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Digital doesn't stop - so neither does your digital training!
This month's round-up of digital news covers key developments at Facebook, Google, Buddy Media and Apple, along with the latest in social, advertising and digital integration all structured in the same sections as your digital training programme.
Full stories and videos on click-through, along with our latest special report on Facebook.
Best from all the digital training team
Danny Meadows-Klue
President
Digital Training Academy
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What's new?
Google has now opened AdWords to 300,000 apps via its AdMob integration; Facebook launched a major ad push, creating deeper ties with Apple, Zynga and WordPress; Twitter upped its game with its first TV commercial and curated hashtags for brands; Search is finally benefiting from social links; and Microsoft showcased its iPad rival 'Surface'.
Owned media
Owned media took the spotlight at the Cannes Cyber Lions and we've included a summary as well as a guide to Pinterest, Mary Meeker's 'State of the Web' presentation, and implications of the new EU cookie laws for email and mobile marketing.
Ones to watch for the future
Among this month's news, these are the game-changers: Google's rollout of its web TV service, Facebook buying a facial recognition firm, and Salesforce buying Buddy Media. Full details below.
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As digital technology becomes ever-more entrenched in modern life, just how deeply has it impacted traditional media, and what are the next trends? This slide presentation from Kleiner Perkins partner Mary Meeker takes a global view on the web's impact on society.
View the slide presentation in full below:
08/06/2012 | Full story...
The full list of submissions for new internet address endings, allowing firms to create their own '.brand' on the web, has been published. Requests to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the global organisation co-ordinating the expansion, include .porn, .ninja, and .ferrari.
14/06/2012 | Full story...
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In 2011, worldwide ad spending totalled $488 billion, $72 billion of which was spent on U.S. television alone. Over the next decade, estimated global consumer spending will exceed $450 trillion. With so much at stake-and many markets continuing to face tough economic realities, how do advertisers reach and resonate with an increasingly diverse, demanding and connected audience? Nielsen conducted an in-depth custom research study of advertising effectiveness of more than 4,000 ads before, during and after the "Great Recession" to find out.
25/06/2012 | Full story...
Sportswear brand Nike and a Swedish tourism campaign have scooped the top digital prizes at the 59th Annual Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the largest and most coveted awards in the industry's calendar. A key theme that the judges found this year was a shift from storytelling to behaviour, with the most successful campaigns showcasing what a brand can do, rather than via 'stunts' or clever messages that create buzz but have little substance or relation to the brand.
Watch the Nike+ FuelBand team talk about the inspiration behind the campaign here:
22/06/2012 | Full story...
The increase in worldwide spam volumes has lead to more legitimate email marketing messages being consigned to the 'junk' bin, according to new research. Email certification firm Return Path has announced the findings from its 2012 Sender Reputation Benchmark Report: The Power to be Heard report and infographic. As ISPs continue to tighten their filtering methods, email marketers with poor sender reputations have unwittingly become caught in the net used to keep out the deluge of spam.
22/06/2012 | Full story...
UK internet advertising spend is forecast to grow 10.3% this year, accounting for more than a third of all UK ad spend, according to a new report. Media buying network ZenithOptimedia raised its full-year forecast for internet growth from 9.3% to 10.3%, marking a rise of £200m. UK internet advertising spend reached £4.78bn in 2011 to account for 28% of total advertising spend in the UK, according to figures compiled by the Internet Advertising Bureau.
21/06/2012 | Full story...
Microsoft has announced 'NUads' Kinect enabled adverts for its Xbox 360, letting the viewer interact and control the experience using their bodies and voices. NUads are set to launch in the US later this year, and work like TV ads presented through the Xbox 360 dashboard.
Watch a video explaining how the service works below.
19/06/2012 | Full story...
Online ad spend in Mexico exceeded 30% for the third year in a row, according to the May 2012 Interactive Advertising Bureau México (IAB México). The report, entitled "Estudio de Inversión Publicitaria Online en México-Resultados de 2011," indicates that online ad spend in Mexico rose 36% last year to reach MXN4.6 billion ($370 million).
