Games are one of the primary reasons people visit Facebook. Reportedly, 40 percent of its user base is there to play social games. That means that more than 200 million people play games on Facebook each month, and the top 10 games on Facebook have more than 12 million users each. Those are a lot of eyeballs! However, if yours isn't one of the top 10, attracting those eyeballs to your game can be a frustrating experience.
Fortunately, Facebook isn't the only game in town. Global social platforms want it known that there are real opportunities for developers who dare to be agile and venture outside the U.S.Indeed, other global markets -- in Russia, in Eastern Europe, in Japan, in South America -- are hungry for quality social games. Publishers there have set up mechanisms to make entering those markets easier than one might expect. Localization, for example, is becoming less of an issue.
In Brazil, for instance, where the market has grown so large that this month the Brasil Game Show 2010 is expecting 20,000 visitors from all over the globe, Mentez is looking for developers.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Google Fighting To Get Access To Facebook Data
Facebook wants to be able to import all your contacts from Gmail. Google wants to be able import all your contacts from Facebook.
Until recently, you could import Gmail data into Facebook. But, Google decided it was unfair that it couldn't get Facebook data, so it shut down access to Facebook.
Facebook built a hack, and you can once again get data from Gmail. Unless Google radically alters its Gmail structure, it looks like Facebook users can get info from Gmail.
Until recently, you could import Gmail data into Facebook. But, Google decided it was unfair that it couldn't get Facebook data, so it shut down access to Facebook.
Facebook built a hack, and you can once again get data from Gmail. Unless Google radically alters its Gmail structure, it looks like Facebook users can get info from Gmail.
Study: Facebook and Twitter ineffective for generating website traffic
A recently conducted website traffic survey has revealed some unexpected trends in the effectiveness of traffic-building techniques.
The survey, conducted by website training and software company Intellimon in cooperation with the University of Bradford, suggests that social networking may not be as effective a tool for website traffic generation as many had previously thought.
Over 4,000 online businesses were surveyed as part of the study, which was conducted earlier this year.
The survey, conducted by website training and software company Intellimon in cooperation with the University of Bradford, suggests that social networking may not be as effective a tool for website traffic generation as many had previously thought.
Over 4,000 online businesses were surveyed as part of the study, which was conducted earlier this year.
NLRB backs worker fired for Facebook post
The National Labor Relations Board has filed a complaint in a case in which it said that a worker was illegally fired for criticizing her boss on Facebook.
The case involves ambulance service American Medical Response of Connecticut Inc. The agency said the employee posted a negative remark on the social networking service using her home computer after a supervisor questioned her about a customer complaint.
That comment generated supportive online comments from co-workers and more negative postings by the employee, who was suspended and terminated for violating the company's Internet policies.
The NLRB argues that the employee's Facebook postings are protected and that the company's policies are too broad.
The case involves ambulance service American Medical Response of Connecticut Inc. The agency said the employee posted a negative remark on the social networking service using her home computer after a supervisor questioned her about a customer complaint.
That comment generated supportive online comments from co-workers and more negative postings by the employee, who was suspended and terminated for violating the company's Internet policies.
The NLRB argues that the employee's Facebook postings are protected and that the company's policies are too broad.
Internet vandals hijack tributes
CHRISTOPHER Rowe turned to Facebook when he was trying to find out information about his parents and sister, found dead after a triple murder in Kapunda.
Yesterday, however, the social networking website was hijacked by internet vandals who ruined the intent of the tribute pages that were set up in memory of Andrew, Rose and Chantelle Rowe.
As family and friends sought solace and support, an internet "troll" posted crude messages and offensive images.
By 2pm yesterday, more than 6000 people had joined three Facebook tribute pages set up in memory of the Rowes.
Yesterday, however, the social networking website was hijacked by internet vandals who ruined the intent of the tribute pages that were set up in memory of Andrew, Rose and Chantelle Rowe.
As family and friends sought solace and support, an internet "troll" posted crude messages and offensive images.
By 2pm yesterday, more than 6000 people had joined three Facebook tribute pages set up in memory of the Rowes.
Is FaceBook Ruining Your Love Life
Single men and women in the 21st Century are learning quickly that social media has completely changed the game. Hours before you meet a blind date, he or she not only knows where you went for vacation last summer, but how you looked in your bathing suit or swim trunks and how drunk you got on the beach!
