's data to last year's, and spotted some fast-moving mobile news trends. The report doesn't specifically mention community news publishers or local news (although it does refer often to daily newspapers), but it holds some hidden insights for smaller venues if you read between the lines.
MOBILE NEWS IS EXTREMELY POPULAR
According to Pew: "Fully one-third of all U.S. adults now get news on a mobile device at least once a week. 64% of tablet owners and 62% of smartphone owners say they use the devices for news at least weekly, tying news statistically with other popular activities such email and playing games on tablets and behind only e-mail on smartphones."
This rising tide has the potential to lift all boats in the news business -- but community news publishers may have some special advantages.
WHEN NEWS CONSUMERS GO MOBILE, THEY GET MORE NEWS
Pew found that mobile devices typically increase news consumption. "More than four in ten mobile news consumers say they are getting more news now, and nearly a third say they are adding new sources."
That last sentence might be very good news for community, niche, or ethnic news venues, especially newer digital startups. According to BIA/Kelsey, earlier this year former Google exec (and now Yahoo CEO) Marissa Mayer revealed that 20% of all searches across Google properties are now seeking locally relevant information -- and for searches conducted on mobile devices, that figure doubles to 40%.
Predictions abound that between 2013-2015 the majority of U.S. Internet access will shift to mobile devices. If the share of local searches on these devices continues to grow, then publishers of local and hyperlocal information may gain a significant mobile search visibility advantage. They may attract more new readers through popular aggregators such as Google News, and thus end up getting adopted as regular news sources by more mobile users.
Therefore, local or hyperlocal publishers that both offer a mobile-friendly website and also geocode their content (something that's becoming increasingly important in how search engines determine relevance, especially for mobile search) may be able to leverage mobile to grow their overall audience -- even more so than mass media can accomplish.
As Knight News Challenge winner Ryan Thornburg observed earlier this year, major news outlets that serve a large region face significant accuracy problems with geocoding. This implies that venues which serve a smaller, more focused region might be able to geocode more accurately and reliably -- which in turn might enhance their mobile search visibility and performance, driving even more mobile traffic and attracting new regular readers.
WEB BROWSERS TRUMPING APPS FOR MOST MOBILE NEWS USERS
"Overall, the majority of mobile news users get most of their news on mobile devices through browsers: 60% of tablet news users and 61% of smartphone news users," said Pew. "Less than half as many, 23% of tablet news users and 28% of smartphone news users, mainly go through apps. And 16% and 11%, respectively, say they use apps and the browser equally."
This should be a relief to smaller new publishers, who typically have smaller budgets and fewer technical resources than mass media news outlets -- and who typically have not yet invested much in building platform- and device-specific news apps (unlike many daily and national news venues).
Compared to apps, the mobile web is a far simpler and cheaper publishing option. The mobile web is inherently cross-platform and offers connectivity advantages as well. Inbound story links open quite reliably in a mobile website, but far less reliably in mobile apps -- even when the recipients of news links have the appropriate news outlet apps installed on their smartphones or tablets.
Pew found that Apple device owners tend to have, and use, the most mobile news apps. However, Apple's dominion over the U.S. mobile market is diminishing fast. The iPad's share of the U.S. tablet market is shrinking rapidly (52% this year vs. 81% last year). Similarly the iPhone currently claims only 38% of the U.S. smartphone market, compared to Android's 46%.
SMALLER TABLETS, BIGGER INFLUENCE
Pew found that in the past year the share of U.S. adults who own a tablet device doubled to 22%. "The advent of the new lower-priced tablets in late 2011 brought in a new crop of tablet owners."
Nearly half (48%) of tablet owners have an Android tablet, and about half of these (21%) are Kindle Fires.
Many popular Android tablets cost half or less than the price of an iPad. The least expensive iPad 2 costs $500 -- but the new Kindle Fire starts at $159, the Barnes & Noble Nook tablet starts at $179, and the Galaxy Nexus 7 tablet starts at $199. Consequently, smaller tablets may become a key tool for bridging the digital divide in low-income segments of your community -- and engaging them with local news, information, and civic concerns.
Still, the significance of this shift away from iPads in the tablet market may have as much to do with size as price. In the last year the U.S. tablet market has demonstrated a strong demand for smaller tablets. The iPad is simply too large for a typical purse or jacket pocket, which can hinder its usefulness to mobile users who prize portability.
This week many sources are reporting that on Oct. 23 Apple may finally introduce the long-rumored smaller iPad mini -- a move that could help Apple remain relevant in a tablet market that isn't one-size-fits-all. But the strategic value of this possible Apple move could hinge on price: Google may counter Apple by offering a $99 Android tablet around the same time.
One thing is clear: Smaller tablets have assumed an important and fast-growing role in the mobile market. Any news publisher must accommodate this form factor in the design of its mobile offerings.
The days of "tablet = full-size iPad" are definitely over.
MOBILE IS SHIFTING NEWS DEMOGRAPHICS BY ETHNICITY
Pew found that although blacks are about one-third less likely than whites to own a tablet (14% vs. 22%), blacks also are substantially more likely to use their tablet to get news daily (56%) than whites (36%).
This stands in stark contrast to print news consumption patterns -- where whites (34%) are far more likely to be daily print newspaper readers, compared to blacks (24%) or Hispanics (13%).
U.S. Hispanics, while typically leading in ownership and usage of mobile devices overall, tend to parallel whites when it comes to mobile news consumption.
Pew notes that these demographic trends "may hint at something new. Perhaps tablets and smartphones, which provide ready access to news from any source at lower cost of entry than desktop computers, may translate into a powerful news consumption tool for populations that felt underserved by the media in legacy forms."
While that statement conflates ethnicity with class, it's a point worth pondering, especially for news outlets that focus on serving poor or otherwise marginalized communities.
Infographics by the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism.
Amy Gahran is a journalist, editor, trainer, entrepreneur, strategist, and media consultant based in Boulder, Colorado. In addition to writing articles and doing educational programming for KDMC@USC, she also covers mobile technology for CNN.com and Entrepreneur.com, and was a cofounder of the hyperlocal news site OaklandLocal.com. In 2006 she won a Knight News Challenge awarded for the Boulder Carbon Tax Tracker project. Her blog is Contentious.com. Twitter: @agahran
This post first appeared on The Community News Leadership 3.0 blog at University of Southern California's Knight Digital Media Center, which aims to help journalists and news organizations succeed in the digital landscape.
by Amy Gahran, October 15, 2012
A recent major Pew study of mobile news users offers context that could help community news publishers hone their mobile strategy. In "The Future of Mobile News," published earlier this month, the Pew Research Center's Project on Excellence in Journalism offers evidence that news publishers should focus their mobile strategy on the mobile web, rather than downloadable platform-specific "native" apps.
This survey was quite large: From June 29-August 8, 2012, Pew surveyed 9,513 U.S. adults. The report compares this year's data to last year's, and spotted some fast-moving mobile news trends. The report doesn't specifically mention community news publishers or local news (although it does refer often to daily newspapers), but it holds some hidden insights for smaller venues if you read between the lines.
MOBILE NEWS IS EXTREMELY POPULAR
According to Pew: "Fully one-third of all U.S. adults now get news on a mobile device at least once a week. 64% of tablet owners and 62% of smartphone owners say they use the devices for news at least weekly, tying news statistically with other popular activities such email and playing games on tablets and behind only e-mail on smartphones."
This rising tide has the potential to lift all boats in the news business -- but community news publishers may have some special advantages.
WHEN NEWS CONSUMERS GO MOBILE, THEY GET MORE NEWS
Pew found that mobile devices typically increase news consumption. "More than four in ten mobile news consumers say they are getting more news now, and nearly a third say they are adding new sources."
That last sentence might be very good news for community, niche, or ethnic news venues, especially newer digital startups. According to BIA/Kelsey, earlier this year former Google exec (and now Yahoo CEO) Marissa Mayer revealed that 20% of all searches across Google properties are now seeking locally relevant information -- and for searches conducted on mobile devices, that figure doubles to 40%.
Predictions abound that between 2013-2015 the majority of U.S. Internet access will shift to mobile devices. If the share of local searches on these devices continues to grow, then publishers of local and hyperlocal information may gain a significant mobile search visibility advantage. They may attract more new readers through popular aggregators such as Google News, and thus end up getting adopted as regular news sources by more mobile users.
Therefore, local or hyperlocal publishers that both offer a mobile-friendly website and also geocode their content (something that's becoming increasingly important in how search engines determine relevance, especially for mobile search) may be able to leverage mobile to grow their overall audience -- even more so than mass media can accomplish.
As Knight News Challenge winner Ryan Thornburg observed earlier this year, major news outlets that serve a large region face significant accuracy problems with geocoding. This implies that venues which serve a smaller, more focused region might be able to geocode more accurately and reliably -- which in turn might enhance their mobile search visibility and performance, driving even more mobile traffic and attracting new regular readers.
WEB BROWSERS TRUMPING APPS FOR MOST MOBILE NEWS USERS
"Overall, the majority of mobile news users get most of their news on mobile devices through browsers: 60% of tablet news users and 61% of smartphone news users," said Pew. "Less than half as many, 23% of tablet news users and 28% of smartphone news users, mainly go through apps. And 16% and 11%, respectively, say they use apps and the browser equally."
This should be a relief to smaller new publishers, who typically have smaller budgets and fewer technical resources than mass media news outlets -- and who typically have not yet invested much in building platform- and device-specific news apps (unlike many daily and national news venues).
Compared to apps, the mobile web is a far simpler and cheaper publishing option. The mobile web is inherently cross-platform and offers connectivity advantages as well. Inbound story links open quite reliably in a mobile website, but far less reliably in mobile apps -- even when the recipients of news links have the appropriate news outlet apps installed on their smartphones or tablets.
Pew found that Apple device owners tend to have, and use, the most mobile news apps. However, Apple's dominion over the U.S. mobile market is diminishing fast. The iPad's share of the U.S. tablet market is shrinking rapidly (52% this year vs. 81% last year). Similarly the iPhone currently claims only 38% of the U.S. smartphone market, compared to Android's 46%.
SMALLER TABLETS, BIGGER INFLUENCE
Pew found that in the past year the share of U.S. adults who own a tablet device doubled to 22%. "The advent of the new lower-priced tablets in late 2011 brought in a new crop of tablet owners."
Nearly half (48%) of tablet owners have an Android tablet, and about half of these (21%) are Kindle Fires.
Many popular Android tablets cost half or less than the price of an iPad. The least expensive iPad 2 costs $500 -- but the new Kindle Fire starts at $159, the Barnes & Noble Nook tablet starts at $179, and the Galaxy Nexus 7 tablet starts at $199. Consequently, smaller tablets may become a key tool for bridging the digital divide in low-income segments of your community -- and engaging them with local news, information, and civic concerns.
Still, the significance of this shift away from iPads in the tablet market may have as much to do with size as price. In the last year the U.S. tablet market has demonstrated a strong demand for smaller tablets. The iPad is simply too large for a typical purse or jacket pocket, which can hinder its usefulness to mobile users who prize portability.
This week many sources are reporting that on Oct. 23 Apple may finally introduce the long-rumored smaller iPad mini -- a move that could help Apple remain relevant in a tablet market that isn't one-size-fits-all. But the strategic value of this possible Apple move could hinge on price: Google may counter Apple by offering a $99 Android tablet around the same time.
One thing is clear: Smaller tablets have assumed an important and fast-growing role in the mobile market. Any news publisher must accommodate this form factor in the design of its mobile offerings.
The days of "tablet = full-size iPad" are definitely over.
MOBILE IS SHIFTING NEWS DEMOGRAPHICS BY ETHNICITY
Pew found that although blacks are about one-third less likely than whites to own a tablet (14% vs. 22%), blacks also are substantially more likely to use their tablet to get news daily (56%) than whites (36%).
This stands in stark contrast to print news consumption patterns -- where whites (34%) are far more likely to be daily print newspaper readers, compared to blacks (24%) or Hispanics (13%).
U.S. Hispanics, while typically leading in ownership and usage of mobile devices overall, tend to parallel whites when it comes to mobile news consumption.
Pew notes that these demographic trends "may hint at something new. Perhaps tablets and smartphones, which provide ready access to news from any source at lower cost of entry than desktop computers, may translate into a powerful news consumption tool for populations that felt underserved by the media in legacy forms."
While that statement conflates ethnicity with class, it's a point worth pondering, especially for news outlets that focus on serving poor or otherwise marginalized communities.
Infographics by the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism.
Amy Gahran is a journalist, editor, trainer, entrepreneur, strategist, and media consultant based in Boulder, Colorado. In addition to writing articles and doing educational programming for KDMC@USC, she also covers mobile technology for CNN.com and Entrepreneur.com, and was a cofounder of the hyperlocal news site OaklandLocal.com. In 2006 she won a Knight News Challenge awarded for the Boulder Carbon Tax Tracker project. Her blog is Contentious.com. Twitter: @agahran
This post first appeared on The Community News Leadership 3.0 blog at University of Southern California's Knight Digital Media Center, which aims to help journalists and news organizations succeed in the digital landscape.
Ford and WRC part ways.
Ford to withdraw works support for World Rally Championship
By Jamie O'Leary Monday, October 15th 2012, 15:02 GMT
Ford will cease to have a factory presence in the World Rally Championship at the end of the 2012 season.
A statement issued by Ford of Europe on Monday said that the decision had been taken due to the current economic climate, following a major review of its marketing activities in the continent.
"Ford has a long and proud history in the WRC and this was not an easy decision," said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe.
"At this time, however we determined that it was better for the company and the Ford brand to reduce our commitment to the WRC and deploy our resources in other areas."
Malcolm Wilson's M-Sport organisation, which has run Ford's factory squad since 1997 and taken 52 wins plus the manufacturers' world championships in 2006 and '07, aims to continue in the WRC with the Fiesta model in the coming years.
Ford is on talks with M-Sport to provide continued vehicle and engineering support.
By Jamie O'Leary Monday, October 15th 2012, 15:02 GMT
Ford will cease to have a factory presence in the World Rally Championship at the end of the 2012 season.
A statement issued by Ford of Europe on Monday said that the decision had been taken due to the current economic climate, following a major review of its marketing activities in the continent.
"Ford has a long and proud history in the WRC and this was not an easy decision," said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe.
"At this time, however we determined that it was better for the company and the Ford brand to reduce our commitment to the WRC and deploy our resources in other areas."
Malcolm Wilson's M-Sport organisation, which has run Ford's factory squad since 1997 and taken 52 wins plus the manufacturers' world championships in 2006 and '07, aims to continue in the WRC with the Fiesta model in the coming years.
Ford is on talks with M-Sport to provide continued vehicle and engineering support.
The value of hype. Or not.
LG's Nexus 4 might just be the worst-kept secret in the technology world.
Jason Parks, a Texas-based software engineer who works for Google, published photos on his Google+ page over the weekend of his son sleeping. Although that might seem innocuous enough, after users clicked the "Photo details" link to the side of the images, EXIF data contained in that pane revealed it was taken with the Nexus 4.
An LG Electronics employee also posted images to Google+ that contained mention of a Nexus 4 camera. However, unlike Parks' images, the LG photos have been removed from the social network.
LG's Nexus 4 has been springing leaks all over the place lately. Last week alone, the device popped up in the U.K. retailer Carphone Warehouse's inventory, in photos published in Belarus, and in a French newspaper. The only thing left for LG to do is finally launch it.
When that launch might actually happen, though, remains to be seen. The latest reports suggest that LG will finally unveil the handset on October 29. When it does, the Nexus 4 is expected to look similar to the LG Optimus G and come with a quad-core Snapdragon processor, as well as 2GB of onboard RAM and an 8-megapixel camera.
Jason Parks, a Texas-based software engineer who works for Google, published photos on his Google+ page over the weekend of his son sleeping. Although that might seem innocuous enough, after users clicked the "Photo details" link to the side of the images, EXIF data contained in that pane revealed it was taken with the Nexus 4.
An LG Electronics employee also posted images to Google+ that contained mention of a Nexus 4 camera. However, unlike Parks' images, the LG photos have been removed from the social network.
LG's Nexus 4 has been springing leaks all over the place lately. Last week alone, the device popped up in the U.K. retailer Carphone Warehouse's inventory, in photos published in Belarus, and in a French newspaper. The only thing left for LG to do is finally launch it.
When that launch might actually happen, though, remains to be seen. The latest reports suggest that LG will finally unveil the handset on October 29. When it does, the Nexus 4 is expected to look similar to the LG Optimus G and come with a quad-core Snapdragon processor, as well as 2GB of onboard RAM and an 8-megapixel camera.
More Dropbox for iOS.
Like an app, only without all the pesky local storage requirements.
