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In digital marketing training we keep you on top of the latest
trends, so this summary of research and news in April shows what mattered and
why.
Digital marketing new approaches:
- Measuring brand campaigns? Google unveiled new TV-style metrics
- Needing new ad platforms? Tumblr finally opens up
- Approaches for tackling Pinterest? Amazon and eBay's social shopping
adds pins
Data downloads:
- Asia overtaking the west for online video
- China's internet growth
- Top Facebook brands in the UK
- And which days of the week work best on social.
Instagram's $1bn price tag made sense for Facebook to 'buy' innovation, by
blocking Twitter, Google, Apple and MSN. In cloud storage Google is 'building'
innovation, with a new offering undercutting Dropbox, SkyDrive and iCloud. Build
or buy? Our money is on Dropbox getting bought, as late entrants realise 'buy'
will be the only option left.
Future gazing? A great video of Google's 'goggles' - the planned augmented
reality glasses straight from a sci-fi movie.
Having taken part in training, your Academy Membership gives access to
Digital Intelligence. Full stories and videos are at the end of the click - and
you can unsubscribe or suggest topics by simply mailing us back...
Best from all @ Digital
Danny Meadows-Klue
President
Digital Training Academy
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More than 52 million strong and representing the majority of population growth over the next five years, Latinos have become prominent in all aspects of American life. A growing, evolving population, Latinos are a fundamental component to future business success, with a buying power of $1 trillion in 2010 that is projected to grow 50 percent to $1.5 trillion in 2015.
30/04/2012 | Full story...
Asia (excluding Japan) and BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India and China) have overtaken Europe and western markets on television viewing and video consumption via Internet or mobiles, according to a new report looking at online video use in Asia. The findings, from Nielsen's global media consumption index also shows that globally, 14% of advertising expenditure goes towards digital.
25/04/2012 | Full story...
There is a growing demand for location-based mobile services worldwide, with the likes of check-ins and mobile maps being the most demanded features for technology on the move, according to new research. The 'Mobile Life' report from TNS, concludes that almost two-thirds of mobile users that don't have location-based features would like to start using the feature, showing that there is huge untapped potential these services.
25/04/2012 | Full story...
As of the fourth quarter of 2011, half of black mobile users in the US owned a smartphone (up from 44 percent in Q4 2010) and 58% accessed the mobile Internet, more than any other race/ethnic group, according to new research.
24/04/2012 | Full story...
The rise of tablets is eating into the consumption of other devices, with Laptops, books and desktop PCs being the biggest casualties, according to this new infographic. The chart, from Statista, quotes Forrester Research data looking into the media consumption habits of tablet owners.
20/04/2012 | Full story...
The proliferation of marketing channels over the last five years has significantly impacted on the way consumers expect to be treated by brands, according to new research from Experian Marketing Services.
20/04/2012 | Full story...
Oakley is developing eyeglasses that would be connected to the Internet, projecting information directly onto the lenses of the glasses, according to a report.
20/04/2012 | Full story...
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A staggering 1 in every 5 people online are from China, and there is still plenty of room for growth amongst its 1.3 billion plus citizens, according to new data. Online statistic portal Statista has assembled an infographic displaying key trends amongst Chinese citizens, as the country begins to match the US in terms of internet use.
25/04/2012 | Full story...
More than half of all video ads worldwide came from either the UK, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Italy or Switzerland, according to this new infographic.
25/04/2012 | Full story...
Most consumers (92%) trust 'social recommendations' above all other forms of advertising, representing an 18% increase in 2007, according to new research. According to Nielsen's latest Global Trust in Advertising report, which surveyed more than 28,000 Internet respondents in 56 countries, 92 percent of consumers around the world say they trust earned media, such as recommendations from friends and family, above all other forms of advertising - an increase of 18 percent since 2007.
19/04/2012 | Full story...
The top 5 Internet firms in the UK, Apple, Amazon, Google, eBay and Facebook, have been accused of avoiding some £650m in UK corporation tax during 2010, according to a news report. The Daily Mail reports that the big five internet firms paid 0.8% corporation tax on UK profits. However, the firms are using entirely legal means to do so, under EU law.
17/04/2012 | Full story...
TV adspend in the US rose by 2.4% last year, with Procter and Gamble, AT&T and General Motors the biggest spenders, according to research. The findings, from research from Kantar Media, indicate that the adspend on syndicated national segment is up 15.4%. Meanwhile, Spanish-language stations are enjoying an 8.3% surge and cable is seeing a 7.7% leap in adspend.
17/04/2012 | Full story...