The truth of the matter is: Social media has totally changed the dating game and far too many singles are losing! Smart daters have Googled or researched love interests on Facebook before their first meal together. And, chances are Facebook profiles are sabotaging many daters’ love lives.
Here are some simple rules that you should consider when dating in the Social Networking era.
The truth of the matter is: Social media has totally changed the dating game and far too many singles are losing! Smart daters have Googled or researched love interests on Facebook before their first meal together. And, chances are Facebook profiles are sabotaging many daters’ love lives.
Here are some simple rules that you should consider when dating in the Social Networking era.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Queen Elizabeth II joins Facebook
LONDON -- Queen Elizabeth II has joined Facebook, launching a series of official pages offering the Web site's 500 million users daily updates on her engagements, the royal household said Sunday.
The 84-year-old British monarch will be featured in videos, photos and news items on the site, which will be available starting today, alongside other members of the country's royal family, including Princes William and Harry.
Users will be able to leave messages or comments for Buckingham Palace on the site and find details of royal events close to their homes.
However, because the pages will be corporate -- and not a personal account -- people won't be able to request to become friends with the queen.
Magid: New Facebook features pose privacy risks
Places" is the service that Facebook launched in August that allows users with smartphones to take advantage of the phone's built-in location-sensing technology to broadcast their whereabouts. For example, if I were to check-in to the Palo Alto Café, my neighborhood coffee shop, my friends could easily see I was there and, perhaps, stop by to chat. If the coffee shop had its own "People Here Now" page, everyone who was also checked-in to that place would know I was there. With any luck, maybe a friend would see that I was there and buy me a cappuccino.
If I had used Facebook Places to "check-in" to my location last Wednesday morning, all of my Facebook friends would have seen that I was at Facebook headquarters in Palo Alto between 10 and 12:30.
At a news conference, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said 200 million people now access Facebook via mobile devices. He didn't say how many of those people are using Places, but did say it was "multiples bigger than any other location service."
Google wants reciprocity deal with Facebook for exchange of contact information; blocks FB from importing contacts
From now onwards, Facebook users won't be able to invite their Google contacts to connect to the social networking spectrum, as the search engine giant has blocked the websites form importing a user's Google contacts into their own database.
The latest move has come to initiate the same practice of inviting users to Google also, from the end of other websites. Earlier, the process was only 'one way' as it allowed Google users to go on other portals and not the vice versa.
Google made a subtle change to the Terms of Service in its Google Contacts API as per CEO Eric Schmidt's concern which he expressed during the Google Zeitgeist conference in September.
The latest move has come to initiate the same practice of inviting users to Google also, from the end of other websites. Earlier, the process was only 'one way' as it allowed Google users to go on other portals and not the vice versa.
Google made a subtle change to the Terms of Service in its Google Contacts API as per CEO Eric Schmidt's concern which he expressed during the Google Zeitgeist conference in September.
App pays tribute to war heroes
As another Remembrance Day approaches, Veterans Affairs Canada is hoping to build on the smashing success of its foray into social media a year ago.
With $2.5 million in funding from the Privy Council Office, the department jumped into social media with both feet last fall.
It started a Facebook page called Canada Remembers, and a YouTube channel showing videos with a remembrance theme.
The Facebook page now has 250,000 fans, with 10,000 clicking the "like" button in the past month. There have been 62,000 views of the videos.
The department's social media initiative was so successful that other government departments and Google are using it as a case study on how government can effectively use social media.
With $2.5 million in funding from the Privy Council Office, the department jumped into social media with both feet last fall.
It started a Facebook page called Canada Remembers, and a YouTube channel showing videos with a remembrance theme.
The Facebook page now has 250,000 fans, with 10,000 clicking the "like" button in the past month. There have been 62,000 views of the videos.
The department's social media initiative was so successful that other government departments and Google are using it as a case study on how government can effectively use social media.
RockMelt launches social media-friendly Web browser
Netscape introduced the commercial internet browser 16 years ago and the company was sold to AOL after it lost the browser war with Microsoft 12 years ago.
Marc Andreessen, co founder of Netscape and owner of Andreessen Horowitz, the venture capital firm, which has primarily funded RockMelt, said that it is a good time to start a company offering browsing services.
RockMelt relies on social media revolution
Andreessen said that although people spend most of their time on computers using Web browsers, they have failed to keep up with the evolution of the Web as a center for social media.
William V. Campbell, a former board member of Netscape and an advisor as well as an investor in the new company, said that RockMelt will be the browser of the Facebook era.