Dropbox photo-sharing just got a little more handy. Now, if you head over to Dropbox.com in Mobile Safari, you get a fantastic new mobile view which lets you swipe and tap your way through your photos.
The new light-box view is full-screen (with browser chrome), and photos are presented on a black background. Tapping takes you to the next web-optimized image, and icons at bottom right let you share the link, see the full-sized original, download a copy or delete the photo entirely.
It’s no Photo Stream, to be sure, but if you have struggled to find some sane way to organize the mess of photos coming from your iPhone, iPad and digital camera, then Dropbox makes a good deal of sense.
And this light-box view also makes the automatic Dropbox Camera Upload feature a lot more useful. Camera upload simply uploads every photo you add to your iOS camera roll to your Dropbox.
I have had it switched on because, well, why not? My 100GB plan won’t run out of space, and I understand Dropbox way better than I understand Photo Stream’s foibles. Now I can also browse my photos in this great new view, even from my horrible Android phone, it makes a whole lot more sense.
Dropbox photo-sharing just got a little more handy. Now, if you head over to Dropbox.com in Mobile Safari, you get a fantastic new mobile view which lets you swipe and tap your way through your photos.
The new light-box view is full-screen (with browser chrome), and photos are presented on a black background. Tapping takes you to the next web-optimized image, and icons at bottom right let you share the link, see the full-sized original, download a copy or delete the photo entirely.
It’s no Photo Stream, to be sure, but if you have struggled to find some sane way to organize the mess of photos coming from your iPhone, iPad and digital camera, then Dropbox makes a good deal of sense.
And this light-box view also makes the automatic Dropbox Camera Upload feature a lot more useful. Camera upload simply uploads every photo you add to your iOS camera roll to your Dropbox.
I have had it switched on because, well, why not? My 100GB plan won’t run out of space, and I understand Dropbox way better than I understand Photo Stream’s foibles. Now I can also browse my photos in this great new view, even from my horrible Android phone, it makes a whole lot more sense.
GoToMyPC
@GoToMyPC:
Good news! GoToMyPC for #Android now works on phones! Get it now Google Play
http://t.co/zpRUMXfR
AmazonAppstore
http://t.co/QI7M2PWp
Good news! GoToMyPC for #Android now works on phones! Get it now Google Play
http://t.co/zpRUMXfR
AmazonAppstore
http://t.co/QI7M2PWp
Mac sales up. Notebook sales down.
Apple jump in global slump: Macbook sales up 30%, overall notebook sales down 4.5%
OCTOBER 15, 2012 JOHN KOETSIER
Apparently, Apple sells more than products preceded by the letter “I.”
iPhones, iPads, iPods, and soon, iPad Minis are the hottest and most visible stories for the world’s most valuable company … but they are not Apple’s only source of massive sales growth.
A Digitimes research report just released today says that Apple’s laptop sales have jumped 30 percent higher than the previous quarter. That’s significant growth, particularly when compared to a 4.5 percent drop in global notebook shipments from the previous quarter, and a massive 11.6 percent drop from the same quarter last year.
“One of the things that has helped Apple’s laptop shipments is Apple’s overall ecosystem,” Frost & Sullivan analyst Todd Day told me this morning. “Consumers are used to the convenience.”
Apple had released new MacBook Airs in July, and thinner, retina display MacBook Pros in June of this year. The recent retina display MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models are not just continuing Apple’s strong portable performance, they’re actually increasing the rate of growth. But it’s not just about the ecosystem — it’s also just simple build quality, according to analysts.
“The other factor is the quality of product … Apple has made a lot of strides here.” said Day.
Meanwhile, cost leader Acer, netbook pioneer Asustek, and Toshiba all dropped from 15-25 percent.
Part of the global weakness in Windows-based laptops can be blamed on Redmond, according to Digitimes analyst Joanne Chien, who said that “consumers’ wait-and-see attitude to PC purchasing due to Windows 8′s upcoming launch” was one of the drivers of poor performance, along with the general economic downturn.
OCTOBER 15, 2012 JOHN KOETSIER
Apparently, Apple sells more than products preceded by the letter “I.”
iPhones, iPads, iPods, and soon, iPad Minis are the hottest and most visible stories for the world’s most valuable company … but they are not Apple’s only source of massive sales growth.
A Digitimes research report just released today says that Apple’s laptop sales have jumped 30 percent higher than the previous quarter. That’s significant growth, particularly when compared to a 4.5 percent drop in global notebook shipments from the previous quarter, and a massive 11.6 percent drop from the same quarter last year.
“One of the things that has helped Apple’s laptop shipments is Apple’s overall ecosystem,” Frost & Sullivan analyst Todd Day told me this morning. “Consumers are used to the convenience.”
Apple had released new MacBook Airs in July, and thinner, retina display MacBook Pros in June of this year. The recent retina display MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models are not just continuing Apple’s strong portable performance, they’re actually increasing the rate of growth. But it’s not just about the ecosystem — it’s also just simple build quality, according to analysts.
“The other factor is the quality of product … Apple has made a lot of strides here.” said Day.
Meanwhile, cost leader Acer, netbook pioneer Asustek, and Toshiba all dropped from 15-25 percent.
Part of the global weakness in Windows-based laptops can be blamed on Redmond, according to Digitimes analyst Joanne Chien, who said that “consumers’ wait-and-see attitude to PC purchasing due to Windows 8′s upcoming launch” was one of the drivers of poor performance, along with the general economic downturn.
The jump. A few stats.
Felix Baumgartner yesterday jumped from a capsule 24 miles above the earth's surface, and into the history books. The 43-year-old now holds the record for the world's highest parachute jump, and is the first skydiver to break the sound barrier. But it almost didn't happen: thanks to a foggy visor, the Austrian daredevil almost aborted the feat.
Once he'd leapt off the capsule, it took Baumgartner over nine minutes to reach solid ground. There were worries that he'd fluffed it as the skydiver, a veteran of over 2,500 jumps, didn't get into the correct position. At his fastest he was travelling at 833.9mph, or Mach 1.24, and he was in free fall for 4 minutes and 20 seconds.
The previous record, which has stood since 1960, was for a jump measuring just a shade over 19 and a quarter miles. It was held by Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Joe Kittinger, whose voice was Baumgartner's link to mission control during his descent.
Once he'd leapt off the capsule, it took Baumgartner over nine minutes to reach solid ground. There were worries that he'd fluffed it as the skydiver, a veteran of over 2,500 jumps, didn't get into the correct position. At his fastest he was travelling at 833.9mph, or Mach 1.24, and he was in free fall for 4 minutes and 20 seconds.
The previous record, which has stood since 1960, was for a jump measuring just a shade over 19 and a quarter miles. It was held by Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Joe Kittinger, whose voice was Baumgartner's link to mission control during his descent.
Really?
"The real enemy of humanity is the man who tries to mold the human spirit so that it will not dare to spread its wings"
As long as humanity doesn't forget to exercise ethical conduct....
As long as humanity doesn't forget to exercise ethical conduct....
Sunday, October 14, 2012
The Smart car, electric.
Smart's electric car might actually be... smart
The electric car Smart ED is possibly the best value yet among zero emission cars.
I'll be honest. I don't really like Smart cars. The tiny two-seaters from Mercedes-Benz have always seemed heavy on design but light on value. For the same price that you pay for a Smart ForTwo you could easily get a car with more cargo space, four seats and fuel economy that's just about as good. On top of that, with their tall bodies, tiny wheelbases and a weirdly uncooperative transmissions the Smart's no pleasure to drive.
But by combining the ForTwo with a new electric drive system, Mercedes has finally created a Smart car even I can love. Compared to other electric cars, the Smart ED is genuinely cheap and, by getting rid of that balky transmission and noisy three-cyinder engine, it's really cool to whiz around town in.
The electric car Smart ED is possibly the best value yet among zero emission cars.
I'll be honest. I don't really like Smart cars. The tiny two-seaters from Mercedes-Benz have always seemed heavy on design but light on value. For the same price that you pay for a Smart ForTwo you could easily get a car with more cargo space, four seats and fuel economy that's just about as good. On top of that, with their tall bodies, tiny wheelbases and a weirdly uncooperative transmissions the Smart's no pleasure to drive.
But by combining the ForTwo with a new electric drive system, Mercedes has finally created a Smart car even I can love. Compared to other electric cars, the Smart ED is genuinely cheap and, by getting rid of that balky transmission and noisy three-cyinder engine, it's really cool to whiz around town in.
Those in China look on?
Surprise?
There were reports last week that Softbank was interested in making a major investment in Sprint. Well those rumors materialized today, as the Japanese carrier is said to have purchased a 70% stake in the company.
The deal isn’t exactly official yet, but the two parties are expected to make an announcement tomorrow morning. The purchase will give Softbank the controlling interest in the third largest carrier in the US…
BusinessInsider reports (via MacRumors):
“The purchase is a huge one for Softbank, which is essentially making a $20 billion gamble that it success in developing LTE wireless services in its home market of Japan can be translated to the U.S. Sprint, while the third largest wireless provider in the U.S., significantly trails the two market leaders, Verizon and AT&T.
Softbank’s hope, say people familiar with its strategy, is to build on Sprint’s spectrum position, while hoping the company can further consolidate the wireless industry through acquisitions of more spectrum and other operators. The deal is expected to close in roughly six months. ”
The deal is interesting for a couple of reasons. For one, it makes AT&T the only one out of the top 4 carriers in the US not controlled by a foreign entity (Verizon-Vodafone, T-Mobile-Deutsche Telekom). And two, it will allow Sprint to purchase the half of Clearwire (wireless broadband company) that it doesn’t already own.
Sprint, for its part, has had a rough couple of years. But between its new iPhone partnership, expanding LTE network, and now this huge Softbank investment, the carrier could certainly turn things around.
What do you think, is this a smart move by both companies?
There were reports last week that Softbank was interested in making a major investment in Sprint. Well those rumors materialized today, as the Japanese carrier is said to have purchased a 70% stake in the company.
The deal isn’t exactly official yet, but the two parties are expected to make an announcement tomorrow morning. The purchase will give Softbank the controlling interest in the third largest carrier in the US…
BusinessInsider reports (via MacRumors):
“The purchase is a huge one for Softbank, which is essentially making a $20 billion gamble that it success in developing LTE wireless services in its home market of Japan can be translated to the U.S. Sprint, while the third largest wireless provider in the U.S., significantly trails the two market leaders, Verizon and AT&T.
Softbank’s hope, say people familiar with its strategy, is to build on Sprint’s spectrum position, while hoping the company can further consolidate the wireless industry through acquisitions of more spectrum and other operators. The deal is expected to close in roughly six months. ”
The deal is interesting for a couple of reasons. For one, it makes AT&T the only one out of the top 4 carriers in the US not controlled by a foreign entity (Verizon-Vodafone, T-Mobile-Deutsche Telekom). And two, it will allow Sprint to purchase the half of Clearwire (wireless broadband company) that it doesn’t already own.
Sprint, for its part, has had a rough couple of years. But between its new iPhone partnership, expanding LTE network, and now this huge Softbank investment, the carrier could certainly turn things around.
What do you think, is this a smart move by both companies?
History
@BaumgartnFelix: Here's my last tweet for a while. Who knows, maybe my last tweet ever
@BaumgartnFelix: "On the step, I felt that the whole world is watching. I said I wish they would see what I see. It was amazing." - Felix Baumgartn
“We want to live by each others’ happiness, not by each other’s misery.” A Charlie Chaplin
@BaumgartnFelix: "On the step, I felt that the whole world is watching. I said I wish they would see what I see. It was amazing." - Felix Baumgartn
“We want to live by each others’ happiness, not by each other’s misery.” A Charlie Chaplin
Endeavour follows the slow path home.
DON BARTLETTI, LOS ANGELES TIMES
Endeavour squeezes past homes on Crenshaw Drive, the narrowest street on the shuttle's trip.
BY KATE MATHER,
Louis Sahagun and Mike Anton
October 14, 2012
The shuttle Endeavour dodged plenty of space junk zipping around Earth.
The question Saturday, though, was would its wing avoid an apartment building on narrow Crenshaw Drive? Could it gingerly pivot around tall pines planted in honor of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.? Would the streets of Inglewood and Los Angeles buckle under the weight of the 170,000-pound orbiter and its massive transport vehicle?
After months of meticulous planning, those were among the myriad challenges confronting hundreds of workers who escorted Endeavour on the last leg of its 12-mile journey to the California Science Center, where it will be displayed.
PHOTOS: Endeavour rolls through the streets of L.A.
Planners appeared to get the engineering right but not the timing. What began as a head start in the morning turned into an ever-increasing delay by night. As crowds waited along the route, officials said the shuttle would be several hours late to its destination, probably arriving sometime Sunday morning.
Endeavour's 26th and final mission came down to sweating the details. Engineers had mapped its route and possible obstructions down to the millimeter. Crews swarmed around the spacecraft like a court of handmaidens Saturday, taking down streetlights and signs, removing power lines and trimming trees.
"We've been planning for this day for six months," said Southern California Edison worker Michael Fuller. "But a plan is what you do to help you sleep at night. What counts is what we do on the fly during the big event."
After being towed by a pickup truck across a bridge spanning the 405 Freeway late Friday night, the shuttle's epic last commute resumed shortly after 6 a.m. Saturday.
Inching along at a top speed of 2 mph, the five-story-tall Endeavour dwarfed everything in its path, its black nose announcing itself like a curious puppy moving through a miniature diorama.
Thousands of cheering onlookers packed sidewalks, parking lots and rooftops along the spacecraft's route.
Endeavour made a two-hour stop at the Forum in Inglewood, arriving early to the delight of crowds and politicians who crowed about Southern California landing what they called a national treasure.
"Endeavour was born here," state Sen. Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood) said. "This morning ... we have the opportunity to say, 'Welcome home.'"
The rest of the day was a game of inches as Endeavour wriggled, pitched and scooted its way across town.
"All the stuff we move is big, heavy stuff," said Steve Mitchell, one of a team of drivers who piloted the computerized 160-wheel transporter that carried Endeavour. "But nothing that means as much as this. It's just so special."
After leaving the Forum, the shuttle headed east on Manchester Boulevard but soon came up against an obstacle it wasn't built to deal with.
A tree branch.
The transporter stopped. With the flick of a joystick, its driver turned the huge dolly's wheels sideways and slowly scooted it over. Within a minute, Endeavour was rolling again.
Up ahead, Rand Brooks had been working since midnight to further widen one of Endeavour's tightest fits — a curving stretch of Crenshaw Drive where the orbiter's 78-foot wingspan crossed over lawns and driveways and came within a hair's breadth of several buildings.
Crews had placed 400 tons of compacted material on the street to keep the shuttle level with the islands at the intersection with Crenshaw Boulevard and give it more room.
"It's pretty exciting," Brooks said, grateful to be involved. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
As the shuttle approached the turn from Manchester onto Crenshaw Drive, police ushered the crowd back.
"The shuttle cannot make the turn," an officer said via loudspeaker.
As Endeavour successfully made the turn, a cheer went up.
"Aw, man — that was a beautiful hard left!" exclaimed Ajamu Tyehimba, 59, of Inglewood.
Next up: a Chinese elm tree at 84th Place and Crenshaw. Because of a curve in the road, Endeavour's left wing couldn't clear it.
The driver inched the transporter back and forth. The rear wheels shimmied over driveways. Nearby, workers trimmed low-hanging branches from another tree.
"It was awesome," said Shifon Berumen, a Whittier schoolteacher who witnessed the spectacle. "As Americans, we can accomplish great things like build a shuttle. But we're also sensitive enough to care about a tree."
After a 20-minute delay, Endeavour was rolling again.
"Back all the way up," a police megaphone blared to those in the way, "or you're going to get hit by the wingtip."
At 84th and Crenshaw, Ron Liston, 42, stood on his second-story balcony with his nieces and nephews — eye level to the shuttle when it passed.
"Awe-inspiring," he said.
Shavonne Moss, 33, was kicking back on a lawn chair in the remaining shade of a tree that had been trimmed.
"A spaceship on Crenshaw Boulevard is unheard of," she said. "It proves that anything is possible."
As Endeavour's wing hovered over him, 4-year-old Carter Robinson said he had never seen anything so big. It had to weigh 550 pounds, he estimated.
"He wanted to get on it and drive it, but they won't let us do that," said his mother, Evelyn Robinson, 30, of Los Angeles. "I hope he remembers this."
For the public, it was a parade unlike any other. For the hundreds of workers moving the delicate Endeavour, it was a day of frayed nerves.
When responsibility for securing utilities moved from Edison to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Aaron Pearson, a supervisor for Edison, could finally relax after five months of planning.