There are currently 3.7 million empty nesters in the UK with a total disposable income of £288 million, more than double that of those with children still living at home (£102 million), according to new research. The research, from Emptynesting.co.uk, a magazine and community website for mums whose children have left home, reveals that one million (28%) of empty nesters say their disposable income accounts for up to 10% of their total household income.
17/04/2012 | Full story...
$4.4bn is what the online film industry will be worth within five years. Online movie audience data has been trending upwards steeply and now Global Industry Analysts are forecasting a boom in paid subscriptions and paid downloads. Here's why...
13/04/2012 | Full story...
Agreeing the approach for internet audience measurement research is no easy task. Each country that has created a standardised industry currency for internet audience measurement has worked through a painstaking process of agreeing standards and setting up tenders. Now in the UK - one of the most advanced approaches - comScore look set to replace Nielsen. Here's why...
13/04/2012 | Full story...
Attitudes to user-generated content differ around the world, with Latin America leading the world for 'citizen journalism', according to new research. 47% of internet users in Brazil and 44% in Argentina read UGC on newspaper websites, compared to only 35% in the UK and 26% in Germany, according to the study from Kantar Media.
11/04/2012 | Full story...
Sunday is the most engaging day for FMCG and telecoms brands on social media, while Tuesdays are best for Automotive sector, according to new research. The study, from Socialbakers, indicates that lazy Sundays are primetime for capturing the wandering eyes of fans on Facebook and Twitter, especially for fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and Telecoms brands.
10/04/2012 | Full story...
Online and mobile advertising leapt by 14.4% in 2011, to reach £4.8bn, marking a £687m rise on the previous year, according to the report from the Internet Advertising Bureau UK (IAB), conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Despite the backdrop of a depressed UK economy, the increase represented the biggest boom in internet advertising in five years.
04/04/2012 | Full story...
It's official. Britain is worse than Lithuania when it comes to customer service, according to a survey of 2000 British firms and consumers. The survey, commissioned by live chat software provider Netop, found that today's customers want to connect fast, and engage live with a human customer service representative at their bank, building society, retailer, grocer or indeed any other provider they use.
04/04/2012 | Full story...
Searches for 'facebook' now account for 2% of UK searches, while four retail brands are among the top 10 brands, according to new research.
02/04/2012 | Full story...
More than eight out of 10 (82%) PR professionals work with bloggers to provide coverage for clients, while 98% find bloggers useful or invaluable, according to new research. The study, from DWPub, polled 252 PR professionals in March 2012. The results formed part of a new whitepaper called 'The smart PR's guide to blogger outreach'. The whitepaper, which assesses the importance of working with bloggers and offers practical tips, is written by freelance writer and blogger Sally Whittle.
02/04/2012 | Full story...
While 50% of all top sites have a Facebook plug-in and 43% have a Twitter plug-in, it turns out that only 29% of the Top 100 UK Travel Retail Sites have any social plugin at all. A new infographic from Tagman looks at why travel sites need to invest in social plugins to drive sales.
02/04/2012 | Full story...
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Many UK parents are ignoring Facebook's age limit and letting under 13-year-olds access the social network, according to a UK government minister. Children's minister Tim Loughton believes parents are putting their children at risk by helping them to set up Facebook profiles and were even helping their child 'lie' to go on the site.
27/04/2012 | Full story...
Facebook has paid Microsoft $550m to buy about 70% of the patent portfolio the tech giant itself acquired from AOL for more than $1bn just a fortnight ago. The move forms the latest chapter in the battle for intellectual property in the digital sector, as the likes of Google, Facebook, Apple and Microsoft tussle with each other over the rights to provide their clients and customers with the best technology.
25/04/2012 | Full story...
Topshop remains the top UK brand on both Facebook and Twitter, in terms of the number of followers, according to new research. The study measures how brands are using the top social networks and the subsequent effects on their follower base. Topshop continued to reign at the top of the social media leagues having reclaimed the Twitter top spot from ASOS and breaking through the 2 million 'likes' barrier with their Facebook page.
23/04/2012 | Full story...
Betting firm Paddy Power has opened the betting on Facebook's next acquisition following the social networks purchase of photo-sharing app Instagram. The early favourite in the betting is mobile phone location service Foursquare at 4/1 followed by note taking service Evernote at 9/2 and web based file hosting service Dropbox at 5/1.
11/04/2012 | Full story...
Facebook has bought Instagram for a massive $1bn (£629m). The popular photo-sharing smartphone app crossed its tipping point last year. Learning from the experience of the sluggish response to Twitter, Facebook has acted in a way that's fast, determined and retains its leadership in photo sharing.