Marc Andreessen, co founder of Netscape and owner of Andreessen Horowitz, the venture capital firm, which has primarily funded RockMelt, said that it is a good time to start a company offering browsing services.
RockMelt relies on social media revolution
Andreessen said that although people spend most of their time on computers using Web browsers, they have failed to keep up with the evolution of the Web as a center for social media.
William V. Campbell, a former board member of Netscape and an advisor as well as an investor in the new company, said that RockMelt will be the browser of the Facebook era.
Friended: Facebook makes college transition easier 5 years after opening to high school students
Even though he knew almost nothing about Syracuse University, Neilsen Hing-Mahn Kwan applied and was accepted to the College of Human Ecology. Then a high school senior in Hong Kong, Kwan had no idea what life at the university would be like.
However, Kwan was eager to learn about every aspect of the social and academic life at SU, what the campus looked like and where his dorm was located.
"I came across the ‘Syracuse University Class of 2011' group on Facebook. The group had almost 1,000 confirmed members," Kwan said. "Those were the people I was going to college with."
Kwan, a senior and pre-med student, said he was not the only student curious about what the next four years would be like upon joining the group.
One in four socialises more online than in person
People now have 11 different ways of staying in contact with their friends from the comfort of their sofa or bedroom.
These include simple email, messenger, text and several forms of social networking from Twitter to Facebook, said the survey by online casino Yazino.
It found even when there is time to see people face to face, like at a weekend, up to 11 per cent of all adults still choose to stay indoors and communicate instead.
This could be down to laziness, the cost of going out or simply not wanting too much personal contact with friends and family but just enough to swap brief messages and online chats.
ARIAs go to ground after 'car crash' show
MUSIC fans have branded last night's ARIA Awards as the worst ever, taking to social networking sites en masse today to voice their disgust.
Facebook and Twitter were bombarded with anti-ARIAs tirades, prompting ARIA itself to post a comment on Twitter in the afternoon.
"We would like to thank all of you for the feedback, whether good or bad, about the 2010 #ARIAs. All comments are being read & noted," the post said.
A synopsis of the commentary would make dismal reading, with comments on the official ARIAs Facebook page describing it as "lame" and a "car crash of a show".
The telecast was marred by a series of embarrassing gaffes, including Jessica Mauboy’s pronunciation of debut as “de-butt”, not once, but twice; Angus and Julia Stone who took out the two major awards – best album and single – facing the wrong way and thanking their dog and cat in their speech; politician Bob Katter pronouncing the awards “Araria”; and Powderfinger frontman Bernard Fanning having to ask what award they’d just won, after being MIA when the award was announced.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
Related Coverage
However the organisation has gone to ground, and would not comment when contacted about the telecast.
Event producer Mark Pope was also not answering his phone, but did say before the event that “there will be plenty of time for post-analysis to see what worked and what didn't”.
“There's a bunch of very committed, passionate people about Australian music doing their very best to try and shine a light on Australian music and all its diversity,'' he said.
The event was a ratings disaster for Channel 10, coming in as the number 17th most-watched show of the night, and drawing just 624,000 viewers.
The network also refused to grant interviews about the telecast, instead releasing a one-line statement.
"The ARIAs are a very important event in the Australian music landscape and last night's performances were fantastic."
Music fans were appalled by the disorganised and confused telecast, and were particularly upset by what they felt was a disrespectful "tribute" to Models frontman James Freud, who passed away last week.
"Shocking!! Where was the Fitting tribute to An Australian great James Freud ,who was inducted into your hall of Fame a week ago?? Disgusted with the show !!” Meredith Wild posted on Facebook.
"I watched, but only because like the proverbial car crash, the production was so bad that I couldn’t look away,” Jodie posted on The Punch.
"Worst ARIAs ever. Production was all over the place. What was with having the presenters in the crowd - and the recipients. Trying to underwhelm everyone? And what about a tribute to James Freud - one of the cornerstones of Australian music. It was an absolute disgrace and an insult to his memory and legacy for it to just be a couple of lines from Marcia Hines, almost like an afterthought. Truly a shocking decision. Did the work experience kid plan and produce the show?" posted Theresa Valka on Facebook.
"WORSE (sic) ARIA EVER! Who were your organisors hope you sacked them. I’m 50yrs old been watching the Music Awards every since I was young have seen some strange things at them but this was so bad, bad direction, bad lines. And what this watch the nominee drinking and party instead of watching thats (sic) going on... Go back to the old way please????? I ended up turning over channels," Sharon Andrews posted on Facebook.
