19 new stories on The Next Web today |  |
- Samsung Galaxy Tab goes official, gets mid-September european release
- T-Mobile G2 will feature 800MHz CPU, Android 2.2 and Flash 10.1
- Skype for Android finally works over WiFi!
- Twitter for iPad finally lands. Includes gestures and a new UI.
- Tip: Finding your Ping profile URL
- Missed today’s Apple keynote? iTunes has it ready for download.
- Yahoo Groups slims down while picking up new features
- Google is testing expanded Apps access for Google Apps customers
- Reddit: Hey, We Are Bigger Than Digg!
- Could it just be that good old computers are the best online video devices?
- How the automotive industry is finally starting to ‘like’ social media
- FCC Responds To Google-Verizon Proposal With Further Investigations
- TBD director not satisfied with how Washington Post used its video feed during Discovery hostage standoff
- New Apple TV The Most Popular Release Today For Jobs
- Microsoft: Windows Phone 7 is ready for phone makers
- Play The Epic Game From The Apple Event
- Sony’s curiously named movie streaming service hits Europe, music to follow
- Apple’s Keynote App-solutely changes the games.
- Google Puts Brand Logos Into Maps
- Google releases SketchUp 8, includes Google Maps built in
| Samsung Galaxy Tab goes official, gets mid-September european release Posted: 02 Sep 2010 02:59 AM PDT
That said, we now know that the Galaxy Tab will officially be a 7-inch tablet with a TFT-LCD display, it will be run the latest Android 2.2 firmware and is exceptionally light, weighing just 380grams. The Galaxy Tab will support Flash 10.1, offering e-reading functionality and both a media and music hub. This will allow owners to consume videos, photos, music and other multimedia, streaming or downloading on the go via a 3G or WIFI connection. Its hardware specification is very similar to the Galaxy S smartphone range. The Galaxy Tab has a Cortex A8 1.0GHz application processor, 512MB RAM, 3 MP Camera with Auto-Focus and LED Flash, 1.3MP front camera for video calling, a gyroscope, 16/32GB internal storage and apparently boasts 7 hours battery-life when in continual use. We won’t go on too much about the tablet, instead we will embded some official press shots and Samsung’s very first TV commercial advertising the Galaxy Tab: GalleryVideoThe Samusung Galaxy Tab will be released mid-September in Europe, with the US and other countries getting it later in the year. The million dollar question is, the Galaxy Tab or an iPad? Original title and link for this post: Samsung Galaxy Tab goes official, gets mid-September european release     |
| T-Mobile G2 will feature 800MHz CPU, Android 2.2 and Flash 10.1 Posted: 02 Sep 2010 02:02 AM PDT
Today we get to see what the T-Mobile G2 will be offering; an 800MHz Scorpion processor, Android 2.2 (Froyo) and Flash 10.1. Unfortunately that’s all we get at the moment, T-Mobile’s Scoop page is light on features but big on handset experiences. We speculated that Sense wouldn’t come shipped with the G2, it still looks as that is the case. Rumours are that the device will cost $199 on a contract, although the prices have not yet been confirmed. Some of our readers are disappointed with the specifications but we feel it could the perfect handset for casual smartphone owners, much like the G1 was when it was first released. Original title and link for this post: T-Mobile G2 will feature 800MHz CPU, Android 2.2 and Flash 10.1    |
| Skype for Android finally works over WiFi! Posted: 01 Sep 2010 09:57 PM PDT
According to Android Central, and verified by my download from the Android Market, the newest version of Skype for Android allows for simultaneous WiFi and 3G connections. No more disabling your WiFi just to run Skype! The caveat, of course, is that it’s still only for Verizon users (for now). But if you’re paying your monthly dues to the big red V, you should head to the Android Market and get to updating. Original title and link for this post: Skype for Android finally works over WiFi!    |
| Twitter for iPad finally lands. Includes gestures and a new UI. Posted: 01 Sep 2010 09:14 PM PDT As Twitter matures and more content of various forms are shared on it, we’re finding an increasing need to have better ways to access that content. Be it pictures, video or even a user’s profile, the applications that tend to shine the brightest are the ones that give us the easiest access. Twitter is not blind to that fact, and today introduces Twitter for iPad. Unlike some iPad applications, which are just iPhone applications in larger proportion, the Twitter for iPad app really lets the content shine. Navigation in the application is even changed, somewhat, to better suit the iPad platform. Here’s what the Twitter Blog has to say:
Twitter for iPad is available now, in the App Store. Give a download and let us know what you think. Original title and link for this post: Twitter for iPad finally lands. Includes gestures and a new UI.    |
| Tip: Finding your Ping profile URL Posted: 01 Sep 2010 08:36 PM PDT You may or may not have heard that Apple held an event today at which they announced a number of things (full recap here). One of those things was Ping. What is Ping? According to Apple CEO Steve Jobs Ping is like "Facebook and Twitter meet iTunes." Continuing, "But it's not Facebook, it's not Twitter, it's a social network all about music." Once you upgrade to iTunes 10, you can sign up for the social network all about music, Ping. But how will your friends find you, and you them? Here’s how to find your Ping URL and pass it along to anyone and everyone: 1. Go to your Ping profile. My “excellent” one is presented below. 2. Right-Click or Control-Click on your name: 3. Select “Copy Link”: That’s it. Now that you’ve copied your link you can share it with all. Granted, the link is long, but that’s how people can easily locate you without having to conduct a search in Ping itself, being invited by email or through Facebook. By the way, I can be found on Ping here. Initial thoughts on Ping? Likes/dislikes? Original title and link for this post: Tip: Finding your Ping profile URL    |
| Missed today’s Apple keynote? iTunes has it ready for download. Posted: 01 Sep 2010 08:35 PM PDT In case our coverage of today’s Apple keynote wasn’t enough to fill your appetite, you can now download the entire keynote via iTunes. It is a rather gigantic 726 MB file, so you might want to get started now… In our opinion, the download is well worth the time if only to see the amazing graphics in the upcoming Epic Games release for the new iPod Touch.
Original title and link for this post: Missed today’s Apple keynote? iTunes has it ready for download.    |
| Yahoo Groups slims down while picking up new features Posted: 01 Sep 2010 08:10 PM PDT Interestingly enough, Yahoo! Groups are still heavily populated and manage to serve as a meeting grounds for millions of people worldwide. The newest update, it seems, brings about some great new features and a really slick UI. Let’s take a look, shall we? It starts with a new homepage, which combines all of your groups memberships into one easy to access area: From there, you will find a simplified posting interface, a new conversations panel and then my personal favorite part, the new photo sharing options. Overall, there are really good chances throughout the Groups pages. So if it’s been a while since you’ve visited the site, it’s worth another look. Full details can be found on the Yahoo! Groups Blog. Original title and link for this post: Yahoo Groups slims down while picking up new features    |
| Google is testing expanded Apps access for Google Apps customers Posted: 01 Sep 2010 06:13 PM PDT
According to Wired, the service will start rolling out to “Trusted Testers” later this year and will enable Blogger, Reader, AdWords and Picasa, “among others” to be accessed via Google Apps accounts. The thought, as has always been the idea behind Google Apps, is to give companies such as Microsoft a run for their money in the much-desired enterprise software market. While many Google Apps users already utilize services such as Google Docs and Gmail, the additional features will certainly be welcomed by all. While Google Apps itself is a free service for up to fifty employees, there is a $50/month/user charge to get support and guaranteed uptime. That $50, for so long, has been a thorn in the side of many Apps users, as we were paying money for accounts that had limited connections to the other Google services that everyone else can use for free. Oh, by the way, if a Google is reading this then we’d love to be Trusted Testers here at The Next Web. Thanks! Original title and link for this post: Google is testing expanded Apps access for Google Apps customers    |
| Reddit: Hey, We Are Bigger Than Digg! Posted: 01 Sep 2010 05:41 PM PDT Reddit is sick and tired of being called small, and puny, and little, and teeny, and microscopic, and all of that. The company is taking a stand. Using numbers that Kevin Rose himself shared for Digg and their own traffic numbers, Reddit is demanding respect: Big huge high resolution version. Original title and link for this post: Reddit: Hey, We Are Bigger Than Digg!    |
| Could it just be that good old computers are the best online video devices? Posted: 01 Sep 2010 04:41 PM PDT