"Oh, man!" he half screamed and laughed, moments after the shuttle was out of his domain.
"I don't even have a grip on it yet," Pearson said of the experience. "I just can't wait to go see it at the museum."
As Endeavour headed north on Crenshaw Boulevard, the crowds grew into the thousands. People ran into the street and snapped pictures of the approaching monolith before police shooed them away.
About two dozen people climbed onto the rooftop of AC Japan Transmission, an auto repair shop.
"Can I go up there?" asked George Beavers, who wore a straw hat and carried a camera.
"Sure, go ahead," a man in greasy blue coveralls said with a shrug and a smile.
A rickety ladder leaning on the side of the building took the man almost to the top. Two burly mechanics hoisted him the rest of the way.
"Thanks," said Beavers, 77, of Palmdale. "I came a long way for this."
For many, it was a long wait. Endeavour ran hours behind schedule, going slower than expected to maneuver around buildings, trees and utility poles.
But the delays didn't put a damper on the crowds' spirits.
When the shuttle arrived at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza six hours late, well past sunset, everyone cheered.
kate.mather@latimes.com
louis.sahagun@latimes.com
mike.anton@latimes.com
Times staff writers Andrew Khouri, Angel Jennings, Joseph Serna, Marisa Gerber, Adolfo Flores, Kenneth R. Weiss, Wesley Lowery, Frank Shyong, Matt Stevens, Laura Nelson and Rong-Gong Lin II contributed to this report.
Apple gossip...
New iMac to be Thinner With Droplet Design, Leaked Internals Photo?
Posted 7 minutes ago
Apple will reportedly update the iMac this year making it thinner and giving it more of a water droplet design, according to a WeiPhone thread relayed by MacRumors.
The redesigned iMac is said to be considerably thinner than the current form factor, with the machine's thickness almost impossible to gauge when viewed from the side. The curved rear shell is also said to appear more like a water droplet than the squared-off design seen in the current model. The report also claims that the new iMac's screen is glued to the front glass of the machine, in line with previous rumors stating that Apple is moving to fully laminate the two components together for improved display quality.
Also in line with previous rumors, the report suggests that Apple may first update the 21.5-inch model with the new design, which is said to maintain the existing "chin" below the display even as the body is tweaked with a thinner profile. The updated 27-inch model could then follow somewhat later, as has been suggested due to the challenges of laminating the larger display and glass with acceptable yields. The new iMacs are also said to be more expensive than the current models, but it is unclear how significant any pricing changes would be.
The report also says that Apple will indeed release a 13-inch Retina Display MacBook Pro which is already being assembled in Mexico and other locations with Chinese production scheduled for later this month. It's said to carry the code name of D1 which matches with the D2 code name for the 15-inch Retina Display MacBook Pro.
Making apps? Here's some interesting stats...
June 2012
Developer Economics 2012
Welcome to Developer Economics 2012, the third in the report series that set the standard for developer research. This report focuses on five main areas: The redefinition of mobile ecosystems, Developer segmentation, Revenues vs. costs in the mobile economy, App marketing and distribution and Regional supply vs. demand of apps.
This report is freely available for download thanks to the sponsorship by BlueVia, the new global developer platform from Telefonica that helps developers take apps, web services, and ideas to market.
Our research is based on an online survey of 1,500+ developers from across the globe, as well as 20 qualitative interviews. Our sample was global, including developers not just from North America, Europe and Asia, but also from Africa, Oceania and Latin America.
Here are some of the many insights from the report:
- The average per-app revenue is in the range of $1,200-$3,900 per month, depending on platform
- Irrespective of which platform they primarily use, the majority of developers (57%) plan to adopt Windows Phone
- Tablets are now a mainstream screen for developers: more than 50% of developers are now targeting tablets, with iOS developers most likely (74%) to do so
- North America tops app demand with 41% of developers indicating this is a top-3 download region, irrespective of their region of origin
Developer Economics 2012
Welcome to Developer Economics 2012, the third in the report series that set the standard for developer research. This report focuses on five main areas: The redefinition of mobile ecosystems, Developer segmentation, Revenues vs. costs in the mobile economy, App marketing and distribution and Regional supply vs. demand of apps.
This report is freely available for download thanks to the sponsorship by BlueVia, the new global developer platform from Telefonica that helps developers take apps, web services, and ideas to market.
Our research is based on an online survey of 1,500+ developers from across the globe, as well as 20 qualitative interviews. Our sample was global, including developers not just from North America, Europe and Asia, but also from Africa, Oceania and Latin America.
Here are some of the many insights from the report:
- The average per-app revenue is in the range of $1,200-$3,900 per month, depending on platform
- Irrespective of which platform they primarily use, the majority of developers (57%) plan to adopt Windows Phone
- Tablets are now a mainstream screen for developers: more than 50% of developers are now targeting tablets, with iOS developers most likely (74%) to do so
- North America tops app demand with 41% of developers indicating this is a top-3 download region, irrespective of their region of origin
Of special note
Sony
Can you get the camera and computer divisions together to have a pow wow or two? Seems to me that the new Nex series camera's are showing Sony style and innovation. Very cool and performers. The big tablet would be cool if it were super thin and light, with iPhone 5 like innards (light and fast). Then your tablet would be the best...Try harder please. Your turning into GM. Class leading is not class following. Look at your phones, close but...
PS. I miss that killer OLED screen you had a few years back. Killer except the price....
Can you get the camera and computer divisions together to have a pow wow or two? Seems to me that the new Nex series camera's are showing Sony style and innovation. Very cool and performers. The big tablet would be cool if it were super thin and light, with iPhone 5 like innards (light and fast). Then your tablet would be the best...Try harder please. Your turning into GM. Class leading is not class following. Look at your phones, close but...
PS. I miss that killer OLED screen you had a few years back. Killer except the price....
Sony, PlayStation and its future.
As a note: Sony needs to stop playing that corporate game of discovering the next big thing and become an engineering company again. Without that special sauce of enthusiasm and innovation, it will forever play catchup. If that new big screen tablet is anything to go by...
Time To End All This Doom And Gloom Over Sony And The PlayStation
Sony may be struggling, but the company and its PlayStation brand are a long ways from calling it quits.
One thing I’m absolutely sick and tired of hearing is how Sony is toast, doomed to failure, at the end of the proverbial line.
It’s the hip thing to do, apparently, to predict the end of the PlayStation brand or claim that because the PS3 sold a couple million fewer units than the Xbox 360 (despite its shorter overall run) that the next console from Sony will surely be its last or will come stillborn.
The latest in this long chain of gloom is a piece from Joel Taveras at DualShockers.
Taveras argues that it’s time Sony got out of the hardware business and started focusing on its software.
All those great PlayStation exclusives could get some extra love and Sony would publish all its games on, presumably, Microsoft and Nintendo hardware (and the PC.)
This would put an end to one third of the pesky exclusivity. Xbox owners the world over could finally play God of War and Uncharted.
Of course, Sony exiting the hardware business might cripple their ability to continue making great titles. It might lead to their exit from video games altogether.
Or it might just make Sony the next Sega. You remember them. They used to make consoles, too. Now…
There is a steady spate of articles predicting Sony’s decline and demise, and maybe these are prescient and true. But I very much doubt it.
Sony did quite well with its PS3, selling nearly as many units as Microsoft in a shorter span of time and releasing a healthy number of exclusive IPs, with more on the way.
With the next PlayStation just around the corner, and with more quality Vita games in the works, it’s hard to see Sony in as weak a position as so many believe.
Nor is it likely that Sony would acquire Gaikai and then ditch its hardware. Even though the cloud service will apparently stream games on non-Sony devices, it seems likely that there will be advantages to using Sony devices in some form or another. If Sony can seriously push the quality of games through a combination of new and updated hardware plus some server-side juice, they could make a big splash in the next-gen console wars.
Abandoning that ground, on the other hand, would almost certainly be a disaster. Sony would need to compete on software alone and would suddenly be competing with dozens of other publishers in a turbulent market.
Of course, nobody can predict the future including your humble narrator. But I don’t see doom and gloom when I look at the console market. I think rumors of the deaths of consoles are great exaggerated, and the myriad hopes placed in the F2P and MMO models to be extremely overblown.
I’ve been wrong before, but I have a good feeling that Sony will pull through this – bumped and bruised, perhaps, but intact.
They may just need to ditch their TV business in the process, or find some new way to make that division profitable again.
Follow me on Twitter or Facebook. Read my Forbes blog here.
Time To End All This Doom And Gloom Over Sony And The PlayStation
Sony may be struggling, but the company and its PlayStation brand are a long ways from calling it quits.
One thing I’m absolutely sick and tired of hearing is how Sony is toast, doomed to failure, at the end of the proverbial line.
It’s the hip thing to do, apparently, to predict the end of the PlayStation brand or claim that because the PS3 sold a couple million fewer units than the Xbox 360 (despite its shorter overall run) that the next console from Sony will surely be its last or will come stillborn.
The latest in this long chain of gloom is a piece from Joel Taveras at DualShockers.
Taveras argues that it’s time Sony got out of the hardware business and started focusing on its software.
All those great PlayStation exclusives could get some extra love and Sony would publish all its games on, presumably, Microsoft and Nintendo hardware (and the PC.)
This would put an end to one third of the pesky exclusivity. Xbox owners the world over could finally play God of War and Uncharted.
Of course, Sony exiting the hardware business might cripple their ability to continue making great titles. It might lead to their exit from video games altogether.
Or it might just make Sony the next Sega. You remember them. They used to make consoles, too. Now…
There is a steady spate of articles predicting Sony’s decline and demise, and maybe these are prescient and true. But I very much doubt it.
Sony did quite well with its PS3, selling nearly as many units as Microsoft in a shorter span of time and releasing a healthy number of exclusive IPs, with more on the way.
With the next PlayStation just around the corner, and with more quality Vita games in the works, it’s hard to see Sony in as weak a position as so many believe.
Nor is it likely that Sony would acquire Gaikai and then ditch its hardware. Even though the cloud service will apparently stream games on non-Sony devices, it seems likely that there will be advantages to using Sony devices in some form or another. If Sony can seriously push the quality of games through a combination of new and updated hardware plus some server-side juice, they could make a big splash in the next-gen console wars.
Abandoning that ground, on the other hand, would almost certainly be a disaster. Sony would need to compete on software alone and would suddenly be competing with dozens of other publishers in a turbulent market.
Of course, nobody can predict the future including your humble narrator. But I don’t see doom and gloom when I look at the console market. I think rumors of the deaths of consoles are great exaggerated, and the myriad hopes placed in the F2P and MMO models to be extremely overblown.
I’ve been wrong before, but I have a good feeling that Sony will pull through this – bumped and bruised, perhaps, but intact.
They may just need to ditch their TV business in the process, or find some new way to make that division profitable again.
Follow me on Twitter or Facebook. Read my Forbes blog here.
Pheed
If you're a smartphone user, you probably like to send texts, take photos, and perhaps shoot a few videos. And you probably have a different app for each of those things, which you might then share to any one of dozens of social networks. It's a lot to keep track of, and can quickly clutter up your phone's real estate.
Pheed, a new social network that launches a web version today with an iPhone app on the way, is attempting to bring all of that piecemeal content creation into one simple platform. On Pheed, you create your own "channel" from which you can share text, photos, videos, voice-notes and audio clips, and live broadcasts. You can get updates from the channels you follow either as it happens, like on Facebook's News Feed, or based on what kind of content it is, such as just photos, or just audio clips.
Cofounder O.D. Kobo and his team cherry-picked their favorite features from Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, SoundCloud, and other social networks, some of which Kobo says he felt had hit a stalemate, such as Instagram.
"In the past five years I haven’t seen anyone do anything as masterful as them," Kobo tells Fast Company. "But after two years I kept thinking, Why can’t I do more? Why didn’t they introduce video? Why can’t I upload an album? Wouldn't it be interesting if Instagram offered text? Would Twitter have been shaking in their boots a little bit? Maybe it was necessary for other platforms to come about."
Kobo, of course, wants Pheed to be that platform. Celebrities, such as Chris Brown, David Guetta, and Ashley Tisdale, are one way he's trying to attract users. A monetization feature that allows you to charge followers for your content is another.
A channel owner on Pheed can choose to charge for content either through a subscription-based monthly fee or a pay-per-view model, with the latter mostly suited for the live broadcast feature. You get half of the gross revenue you make, and a portion of Pheed's half goes toward third-party processors. That's how it plans on making money, at least initially, though Kobo says down the road it will probably introduce some kind of advertising.
Much as music services like Rdio and video services like Vimeo are beginning to test out different compensation models for content creators, Kobo says it was important to offer at least the option for monetization to users that was about giving people more for their buck than a simple song, or a video.
"That whole model where people pay x amount for a video or song is a bit outdated," he says. "What social media is today is about selling bits and pieces of peoples' lives. It’s not necessarily selling that one song, it’s selling access to me."
After Pheed's app goes live next week, Kobo--whose team of 7 invested their own $2.5 million to launch--says he'll be going for the long tail. He throws out a 10-million user number in discussing critical mass. It's certainly lofty, but Kobo is hoping that Pheed will follow the legacy of the social network upstarts that improved upon their predecessors and won over users in the process.
"The wheel had to come about before the car," he says. "There are stages, like how Friendster came, then MySpace, then Facebook, each one improving on and adding to the format. There was Twitter and now Pheed--the evolution of a genre."
Pheed, a new social network that launches a web version today with an iPhone app on the way, is attempting to bring all of that piecemeal content creation into one simple platform. On Pheed, you create your own "channel" from which you can share text, photos, videos, voice-notes and audio clips, and live broadcasts. You can get updates from the channels you follow either as it happens, like on Facebook's News Feed, or based on what kind of content it is, such as just photos, or just audio clips.
Cofounder O.D. Kobo and his team cherry-picked their favorite features from Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, SoundCloud, and other social networks, some of which Kobo says he felt had hit a stalemate, such as Instagram.
"In the past five years I haven’t seen anyone do anything as masterful as them," Kobo tells Fast Company. "But after two years I kept thinking, Why can’t I do more? Why didn’t they introduce video? Why can’t I upload an album? Wouldn't it be interesting if Instagram offered text? Would Twitter have been shaking in their boots a little bit? Maybe it was necessary for other platforms to come about."
Kobo, of course, wants Pheed to be that platform. Celebrities, such as Chris Brown, David Guetta, and Ashley Tisdale, are one way he's trying to attract users. A monetization feature that allows you to charge followers for your content is another.
A channel owner on Pheed can choose to charge for content either through a subscription-based monthly fee or a pay-per-view model, with the latter mostly suited for the live broadcast feature. You get half of the gross revenue you make, and a portion of Pheed's half goes toward third-party processors. That's how it plans on making money, at least initially, though Kobo says down the road it will probably introduce some kind of advertising.
Much as music services like Rdio and video services like Vimeo are beginning to test out different compensation models for content creators, Kobo says it was important to offer at least the option for monetization to users that was about giving people more for their buck than a simple song, or a video.
"That whole model where people pay x amount for a video or song is a bit outdated," he says. "What social media is today is about selling bits and pieces of peoples' lives. It’s not necessarily selling that one song, it’s selling access to me."
After Pheed's app goes live next week, Kobo--whose team of 7 invested their own $2.5 million to launch--says he'll be going for the long tail. He throws out a 10-million user number in discussing critical mass. It's certainly lofty, but Kobo is hoping that Pheed will follow the legacy of the social network upstarts that improved upon their predecessors and won over users in the process.
"The wheel had to come about before the car," he says. "There are stages, like how Friendster came, then MySpace, then Facebook, each one improving on and adding to the format. There was Twitter and now Pheed--the evolution of a genre."
Google vs FB. Another point of view.
Why Google Ads Work & Facebook Ads Don’t
13TH OCTOBER 2012 BY SEAN CLARK
Facebook a Marketeers Dream
Facebook is a marketeers dream.
With over 1 billion users logging in worldwide each month it is one of the largest closed marketing channels in the world.
It’s no wonder that the shares were oversubscribed when the company went public in May 2012 with a peak market capitalization of over $104 billion.
The business potential was too great to ignore.
Although more and more companies are finding it increasingly difficult to get commercial leverage and obtain an ROI from marketing activity on Facebook.
Around the same time as the IPO, General Motors pulled their ads due to a lack of return. And they aren’t the only ones to find Facebook is not laying the promised “Golden Egg”.
Facebook is Broken
Facebook is a social platform, it’s a place where friends and family exchange photos, jokes and have semi-private discussions. You go on Facebook for entertainment and social interaction, when doing so you leave behind a trail of data that identifies your likes, dislikes, wants and wishes. From what music you listen to, to your favourite breakfast cereal.