14/06/2012 | Full story...
Latest research from PricewaterhouseCoopers show internet advertising spend levels have broken all records. The US internet adspend data shows continued massive switches into online advertising from other media. Internet advertising revenues for the first quarter of 2012 set a new record for the reporting period at $8.4 billion, according to the latest IAB Internet Advertising Report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PwC US.
12/06/2012 | Full story...
2011 saw American publishers account for the highest percentage of online impressions. However, the chart shows that throughout 2011, the Asia-Pacific publishers in China and Japan progressed significantly ahead of their Northern European counterparts.
01/06/2012 | Full story...
Mobile optimised ad sizes experience record growth (119%) among publishers, while traditional ad sizes fall out of favour.
01/06/2012 | Full story...
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Online marketing is soaring in Argentina, with $ 1,147m was spent on advertising in Internet during 2011, representing a growth of 117% compared to 2010 ($528m). The data, from the Interactive Advertising Bureau of Argentina (IAB), indicates that the Internet was the fastest growing medium, ahead of newspapers with a growth of 37.4%, and magazines with a rise of 34.1%.
13/06/2012 | Full story...
Online ad spend in Brazil is set to grow by 39%, according to new data from IAB
Brazil's Indicadores de Mercado. The trade body notes that overall billing for online advertising in Brazil in 2011 totalled 3.33 billion reales (US$1.6 billion) and predicts that it will grow to 4.6 billion reales (US$2.3 billion) in 2012. IAB Brazil's calculations take into account both display and search advertising.
12/06/2012 | Full story...
Latin America represents a huge opportunity for digital marketers, with the world's fastest growing online population, hungry for social, video and mobile content. The region is home to five of the most engaged social networking markets worldwide, with an online audience that is fast embracing video and mobile advertising.
11/06/2012 | Full story...
Moms are at the centre of their family's offline life, so it's little surprise that they're also at the centre of many of the biggest trends online as well. Whether to look up the latest product reviews or to connect with friends, families, and even brands through social networks, American moms are particularly active and influential online. This presentation from Nielsen takes a look at the key stats behind this lucrative demographic.
08/06/2012 | Full story...
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UK retailers are still failing to take full advantage of the opportunity that social commerce offers for growth, according to new research. nToklo, the social commerce and recommendations experts, has released its latest whitepaper on the future of social commerce (s-commerce), containing research revealing UK retailers are missing out on a potential £9 billion in additional revenue online.
28/06/2012 | Full story...
Are you a 'spark' or an 'onlooker'? This infographic from loyalty management firm Aimia looks at the 6 most common US social networkers by category type. Aimia's segmentation model analysed the behavioural drivers of trust and control to identify six distinct social media personas - no shows, newcomers, onlookers, cliquers, mix-n-minglers and sparks.
26/06/2012 | Full story...
Microsoft has bought Yammer, a cloud-based social collaboration tool Yammer, for $1.2bn. The deal will boost the enterprise social networking capabilities in Office, SharePoint and other Microsoft collaboration products. Founded in 2008, Yammer has five million users and operates like Facebook for communication within companies.
26/06/2012 | Full story...
Twitter looks set to follow Google in creating value from content collation. The value Twitter is trying to unlock is in context rather than content itself, by collating material together around popular hashtags. Twitter is hiring editorial staff to curate 'hashtag pages' on specific events, as the microblogging firm further encroaches on traditional media territory.
20/06/2012 | Full story...
Business-based social collaboration tool Yammer has agreed to acquisition by Microsoft for $1.2 billion, according to a news report. Yammer lets organisations offer employees Twitter-like and Facebook-like functionality in a workplace setting. Employees can set up profiles, do microblogging, participate in discussion forums and receive activity stream notifications about what their colleagues are doing.
18/06/2012 | Full story...