In response, Boxee – which also aims to bring online video to the big (TV) screen – posted a response saying that while they love Apple products, they think that Boxee and Apple will be taking different paths to getting online video onto living room screens, with Boxee taking an “open” approach. Sitting off to the side, is Google TV, which of course was demoed this spring by Google at its i/o conference, and which we’re all still waiting to see in real life. There are other devices as well, including the Roku, Internet-enabled TVs, etc. However, from my perspective, I really need to ask at this point – as cool as some of these devices/services portend to be, are they really necessary? Is Steve Jobs right when he says that no one wants to plug their computers into their living room TVs? First of all, it seems to me that many of these devices/services are on a mission to give us another “thing” that we really don’t need. Honestly, I have a DVD player, and even that I really don’t need – my computer plays DVDs fine. At least gaming consoles like the XBox and Playstation give us some gaming power – what does an Apple TV give us that we can’t get from our computer? HDMI out? Check. And Netflix, Hulu and YouTube streaming work just fine and dandy on my computer, thank you very much. As far as striping away the clutter of the keyboard and mouse in favor of a simple remote control, I do get that – but I think that remote control should be a smartphone and/or a tablet that controls my computer/TV. Granted, a touch based computer that could take multi-touch controls from my iPad would be better than a mouse-based one, but again, do I and/or the vast majority of consumers need one more device? Obviously, I’m arguing that we don’t. Perhaps if these systems were baked right into the displays, it would be another matter, and certainly there are manufacturers that are trying just that (pretty much unsuccessfully to this point). However, until these devices can start doing something my computer can’t (and I’d argue my computer can do a heck of a lot more, like let me play with Google Earth on my modestly large TV), even an attractive $99 price tag just doesn’t seem all that justified. We’ll see a revolution in this space eventually, but it doesn’t seem to be here yet. Original title and link for this post: Could it just be that good old computers are the best online video devices?    |
| How the automotive industry is finally starting to ‘like’ social media Posted: 01 Sep 2010 03:20 PM PDT An old saying in the automotive industry states that every dollar spent on marketing should earn you three. It's exactly this result-driven approach that makes it difficult for a rather conservative business to adopt new media as part of their marketing strategy. Cars however, have large natural fan bases. As soon as the fans on Facebook and other social networks started creating their own groups, the brands knew they had to dive in the social media pool themselves. However, it is a process that – like in most industries that are still being run by 40+ year old Marketing Managers – takes a lot of time and effort. While not getting into specific brands, let’s look at a few examples: A brand headquarters in Munich only just recently decided to appoint a staff of two to maintain the company's international Facebook page that now has over 263,000 fans. The former Brand Manager in the Netherlands tells us the German HQ has a well thought out content strategy for the page.
International car brands are now often trying to support local Marketing Departments in other countries to start their own Facebook pages and other social media accounts. However, it's always up to local management how far they want to go. With some managers not to keen on innovation, change is often sparked by a new generation. Again, from the brand manager:
The thing that is most appealing to car marketeers is the possibility Social Media offers in terms of target audience segmentation. A car can have a lot of different target audiences. On one hand there are the race-enthusiasts who like watching the Supercar Challege on Assen Circuit, on the other there's often a more artistic fanbase who like the brand because of it's designer retro look. In view of these different segments, brands are even going as far as creating two entirely different Facebook pages for these groups of people. While one section might embrace design competitions, others will focus solely on the racing aspects. However, the smart money is in keeping a separation between the two. Still, the automotive marketers hang on to their old beliefs when it comes to selling cars and audiences one should address. Another famous golden rule often referred to by professionals in the business is that 'You don't sell cars to women' simply because it's always the man who buys a car, even if it's going to be her’s.