"I would totally agree that this year’s Arias were perhaps the weirdest ever. I tried to watch a couple of times but it was just unwatchable, no one seemed to know what was going on - not the crowd, presenters and especially not the international ‘stars’. What happened to the standard awards night? The way they did it last night just seemed so disrespectful for all the artists, you can’t blame them for just getting on the grog.
SOURCE: NEWS.COM.AU
Greek PM vows to press ahead with austerity
ATHENS, Greece — Greece's prime minister vowed to press ahead with painful austerity measures to pull the debt-strapped country out of a severe financial crisis, dropping a threat to call snap elections after his party retained a slim lead in local government polls.
"We know that change is not easy. But it was for this change that the Greek people brought us to power a year ago. And today it again confirmed that it wants this change," George Papandreou said in a live televised speech late Sunday night.
With nearly all returns counted Monday, Papandreou's Socialists led a key race for regional governor in greater Athens Sunday but lost significant ground elsewhere to the main opposition conservative party, while turn-out plunged. A runoff vote will be held next Sunday.
"We know that change is not easy. But it was for this change that the Greek people brought us to power a year ago. And today it again confirmed that it wants this change," George Papandreou said in a live televised speech late Sunday night.
With nearly all returns counted Monday, Papandreou's Socialists led a key race for regional governor in greater Athens Sunday but lost significant ground elsewhere to the main opposition conservative party, while turn-out plunged. A runoff vote will be held next Sunday.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
War stories a hit on Facebook
As another Remembrance Day approaches, Veterans Affairs Canada is hoping to build on the smashing success of its first foray into social media a year ago.
With $2.5 million in funding from the Privy Council Office, the department jumped into social media with both feet last fall.
It started a Facebook page called Canada Remembers, and a YouTube channel showing videos with a remembrance theme.
The Facebook page now has a whopping 250,000 fans, with 10,000 clicking the "like" button in the last month alone. And there have been 62,000 views of the videos.
With $2.5 million in funding from the Privy Council Office, the department jumped into social media with both feet last fall.
It started a Facebook page called Canada Remembers, and a YouTube channel showing videos with a remembrance theme.
The Facebook page now has a whopping 250,000 fans, with 10,000 clicking the "like" button in the last month alone. And there have been 62,000 views of the videos.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Location-Based Audience Small, But Valuable
Following on the heels of Facebook introducing Facebook Deals to give businesses a way to capitalize on Facebook Places for marketing, the Pew Internet and American Life Project unveiled a study illustrating that very few people actually use location-based check-in services. When it comes to location-based marketing, though, size doesn't matter--it's all about knowing what to do with it.
According to the Pew study, only four percent of online adults in America actually use location-based check-in services like Facebook Places, or Foursquare. However, for the target market of location-based marketing efforts--users who go online with a mobile phone--that number nearly doubles to seven percent. And, while Foursquare and Gowalla are sort of niche techie services, Facebook is a global household name, so you can expect those numbers to increase sharply as Facebook Places catches on.
The location-based audience is small, but much more likely to take action on a marketing offer.Even at four percent, though, the marketing audience represented by location-based check-in users is significant and potentially lucrative. Sometimes marketing is just about building brand recognition,
According to the Pew study, only four percent of online adults in America actually use location-based check-in services like Facebook Places, or Foursquare. However, for the target market of location-based marketing efforts--users who go online with a mobile phone--that number nearly doubles to seven percent. And, while Foursquare and Gowalla are sort of niche techie services, Facebook is a global household name, so you can expect those numbers to increase sharply as Facebook Places catches on.
The location-based audience is small, but much more likely to take action on a marketing offer.Even at four percent, though, the marketing audience represented by location-based check-in users is significant and potentially lucrative. Sometimes marketing is just about building brand recognition,
Man arrested in shooting; 2nd sought
Police have arrested a suspect in the shooting death of Kortney Bryant at an apartment complex moments after Bryant is suspected of wounding another man at a nearby barbershop.
Corey Deangelo Johnson, 19, of South Oak Drive, Eastover, was arrested at his home Wednesday, the Columbia Police Department said.
Police are also looking for Brandon Michael "Beezy" Woodson on charges of murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime.