More than 127 million Latin Americans ages 15 and older visited a social networking destination from a home or work computer in April 2012, with the average visitor spending 7.5 hours social networking during the month, according to new research.
18/06/2012 | Full story...
Twitter has premiered its first-ever TV commercial during a NASCAR race in the US, which showed off a brand-new hashtag page that could open a new revenue stream for the microblogging platform. The seven 15 second commercials ran during the telecast of Sunday's Pocono 400 Nascar race and were centred on the activity in and around the racetrack. All ads feature a URL at the end, which reads, Twitter.com/#NASCAR.
View one of the commercials below:
12/06/2012 | Full story...
Twitter has introduced a strict set of instructions to go with its new stripped-down 'Twitterbird' logo. The website is getting rid of its cartoon-style bird and replacing it with a simplified, dark blue version of the famous image. A long list of rules lays out 'do's' and 'don'ts' for Twitter users, web designers, authors and advertisers has been drawn up by Twitter.
Watch a video from Twitter explaining the changes below:
12/06/2012 | Full story...
Twitter has announced that revenue from promoted tweets on mobiles, which were introduced in February, have now overtaken revenue from PCs. The announcement was made by the firm's CEO Dick Costolo, who claimed that 60% of the microblogging site's 140m users now accessing via mobile devices, up from 55% at the beginning of the year.
11/06/2012 | Full story...
Password information for 6.5m members of business social network LinkedIn have been leaked, according to a news report. The hackers have posted a file containing encrypted passwords onto a Russian web forum. They have invited the hacking community to help with decryption.
07/06/2012 | Full story...
Pinterest has been one of the dotcom success stories of 2012, growing in popularity across the US and Europe. This video, from MDG Advertising, details the social site's demographics, growth, and potential to drive abundant traffic to company websites.
06/06/2012 | Full story...
Salesforce.com has made a $800m bid for Buddy Media, in a move that could create the first enterprise level platform to have a fully integrated social customer relationship management (sCRM) module. The news was first reported by All Things D, which cites unnamed sources as saying the two companies have agreed to terms of the sale, though the purchase is not yet final.
06/06/2012 | Full story...
Location-based social network Foursquare has teamed up with American Express to launch a range of voucher-free offers in the UK, following a similar campaign in the US last year. Foursquare co-founder Dennis Crowley said he believes the new service will help the location-based social network reach the same popularity in the UK as it has in the US within "another year or so".
01/06/2012 | Full story...
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 Facebook has revolutionised social media, changed the way marketers communicate and blended paid, owned and earn media into one platform.
Successful social conversation strategies demand the right consumer insights and effective reading of the social landscape.
To keep you on top of how Facebook is changing, this special report lists key developments, research and case studies from the last year
- read more at:
www.DigitalStrategyConsulting.com/intelligence/facebook-marketing
Facebook has been criticized after it replaced users' email addresses listed on the site with its own @facebook system. The company claimed that it has acted to make communications more "consistent" across the social network. But many observers feel that this is part of plans to draw people into using the Facebook email system rather than the services of other providers.
27/06/2012 | Full story...
Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer at Facebook has been named as a member of its Board of Directors, making her the first woman director in the eight-year-old social network company. Harvard alumna Sandberg joined the social network in 2008 and oversees Facebook's business operations including sales, marketing, business development, legal, human resources, public policy and communications.
27/06/2012 | Full story...
Facebook has integrated a new feature into its mobile apps and website, which allows users to spot nearby friends. The Find Friends Nearby page uses GPS coordinates and shows other people currently visiting that 'meeting room,' whether you're already friends with them or not. Non-friends will be listed in an 'Others' section.
26/06/2012 | Full story...
Facebook is letting users edit the comments they make on status updates, photos videos or other content posted on the social network. While the social network did roll out a feature during April 2011 that allowed
users to edit comments within a few seconds of posting a reply, that restriction has been lifted and users can edit comments without any regard to a specific time limit.
25/06/2012 | Full story...