In another great example, brands are using social media to drive more publicity and fans to their events. Events such as club tours for owners are being organized via Facebook, with the RSVP function coming into heavy use. The most interesting use, however, seems to be launches via social networks. Seeing brands do initial model launches via social media is not only exciting from the aspect of technology, but also because of the targeted market. Add mobile Internet and location-based services into these launches and you are set for a perfect storm of publicity, in a very inexpensive manner. Beyond all examples, however, there is a certain “sticky” factor with social media. You’re able to spend much more time focusing on details in a social media event than you could in a 30 second TV commercial, and those details are likely to remain in place for months or even years to come. So does the $1 becomes $3 equation still stick? It’s very likely. Instead of the massive costs of TV, radio and print advertising, social media strategies can be implemented with only a minimal staff of educated people. Staffing these portals and keeping up communication can often be done with limited cost, as well. So yes, it’s very likely that $1 becomes 3 bucks as an end result. Original title and link for this post: How the automotive industry is finally starting to 'like' social media    |
| FCC Responds To Google-Verizon Proposal With Further Investigations Posted: 01 Sep 2010 02:53 PM PDT
On the positive side, the notice very strongly indicates that the FCC has sided with consumer interests against some of the more troubling parts of the regulation proposal put forward by Google and Verizon. There are two main pieces to the inquiry. The first is to learn more about “Specialized Services” which may bypass or supplant the open internet. One of the big concerns about the Google-Verizon proposal is that a company like Google could put servers for YouTube on site with Verizon’s towers, allowing Verizon customers priority access to YouTube as they would not have to actually connect to the internet to use it, i.e. YouTube’s content would be on Verizon’s non-internet network. Of the FCC’s proposed solutions, none of them are to prevent this sort of priority access, but the organization does seem to be edging strongly on the side of severe limitation. Two very good suggestions from the notice are 1) to limit how many priority services a carrier can provide, and 2) to guarantee the continued expansion of open broadband internet access so priority services don’t start to slowly replace the internet. The other component to the FCC inquiry is to find out “how, to what extent, and when openness principles should apply to mobile wireless platforms.” Google and Verizon raised ire when they suggested that no net neutrality regulations should be applied to mobile internet access. This section does not propose any real protections for consumers, other than that providers disclose what services they would choose to “manage,” meaning how they would throttle traffic. Original title and link for this post: FCC Responds To Google-Verizon Proposal With Further Investigations    |
| Posted: 01 Sep 2010 02:35 PM PDT Less than a month ago, the Washington Post published an article on the launch of DC hyperlocal news site TBD
Today the Washington Post answered its own question when it posted the live news feed provided by TBD of the ongoing Discovery hostage standoff. I saw several tweets emanating from DC bloggers expressing irritation to how WashPo had re-appropriated the feed. One of the Twitter users seemingly irritated (based on his retweets) was TBD’s very own Director of Community Engagement Steve Buttry. I shot an email to Buttry asking him to comment on the situation. He replied that the problem wasn’t that WashPo had used its feed, it was that the newspaper had used its own logo to cover up TBD’s logo. “First, I should be clear that they are allowed to use our feed,” Buttry wrote back. “That is a continuing agreement between the Post and NewsChannel 8 that predates TBD (in fact it dates to Jim Brady’s days at washingtonpost.com. But the agreement calls for the Post to show our branding on the feed and that agreement did not change when NC8 became TBD. Before [NYT media editor David Carr's] tweet, Jim had already asked the Post to remove its labeling from our feed (but they moved pretty quickly once Carr noted it).” Buttry went on to say, “I did not criticize [the original Washington Post piece criticizing TBD] and don’t care to comment about it. We were delighted with media coverage of the launch, and I’m not so thin-skinned that Farhi’s piece bothered me. (But I was also OK with retweeting Carr.) I enjoy competing with other local media. We link to the Post several times a day and always attribute appropriately. We expect no less from our colleagues and competitors.” Original title and link for this post: TBD director not satisfied with how Washington Post used its video feed during Discovery hostage standoff    |