10/04/2012 | Full story...
Brands are getting an average 46% more engagement with Facebook's new Timeline profile, according to new research. But closer inspection indicates that status updates may actually be losing engagement. The study, from Simply Measured, drew its results from just 15 Facebook brand pages.
03/04/2012 | Full story...
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Coca-Cola has struck a promotional partnership with music streaming service Spotify, that will see the beverage giant run a social media campaign on its Facebook pages. Coke will integrate Spotify on its Facebook pages, which boast more than 40 million fans, and use the company's technology to power its Coca-Cola Music program. As part of the deal, Coke and Spotify will also launch a joint app in the coming months.
20/04/2012 | Full story...
Tumblr is to introduce paid advertisements on its service for the first time, as the popular social media site looks to capitalise on the 40 million blogs on its platform. The decision comes despite Tumblr's founder David Karp once saying that online ads "turn our stomachs". Under the new scheme, brands will be offered space within the site's "dashboard" from 2 May.
20/04/2012 | Full story...
Twitter tried to purchase Instagram a few months ago, before Facebook shelled out a huge $1 billion for the photo sharing application, according to a news report. The report, from the New York Times, claims that Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, invested in Instagram back in February 2011 and was an avid user of the photo sharing service as well, until Facebook bought the company.
17/04/2012 | Full story...
Google has claimed that 170 million people have registered to use Google+, as it unveiled a redesign that mimics the features of its larger rival. The redesign includes the introduction of Twitter-style trending topics and large profile pictures at the top of pages that appear similar to Facebook's recent redesign.
17/04/2012 | Full story...
Pinterest has become the third most visited social network in the US, overtaking LinkedIn, according to new data. The study, from Experian Hitwise, puts the social media 'pinboard' behind Twitter and Facebook in terms of visits (not unique visits).
11/04/2012 | Full story...
Internet telephony firm Skype has launched a controversial outdoor ad campaign suggesting some of the world's biggest social networks are 'degrading humanity'. The ads form part of a $12m marketing campaign encouraging users to switch from Facebook and Twitter to Skype as a more visceral communications medium. The ads ask: "Technology is changing the way people think and operate, but is it also degrading humanity?"
10/04/2012 | Full story...
Just 10% of UK firms are measuring the return on investment from their social media campaigns, despite a 50% increase in time spent on the medium, according to a new study. The study, from digital marketing firm EPiServer, indicates there is continued growth of the uptake of social media by British brands, however the vast majority are still clearly struggling to measure its impact.
26/04/2012 | Full story...
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The co-founder of Russia's Yandex search engine has claimed Google is 'semi-open', criticising its Android smartphone platform and Chrome web browser. Speaking to the Guardian Ilya Segalovich Yandex co-founder described Android, as a "strange combination of openness and not openness" and its Chrome web browser as anti-competitive.
30/04/2012 | Full story...
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Mobile operator O2 has launched its much-anticipated digital wallet letting users send money using their mobile phone. The O2 Wallet is a free app to download on iPads and the majority of smartphones allowing consumers to transfer cash via their mobile, compare prices, track their spending and shop.
27/04/2012 | Full story...
iPads and other tablets will be most users' preferred device by 2016, with sales expected to reach 375 million, according to Forrester. Forrester analyst Frank Gillett made the claim in a blog post, adding that the company will be sharing the prediction in an upcoming report, "Tablets Will Rule the Future Personal Computing Landscape." The company attributed the growth to big screens, daylong battery life, always-on capabilities and superior mobility.
26/04/2012 | Full story...
Sales from in-app ads in the US and Europe will surpass sales generated from mobile web display ads, with overall mobile ad spend set to rise 85.4%, according to a new report. The study, from Strategy Analytics, also forecasts that worldwide revenue from mobile ads and content will hit $67 billion this year.
25/04/2012 | Full story...
Vodafone has bought communications giant Cable & Wireless Worldwide, in a deal that values the firm at a reported £1.04bn. CWW is separate from Cable & Wireless Communications, also a UK-based multinational telco, as the two demerged in 2010. The move is intended to strengthen Vodafone's enterprise and international services, and will let the mobile operator offload increasing mobile traffic onto the Cable & Wireless Worldwide (CWW) fibre network in the UK.
24/04/2012 | Full story...
Ad management platform DG has launched a new tool that can trigger advertisements on second screen companion devices based on live TV content. The dual-screen video ad platform allows applications running on second screens, such as smartphones and tablets, to automatically recognize the content being played on the 'first' screen, the TV, and synchronizes with it.
23/04/2012 | Full story...