Facebook is to phase out its Credits payments system in favour of users using real money in local currency to buy goods and services within the site. The social network, which generates an estimated 15% of its total revenue from game purchases, said it was making the change to "simplify the purchase experience". The move may help boost the firm's profits. It takes a 30% cut of all transactions made on its network.
21/06/2012 | Full story...
This chart depicts Facebook's growth between 2007-2011, throughout all global regions. Facebook reached 12% of the worldwide internet audience at the end of 2007 and by December 2011 had increased that reach to over half of the total internet population (55%). However, this growth slowed between 2010 and 2011 in the majority of regions except Latin America.
19/06/2012 | Full story...
Facebook now accounts for accounts for 1 in every 7 minutes spent online, but how can brands harness both earned and paid media on the social network to drive sales? Online research firm comScore has launched a new report outlining how to get the most out of the platform.
19/06/2012 | Full story...
Social networking giant Facebook's growth appears to be slowing down, especially in the United States, according to a report. A report, from
comScore, said that US visitors to the social media site rose five cent in April to 158 million. That's the slowest growth rate since comScore started tracking data in 2008.
18/06/2012 | Full story...
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The number of UK consumer online searches pertaining to entertainment in April - from Movies, Going Out, Gaming Consoles & games and Music, dropped 13 per cent on January's level, according to new research. The study, from digital marketing agency, Greenlight. The Gaming consoles & games subsector, saw the sharpest fall.
28/06/2012 | Full story...
Many UK online travel sites are failing to make the most of videos and images to maximise their visibility in online searches on Google. The study is part of a comprehensive new report by search marketing agency, Epiphany, that reviews search marketing in the travel sector. It highlights that very few travel-related sites seem to have any notable presence in search engine results via video and images.
27/06/2012 | Full story...
UK Internet users made 2.3 billion visits to search engines in May 2012, up by 82 million visits compared to April 2012, according to new research. The study, from Experian Marketing Services, found the rise in visits represents a 3.7 per cent monthly increase in search activity and a 3.6 per cent year-on-year increase. Google increased its market share of searches for the third consecutive month whilst rival search engines
Bing, Yahoo! and Ask all lost market share.
22/06/2012 | Full story...
The number of Facebook and Twitter shares a website accumulates is playing an increasingly crucial role in determining their Google search ranking, according to new research. The study, from SEO agency Search Metrics looked at the search results of 10,000 common keywords and 300,000 websites. One of the key findings of the study was the important role social media now plays in Google rankings.
18/06/2012 | Full story...
Microsoft has partnered with Encyclopaedia Britannica to boost its Bing search engine as it looks to take on Google. The move follows Google's new Knowledge Graph, which pulls out relevant stats, facts, stories and information about various search terms. For example, searching a popular actor's name would bring up details from their Wikipedia and IMDB entries.
Watch a video explaining how the Google Knowledge Graph works here:
13/06/2012 | Full story...
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Google has launched its first own-brand tablet computer, taking on Apple, Amazon and Microsoft in an increasingly crowded and fast-growing market. The company has partnered with Taiwanese manufacturer Asus to launch the Nexus 7, a 7in tablet computer built around Google's popular Android software. Priced at $199 (£127), Google's Nexus 7 is both more affordable and physically smaller than many of its rivals. Like the Nexus 7, Amazon's Kindle Fire has a 7in screen and is priced at £127.
Watch a video explaining how the service works below:
29/06/2012 | Full story...
Blackberry maker Research in Motion (RIM) is delaying the launch of its new phone operating system Blackberry 10 and is to cut 5,000 jobs. The move comes as the Canadian smartphone pioneer struggles to keep up with Apple, Samsung and HTC in the increasingly competitive smartphone and tablet markets. When it finally launches, Blackberry 10 will feature 3D effects and has been designed to make it easier for developers to port Android apps to help bolster the amount of software available on the touchscreen phones it will power.
29/06/2012 | Full story...