| New Apple TV The Most Popular Release Today For Jobs Posted: 01 Sep 2010 02:29 PM PDT Thanks to some delicious data tracking from our good friends Rowfeeder, the most hyped product of the day from Apple’s big event is now clear: the refresh of the Apple TV took the cake by a fat margin: Other important things to note: iPod was comfortably the second most discussed product release, and if you could track the Blue until the end, it had significant staying power. At the 2,271 tweets per minute max rate recorded during a minute of pure Apple TV hype (we assume that that was the $99 moment), Apple was racking up some 38 tweets per second, or 136,260 per hour. The raw data: Total “Apple” mentions: 134,994
You just can’t buy that kind of buzz. The Ping and iOS announcements exacted fewer plaudits and shares. For iOS that could have been due to the released upgrades being of a more incremental nature. A short warning: given that Apple TV has both conditional words that were tracked, and products like Ping do not (lacking Apple), that should lend an advantage to Apple TV being the most successful term. However, given the huge margin, and the fact that Ping usually comes in a tweet including iTunes and Apple, we feel that the data, although partially distorted, is very clear. Here it is, the victor:
Original title and link for this post: New Apple TV The Most Popular Release Today For Jobs    |
| Microsoft: Windows Phone 7 is ready for phone makers Posted: 01 Sep 2010 02:17 PM PDT On the Windows Phone blog today, Microsoft announced that it is done with the Technical Preview of the Windows Phone 7 OS and that it now has a release to manufacturing (RTM) version, which means that it is now in the hands of phone makers to integrate the OS into their handsets. Microsoft claims that, “Windows Phone 7 is the most thoroughly tested mobile platform Microsoft has ever released,” and the post announcing the RTM version backed that up with an array of stats from the testers:
During the last release, Microsoft said that one of the parts of the OS that it upgraded was its Facebook integration, saying:
Obviously, Microsoft is trying to get two things across as clearly as possible with this post: 1) we’re taking this as seriously as any software product we’ve ever made, and 2) Windows Phone 7 will focus on social. Original title and link for this post: Microsoft: Windows Phone 7 is ready for phone makers    |
| Play The Epic Game From The Apple Event Posted: 01 Sep 2010 12:54 PM PDT
It was a great looking app, and everyone in the audience was impressed by it. Wait no more, a stripped down version of the game is in the app store, and it is free. Something that we want to stress, this is not the full game that was shown, it is missing some functionality. Also, in this instance the game is called “Epic Citadel.” Head over here, the app works on iPad and iPhone. Have fun! In case you missed it, it looks like this:
Original title and link for this post: Play The Epic Game From The Apple Event    |
| Sony’s curiously named movie streaming service hits Europe, music to follow Posted: 01 Sep 2010 12:30 PM PDT
First let’s get the the ridiculous name out of the way. It’s called Qriocity. Seriously, any product name that takes several read-throughs to work out how to pronounce should probably be changed. Read it a few times and you might realise it’s a play on “curiosity”. The service is already live the USA. When it launches in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK, owners of networked Sony devices, including the Playstation 3, will be able to stream movies from 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate, MGM, NBC Universal, Paramount and Sony. Playstation 3 users can already rent movies online, but this requires a full download of the content before it can be played. Streaming should be much more convenient. From late this year, music streaming will be added to the service under the name “Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity”. This cloud-based service will offer “millions” of songs on demand to owners of 2010 models of Sony’s network-enabled TVs, Blu-ray Disc players, Blu-ray Home Theatre systems, as well as the PlayStation 3 and Sony’s PC line. Streaming video isn’t quite as established in Europe as it is in the US yet, so Sony may well pick up some interest with Qriocity. However, as it only works with Sony’s own products, this is more of a ‘value add’ for its customers than a significant move on its own. Original title and link for this post: Sony’s curiously named movie streaming service hits Europe, music to follow    |
| Apple’s Keynote App-solutely changes the games. Posted: 01 Sep 2010 11:58 AM PDT
Even more amazing were some of the facts and figures laid out for the viewing audience by Apple CEO Steve Jobs (paraphrasing):