Marketing companies can then tap into this data, known as the Opengraph, and attempt to show you relevant ads or posts. The problem being that that decision is usually being made by a human, based on wide assumptions that a person liking A and connected to B will like product Z.
Combine this with the intent of the visitor, on Facebook it’s largely to interact with friends and family, then getting them to divert them from their original goal can be difficult.
This is interruption marketing but without the big glossy ads.
Google is Intelligent
If ads don’t work on Facebook why are similar ads, ones that don’t even have images, so effective on Google? The key difference is intent.
Yes marketeers are still making decisions about where their ads appear, relevance, but now it is based on search phrases rather than complex data mining.
With Google Ads, intent is the key ingredient, and intent is determined by the phrase used by the searcher. Match your relevant ad with intent, and achieving an ROI is a lot easier.
Facebook knows this and is playing catchup by introducing it’s ads to it’s own search results, although I fear the intent of a search on Facebook is going to be very different from that of one on Google.
The “Cheap Red Rucksack”
If you have cheap red rucksacks to sell, all you need to do on Google is to get your ad to display when this phrase is used, and with decent copy you stand a good chance of a click. If the ad then leads to a page with cheap red rucksacks on it’s likely you will sell one.
On Facebook you have to work out who may be interested in cheap red rucksacks. Someone that goes camping or to festivals or is about to go on holiday perhaps?
Even if you know they fit one of these criteria, you have no idea about the colour, price preference, or if they even need for a rucksack. So good copy in this type of ad on Facebook may result in a click, but that is just as likely to be out of curiosity as it is out of intent to buy.
Social Advertising Needs to Grow Up
As the social platforms look to find ways to monetise themselves their advertising models are adapting but they are still stuck in interruption mode. The issue is that interruption advertising is exactly the opposite dynamic that makes social media marketing work so effectively.
It may be no coincidence then that Google hasn’t yet introduced Adwords on to Google+. It would be very easy to do, instead it has adapted Google Places into Google+ Local and integrated Zagat reviews, a much softer approach.
Social platforms are for building authority, trust and relationships. For interacting with colleagues, friends and family. A boon for niche interest groups and activists. Above all “social” is one of the best ways to reach potential customers and build long term loyalty, using technology for the co-creation of value.
We can’t continue with the same ad models, in a space that doesn’t support them; a solution is out there, it just hasn’t matured yet, or has it?
If you need help with your online marketing then please get in touch, for a free initial consultation call Sean today on 07850957506.
13TH OCTOBER 2012 BY SEAN CLARK
Facebook a Marketeers Dream
Facebook is a marketeers dream.
With over 1 billion users logging in worldwide each month it is one of the largest closed marketing channels in the world.
It’s no wonder that the shares were oversubscribed when the company went public in May 2012 with a peak market capitalization of over $104 billion.
The business potential was too great to ignore.
Although more and more companies are finding it increasingly difficult to get commercial leverage and obtain an ROI from marketing activity on Facebook.
Around the same time as the IPO, General Motors pulled their ads due to a lack of return. And they aren’t the only ones to find Facebook is not laying the promised “Golden Egg”.
Facebook is Broken
Facebook is a social platform, it’s a place where friends and family exchange photos, jokes and have semi-private discussions. You go on Facebook for entertainment and social interaction, when doing so you leave behind a trail of data that identifies your likes, dislikes, wants and wishes. From what music you listen to, to your favourite breakfast cereal.
Marketing companies can then tap into this data, known as the Opengraph, and attempt to show you relevant ads or posts. The problem being that that decision is usually being made by a human, based on wide assumptions that a person liking A and connected to B will like product Z.
Combine this with the intent of the visitor, on Facebook it’s largely to interact with friends and family, then getting them to divert them from their original goal can be difficult.
This is interruption marketing but without the big glossy ads.
Google is Intelligent
If ads don’t work on Facebook why are similar ads, ones that don’t even have images, so effective on Google? The key difference is intent.
Yes marketeers are still making decisions about where their ads appear, relevance, but now it is based on search phrases rather than complex data mining.
With Google Ads, intent is the key ingredient, and intent is determined by the phrase used by the searcher. Match your relevant ad with intent, and achieving an ROI is a lot easier.
Facebook knows this and is playing catchup by introducing it’s ads to it’s own search results, although I fear the intent of a search on Facebook is going to be very different from that of one on Google.
The “Cheap Red Rucksack”
If you have cheap red rucksacks to sell, all you need to do on Google is to get your ad to display when this phrase is used, and with decent copy you stand a good chance of a click. If the ad then leads to a page with cheap red rucksacks on it’s likely you will sell one.
On Facebook you have to work out who may be interested in cheap red rucksacks. Someone that goes camping or to festivals or is about to go on holiday perhaps?
Even if you know they fit one of these criteria, you have no idea about the colour, price preference, or if they even need for a rucksack. So good copy in this type of ad on Facebook may result in a click, but that is just as likely to be out of curiosity as it is out of intent to buy.
Social Advertising Needs to Grow Up
As the social platforms look to find ways to monetise themselves their advertising models are adapting but they are still stuck in interruption mode. The issue is that interruption advertising is exactly the opposite dynamic that makes social media marketing work so effectively.
It may be no coincidence then that Google hasn’t yet introduced Adwords on to Google+. It would be very easy to do, instead it has adapted Google Places into Google+ Local and integrated Zagat reviews, a much softer approach.
Social platforms are for building authority, trust and relationships. For interacting with colleagues, friends and family. A boon for niche interest groups and activists. Above all “social” is one of the best ways to reach potential customers and build long term loyalty, using technology for the co-creation of value.
We can’t continue with the same ad models, in a space that doesn’t support them; a solution is out there, it just hasn’t matured yet, or has it?
If you need help with your online marketing then please get in touch, for a free initial consultation call Sean today on 07850957506.
What is Google up to?
It’s “Top Heavy 2″ As Google Rolls Out Update to Its Page Layout Algorithm, From Search Engine Land
Yes, you read that right. Google just rolled out another algorithm update. In fact, this is Google's fourth update in two weeks. To sum up the changes, first was Panda Update 20 on September 27th, then the EMD Update 1 on September 28th, next the Penguin Update 3 on October 5th, and now Top Heavy 2 has rolled out, as of October 9th. If you don’t recall the original Top Heavy update, the long and the short of it is that Google will penalize pages with too many ads “above the fold,” also known as Google’s ‘Page Layout’ algorithm.
Matt Cutts, head of Google’s web spam team, announced on Tuesday that this is a minor change but will noticeably affect about 0.7% of English-language queries. So why, if this isn’t a huge alteration, would Google feel the need to announce this? Because webmasters have consistently been asking for more frequent 'weather reports' related to Google’s algorithm updates. As a result, Google has promised to provide this type of information about updates more frequently. Of course, over the past two weeks, this new protocol has become a great challenge for busy marketers wishing to keep up with Google’s updates. So if you’d like to learn more about Top Heavy 2, you can read the full story here.
YouTube Changes Its Search Ranking Algorithm to Focus on Engagement, Not Just Clicks, From TechCrunch
With all these Google algorithm changes, it’s only natural that Google’s subsidiary, YouTube, would go through some changes too.
Here's the deal: YouTube’s video discovery features previously rewarded videos that attracted clicks, rather than the amount of time a user stayed watching. But when clicks are the only metric being taken into consideration, users simply need a captivating title and thumbnail to be in good shape. But now, users are being judged on hang time, which means they need to pump up the value and optimize for engagement. This seems like a logical, natural direction for YouTube to move toward.
Of course, YouTube isn't just changing its algorithm to benefit users -- its changing it to benefit advertisers, too. In the past, when you saw an interesting thumbnail on YouTube and clicked on it, you could have exited out before an ad even began to play, yet that 'click' would still have counted for the video, contributing to higher rankings. With this new change, however, users will need to actually sit through the ads in order for the video to rank higher. Do you think this was a smart update?
Yes, you read that right. Google just rolled out another algorithm update. In fact, this is Google's fourth update in two weeks. To sum up the changes, first was Panda Update 20 on September 27th, then the EMD Update 1 on September 28th, next the Penguin Update 3 on October 5th, and now Top Heavy 2 has rolled out, as of October 9th. If you don’t recall the original Top Heavy update, the long and the short of it is that Google will penalize pages with too many ads “above the fold,” also known as Google’s ‘Page Layout’ algorithm.
Matt Cutts, head of Google’s web spam team, announced on Tuesday that this is a minor change but will noticeably affect about 0.7% of English-language queries. So why, if this isn’t a huge alteration, would Google feel the need to announce this? Because webmasters have consistently been asking for more frequent 'weather reports' related to Google’s algorithm updates. As a result, Google has promised to provide this type of information about updates more frequently. Of course, over the past two weeks, this new protocol has become a great challenge for busy marketers wishing to keep up with Google’s updates. So if you’d like to learn more about Top Heavy 2, you can read the full story here.
YouTube Changes Its Search Ranking Algorithm to Focus on Engagement, Not Just Clicks, From TechCrunch
With all these Google algorithm changes, it’s only natural that Google’s subsidiary, YouTube, would go through some changes too.
Here's the deal: YouTube’s video discovery features previously rewarded videos that attracted clicks, rather than the amount of time a user stayed watching. But when clicks are the only metric being taken into consideration, users simply need a captivating title and thumbnail to be in good shape. But now, users are being judged on hang time, which means they need to pump up the value and optimize for engagement. This seems like a logical, natural direction for YouTube to move toward.
Of course, YouTube isn't just changing its algorithm to benefit users -- its changing it to benefit advertisers, too. In the past, when you saw an interesting thumbnail on YouTube and clicked on it, you could have exited out before an ad even began to play, yet that 'click' would still have counted for the video, contributing to higher rankings. With this new change, however, users will need to actually sit through the ads in order for the video to rank higher. Do you think this was a smart update?
Dev-Team releases a major update for RedSn0w.
Dev-Team Releases Major RedSn0w Update, Allows Easy Restore To & From iOS 5.x Firmwares.
Published on October 14th, 2012
Written by: Usman
The Dev-Team has today pushed a major update to its iOS jailbreak tool RedSn0w, taking it to version 0.9.15b1 that introduces a bunch of new features including the option to restore to older firmwares (including iOS 5.x) which are no longer being signed by Apple. Other new options include untethered 6.0 jailbreak & hactivation on old-bootrom 3GS, hactivation on any iPhone 4, direct restore for pre-A5 devices to earlier firmware and much more.
Below is a list of new features as detailed by Dev-Team on their official blog:
Restore from any 5.x iOS to any other (up, down or the same) 5.x iOS on all devices as long as you have the correct blobs (see more below)
Cydia now included in the tethered 6.0 jailbreak on A4 devices
automatically “Just Boot” tethered when qualifying A4 device connects in DFU mode
untethered 6.0 jailbreak on old-bootrom 3GS
untethered 6.0 hactivation on any 3GS or iPhone4
directly restore pre-A5 devices to earlier firmware — no more complicated 15-step how-to’s with stitching, iTunes errors, and “hosts file” concerns
fetch new signed blobs for any IPSW (present or future — no redsn0w update required) using Extras->SHSH Blobs->New
block the BB update for any 3GS or iPhone4 restore (past, present, or future — no redsn0w update required) using Extras->Even More->Restore
deactivate any iPhone, useful for testing your “official” unlock status through iTunes. (Please only deactivate your own iPhone!)
activation status shown on “Even more” page
significantly more (very nerdy) info returned by “Identify” button when device is in Normal mode
tethered jailbreak of ATV2 supported (but the only thing available for it is the SSH2 custom bundle availablehere — no Cydia yet. Must use “Select IPSW” for tethered boot of ATV2 for now).
auto-exit WTF mode for older devices with broken buttons.
Any time a set of blobs is fetched remotely (from Apple or Cydia), redsn0w also saves them locally (and will check there first if you click “Local”)
for your future restoring convenience, you should also submit all of your past and present TinyUmbrella blobs to Cydia if you haven’t done so yet. Resubmitting is okay and won’t cause conflicts.
Here are more details on the iOS 5-to-iOS 5 restores for A5+ devices (Note: pre-A5 devices don’t have these restrictions):
RedSn0w now lets you restore an A5+ device from any iOS5 to any other iOS5 as long as you have correct 5.x blobs for the starting (current) and ending points of the restore
You DO NOT QUALIFY for iOS 5-to-iOS 5 restores if you got to your current 5.x via an OTA update.
Unlike the A4 devices, redsn0w can’t (usefully) prevent the baseband updates of A5+ iPhones and iPads.
iPad2 owners (all three models) with saved 4.x blobs can use those instead, even from 6.x.
Ultrasn0w isn’t yet updated for 6.x
As always, redsn0w lets you “Fetch” the SHSH blobs currently flashed onto your pre-A5 device.
If you’re in the Melbourne, Australia area, MuscleNerd (and another anonymous long-time Dev Team member) will be giving some talks at the Breakpoint conference http://www.ruxconbreakpoint.com this week.
Published on October 14th, 2012
Written by: Usman
The Dev-Team has today pushed a major update to its iOS jailbreak tool RedSn0w, taking it to version 0.9.15b1 that introduces a bunch of new features including the option to restore to older firmwares (including iOS 5.x) which are no longer being signed by Apple. Other new options include untethered 6.0 jailbreak & hactivation on old-bootrom 3GS, hactivation on any iPhone 4, direct restore for pre-A5 devices to earlier firmware and much more.
Below is a list of new features as detailed by Dev-Team on their official blog:
Restore from any 5.x iOS to any other (up, down or the same) 5.x iOS on all devices as long as you have the correct blobs (see more below)
Cydia now included in the tethered 6.0 jailbreak on A4 devices
automatically “Just Boot” tethered when qualifying A4 device connects in DFU mode
untethered 6.0 jailbreak on old-bootrom 3GS
untethered 6.0 hactivation on any 3GS or iPhone4
directly restore pre-A5 devices to earlier firmware — no more complicated 15-step how-to’s with stitching, iTunes errors, and “hosts file” concerns
fetch new signed blobs for any IPSW (present or future — no redsn0w update required) using Extras->SHSH Blobs->New
block the BB update for any 3GS or iPhone4 restore (past, present, or future — no redsn0w update required) using Extras->Even More->Restore
deactivate any iPhone, useful for testing your “official” unlock status through iTunes. (Please only deactivate your own iPhone!)
activation status shown on “Even more” page
significantly more (very nerdy) info returned by “Identify” button when device is in Normal mode
tethered jailbreak of ATV2 supported (but the only thing available for it is the SSH2 custom bundle availablehere — no Cydia yet. Must use “Select IPSW” for tethered boot of ATV2 for now).
auto-exit WTF mode for older devices with broken buttons.
Any time a set of blobs is fetched remotely (from Apple or Cydia), redsn0w also saves them locally (and will check there first if you click “Local”)
for your future restoring convenience, you should also submit all of your past and present TinyUmbrella blobs to Cydia if you haven’t done so yet. Resubmitting is okay and won’t cause conflicts.
Here are more details on the iOS 5-to-iOS 5 restores for A5+ devices (Note: pre-A5 devices don’t have these restrictions):
RedSn0w now lets you restore an A5+ device from any iOS5 to any other iOS5 as long as you have correct 5.x blobs for the starting (current) and ending points of the restore
You DO NOT QUALIFY for iOS 5-to-iOS 5 restores if you got to your current 5.x via an OTA update.
Unlike the A4 devices, redsn0w can’t (usefully) prevent the baseband updates of A5+ iPhones and iPads.
iPad2 owners (all three models) with saved 4.x blobs can use those instead, even from 6.x.
Ultrasn0w isn’t yet updated for 6.x
As always, redsn0w lets you “Fetch” the SHSH blobs currently flashed onto your pre-A5 device.
If you’re in the Melbourne, Australia area, MuscleNerd (and another anonymous long-time Dev Team member) will be giving some talks at the Breakpoint conference http://www.ruxconbreakpoint.com this week.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
iPad Mini to come in Oct?
Now if only they could rid themselves of the iPad moniker...
Despite the fact that Apple just announced the newest iPad six months ago, the rumor mill has been churning out iPad mini rumors for months. Yesterday brought us photos of the device in question and today there are reports that Apple is planning a media event to launch the tablet later this month.
All Things D reports that the iPad mini launch event is 'likely' to take place on October 23. John Paczkowski cites people familiar with Apple's plans that say the company will unveil the Pad mini at an event scheduled for October 23. Though this is a Tuesday (and not the usual Wednesday, like previous Apple events), Paczkowski points out that it's three days before the launch of Microsoft's Surface (October 26, the same day as Windows 8) and two days before Apple is due to report earnings for the most recent quarter.