Johnson and Woodson are accused of fatally shooting Bryant late Saturday afternoon after Bryant
Corey Deangelo Johnson, 19, of South Oak Drive, Eastover, was arrested at his home Wednesday, the Columbia Police Department said.
Police are also looking for Brandon Michael "Beezy" Woodson on charges of murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime.
Johnson and Woodson are accused of fatally shooting Bryant late Saturday afternoon after Bryant
Bullying suspected as reason for Cooperstown girl's suicide
FARGO - Early Thursday, a couple hours before the sun rose in Cooperstown, N.D., 16-year-old Cassidy Joy Andel posted a note on her Facebook page:
“My time has come, and so I’m gone. To a better place, far beyond. I love you all as you can see. But it’s better now, because I’m free.”
She then hung herself in her home, apparently unable to cope with the nasty things being said about her through text messaging and the very social media network used to announce her own suicide.
Sheriff Bob Hook, whose Griggs County Sheriff’s Office polices the 1,200-person community of Cooperstown, said the suicide is being investigated as a possible crime.
“It’s definitely being looked as a bullying situation,” he said,
“My time has come, and so I’m gone. To a better place, far beyond. I love you all as you can see. But it’s better now, because I’m free.”
She then hung herself in her home, apparently unable to cope with the nasty things being said about her through text messaging and the very social media network used to announce her own suicide.
Sheriff Bob Hook, whose Griggs County Sheriff’s Office polices the 1,200-person community of Cooperstown, said the suicide is being investigated as a possible crime.
“It’s definitely being looked as a bullying situation,” he said,
Facebook Backer Mail.ru Jumps 41% After $912 Million London IPO
Mail.ru Group Ltd., a Russian investor in Facebook Inc., surged as much as 41 percent in London trading after raising $912 million in the city’s biggest initial public offering since July.
The Moscow-based company and its existing shareholders sold 32.9 million global depositary receipts at $27.70 each, the company said in a statement distributed by the Regulatory News Service. They were offering the shares for $23.70 to $27.70 apiece in the IPO.
The stock climbed as much as $11.30 to $39. At that price, Mail.ru will have the best London debut in at least two years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The IPO is the biggest in the U.K. since Nathaniel Rothschild’s mining fund, Vallar Plc, raised $1 billion in July. Shares traded at $34.35 as of 9:57 a.m.
“Mail.ru is an interesting story with the Facebook factor, plus that it’s a very good asset by itself,” said Ivo Kovachev, a senior emerging-markets money manager in London at JO Hambro Capital Management Ltd., which oversees about $6.3 billion. “It’s not surprising to see people buy into emerging-market IPOs and this trend will probably continue.”
The offering from Mail.ru, partly owned by billionaire Alisher Usmanov and South Africa’s Naspers Ltd.,
The Moscow-based company and its existing shareholders sold 32.9 million global depositary receipts at $27.70 each, the company said in a statement distributed by the Regulatory News Service. They were offering the shares for $23.70 to $27.70 apiece in the IPO.
The stock climbed as much as $11.30 to $39. At that price, Mail.ru will have the best London debut in at least two years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The IPO is the biggest in the U.K. since Nathaniel Rothschild’s mining fund, Vallar Plc, raised $1 billion in July. Shares traded at $34.35 as of 9:57 a.m.
“Mail.ru is an interesting story with the Facebook factor, plus that it’s a very good asset by itself,” said Ivo Kovachev, a senior emerging-markets money manager in London at JO Hambro Capital Management Ltd., which oversees about $6.3 billion. “It’s not surprising to see people buy into emerging-market IPOs and this trend will probably continue.”
The offering from Mail.ru, partly owned by billionaire Alisher Usmanov and South Africa’s Naspers Ltd.,
Facebook Deals: Discounts You Can Use. The Cost: Your Privacy?
Facebook waged war against Foursquare when it introduced the location service Places a few months ago. Earlier this week, the social networking giant went after the likes of Groupon with the launch of Deals, a feature that lets participating vendors send promos directly to your phone.
But the real casualty with all of these developments may be your privacy.
As Facebook encroaches beyond your life as a social butterfly and into your life as a consumer, a lot more is at stake. Personal information you inadvertently broadcast about when, how and where you spend your money is now up for grabs.
But the real casualty with all of these developments may be your privacy.
As Facebook encroaches beyond your life as a social butterfly and into your life as a consumer, a lot more is at stake. Personal information you inadvertently broadcast about when, how and where you spend your money is now up for grabs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)