BlackBerry maker Research in Motion is considering splitting its business in two, separating its struggling handset manufacturing division from its messaging network, according to a new report. The Sunday Times reported that RIM, which last month hired JP Morgan and RBC Capital to look at its strategic options, could break off its handset division into a separate listed company or sell it.
26/06/2012 | Full story...
Google has launched Maps Coordinate, a paid-for mobile app designed to help companies track and manage workers on the move. The location-based tool combines Google's mapping technology and Android smartphones to deploy offsite staff effectively depending on their locations.
Watch a video explaining how the service works below:
25/06/2012 | Full story...
Mobile is accounting for 7.85% of all online sales in the UK, according to new research. The study, from Affiliate Window's second annual m-commerce white paper, looks at mobile growth trends. On average across all mobile platforms, mobile
traffic is converting at 3.1%, and 10.94% of traffic is now mobile (including tablets).
25/06/2012 | Full story...
Microsoft has launched its first touch screen tablet computer 'Surface', as the software giant looks to rival Google in the fast growing market. Microsoft's latest innovation is a big change for the company which has relied on computer manufacturers to make and market machines which then run the Windows operating system.
Watch a video demonstrating how Surface works below:
19/06/2012 | Full story...
Social Networking is one of the top activities for smartphone users in India,
fuelled by the simultaneous growth of social media and smartphone adoption in the country. Social networking apps offer seamless integration with other phone functions enabling instant photo sharing, updates, and website links and more.
18/06/2012 | Full story...
Around 40% of the money spent on accessing the web last year was spent on
mobile internet usage, largely due to the growth of smartphones, according to a new report. The study, from PwC, went on to predict that mobile will account for a 46% by 2016, as more and more users ditch traditional computers in favour of portable devices.
18/06/2012 | Full story...
24/7 Media, WPP's marketing technology company, has launch of a new software development kit (SDK) for 24/7 Mobile, offering in-app ads for iOS and Android devices.
18/06/2012 | Full story...
Google has integrated its AdMob mobile platform with AdWords, allowing purchases across both networks from a single dashboard. The move adds about 350 million mobile users, 300,000 mobile apps and 12 countries to AdWords' reach. AdWords currently reaches two million websites, so the move is likely to make Google's mobile ad services more attractive to advertisers as they have a broader reach.
11/06/2012 | Full story...
About $5.3 billion was spent on mobile advertising in 2011, according to the first industry-sponsored measure of the lucrative market. The survey by the Interactive Advertising Bureau with its IAB Europe affiliate and the research firm IHS found the Asia-Pacific region accounted for 35.9% of global revenues.
08/06/2012 | Full story...
Vodafone and O2 have announced plans to merge their networks into a single grid, to improve coverage and accelerate the move to 4G. However, the deal does not mean customers can expect to roam between the two networks just yet. Under an agreement announced on Thursday, Vodafone and O2 parent Telefonica UK will create a joint venture that will take over the running of the pair's basic network infrastructure, including their towers and over 18,500 masts.
08/06/2012 | Full story...
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Online shoppers in the UK are most likely to browse and buy on Monday evenings, but also enjoy boozy late night browsing on Fridays and take less than a minute to make a decision on clothes and books purchases according to new research. The study, from Rakuten's Play.com, looked into Britain's online shopping and browsing habits, based on data mined from traffic and sales through its website.
20/06/2012 | Full story...
Which do US consumers prefer: In-store, online, or mobile purchases? Among U.S. consumers surveyed by Nielsen earlier this year, the answer is a resounding, "that depends..."
13/06/2012 | Full story...
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YouView is set for launch in the UK next month after much delay, but the web TV service might still be hampered by a lack of availability of set top boxes, according to a news report. YouView chairman Lord Sugar and CEO Richard Halton are to officially launch the IPTV joint venture on July 4. However, according to the Financial Times, set-top boxes will not be widely available until later this year as manufacturers plan to conduct further tests.
Watch the launch video here:
29/06/2012 | Full story...