That week is shaping up be a pretty big one for tech. If this iPad mini event comes to fruition, there'll be the iPad mini, Windows 8, the Microsoft Surface (along with a deluge of other Windows 8 tablets/ultrabooks), Windows Phone 8 the following Monday and the rumored launch of the new Nexus handset.
Despite the fact that Apple just announced the newest iPad six months ago, the rumor mill has been churning out iPad mini rumors for months. Yesterday brought us photos of the device in question and today there are reports that Apple is planning a media event to launch the tablet later this month.
All Things D reports that the iPad mini launch event is 'likely' to take place on October 23. John Paczkowski cites people familiar with Apple's plans that say the company will unveil the Pad mini at an event scheduled for October 23. Though this is a Tuesday (and not the usual Wednesday, like previous Apple events), Paczkowski points out that it's three days before the launch of Microsoft's Surface (October 26, the same day as Windows 8) and two days before Apple is due to report earnings for the most recent quarter.
That week is shaping up be a pretty big one for tech. If this iPad mini event comes to fruition, there'll be the iPad mini, Windows 8, the Microsoft Surface (along with a deluge of other Windows 8 tablets/ultrabooks), Windows Phone 8 the following Monday and the rumored launch of the new Nexus handset.
iOS to Android. Make the change easy and painless.
HOW TO
How to Make the Switch from iOS to Android
By Andrew Tarantola, Oct 13, 2012 11:00 AM
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You've been hanging back, waiting for the dust to settle around the iPhone 5 debut. Now that the reviews are in, you're out. It's time to trade in the Cupertino Kool-Aid for some Jelly Beans. Here's how to do it right.
Contacts and Calendars
Migrating your contacts and calendar dates from iPhone to Android is as simple as setting up Google Sync. As long as you're running iOS 3.0 or above, and already have an active Google or Gmail account, you can do it directly through your phone:
On your iPhone select Settings -> Mail, Contacts, Calendars.
Set up a new "Microsoft Exchange" account (yes, even if you're trying to import from Gmail).
Input your email address and login info. Enter a domain if you have one for an actual ME server; Gmail users can leave it blank.
Select "Server" then either input the ME server address or "m.google.com" for Gmail.
On the final screen, select what you want to import—Mail, Contacts, Calendars, and/or Reminders—then hit Accept.
Or you can do it through iTunes if you prefer, though you'll only be able to pull your contacts' vital fields like their names, job titles, email, postal addresses, phone numbers, and IM handle. To do so:
Mount your iPhone onto your computer as an external drive using a USB cable and open iTunes
Select your iPhone from the list on the left pane and select the "Info" tab
Select "Sync Contacts With" and then choose "Google Contacts" from the drop-down
Enter your Google log-in info when prompted then hit Apply to sync
Make sure you disable the Sync With Google option when you've finished otherwise the system will dump redundant entries into your contacts list.
All Your Media
For your music, videos, and pictures, you'll need to again mount your iPhone onto you computer as an external drive. If you are using a PC, open Explorer, locate the appropriate files on the phone and copy them to your desktop. Mac users, on the other hand, can just use Image Capture to download these files to the desktop or. Once that's done, connect your Android to your computer and transfer the media files to the appropriate phone folder. For PC users, it's plug-and-play. For OSX users, if your new Android runs ICS or above, download Android File Transfer Utility do your Mac, and then drag-and-drop. Images and video go to DCIM, music goes to, well, Music.
You may notice that your Android can't sync with iTunes, so you'll need an alternative service to load new media onto the device. Google Play is a solid option, allowing you to store up to 20,000 uploaded tracks for free (and loads your collection directly from iTunes), as well as Amazon Cloud Player, which offers 5GB of space for uploaded tracks at no charge. Or use Spotify.
When transferring SMS messages off the iPhone, My SMS is quite handy. This free app syncs text messages among your various devices—phones, tablets, laptops, and whathaveyou—and is compatible with both Mac and Windows. Simply download the app on both phones, follow the setup instructions and MySMS does the rest.
Extracting voice mail messages from your iPhone, on the other hand, can be a bit of a pain though it depends on how much money you are willing to spend. The least costly option (albeit most labor intensive) involves simply forwarding messages individually to your Google account. To do so, select the appropriate conversation in "Messages", click Edit and then Forward.
Now if you'd prefer to skip the drudgery of sending yourself old voicemail messages individually, programs like PhoneView (Mac - $30) and iExplorer (Mac and PC - $35) can be quite helpful. These programs pull data from your iTunes backup logs giving you access to virtually every file you've synced. You'll be able to copy not just voicemail to the desktop, but also your call history, contacts, bookmarks, notes, and media files as well.
Apps
Used to be, many popular apps like Instagram, Fruit Ninja, and Flipboard were iOS exclusives, leaving Android owners to either do without or settle for cheap imitations.
However, with Android's recent meteoric rise in popularity developers can no longer afford to ignore it like a red-headed step-child and now regularly offer their wares for both systems. Games are an exception to this trend, unfortunately. Many developers have proven reluctant to port their games to Android and its menagerie of supported hardware, which is why you'll be hard-pressed to find iOS stalwarts like Plants vs Zombies, Chrono Trigger, or Infinity Blade on Google Play.
What you get instead are a bevy of features that don't exist in Apple's sandbox—widgets, for example. These home screen-based apps provide instant access to a variety of services; from Accuweather Forecasts to Rdio Playlists and native Android utilities like Gmail, Calendar, and Voice Search (which is like Siri but, you know, competent).
And if you had the pleasure of using iOS 6 before jumping off the Apple wagon, Google Maps will be a welcome return. As will be the near infinite customizability of the OS.
If you don't like your native app launcher, or background, or ringtone suite, or virtually any other aspect of how your phone functions or looks, there are thousands of options (most free) are available on Google Play to replace them.
IE9 aces malware evaluation. Is Microsoft serious about Malware?
You might be surprised at which Web browser aced this security test
By Ellen Messmer
October 13, 2012
— Network World —
Microsoft IE9 blew away Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari in new tests by NSS Labs to measure the ability of web browsers to block malware and catch click fraud.
NSS subjected Apple Safari 5, Google Chrome 15-19, Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 and Mozilla Firefox 7-13 to over 3 million test runs against over 84,000 URLs determined to be active and malicious out of a unique sample set of 227,841. Out of 750,000 test cases per browser, NSS labs found in its 75-day review that IE9's malware block rate was 95%, whle Firefox and Safari trailed far behind at 6% apiece and Chrome was somewhere in the middle, with its rate varying from 13% to 74%.
By Ellen Messmer
October 13, 2012
— Network World —
Microsoft IE9 blew away Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari in new tests by NSS Labs to measure the ability of web browsers to block malware and catch click fraud.
NSS subjected Apple Safari 5, Google Chrome 15-19, Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 and Mozilla Firefox 7-13 to over 3 million test runs against over 84,000 URLs determined to be active and malicious out of a unique sample set of 227,841. Out of 750,000 test cases per browser, NSS labs found in its 75-day review that IE9's malware block rate was 95%, whle Firefox and Safari trailed far behind at 6% apiece and Chrome was somewhere in the middle, with its rate varying from 13% to 74%.
Replacing the double AA batteries in an Apple Wireless Keyboard.
In this article, we’ll go over the basic battery replacement process for Apple wireless keyboards made after 2007.
A wireless Apple keyboard takes two AA batteries in order to operate. You’ll want to make sure that the batteries you’ll be using in the keyboard are of the same type and have the same level of charge.
You can use rechargeable batteries, though I’ve noticed that the battery level readings reported by Bluetooth are a bit off when I do.
Standard alkaline AA batteries bought at the store should last you weeks (or even months) between replacements. The keyboard also tends to go through batteries slower than the Apple mouse, which also uses twin AA batteries.
You’ll also need a coin to undo the battery cap. It’s possible to unscrew this by applying pressure from your thumb, but it isn’t as easy for everyone.
Here’s what you’ll need to do.
Turn off the keyboard by pressing and holding the power button located on the right side of the keyboard’s lifter until the green light turns off.
Unscrew the end from the opposite side of the lifter using a coin or your thumb.
Take out the old batteries and set them aside.
Insert the new batteries with the positive side (the side with a bump) facing in.
Screw the cap back on the keyboard and tighten.
Press the power button until a green light appears above the eject key.
Wait a few seconds and your keyboard should connect to your Mac automatically.
Once everything is connected, you can check your battery levels via the Bluetooth icon at the top of the screen. New batteries should reflect a 100% charge starting out. If you inserted new batteries and they’re not reading a near-100% charge, you may have mismatched or faulty batteries.
A wireless Apple keyboard takes two AA batteries in order to operate. You’ll want to make sure that the batteries you’ll be using in the keyboard are of the same type and have the same level of charge.
You can use rechargeable batteries, though I’ve noticed that the battery level readings reported by Bluetooth are a bit off when I do.
Standard alkaline AA batteries bought at the store should last you weeks (or even months) between replacements. The keyboard also tends to go through batteries slower than the Apple mouse, which also uses twin AA batteries.
You’ll also need a coin to undo the battery cap. It’s possible to unscrew this by applying pressure from your thumb, but it isn’t as easy for everyone.
Here’s what you’ll need to do.
Turn off the keyboard by pressing and holding the power button located on the right side of the keyboard’s lifter until the green light turns off.
Unscrew the end from the opposite side of the lifter using a coin or your thumb.
Take out the old batteries and set them aside.
Insert the new batteries with the positive side (the side with a bump) facing in.
Screw the cap back on the keyboard and tighten.
Press the power button until a green light appears above the eject key.
Wait a few seconds and your keyboard should connect to your Mac automatically.
Once everything is connected, you can check your battery levels via the Bluetooth icon at the top of the screen. New batteries should reflect a 100% charge starting out. If you inserted new batteries and they’re not reading a near-100% charge, you may have mismatched or faulty batteries.
Additional news for Mobile users
Keep an eye open for these malware variants.
Loozfon is an information-stealing piece of malware. Criminals use different variants to lure the victims. One version is a work-at-home opportunity that promises a profitable payday just for sending out email. A link within these advertisements leads to a website that is designed to push Loozfon on the user’s device. The malicious application steals contact details from the user’s address book and the infected device’s phone number.
FinFisher is a spyware capable of taking over the components of a mobile device. When installed the mobile device can be remotely controlled and monitored no matter where the Target is located. FinFisher can be easily transmitted to a Smartphone when the user visits a specific web link or opens a text message masquerading as a system update.
Last week, security experts at McAfee announced that more than 60% of Android malware uses fake premium SMS messages. In their post on this subject, McAfee said, “Malware authors appear to make lots of money with this type of fraud, so they are determined to continue improving their infrastructure, code, and techniques to try to avoid antivirus software. It’s an ongoing struggle, but we are constantly working to keep up with their advances.”
Loozfon is an information-stealing piece of malware. Criminals use different variants to lure the victims. One version is a work-at-home opportunity that promises a profitable payday just for sending out email. A link within these advertisements leads to a website that is designed to push Loozfon on the user’s device. The malicious application steals contact details from the user’s address book and the infected device’s phone number.
FinFisher is a spyware capable of taking over the components of a mobile device. When installed the mobile device can be remotely controlled and monitored no matter where the Target is located. FinFisher can be easily transmitted to a Smartphone when the user visits a specific web link or opens a text message masquerading as a system update.
Last week, security experts at McAfee announced that more than 60% of Android malware uses fake premium SMS messages. In their post on this subject, McAfee said, “Malware authors appear to make lots of money with this type of fraud, so they are determined to continue improving their infrastructure, code, and techniques to try to avoid antivirus software. It’s an ongoing struggle, but we are constantly working to keep up with their advances.”
Tips for Mobile users on Internet safety
Safety tips from FBI to protect your mobile device:
When purchasing a Smartphone, know the features of the device, including the default settings. Turn off features of the device not needed to minimize the attack surface of the device.
Depending on the type of phone, the operating system may have encryption available. This can be used to protect the user’s personal data in the case of loss or theft.
With the growth of the application market for mobile devices, users should look at the reviews of the developer/company who published the application.
Review and understand the permissions you are giving when you download applications.
Passcode protect your mobile device. This is the first layer of physical security to protect the contents of the device. In conjunction with the passcode, enable the screen lock feature after a few minutes of inactivity.
Obtain malware protection for your mobile device. Look for applications that specialize in antivirus or file integrity that helps protect your device from rogue applications and malware.
Be aware of applications that enable Geo-location. The application will track the user’s location anywhere. This application can be used for marketing, but can be used by malicious actors raising concerns of assisting a possible stalker and/or burglaries.
Jailbreak or rooting is used to remove certain restrictions imposed by the device manufacturer or cell phone carrier. This allows the user nearly unregulated control over what programs can be installed and how the device can be used. However, this procedure often involves exploiting significant security vulnerabilities and increases the attack surface of the device. Anytime a user, application or service runs in “unrestricted” or “system” level within an operation system, it allows any compromise to take full control of the device.
Do not allow your device to connect to unknown wireless networks. These networks could be rogue access points that capture information passed between your device and a legitimate server.
If you decide to sell your device or trade it in, make sure you wipe the device (reset it to factory default) to avoid leaving personal data on the device.
Smartphones require updates to run applications and firmware. If users neglect this it increases the risk of having their device hacked or compromised.
Avoid clicking on or otherwise downloading software or links from unknown sources.
Use the same precautions on your mobile phone as you would on your computer when using the Internet.
Making money. Wall Street looks ahead.
The Stocks Wall Street Was Talking About
CNBC.com | October 13, 2012
Analysts and investors weighed in on whether Amazon is a threat to Netflix and whether Wal-Mart can take on Amazon this week. They also discussed their bank and restaurant stock picks.
Find out more in this weekly CNBC.com Stock Blog roundup.
Wall Street analysts are divided on what do with Netflix [ NFLX 64.3335 -1.6465 (-2.50%) ]. Morgan Stanley upgraded to stock suggesting Amazon.com’s online video offering is not a direct threat, while other analysts worry that as media companies put more content online, Netflix will have trouble attracting subscribers.
Wal-Mart [ WMT 75.81 +0.80 (+1.07%) ], meanwhile, is looking to take on Amazon [ AMZN 242.36 -1.86 (-0.76%) ] with same-day shipping. Joe Feldman, an analyst at the Telsey Advisory Group, is optimistic that Wal-Mart will be able to use its stores effectively to ship goods to consumers same-day.
Yield has been important to investors this year. There are five companies that could be poised to hike their dividends in the next quarter — AT&T [ T 35.63 -0.63 (-1.74%) ], Kinder Morgan [ KMI 34.50 -0.59 (-1.68%) ], Freeport McMoran [ FCX 40.14 -0.61 (-1.50%) ], Campbell Soup [ CPB 34.68 -0.20 (-0.57%) ] and Hormel Foods [ HRL 28.83 -0.29 (-1.00%) ].
CNBC.com | October 13, 2012
Analysts and investors weighed in on whether Amazon is a threat to Netflix and whether Wal-Mart can take on Amazon this week. They also discussed their bank and restaurant stock picks.
Find out more in this weekly CNBC.com Stock Blog roundup.
Wall Street analysts are divided on what do with Netflix [ NFLX 64.3335 -1.6465 (-2.50%) ]. Morgan Stanley upgraded to stock suggesting Amazon.com’s online video offering is not a direct threat, while other analysts worry that as media companies put more content online, Netflix will have trouble attracting subscribers.
Wal-Mart [ WMT 75.81 +0.80 (+1.07%) ], meanwhile, is looking to take on Amazon [ AMZN 242.36 -1.86 (-0.76%) ] with same-day shipping. Joe Feldman, an analyst at the Telsey Advisory Group, is optimistic that Wal-Mart will be able to use its stores effectively to ship goods to consumers same-day.
Yield has been important to investors this year. There are five companies that could be poised to hike their dividends in the next quarter — AT&T [ T 35.63 -0.63 (-1.74%) ], Kinder Morgan [ KMI 34.50 -0.59 (-1.68%) ], Freeport McMoran [ FCX 40.14 -0.61 (-1.50%) ], Campbell Soup [ CPB 34.68 -0.20 (-0.57%) ] and Hormel Foods [ HRL 28.83 -0.29 (-1.00%) ].
Is E tailers becoming mainstream retailing?
eBay and Groupon makes big waves and now this. When will there be an Amazon store along the lines of Apple?
FORTUNE — Fashion site BaubleBar has spent two years building an avid group of fans who turn to the site to sift through a fast-changing array of hip jewelry sold at reasonable prices. On October 17, the company will invite customers to try on that jewelry in person — at THE BAR, a 500 square-foot showroom that will open in the back of the company’s Manhattan corporate headquarters.