Pretty startling numbers. But what of Apps? According to information provided at the Keynote, the iPod Touch has been a fantastic product for Apple, making it the most popular version of iPod. According to Jobs, “People call it an iPhone without the phone — it’s also an iPhone without the contract!. But it’s also become the #1 portable game player in the world.” According to the Keynote, the iPod Touch outsells Nintendo and Sony portables combined and has resulted in billion and a half game and entertainment downloads. The figures equate to:
The real interest from the Keynote for me came from the unveiling of Apple’s Game Center. “Game Center is all about multiplayer games. You can challenge your friends or they can challenge you, and if you don’t have any friends we’ll match you with someone.” One of the games featured at the event included the wildly popular Angry Birds, complete with a leader board and more. Another featured game? Project Sword. Described as, ” a gorgeous action packed RPG adventure. Everything you see is in realtime.” With so many iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad devices sold, Apple is taking its portable device prowess, to a whole new, interactive, squarely focused on apps and gaming, level of dominance. Further, don’t overlook the importance iAds (which will no doubt find their way into some of these games), and the social nature with respect to these new games and apps. One can expect Apple to further reap the revenue benefits realized from sales of its devices and apps by expanding the adoption of new games by those who previously did not play, and through its device and app pricing, which undercut both that of Sony and Nintendo. What do you think? Do today’s announcements propel Apple ahead of all other portable gaming companies? Why/why not? Original title and link for this post: Apple’s Keynote App-solutely changes the games.    |
| Google Puts Brand Logos Into Maps Posted: 01 Sep 2010 11:42 AM PDT
The idea, Google says, is to help users find familiar brands and help businesses promote themselves. “By helping users identify popular businesses, we're making it easier to browse the map and navigate the real world.” It’s available in the US on desktop browsers from today, with mobile phones following soon. Google is pushing the serendipity factor of this beta program, which has already been trialed in Australia. Imagine “Fortunately stumbling upon a nearby ATM when you're looking up the address of the new restaurant where you're dining tonight, or exploring the neighborhood you just moved into by figuring out where the grocery store is relative to your new apartment.” Some may find that corporate logos on their maps pollute the experience, although they appear to be small and subtle. There’s no doubt that many use well-known brand logos as landmarks to navigate modern cities so they should be useful as more than just a promotional tool for the businesses themselves. Don’t expect to see Mom & Pop’s Grocery Store logo on the map though, this is only for “Companies in the U.S. with multiple locations and a well-known brand… across a variety of industries, from banking to retailers to self-storage” – for now at least. Companies have to pay to have the logo included, although Google isn’t saying how much.
Original title and link for this post: Google Puts Brand Logos Into Maps    |
| Google releases SketchUp 8, includes Google Maps built in Posted: 01 Sep 2010 11:30 AM PDT
If you’re not familiar with SketchUp, it enables you to leverage Google’s geo data and quickly make 3D models of anything from furniture to entire cities. In addition to the integrated Google Maps, other new features in SketchUp 8 include:
Google made the announcement of the new version at its third bi-annual “3D Basecamp” conference in Boulder, Colorado today, and the software will be available in five languages to start (English, French, Spanish, Italian or German). For super-serious 3D modelers, Google also has a professional version, SketchUp Pro 8, for $495 or as a $95 upgrade if you have a previous pro version already. Google has a couple of cool videos around the release, including this one:
Original title and link for this post: Google releases SketchUp 8, includes Google Maps built in    |
However it seems as if brands who now break this rule do get rewarded for finally reaching out to that other half of the population. A recent effort of on manufacturer – who launched their own line of nail polish in the three colours of their new model – gained a massive amount of media attention on blogs and news sites. The campaign was simply remarkable, new, and worth spreading: The ultimate social media strategy.
Today’s Apple Keynote revealed some grand new products, updates to 
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19 new stories on The Next Web today Part 1
19 new stories on The Next Web today Part 1
19 new stories on The Next Web today Part 1
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