The founders of YouTube, Skype, Lastminute and even the world wide web face their toughest grilling yet in this humorous video from Code Club, a new UK initiative to try to get more kids learning to code. See why it's out video viral of the week below.
26/06/2012 | Full story...
Google has partnered with Sony to take its web TV service outside of the US for the first time. The set-top box allows users to browse the internet through their television, as well as access a range of specially designed applications. The device, which will cost around £200 when it is released in July, will compete with Apple's own TV box.
Watch a video showing how the service works below:
26/06/2012 | Full story...
To promote it's latest sci-fi blockbuster Prometheus, 20th Century Fox has run a viral marketing campaign to maintain online buzz before, and after, the films release. See why it's our video viral of the week below...
14/06/2012 | Full story...
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Google has launched Nexus Q, a social streaming device that lets users play content from their Google Play account from the cloud direct to their home stereo and TV systems. The ball-shaped device has a built in 25w amp so it can pair with speakers. It can also be integrated with existing home entertainment set up and A/V receiver, whilst the Nexus Q also supports NFC, Bluetooth and WiFi, and runs Android Ice Cream Sandwich, with 1GB RAM and 16GB local storage.
Watch a video explaining how the service works below:
29/06/2012 | Full story...
Yahoo and Spotify have struck a global content distribution and promotion agreement, a deal which eliminates Rhapsody as Yahoo's on-demand music partner. The deal will mean that visitors to the Yahoo Music site can use Spotify's music streaming service while remaining on Yahoo. Soon Spotify will roll out across the rest of Yahoo's Media Network, sites and services that collectively reach nearly 700 million unique users monthly.
28/06/2012 | Full story...
Apple is launching iTunes online store to Hong Kong, Taiwan and 10 other Asian countries, but the online video and music store is still yet to make an appearance in China. The move continues Apple's push to sell music and video to more users in the company's fastest growing region.
27/06/2012 | Full story...
Amazon is set to relaunch its digital locker offer next month after agreeing licensing deals with all four majors. Like Google, Amazon launched a music-focused online storage service in the US last year without any licences from record companies or music publishers.
20/06/2012 | Full story...
Digital formats have now overtaken physical music sales in the UK, with downloads accounting for 55.5% of total industry revenues of £155.8m in Q1, according to new data. According to figures compiled by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) the impressive growth in digital boosted the record industry's overall market value by 2.7% to £155.8m and helped to offset a decline in sales of CDs.
01/06/2012 | Full story...
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Zynga has opened its social gaming website to Facebook ads, as the social network looks to boost its ad reach amid mounting pressure from its new shareholders. The deal means visitors to Zynga's site are being shown Facebook sponsored stories, ads triggered when a Facebook member 'likes' a certain brand or business on the social site. The financials of the deal between Facebook and Zynga have not been released, so it is unknown how they will split any revenue that comes from the advertisements.
25/06/2012 | Full story...
Zynga shares have fallen more than 10% this week, as the social gaming company's user numbers wane and investors worry that the craze for games on Facebook may have passed its peak.
18/06/2012 | Full story...
Sony has decided to keep an optical drive for Blu-Rays in its next console, following reports that it was considering a download-only option that would rely heavily on the web. The decision to stick with the legacy component was due to internet connection speeds varying so much around the world, the Wall Street Journal reported.
01/06/2012 | Full story...
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Google has finally struck a deal with publishing group SNE to allow the scanning and publishing of books online - ending a six-year legal spat. The dispute started in 2006 when Google first outlined plans to
digitise snippets of Books for its search engine. After a dispute with SNE, a court ruled in 2009 that the search company was in breach of copyright infringement after it digitised a number of French books.
13/06/2012 | Full story...
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How does the new EU cookie law affect mobile tracking? This report from the DMA offers a guide to mobile marketers on changes to customer consent, and how to turn the new law to your advantage. This paper looks at the legal, compliance, technical and best practice issues around the Regulations in relation to mobile devices (including tablets).