Consider it a modern twist on an old trend: since the birth of the web, traditional brick-and-mortar retailers have been creating digital storefronts. Web sales of apparel and accessories, in particular, are growing far faster than any other e-commerce product category and are expected to reach $40.9 billion in 2012 according to eMarketer. But until recently, digital retailers rarely took to the streets. (When’s the last time you drove down to your local Amazon (AMZN) to pick up a skirt?)
Now that’s changing as a new crop of entrepreneurs are developing digital brands that migrate to physical locations. They know that the online opportunity may be big, but it is still dwarfed by more traditional shopping experiences; 80% of transactions still occur offline after all.
MORE: 3 things holding New York tech back
Thus trendy glasses-maker Warby Parker recently opened a SoHo showroom, and the company has retrofitted a school bus to be a pop-up store-on-the-go that will travel to nine cities over the next six months. It has also launched showrooms within existing retail spaces in nine US cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia.
Another example: Last fall Bonobos, an Internet fashion brand that peddles trendy pants to affluent men, opened a storefront it called “Guideshop” in the company’s Chelsea headquarters. In April, the company took a $16.4 million investment led by Nordstrom’s (JWN) (along with Accel Partners and Lightspeed Venture Partners) and struck a deal with the retailer to sell its clothes in more than 69 physical stores. A year later, Bonobos has “Guideshop” boutiques in Boston and Palo Alto and a Chicago store will open October 15.
It’s a strategy that makes sense, says Forrester (FORR) analyst Sucharita Mulpuru, because real estate is relatively cheap right now and online retailers have drastically reduced the price of inventory. (Many still mail the inventory online after customers have reviewed the products in the store.) “They’re small bets,” Mulpuru adds. “If it ends up being successful they can extend it to other places as well.”
That’s the model BaubleBar hopes to follow. Founders Daniella Yacobovsky and Amy Jain, both 30, developed the idea for the jewelry company, which sells necklaces, earrings and bracelets for an average between $20 and $120, a few years ago when they were classmates in their second year of Harvard Business School. They noticed most shoppers had no brand affiliation with jewelers the way they might with clothing, say, or shoes. Thus department stores competed on margins, not volume: they bought from many smaller designers without care-taking relationships and then marked the jewelry way up.
MORE: Facebook’s China problem
After meeting with hundreds of designers, Yacobovsky and Jain turned to the Internet to cut out the middlemen, bringing prices down for consumers while at the same time paying designers more. They launched officially in January 2011 after issuing BaubleBar invitations to friends, and have grown mostly by word-of-mouth. With $5.6 million in funding, the company, which adds roughly 100 new products to the site every week, is also able to move very fast — a classic Internet advantage — and to localize products.
Yacobovsky and Jain now hope that speed together with their expert product picks will pay off in physical stores. Beyond THE BAR, they plan to launch more boutiques across the country catering specifically to local tastes. If a fashion blogger in Atlanta is talking up spikes, for example, they can stock an Atlanta store with spiked jewelry within weeks. They can merchandise a store in Atlanta very quickly.
More e-tailers may follow suit. Even Amazon is rumored to be considering a brick-and-mortar store, giving a whole new life to the term “multichannel.”
FORTUNE — Fashion site BaubleBar has spent two years building an avid group of fans who turn to the site to sift through a fast-changing array of hip jewelry sold at reasonable prices. On October 17, the company will invite customers to try on that jewelry in person — at THE BAR, a 500 square-foot showroom that will open in the back of the company’s Manhattan corporate headquarters.
Consider it a modern twist on an old trend: since the birth of the web, traditional brick-and-mortar retailers have been creating digital storefronts. Web sales of apparel and accessories, in particular, are growing far faster than any other e-commerce product category and are expected to reach $40.9 billion in 2012 according to eMarketer. But until recently, digital retailers rarely took to the streets. (When’s the last time you drove down to your local Amazon (AMZN) to pick up a skirt?)
Now that’s changing as a new crop of entrepreneurs are developing digital brands that migrate to physical locations. They know that the online opportunity may be big, but it is still dwarfed by more traditional shopping experiences; 80% of transactions still occur offline after all.
MORE: 3 things holding New York tech back
Thus trendy glasses-maker Warby Parker recently opened a SoHo showroom, and the company has retrofitted a school bus to be a pop-up store-on-the-go that will travel to nine cities over the next six months. It has also launched showrooms within existing retail spaces in nine US cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia.
Another example: Last fall Bonobos, an Internet fashion brand that peddles trendy pants to affluent men, opened a storefront it called “Guideshop” in the company’s Chelsea headquarters. In April, the company took a $16.4 million investment led by Nordstrom’s (JWN) (along with Accel Partners and Lightspeed Venture Partners) and struck a deal with the retailer to sell its clothes in more than 69 physical stores. A year later, Bonobos has “Guideshop” boutiques in Boston and Palo Alto and a Chicago store will open October 15.
It’s a strategy that makes sense, says Forrester (FORR) analyst Sucharita Mulpuru, because real estate is relatively cheap right now and online retailers have drastically reduced the price of inventory. (Many still mail the inventory online after customers have reviewed the products in the store.) “They’re small bets,” Mulpuru adds. “If it ends up being successful they can extend it to other places as well.”
That’s the model BaubleBar hopes to follow. Founders Daniella Yacobovsky and Amy Jain, both 30, developed the idea for the jewelry company, which sells necklaces, earrings and bracelets for an average between $20 and $120, a few years ago when they were classmates in their second year of Harvard Business School. They noticed most shoppers had no brand affiliation with jewelers the way they might with clothing, say, or shoes. Thus department stores competed on margins, not volume: they bought from many smaller designers without care-taking relationships and then marked the jewelry way up.
MORE: Facebook’s China problem
After meeting with hundreds of designers, Yacobovsky and Jain turned to the Internet to cut out the middlemen, bringing prices down for consumers while at the same time paying designers more. They launched officially in January 2011 after issuing BaubleBar invitations to friends, and have grown mostly by word-of-mouth. With $5.6 million in funding, the company, which adds roughly 100 new products to the site every week, is also able to move very fast — a classic Internet advantage — and to localize products.
Yacobovsky and Jain now hope that speed together with their expert product picks will pay off in physical stores. Beyond THE BAR, they plan to launch more boutiques across the country catering specifically to local tastes. If a fashion blogger in Atlanta is talking up spikes, for example, they can stock an Atlanta store with spiked jewelry within weeks. They can merchandise a store in Atlanta very quickly.
More e-tailers may follow suit. Even Amazon is rumored to be considering a brick-and-mortar store, giving a whole new life to the term “multichannel.”
It pays to pay attention. Dividends and stock.
Dividends Are Stronger Than Ever
Dan Caplinger - October 12, 2012
With dividend-paying stocks more popular among investors than ever, some controversy has arisen about whether there's a dividend bubble that could send those stocks plunging in the future. Yet despite extreme investor optimism about dividend payers, one fact is clear: On the whole, stocks are doing a good job of boosting their payouts to keep up with rising share prices.
Gauging dividend health
Every quarter, S&P Dow Jones Indices provides commentary (link opens PDF file) about the state of the dividend-paying stock universe. Looking at the figures that S&P compiles provides a useful snapshot of what's happening among dividend stocks and which way prevailing trends are moving.
By all accounts, dividend stocks had an extremely strong quarter from July to September. With stocks in aggregate giving shareholders $8.8 billion more in dividends during the third quarter of 2012, S&P believes that the U.S. stock market has never paid more in aggregate dividend distributions than it's paying currently.
Moreover, many more companies are financially secure enough to raise their payouts than are nervous enough to cut back on their dividends. During the quarter, 439 stocks implemented dividend increases, while just 53 reduced their payouts.
Taking a broader view to encompass the past 12 months, you can see just how important dividends have been to the stock market's general health. Since this time last year, a whopping 2,270 companies have boosted their dividends, the highest level since 2007. Even more impressive is the $42 billion in extra dividends coming from companies that raised their payouts, as well as $17.7 billion in new initial payouts.
Where's the growth coming from?
Obviously, some well-known names account for a lot of the dollar volume of new dividends going out. Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) just started its dividend, but at its current rate, it will distribute $10 billion in payouts to shareholders each year. Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO) will give shareholders more than $1.25 billion extra in dividends annually, thanks to its recent 75% boost in its payout rate. And while Dell (Nasdaq: DELL) is a much smaller company than it used to be, its yield of more than 3% equates to an annual payout of more than half a billion dollars -- not small change for a stock with a market cap of just $16 billion.
But with hundreds of stocks boosting their payouts, this isn't just an isolated phenomenon. Companies have realized how much investors want to see the confidence that dividends communicate, and they're responding by putting their money where their mouths are.
What goes up must come down, right?
The obvious question is whether the current love-fest for dividend stocks will eventually come to an end. On one hand, companies aren't just raising dividends arbitrarily; in most cases, improving profits underlie the payout hikes. Moreover, better profits have pushed payout ratios to extremely low levels, leaving companies with more room than usual to increase the portion of earnings they return to shareholders.
In some areas, dividends are coming down. Mortgage REITs American Capital Agency (Nasdaq: AGNC) and Chimera Investment (NYSE: CIM), for instance, have cut their payouts in the past year as conditions in the mortgage-backed securities market have deteriorated somewhat. Yet mortgage REITs have mandated minimum dividends based on earnings that can lead to more volatility than with other businesses, which can implement more stable dividend policies that better account for cyclical movements.
The longer-term answer to the question of whether dividends must fall at some point in the future is that it depends on what happens with earnings. If high margins and strong corporate performance prove unsustainable, then pressure on profits could bring dividend expansion to a halt. In all likelihood, though, it would take a disruption on a similar scale to 2008's bear market in order to bring on waves of dividend decreases. For investors hungry for income, good news is likely to keep coming for a while.
Dan Caplinger - October 12, 2012
With dividend-paying stocks more popular among investors than ever, some controversy has arisen about whether there's a dividend bubble that could send those stocks plunging in the future. Yet despite extreme investor optimism about dividend payers, one fact is clear: On the whole, stocks are doing a good job of boosting their payouts to keep up with rising share prices.
Gauging dividend health
Every quarter, S&P Dow Jones Indices provides commentary (link opens PDF file) about the state of the dividend-paying stock universe. Looking at the figures that S&P compiles provides a useful snapshot of what's happening among dividend stocks and which way prevailing trends are moving.
By all accounts, dividend stocks had an extremely strong quarter from July to September. With stocks in aggregate giving shareholders $8.8 billion more in dividends during the third quarter of 2012, S&P believes that the U.S. stock market has never paid more in aggregate dividend distributions than it's paying currently.
Moreover, many more companies are financially secure enough to raise their payouts than are nervous enough to cut back on their dividends. During the quarter, 439 stocks implemented dividend increases, while just 53 reduced their payouts.
Taking a broader view to encompass the past 12 months, you can see just how important dividends have been to the stock market's general health. Since this time last year, a whopping 2,270 companies have boosted their dividends, the highest level since 2007. Even more impressive is the $42 billion in extra dividends coming from companies that raised their payouts, as well as $17.7 billion in new initial payouts.
Where's the growth coming from?
Obviously, some well-known names account for a lot of the dollar volume of new dividends going out. Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) just started its dividend, but at its current rate, it will distribute $10 billion in payouts to shareholders each year. Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO) will give shareholders more than $1.25 billion extra in dividends annually, thanks to its recent 75% boost in its payout rate. And while Dell (Nasdaq: DELL) is a much smaller company than it used to be, its yield of more than 3% equates to an annual payout of more than half a billion dollars -- not small change for a stock with a market cap of just $16 billion.
But with hundreds of stocks boosting their payouts, this isn't just an isolated phenomenon. Companies have realized how much investors want to see the confidence that dividends communicate, and they're responding by putting their money where their mouths are.
What goes up must come down, right?
The obvious question is whether the current love-fest for dividend stocks will eventually come to an end. On one hand, companies aren't just raising dividends arbitrarily; in most cases, improving profits underlie the payout hikes. Moreover, better profits have pushed payout ratios to extremely low levels, leaving companies with more room than usual to increase the portion of earnings they return to shareholders.
In some areas, dividends are coming down. Mortgage REITs American Capital Agency (Nasdaq: AGNC) and Chimera Investment (NYSE: CIM), for instance, have cut their payouts in the past year as conditions in the mortgage-backed securities market have deteriorated somewhat. Yet mortgage REITs have mandated minimum dividends based on earnings that can lead to more volatility than with other businesses, which can implement more stable dividend policies that better account for cyclical movements.
The longer-term answer to the question of whether dividends must fall at some point in the future is that it depends on what happens with earnings. If high margins and strong corporate performance prove unsustainable, then pressure on profits could bring dividend expansion to a halt. In all likelihood, though, it would take a disruption on a similar scale to 2008's bear market in order to bring on waves of dividend decreases. For investors hungry for income, good news is likely to keep coming for a while.
FB gets more transparent.
Do they have a long way to go?
Suzanne Choney , NBC News - 1 day
Facebook to ask your permission before sharing your actions
NBC News
Tired of Facebook sharing every little article you read or song you listen to, using its "Open Graph" system? So is Facebook, apparently. Apps will soon need user permission to share "like," "follow," "listen," "read" or "watch" actions, according to product engineer Henry Zhang, who posted the new rules on Facebook's developer blog.
"In order to provide users with experiences that meet their expectations, we will no longer approve custom actions that publish stories as people consume content," he wrote. "These apps must use the appropriate built-in actions or create a different sharing experience."
Advertise | AdChoices
"Apps that help people automatically share stories about content as they consume it, such as the music you are listening to, can be good experiences when apps create clear expectations for the user of what is being shared and when," Zhang wrote. "When apps automatically publish stories on a person’s behalf in a way that is unexpected, such as when they browse an online store, it can surprise and confuse people."
The change is to take place "in the next 90 days," Zhang said.
Meanwhile, Facebook stories that lead with images and location are being made "more prominent" in Facebook's news feeds and Timeline, Zhang said.
"In early tests, the new image-led stories have shown 70 percent more clicks for apps that provide high quality, relevant imagery with low spam rates," Zhang wrote. "In certain cases, we have seen these stories generate up to 50x more Likes than equivalent story types from before. The new location stories provide double-digit gains in distribution to apps."
The Open Graph changes may be welcome, but they're not totally altruistic: Facebook will annoy fewer of its users, but its goal is probably to be better "liked" by the Federal Trade Commission. The agency recently settled charges with Facebook over deceiving consumers and making them share more personal info they they intended.
The settlement requires Facebook to get user consent for some changes to privacy settings, and also subjects the site to 20 years of independent audits.
Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on Facebook, and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.
Suzanne Choney , NBC News - 1 day
Facebook to ask your permission before sharing your actions
NBC News
Tired of Facebook sharing every little article you read or song you listen to, using its "Open Graph" system? So is Facebook, apparently. Apps will soon need user permission to share "like," "follow," "listen," "read" or "watch" actions, according to product engineer Henry Zhang, who posted the new rules on Facebook's developer blog.
"In order to provide users with experiences that meet their expectations, we will no longer approve custom actions that publish stories as people consume content," he wrote. "These apps must use the appropriate built-in actions or create a different sharing experience."
Advertise | AdChoices
"Apps that help people automatically share stories about content as they consume it, such as the music you are listening to, can be good experiences when apps create clear expectations for the user of what is being shared and when," Zhang wrote. "When apps automatically publish stories on a person’s behalf in a way that is unexpected, such as when they browse an online store, it can surprise and confuse people."
The change is to take place "in the next 90 days," Zhang said.
Meanwhile, Facebook stories that lead with images and location are being made "more prominent" in Facebook's news feeds and Timeline, Zhang said.
"In early tests, the new image-led stories have shown 70 percent more clicks for apps that provide high quality, relevant imagery with low spam rates," Zhang wrote. "In certain cases, we have seen these stories generate up to 50x more Likes than equivalent story types from before. The new location stories provide double-digit gains in distribution to apps."
The Open Graph changes may be welcome, but they're not totally altruistic: Facebook will annoy fewer of its users, but its goal is probably to be better "liked" by the Federal Trade Commission. The agency recently settled charges with Facebook over deceiving consumers and making them share more personal info they they intended.
The settlement requires Facebook to get user consent for some changes to privacy settings, and also subjects the site to 20 years of independent audits.
Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on Facebook, and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.
It's a tough life for car manufacturers.
Vauxhall & Opel could merge with Peugeot Citroen.
Oct 13th, 2012 › Cars UK
GM Europe (Opel and Vauxhall) could extend their deal with PSA (Peugeot Citroen) with a Joint Venture or merger.
When GM Europe and PSA announced they were forming an alliance earlier this year, we asked if this was an admission that the mainstream car market in Europe had changed forever, and an alliance between Opel, Vauxhall, Peugeot and Citroen was the only way to keep the brands viable.