22/06/2012 | Full story...
How does the new EU cookie law affect email tracking? This report from the DMA offers a guide to email marketers on changes to customer consent, and how to turn the new law to your advantage.
21/06/2012 | Full story...
Google is threatening to sue a major site that allows users to rip YouTube videos and record them as MP3 files. YouTube.mp3 allows users to copy and paste a YouTube URL and have it converted to an MP3 in just three or four minutes. The company insists its service is legal, but has had all its servers blocked from accessing YouTube. Google claims that the service violates its terms of service and has sent the company a cease-and-desist letter.
21/06/2012 | Full story...
The UK's Advertising Standards Authority has banned a Nike Twitter campaign, featuring a Tweet from Wayne Rooney using the brand's slogan. The campaign also featured Arsenal player Jack Wilshere, who posted at the request of the sportswear firm. The UK's advertising watchdog said that the messages did not make clear they were "identifiable as marketing communications". The move marks the first time the ASA has acted against a Twitter-based campaign.
21/06/2012 | Full story...
Microsoft has backed-down over its controversial decision to make its 'Do Not Track' feature the default on its next Internet Explorer browser. The move had sparked criticism from the online marketing industry, saying the move would severely affect the way advertising was conducted on the internet. In response, Microsoft published a new specification this week which now requires users to turn on the anti-behavioural tracking feature. This means it is no longer the default setting and IE 10 will not comply with the official Do Not Track specification.
08/06/2012 | Full story...
As the controversial EU cookie law came into effect last weekend, Channel 4 managed to communicate the idea of collecting user data as part of a positive brand message, with a little help from comedian Alan Carr. See how they did it here...
01/06/2012 | Full story...
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News Corp is to separate its publishing and media and entertainment businesses into two publicly traded companies, with the proposal receiving support at a board meeting this week. News Corp's media business is doing well, with its UK satellite broadcaster BSkyB expecting outstanding 2012 results.
29/06/2012 | Full story...
Google has begun selling a prototype of its augmented reality glasses, testing under the name of 'Project Glass', to developers for $1,500. The glasses feature a tiny camera, display screen and processor that fit over the upper corner, display information before a user's eyes. The camera would allow people to transmit video or still images of what they're seeing to others wirelessly, allowing them to see your world as you live it.
Watch the announcement from Google's I/O conference here:
28/06/2012 | Full story...
StumbleUpon has launched its content discovery engine to the UK market, with a new website and mobile apps. Formed in Canada in 2001, StumbleUpon aims to 'reinvent browsing' letting users share and browse recommended sites. Key Stumbles can be shared via email, StumbleUpon, Facebook and Twitter.
28/06/2012 | Full story...
As part of Google's ongoing project to make technology more 'human', the web giant has created an artificial intelligence system capable of teaching itself the 'concept of cats' with no human help. Google scientists created one of the largest neural networks for machine learning, by connecting 16,000 computer processors, which they turned loose on the Internet to learn on its own. Unsurprisingly, it found a lot of cat videos, and began inventing the concept of a cat with no human help.
27/06/2012 | Full story...
Google has launched the Endangered Languages Project in collaboration with the Alliance for Linguistic Diversity. The project aims to catalogue over 3,000 languages that are considered on the verge of extinction. Each language listed has its own page with video samples of the language being spoken, metadata about the language, and an area in which users can upload documents related to the study of that language.
Watch a video explaining how the service works below.
22/06/2012 | Full story...
Advertising giant WPP has bought independent digital agency AKQA for an undisclosed sum. Founded in 2001, AKQA provides digital communications campaigns, spanning social media, mobile, interactive experiences, gaming and content creation. Clients include Delta, Diageo, EDF, GAP, Google, Microsoft Xbox, Nike, Target, Unilever and Virgin Money and many others.
21/06/2012 | Full story...
Yahoo has hired former Google exec and AdMeld boss Michael Barrett as its new chief of revenue. Barrett will be in charge of advertising revenue and operations worldwide at the Silicon Valley internet giant, including units in the US, Europe and Asia that will report to him.
19/06/2012 | Full story...
Australian online retailer Kogan.com has introduced a spoof 'tax' on Microsoft's Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) browser. Customers who use IE7 will see a 6.8% extra surcharge on online purchases made through the firm's site appear on their bill. However, once they go through to the final checkout phase, the 'tax' will disappear.
18/06/2012 | Full story...
Japanese ecommerce giant Rakuten has acquired Spanish streaming and video on demand business, Wuaki.tv. Wuaki.tv offers premium content over the Internet directly to Smart TVs. The acquisition will see Rakuten further extend its global reach as it enters the Spanish market for the first time.
14/06/2012 | Full story...
Online travel retailer lastminute.com has launched an affiliate programme with global performance marketing network, Affiliate Window. The launch of the new programme with Affiliate Window will see lastminute.com work in a more targeted and integrated approach with their current publisher base enlisting Affiliate Window's dedicated travel specialist to recruit new, top quality partners to the programme.
14/06/2012 | Full story...
Apple has ditched Google's mapping software and made closer ties with Facebook, as the battle between the rival digital media giants intensifies. The move represents a major blow for Google, which stands to lose mobile advertising revenue and valuable insights about people's whereabouts if users of the popular iPhone and iPad devices switch to Apple's mapping service. Meanwhile, Apple is building Facebook into iOS 6, so users will be able to update their Facebook status by talking to their phones and declare that they "like" movies and apps in Apple's iTunes store.
12/06/2012 | Full story...
Napster co-founders Sean Parker and Shawn Fanning have reunited to launch a new video communication site 'Airtime'. The duo have been creating and investing in various online start-ups individually since its shutdown, with varying degrees of success. Unlike 'random' video chat services, such as Chatroulette and Omegle, Airtime analyzes its users' Facebook profiles, stores their 'likes', and thus, manages to throw two people into a video chat who have something in common, which allows them to talk about their shared interests.
11/06/2012 | Full story...
Google's augmented reality glasses, known as 'Project Glass', could be available in the market as early as next year, according to its founder. Last week, Google showed off the first video taken with its 'Project Glass' techno-glasses - hi-tech specs that 'layer' computer information over the world.
Watch the first published video taken from a Google Glasses device here:
07/06/2012 | Full story...
Google is updating its mapping service with 3D technology, as the internet giant looks to counter Apple's decision to drop its service from its iPhone and iPads. The new service will offer zoomable, three-dimensional cityscapes, complete with top and side level views of buildings, streets and landscaping. The new features include 3D enhancements to Google Earth, a portable device for taking "street view" panoramic photos and offline access to Google Maps on Android phones.
Watch a video demonstrating how the service works here:
07/06/2012 | Full story...
Google has bought Quickoffice, an office suite for phones and other mobile devices. The move comes a day after the Internet giant confirmed its long-rumoured acquisition of Meebo. The Quickoffice app costs $15-$20 and approximately 400 million devices are currently equipped with the app. Meebo's browser-based instant messaging client, including the Meebo Bar feature, enables users to chat on various websites like TV Guide, TMZ, and Entertainment Weekly.
07/06/2012 | Full story...
Financial information website MoneySuperMarket has been sold for £87m, with its high-profile founder Martin Lewis pledging to give a portion of his payout from the deal to charity. The firm is being bought by MoneySupermarket.com which runs an online price comparison service. Martin Lewis will remain as editor-in-chief of MoneySavingExpert, which will retain its editorial independence via an agreed editorial code.
06/06/2012 | Full story...
Microsoft's next version of its Internet Explorer browser will come with do-not-track already turned on, in a move that has sparked criticism from the online advertising industry. In a statement, the software giant said Internet Explorer 10 will be the "first browser to feature Do Not Track 'on' by default, giving customers more choice and control over their privacy."
01/06/2012 | Full story...
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