But we did also question what use a projected annual saving of €2 billion by sharing suppliers and co-developing platforms would be to PSA and GM considering their woeful losses. But it looks like bigger things are in store.
La Tribune are reporting that one proposal on the table is for Opel and Vauxhall to merge with Peugeot and Citroen in a European Joint Venture.
Under this scenario GM would take a 30 per cent share in the joint venture – which would mean GM not having to consolidate Opel/Vauxhall’s results thereby losing the biggest hole from its balance sheet – and inject cash in to the JV.
The problem is, sticking the two loss-making businesses together will be pointless unless the root of the problem – too much production capacity in Europe – can be addressed. And that’s a political minefield.
Germany will be a problem, but with a Socialist government now in power in France that seems to believe the relationship between jobs and profits is irrelevant, the partnership could end up dumping the more efficient plants in Germany and the UK and keeping the less efficient plants in France. Which is not going to help their long-term prospects one jot.
Still, at least Opel/Vauxhall and Peugeot Citroen are trying to find a solution.
You might also find these stories interesting:
New Peugeot 208 production cut as sales disappointPSA Peugeot-Citroen: Factory closures & 8,000 job losses plannedVauxhall & Opel - no plant closures before 2014Vauxhall Cascada Convertible: Aimed at hairdressers?Vauxhall Adam (& Opel Adam): GM's new 'MINI' in EuropeGM & Peugeot Citroen Alliance. The beginning of the end for mass market car makers?
Oct 13th, 2012 › Cars UK
GM Europe (Opel and Vauxhall) could extend their deal with PSA (Peugeot Citroen) with a Joint Venture or merger.
When GM Europe and PSA announced they were forming an alliance earlier this year, we asked if this was an admission that the mainstream car market in Europe had changed forever, and an alliance between Opel, Vauxhall, Peugeot and Citroen was the only way to keep the brands viable.
But we did also question what use a projected annual saving of €2 billion by sharing suppliers and co-developing platforms would be to PSA and GM considering their woeful losses. But it looks like bigger things are in store.
La Tribune are reporting that one proposal on the table is for Opel and Vauxhall to merge with Peugeot and Citroen in a European Joint Venture.
Under this scenario GM would take a 30 per cent share in the joint venture – which would mean GM not having to consolidate Opel/Vauxhall’s results thereby losing the biggest hole from its balance sheet – and inject cash in to the JV.
The problem is, sticking the two loss-making businesses together will be pointless unless the root of the problem – too much production capacity in Europe – can be addressed. And that’s a political minefield.
Germany will be a problem, but with a Socialist government now in power in France that seems to believe the relationship between jobs and profits is irrelevant, the partnership could end up dumping the more efficient plants in Germany and the UK and keeping the less efficient plants in France. Which is not going to help their long-term prospects one jot.
Still, at least Opel/Vauxhall and Peugeot Citroen are trying to find a solution.
You might also find these stories interesting:
New Peugeot 208 production cut as sales disappointPSA Peugeot-Citroen: Factory closures & 8,000 job losses plannedVauxhall & Opel - no plant closures before 2014Vauxhall Cascada Convertible: Aimed at hairdressers?Vauxhall Adam (& Opel Adam): GM's new 'MINI' in EuropeGM & Peugeot Citroen Alliance. The beginning of the end for mass market car makers?
Live in any of these cities? The worst traffic list.
Worst traffic list puts Vancouver, Montreal before Toronto
Los Angeles leads TomTom Congestion Index
The Canadian Press Posted: Oct 12, 2012
Worst traffic cities
TomTom North American Congestion Index
(Note:CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external links.)
A new survey shows Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto parked among the top five cities in North America when it comes to traffic delays.
Vancouver is second only to Los Angeles in the 26 cities tallied in a traffic-congestion survey from GPS firm TomTom covering the second quarter of this year.
The study compares travel times during non-congested periods with those during peak hours. The difference is expressed as a percentage of increased driving times.
The research, using data drawn from the company's subscribers, shows drivers in Vancouver have their overall commute delayed an extra 33 per cent during congestion compared to when traffic flows smoothly.
Montreal took fourth place in the survey, while Toronto came in fifth, Ottawa was 12th and Calgary was 16th (see top 10 list below).
CBC Toronto reporter Trevor Dunn on Friday asked drivers about the survey. Some were skeptical about its findings.
Toronto cab driver Mansour Hussain said he's certain Toronto gridlock is the worst in Canada.
“I’ve been to Vancouver and I’ve been to Montreal. They are not that bad," he said.
City traffic: How slow can you go?
The top 10 most congested North American cities, ranked by overall congestion level, between April and June 2012 were:
1. Los Angeles 34%
2. Vancouver 33%
3. San Francisco 29%
4. Montreal 28%
5. Toronto 27%
6. Washington 26%
7. Seattle 26%
8.New York 25%
9. Chicago 23%
10. Miami 22%
Source: TomTom Congestion Index
Los Angeles leads TomTom Congestion Index
The Canadian Press Posted: Oct 12, 2012
Worst traffic cities
TomTom North American Congestion Index
(Note:CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external links.)
A new survey shows Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto parked among the top five cities in North America when it comes to traffic delays.
Vancouver is second only to Los Angeles in the 26 cities tallied in a traffic-congestion survey from GPS firm TomTom covering the second quarter of this year.
The study compares travel times during non-congested periods with those during peak hours. The difference is expressed as a percentage of increased driving times.
The research, using data drawn from the company's subscribers, shows drivers in Vancouver have their overall commute delayed an extra 33 per cent during congestion compared to when traffic flows smoothly.
Montreal took fourth place in the survey, while Toronto came in fifth, Ottawa was 12th and Calgary was 16th (see top 10 list below).
CBC Toronto reporter Trevor Dunn on Friday asked drivers about the survey. Some were skeptical about its findings.
Toronto cab driver Mansour Hussain said he's certain Toronto gridlock is the worst in Canada.
“I’ve been to Vancouver and I’ve been to Montreal. They are not that bad," he said.
City traffic: How slow can you go?
The top 10 most congested North American cities, ranked by overall congestion level, between April and June 2012 were:
1. Los Angeles 34%
2. Vancouver 33%
3. San Francisco 29%
4. Montreal 28%
5. Toronto 27%
6. Washington 26%
7. Seattle 26%
8.New York 25%
9. Chicago 23%
10. Miami 22%
Source: TomTom Congestion Index
Torrents, downloading and you. The changes coming.
File Sharers, Get Ready For Copyright Violation Warnings
JOHN PAUL TITLOW· YESTERDAY
4 Comments
inShare
11
After a series of delays, the Center for Copyright Information's "six strikes" anti-piracy scheme has a launch date. Starting on November 28, AT&T, Comcast, Cablevision, Time Warner and Verizon will start sending out warnings to users who download copyrighted material without authorization. But don't quit those Torrent networks just yet.
The CCI is a partnership between the Recording Industry Association of America, Motion Picture Association of America, and the major Internet service providers in the U.S. Under the group's Copyright Alert System, Internet users who download unauthorized material will receive a series of messages explaining that it's illegal to do so and encouraging them to stop.
Initial concerns that the system could lead to users being cut off from the Internet appear to be unfounded. It's really about educating (okay, scaring) people rather than punishing them.
"Alerts will be non-punitive and progressive in nature," reads the CCI's website. "Successive alerts will reinforce the seriousness of the copyright infringement and inform the recipient how to address the activity that is precipitating the alerts."
After six warnings, the provider may mete out penalties, although it's not entirely clear what those would be. Slowing down, or throttling, customers' Internet connections is apparently on the table, but users won't be kicked offline permanently, according to the CCI. The most egregious offenders would be deemed "unreachable" by the program and subsequently ignored, according to TorrentFreak.
From the look of it, the system is largely toothless. While it might not stop hardcore copyright violators, though, receiving a scary-sounding warning from a service provider might be enough to stop casual downloaders in their tracks. If all goes according to the CCI's plan, that may lead to a substantial decrease in copyright infringement overall.
The system will arrive at a pivotal moment in what are often referred to as the Copyright Wars. Earlier this year, big content's fight against piracy began to resemble literal warfare when New Zealand police raided the mansion of Kim Dotcom. The Megaupload founder will stand trial for copyright infringement and related charges next year, but isn't wasting anytime trying to get his latest venture - a music service called Megabox - off the ground.
Dotcom's arrest came within days of another watershed moment in the Copyright Wars. After overwhelming opposition from tech companies and the public, the controversial anti-piracy legislation known as SOPA and PIPA were effectively killed after losing support in the U.S. Congress.
The Copyright Alert System is the latest weapon in the content industry's war on piracy, having failed on the legislative front and gotten nowhere by suing consumers directly. With the CAS, they're taking a decidedly less draconian approach, hoping to scare enough people away from illegal downloading to make a difference. Whatever the results are, they will no doubt help inform the next phase of this battle, which is inevitably on the horizon.
JOHN PAUL TITLOW· YESTERDAY
4 Comments
inShare
11
After a series of delays, the Center for Copyright Information's "six strikes" anti-piracy scheme has a launch date. Starting on November 28, AT&T, Comcast, Cablevision, Time Warner and Verizon will start sending out warnings to users who download copyrighted material without authorization. But don't quit those Torrent networks just yet.
The CCI is a partnership between the Recording Industry Association of America, Motion Picture Association of America, and the major Internet service providers in the U.S. Under the group's Copyright Alert System, Internet users who download unauthorized material will receive a series of messages explaining that it's illegal to do so and encouraging them to stop.
Initial concerns that the system could lead to users being cut off from the Internet appear to be unfounded. It's really about educating (okay, scaring) people rather than punishing them.
"Alerts will be non-punitive and progressive in nature," reads the CCI's website. "Successive alerts will reinforce the seriousness of the copyright infringement and inform the recipient how to address the activity that is precipitating the alerts."
After six warnings, the provider may mete out penalties, although it's not entirely clear what those would be. Slowing down, or throttling, customers' Internet connections is apparently on the table, but users won't be kicked offline permanently, according to the CCI. The most egregious offenders would be deemed "unreachable" by the program and subsequently ignored, according to TorrentFreak.
From the look of it, the system is largely toothless. While it might not stop hardcore copyright violators, though, receiving a scary-sounding warning from a service provider might be enough to stop casual downloaders in their tracks. If all goes according to the CCI's plan, that may lead to a substantial decrease in copyright infringement overall.
The system will arrive at a pivotal moment in what are often referred to as the Copyright Wars. Earlier this year, big content's fight against piracy began to resemble literal warfare when New Zealand police raided the mansion of Kim Dotcom. The Megaupload founder will stand trial for copyright infringement and related charges next year, but isn't wasting anytime trying to get his latest venture - a music service called Megabox - off the ground.
Dotcom's arrest came within days of another watershed moment in the Copyright Wars. After overwhelming opposition from tech companies and the public, the controversial anti-piracy legislation known as SOPA and PIPA were effectively killed after losing support in the U.S. Congress.
The Copyright Alert System is the latest weapon in the content industry's war on piracy, having failed on the legislative front and gotten nowhere by suing consumers directly. With the CAS, they're taking a decidedly less draconian approach, hoping to scare enough people away from illegal downloading to make a difference. Whatever the results are, they will no doubt help inform the next phase of this battle, which is inevitably on the horizon.
iPhone user? Use Google or FB? A little reminder...
By default, Safari blocks cookies from third parties. Most browsers allow users to block cookies, but don’t set it as a default. Google happens to operate many of its advertising services, including DoubleClick, from a domain outside Google.com — a domain which Safari treats as a third party. So even if a user was logged into Google, DoubleClick was blocked from serving ads to the user — unless that user approved the cookie by, say, filling out a form.
How did Google get around that?
The company put a hidden field in some of its sites that essentially acted as a form, even though the user never filled out anything. That told Safari it was OK for DoubleClick to serve ads to the unknowing, unwitting user.
Why would Google do that?
Google says it’s all an accident. Even though Google’s primary business is advertising and the Safari browser on iPhones and iPads is said to account for more than 50% of mobile browsing, Google says it was merely taking advantage of a known workaround in Safari that lets do things like use Google’s “+1″ buttons on sites outside the Google.com domain.
Come again?
Modules like the “+1″ button and the Facebook Like button appear on many different sites, and users generally expect them to work without changing their browser settings. Facebook even encourages developers to exploit the same Safari quirk Google targeted here. Google says it was only trying to enable such functionality with those hidden fields, and it “didn’t anticipate” advertising cookies to be set on Safari.
Is Google doing anything about it?
Yes, it says it’s started removing these cookies from Safari browsers.
What does Google do with the information it collected?
Until it started removing the cookies, the company used the information mainly to tailor ads based on the websites you visited. The cookie doesn’t track personal information, such as your address or phone number.
Will Google face any penalties for this?
It’s unclear. Google is under close watch by the FTC for privacy violations, and this might qualify. For its part, the FTC acknowledged to Mashable that it was aware of the issue, but didn’t say if it would do anything about it.
Is Google the only one doing this?
No. The original testing by Stanford grad student Jonathan Mayer pointed the finger at three other companies — Vibrant Media, Media Innovation Group and PointRoll — all of which exploit Safari’s quirks to serve ads to unsuspecting users.
Can Apple do anything about this “quirk?”
Apple says it’s working on a way to “put a stop” to third parties circumventing Safari’s privacy settings.
What can I do if I’m concerned about this?
To ensure that no one puts unwanted cookies on your device, simply go into your browser settings and choose the option to never accept cookies.
However, that will also mean you’ll have a hard time logging into many sites.
Another option is to simply clear your browser of cookies regularly. You can do that in you settings as well.
How did Google get around that?
The company put a hidden field in some of its sites that essentially acted as a form, even though the user never filled out anything. That told Safari it was OK for DoubleClick to serve ads to the unknowing, unwitting user.
Why would Google do that?
Google says it’s all an accident. Even though Google’s primary business is advertising and the Safari browser on iPhones and iPads is said to account for more than 50% of mobile browsing, Google says it was merely taking advantage of a known workaround in Safari that lets do things like use Google’s “+1″ buttons on sites outside the Google.com domain.
Come again?
Modules like the “+1″ button and the Facebook Like button appear on many different sites, and users generally expect them to work without changing their browser settings. Facebook even encourages developers to exploit the same Safari quirk Google targeted here. Google says it was only trying to enable such functionality with those hidden fields, and it “didn’t anticipate” advertising cookies to be set on Safari.
Is Google doing anything about it?
Yes, it says it’s started removing these cookies from Safari browsers.
What does Google do with the information it collected?
Until it started removing the cookies, the company used the information mainly to tailor ads based on the websites you visited. The cookie doesn’t track personal information, such as your address or phone number.
Will Google face any penalties for this?
It’s unclear. Google is under close watch by the FTC for privacy violations, and this might qualify. For its part, the FTC acknowledged to Mashable that it was aware of the issue, but didn’t say if it would do anything about it.
Is Google the only one doing this?
No. The original testing by Stanford grad student Jonathan Mayer pointed the finger at three other companies — Vibrant Media, Media Innovation Group and PointRoll — all of which exploit Safari’s quirks to serve ads to unsuspecting users.
Can Apple do anything about this “quirk?”
Apple says it’s working on a way to “put a stop” to third parties circumventing Safari’s privacy settings.
What can I do if I’m concerned about this?
To ensure that no one puts unwanted cookies on your device, simply go into your browser settings and choose the option to never accept cookies.
However, that will also mean you’ll have a hard time logging into many sites.
Another option is to simply clear your browser of cookies regularly. You can do that in you settings as well.
Friday, October 12, 2012
FB. The evolution continues.
Facebook confirms it is testing new design with search on the left and notifications on the right
October 12, 2012 - Emil Protalinski
Facebook is always moving elements around and tweaking its interface. In order to keep its look fresh, the social networking giant often tests small (comparatively to complete revamps like Timeline) changes with various subsets of its users.
One such rearrangement is moving the search bar more to the left and the three icons (Friend Requests, Messages, Notifications) all the way to the right. Inside Facebook posted the following screenshot of the top navigation bar earlier today:
We got in touch with Facebook to make sure this is indeed what it seems, and the company confirmed this is by design. “This is just a test, we have nothing more to share at this time,” a Facebook spokesperson told The Next Web.
This moves the search bar closer to the Facebook logo and pushes everything else to the right. Personally I think this is a terrible change and I hope the test fails.
It’s also worth noting that this redesign removes the “Home” link from the right corner, which is where users often click to return to the News Feed. The Facebook logo serves the same purpose, and if there’s anything that I like in changes like this one is the elimination of redundancy.
Still, if the company wants to move anything around, it should put the search bar on the right, like most sites have it, and keep everything else on the left. To play devil’s advocate with myself, however, I always thought the three icons were placed oddly on the left, but I got used to it.
Yet Facebook has shown time and time again that it really doesn’t care what its users get used to. The service will change things as it sees fit, usually for the best, and almost always resulting in a huge outcry from its users. If the company is going to double down on search, it’s going to be experimenting, whether you like it or not.
October 12, 2012 - Emil Protalinski
Facebook is always moving elements around and tweaking its interface. In order to keep its look fresh, the social networking giant often tests small (comparatively to complete revamps like Timeline) changes with various subsets of its users.
One such rearrangement is moving the search bar more to the left and the three icons (Friend Requests, Messages, Notifications) all the way to the right. Inside Facebook posted the following screenshot of the top navigation bar earlier today:
We got in touch with Facebook to make sure this is indeed what it seems, and the company confirmed this is by design. “This is just a test, we have nothing more to share at this time,” a Facebook spokesperson told The Next Web.
This moves the search bar closer to the Facebook logo and pushes everything else to the right. Personally I think this is a terrible change and I hope the test fails.
It’s also worth noting that this redesign removes the “Home” link from the right corner, which is where users often click to return to the News Feed. The Facebook logo serves the same purpose, and if there’s anything that I like in changes like this one is the elimination of redundancy.
Still, if the company wants to move anything around, it should put the search bar on the right, like most sites have it, and keep everything else on the left. To play devil’s advocate with myself, however, I always thought the three icons were placed oddly on the left, but I got used to it.
Yet Facebook has shown time and time again that it really doesn’t care what its users get used to. The service will change things as it sees fit, usually for the best, and almost always resulting in a huge outcry from its users. If the company is going to double down on search, it’s going to be experimenting, whether you like it or not.
Famine, then feast. Is this a precursor? And for whom?
59 comments
A new housing boom
By Chris Isidore @CNNMoney October 12, 2012: 1:01 PM ET
Email Print
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The long-battered housing market is finally starting to get back on its feet. But some experts believe it could soon become another housing boom.
Signs of recovery have been evident in the recent pick ups in home prices, home sales and construction. Foreclosures are also down and the Federal Reserve has acted to push mortgage rates near record lows.
Obama's economy
A look at where the economy stood when Obama took office and what's changed since.
View Photos
But while many economists believe this emerging housing recovery will produce only slow and modest improvement in home prices, construction and jobs, others believe the rebound will be much stronger.
Barclays Capital put out a report recently forecasting that home prices, which fell by more than a third after the housing bubble burst in 2007, could be back to peak levels as soon as 2015.
"In our view, the housing market had undergone a dramatic over-correction during the prior five years, resulting in pent-up demand for housing purchases that would spark a rapid rise in housing starts," said Stephen Kim, an analyst with Barclays, in a note to clients.
In addition to what Kim sees as a big rebound in building, he's bullish on home prices, expecting rises of 5% to 7.5% a year.
Related: Where housing is most (and least) affordable
Construction is expected to be even stronger, with numerous experts forecasting home construction to grow by at least 20% a year for each of the next two years. Some believe building could be back near the pre-bubble average of about 1.5 million new homes a year by 2016, about double the 750,000 homes expected this year.
"We think the recovery is for real this time around," said Rick Palacios, senior analyst with John Burns Real Estate Consulting. "If you look across the U.S. economy right now, there are only a handful of industries looking at 20-30% growth over the next 4-5 years, and housing is one of those."
Home builder stocks are up 162% in the last 12 months, led by a 250% jump at PulteGroup (PHM). Other leading builders including DR Horton (DHI), Toll Brothers (TOL), KB Home (KBH) and Lennar (LEN) have all seen their stocks more than double over that time. New orders at publicly-traded builders are up 30% since January, according to Kim.
Related: Is buying rental property now a sure bet?
Palacios said stocks in other sectors, from manufacturers of drywall to flooring to kitchen and bath fixtures, have all more than doubled as well this year.
The housing rebound can have a ripple effect that could help get the entire economy growing at a much stronger pace, which will add to more demand for housing.
"That turn in the [housing] market is occurring now and it should become a boom by 2015. It will be powerful enough ... to lift the entire U.S. economy," said Roger Altman, chairman of Evercore Partners and former deputy Treasury secretary, in a column for the Financial Times.
Altman said he expects housing will add 4 million jobs to the economy over the next five years, as pent-up demand for home purchases drives building and and home prices higher.
A new housing boom
By Chris Isidore @CNNMoney October 12, 2012: 1:01 PM ET
Email Print
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The long-battered housing market is finally starting to get back on its feet. But some experts believe it could soon become another housing boom.
Signs of recovery have been evident in the recent pick ups in home prices, home sales and construction. Foreclosures are also down and the Federal Reserve has acted to push mortgage rates near record lows.
Obama's economy
A look at where the economy stood when Obama took office and what's changed since.
View Photos
But while many economists believe this emerging housing recovery will produce only slow and modest improvement in home prices, construction and jobs, others believe the rebound will be much stronger.
Barclays Capital put out a report recently forecasting that home prices, which fell by more than a third after the housing bubble burst in 2007, could be back to peak levels as soon as 2015.
"In our view, the housing market had undergone a dramatic over-correction during the prior five years, resulting in pent-up demand for housing purchases that would spark a rapid rise in housing starts," said Stephen Kim, an analyst with Barclays, in a note to clients.
In addition to what Kim sees as a big rebound in building, he's bullish on home prices, expecting rises of 5% to 7.5% a year.
Related: Where housing is most (and least) affordable
Construction is expected to be even stronger, with numerous experts forecasting home construction to grow by at least 20% a year for each of the next two years. Some believe building could be back near the pre-bubble average of about 1.5 million new homes a year by 2016, about double the 750,000 homes expected this year.
"We think the recovery is for real this time around," said Rick Palacios, senior analyst with John Burns Real Estate Consulting. "If you look across the U.S. economy right now, there are only a handful of industries looking at 20-30% growth over the next 4-5 years, and housing is one of those."
Home builder stocks are up 162% in the last 12 months, led by a 250% jump at PulteGroup (PHM). Other leading builders including DR Horton (DHI), Toll Brothers (TOL), KB Home (KBH) and Lennar (LEN) have all seen their stocks more than double over that time. New orders at publicly-traded builders are up 30% since January, according to Kim.
Related: Is buying rental property now a sure bet?
Palacios said stocks in other sectors, from manufacturers of drywall to flooring to kitchen and bath fixtures, have all more than doubled as well this year.
The housing rebound can have a ripple effect that could help get the entire economy growing at a much stronger pace, which will add to more demand for housing.
"That turn in the [housing] market is occurring now and it should become a boom by 2015. It will be powerful enough ... to lift the entire U.S. economy," said Roger Altman, chairman of Evercore Partners and former deputy Treasury secretary, in a column for the Financial Times.
Altman said he expects housing will add 4 million jobs to the economy over the next five years, as pent-up demand for home purchases drives building and and home prices higher.
iPhone 5 owners don't care about the Maps issue? Wow.
Google and Samsung no doubt hope so...
Ninety Percent of iPhone 5 Owners Aren’t Bothered By Maps App:
ChangeWave
Thirty-two percent of consumers said that they are likely to buy an iPhone 5, according to a new report from ChangeWave Research. The report found that nineteen percent of respondents are “very likely” to buy the iPhone 5, which is up from the 10 percent of respondents who said they were “very likely” to buy an iPhone 4 back when it launched.
Despite all of the headlines about Apple’s bad Maps app, the report found that ninety percent of iPhone 5 owners reported it was “no problem at all” or that they “haven’t experienced any problem.” The report found that only 3 percent of respondents said it was a “very big problem” and 6 percent said it was “somewhat of a problem.”
In fact, the Maps app is even less of an issue than the antenna issues experienced by some iPhone 4 customers when that device first launched. At that time, ChangeWave interviewed consumers and found that 7 percent of new iPhone 4 owners had a “very big problem” with reception due to antenna issues and 14% had “somewhat of a problem.”
While some people are bothered by the new lightning port, more than half believe that it isn’t a problem. Still 6 percent of respondents said that it was a “very big problem,” and 31 percent said it was “somewhat of a problem.” The main reason that people aren’t planning to buy a new iPhone is that they don’t need it.
According to ChangeWave’s report, 61 percent of those interviewed said that they had no need for a new phone because their current cell phone is sufficient.
Posted by Dianna Dilworth on October 12, 2012.
Ninety Percent of iPhone 5 Owners Aren’t Bothered By Maps App:
ChangeWave
Thirty-two percent of consumers said that they are likely to buy an iPhone 5, according to a new report from ChangeWave Research. The report found that nineteen percent of respondents are “very likely” to buy the iPhone 5, which is up from the 10 percent of respondents who said they were “very likely” to buy an iPhone 4 back when it launched.
Despite all of the headlines about Apple’s bad Maps app, the report found that ninety percent of iPhone 5 owners reported it was “no problem at all” or that they “haven’t experienced any problem.” The report found that only 3 percent of respondents said it was a “very big problem” and 6 percent said it was “somewhat of a problem.”
In fact, the Maps app is even less of an issue than the antenna issues experienced by some iPhone 4 customers when that device first launched. At that time, ChangeWave interviewed consumers and found that 7 percent of new iPhone 4 owners had a “very big problem” with reception due to antenna issues and 14% had “somewhat of a problem.”
While some people are bothered by the new lightning port, more than half believe that it isn’t a problem. Still 6 percent of respondents said that it was a “very big problem,” and 31 percent said it was “somewhat of a problem.” The main reason that people aren’t planning to buy a new iPhone is that they don’t need it.
According to ChangeWave’s report, 61 percent of those interviewed said that they had no need for a new phone because their current cell phone is sufficient.
Posted by Dianna Dilworth on October 12, 2012.
YouTube. What are you doing?
YouTube now ranking videos by time watched, not clicks
October 12, 2012 | Casey Newton
In a bid to boost the time users spend on the site, videos that hold viewers' attention will rise higher in searches.
YouTube
YouTube's ongoing effort to keep visitors on its pages for longer took a new twist today, when the video portal said it will start ranking videos by how long people watch them.
The move makes it more difficult to game the system by choosing a provocative thumbnail image for your video in an effort to drive clicks. Instead, creators will be rewarded for actually getting viewers to watch the whole video.
It follows a similar change the Google-owned company made to its suggested videos feature earlier this year. "These changes better surface the videos that viewers actually watch, over those that they click on and then abandon," the company said at the time.
The move succeeded in getting viewers to stay longer, YouTube said today. The new search ranking algorithms should have a similar effect.
To help video creators adjust to the new ranking system, YouTube has added a 'time watched' metric to YouTube analytics.
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Casey Newton
Casey Newton writes about Google for CNET, which he joined in 2012 after covering technology for the San Francisco Chronicle. He is really quite tall.
October 12, 2012 | Casey Newton
In a bid to boost the time users spend on the site, videos that hold viewers' attention will rise higher in searches.
YouTube
YouTube's ongoing effort to keep visitors on its pages for longer took a new twist today, when the video portal said it will start ranking videos by how long people watch them.
The move makes it more difficult to game the system by choosing a provocative thumbnail image for your video in an effort to drive clicks. Instead, creators will be rewarded for actually getting viewers to watch the whole video.
It follows a similar change the Google-owned company made to its suggested videos feature earlier this year. "These changes better surface the videos that viewers actually watch, over those that they click on and then abandon," the company said at the time.
The move succeeded in getting viewers to stay longer, YouTube said today. The new search ranking algorithms should have a similar effect.
To help video creators adjust to the new ranking system, YouTube has added a 'time watched' metric to YouTube analytics.
You may also like
Samsung Galaxy S4 to debut in FebruaryCNET
Samsung squashes rumors of Galaxy S4 early 2013 launchCNET
Preload YouTube videos with Wi-Fi for better mobile playbackCNET
YouTube breaks records with 4M Creative Commons videosCNET
From Around the Web
More on the Stock Market Rally No One Is Talking AboutProfit Confidential
Now Is Not The Time To Sell NokiaFool.com
about these links
Casey Newton
Casey Newton writes about Google for CNET, which he joined in 2012 after covering technology for the San Francisco Chronicle. He is really quite tall.
Numbers are numbers. What will it actually mean for Americans and the world economy?
U.S. Government Posts Fourth-Largest Deficit Since World War II
By Meera Louis and Ian Katz
October 12, 2012
The government budget deficit in the U.S. for the year ended in September was the fourth-largest since World War II as lawmakers debate the impact of the looming spending cuts a month before the election.
The shortfall registered $1.09 trillion in fiscal 2012, down from $1.3 trillion in 2011, according to Treasury Department data issued today in Washington. It reached $1.42 trillion in 2009, the highest ever. In September, the U.S. registered a surplus of $75 billion compared with a shortfall of $62.7 billion in the same month last year.
The U.S. faces a so-called fiscal cliff of $1.2 trillion in mandated spending cuts, including an expiration of George W. Bush-era reductions, if Congress can’t agree by Dec. 31 on ways to reduce the deficit. The world’s largest economy shows signs of improvement as unemployment last month dropped to the lowest level since January 2009.
“The Bush tax cuts are shaping up to be the main political battleground, and I would currently lean toward the idea that a deal will not get done until after the turn of the year,” Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Pierpont Securities LLC in Stamford, Connecticut, said before the report.
The September surplus matched the median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg.
When lawmakers return to Washington in November for a post- election session, they will have only weeks to avert more than $500 billion in tax increases and $100 billion in automatic spending cuts set to take effect in January. A bipartisan group of eight U.S. senators is meeting this week to seek to identify broad areas of agreement on taxes and entitlement programs, without discussion of specific numbers or targets.
The White House budget office has said the budget cuts, known as sequestration and set to start in January, would undermine economic investment and cause “severe harm” to initiatives including food-safety inspections, air-traffic control and support for schools.
“The administration strongly believes that sequestration is bad policy, and that Congress can and should take action to avoid it by passing a comprehensive and balanced deficit reduction package,” the White House budget office report said.
Moody’s Investors Service said Sept. 11 that it may join Standard & Poor’s in downgrading the U.S.’s credit rating unless Congress next year reduces the percentage of debt-to-gross- domestic-product during budget negotiations.
Today’s report showed revenue rose 8.9 percent in September from the same month a year earlier, to $262 billion. Spending dropped 38 percent to $187 billion from $303 billion.
To contact the reporters on this story: Meera Louis in Washington at mlouis1@bloomberg.net; Ian Katz in Washington at ikatz2@bloomberg.net
By Meera Louis and Ian Katz
October 12, 2012
The government budget deficit in the U.S. for the year ended in September was the fourth-largest since World War II as lawmakers debate the impact of the looming spending cuts a month before the election.
The shortfall registered $1.09 trillion in fiscal 2012, down from $1.3 trillion in 2011, according to Treasury Department data issued today in Washington. It reached $1.42 trillion in 2009, the highest ever. In September, the U.S. registered a surplus of $75 billion compared with a shortfall of $62.7 billion in the same month last year.
The U.S. faces a so-called fiscal cliff of $1.2 trillion in mandated spending cuts, including an expiration of George W. Bush-era reductions, if Congress can’t agree by Dec. 31 on ways to reduce the deficit. The world’s largest economy shows signs of improvement as unemployment last month dropped to the lowest level since January 2009.
“The Bush tax cuts are shaping up to be the main political battleground, and I would currently lean toward the idea that a deal will not get done until after the turn of the year,” Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Pierpont Securities LLC in Stamford, Connecticut, said before the report.
The September surplus matched the median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg.
When lawmakers return to Washington in November for a post- election session, they will have only weeks to avert more than $500 billion in tax increases and $100 billion in automatic spending cuts set to take effect in January. A bipartisan group of eight U.S. senators is meeting this week to seek to identify broad areas of agreement on taxes and entitlement programs, without discussion of specific numbers or targets.
The White House budget office has said the budget cuts, known as sequestration and set to start in January, would undermine economic investment and cause “severe harm” to initiatives including food-safety inspections, air-traffic control and support for schools.
“The administration strongly believes that sequestration is bad policy, and that Congress can and should take action to avoid it by passing a comprehensive and balanced deficit reduction package,” the White House budget office report said.
Moody’s Investors Service said Sept. 11 that it may join Standard & Poor’s in downgrading the U.S.’s credit rating unless Congress next year reduces the percentage of debt-to-gross- domestic-product during budget negotiations.
Today’s report showed revenue rose 8.9 percent in September from the same month a year earlier, to $262 billion. Spending dropped 38 percent to $187 billion from $303 billion.
To contact the reporters on this story: Meera Louis in Washington at mlouis1@bloomberg.net; Ian Katz in Washington at ikatz2@bloomberg.net
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