Research in Motion, the maker of Blackberry smartphones, has announced a new focus on business customers after it suffered a further $125m loss. The Canadian company made a net loss for the three months to 3 March of $125m (£78m), compared with a profit of $934m a year earlier. It has lost ground as its traditional business clients have switched staff to iPhones or Android smartphones.
02/04/2012 | Full story...
Google is planning to sell branded tablets directly to consumers through an online store, as it tries to wrestle away market share from the Apple iPad. According to The Wall Street Journal, the search giant plans to sell a number of co-branded tablets, which are expected to be manufactured by partners including Asus and Samsung.
02/04/2012 | Full story...
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LBi, AMV BBDO, Wieden & Kennedy, Red Bee Media and Budweiser were this month honoured at the IAB's annual Creative Showcase Grand Prix Awards ceremony. This video showcases the campaigns that took the top gongs at this year's event.
27/04/2012 | Full story...
Marketers that fail to get to grips with Internet Service Providers' (ISP) new spam-blocking filters are at serious risk of failing to deliver emails to the inboxes of consumers and potentially losing business for clients, according to Guy Hanson of the Direct Marketing Association's Email Marketing Council (EMC).
26/04/2012 | Full story...
Google has launched a new metric for online branding campaigns, with more emphasis and insight into how long ads have been viewed, rather than if they have been clicked. Named 'Brand Activate', the plan is designed to "reimagine online measurement for brand marketers," according to a blog post from the company.
19/04/2012 | Full story...
The new crop of large display ad formats, such as 'Billboard' and Wallpaper' are outperforming standard banners such as MPUs, according to new research. The research, from the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) proves the effectiveness of new large display formats, highlights the effectiveness of new large display formats across 5 key brand metrics.
19/04/2012 | Full story...
The Associated Press has launched AP Video Hub, a global online video news platform, in a bid to attract online news publishers and portals to its services. The beta launch forms part of a new strategy at the global news agency, as it looks to branch out from its broadcast-centric business to cater for the growing number of online publishers. The new platform delivers video news from AP's journalists in the field to digital customers' desktops.
12/04/2012 | Full story...
Rich media boosts site visits three times more than standard banners, with additional video creative boosting visits even more, according to new research. The study, from MediaMind, indicates that advertisers who want to increase website traffic and sales should look to dynamic and flexible, eye-catching display ads.
03/04/2012 | Full story...
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Amazon and eBay have added a Pinterest button to help shoppers share photos and comments on their favourite product finds via the social network. The move will see both online retail giants add a small red P next to the Facebook, Twitter, and email share buttons.
25/04/2012 | Full story...
Social sharing website Have You Seen has launched a new online retail platform, which it claims will 'bring affiliate marketing to the masses'. The firm added that 1,879 retailers have already affiliated with Have You Seen, including Amazon, Argos, Boots and Halfords.
20/04/2012 | Full story...
A number of major UK retailers including John Lewis, Urban Outfitters and Amazon.co.uk are among the early adopters of major new social gifting service DropGifts, which has launched in the UK this week. DropGifts is a new international service that allows customers to send gift cards to friends and family via Facebook for birthdays or other special occasions.
19/04/2012 | Full story...
Argos is to start selling ads on is online store, as well as via its iconic print catalogue and in-store, as the retailer looks to capitalise on its high UK consumer reach. The retailer, owned by Home Retail Group has partnered will target brands already associated with the Argos name, which it calls 'complementary brands'.
18/04/2012 | Full story...
Commercial property firm Land Securities has launched a new Google search service for visitors to the White Rose shopping centre, Leeds. Debenhams, Topshop, Warehouse and Oasis are the first retailers to sign up to the scheme.
18/04/2012 | Full story...
Half (50%) of online customer feedback comes from those that bought products in-store, according to new research. The findings, from Bazaarvoice's Conversation Index, are based on more than 11 million pieces of user-generated content created over the past three to six months, also found that these shoppers prove to be less satisfied with the products they purchased than those who buy online.
13/04/2012 | Full story...
Just under half of all UK online shoppers abandoned a shopping basket during 2011, representing £1.02bn in value, according to new research. The study, from Experian, indicates that one in five of these abandoned transactions were not taken elsewhere as individuals cancelled their shopping attempt altogether, resulting in £214m worth of net lost revenue for UK retailers.
12/04/2012 | Full story...
Chinese online shopping giant Alibaba is partnering with community site Mogujie, offering shoppers a more social way to find and buy products online. The deal will see Alibaba's eTao search engine offer a new social sharing ecommerce platform called eTao Faxian, which means "discover."
02/04/2012 | Full story...
Domino's took over £1m in sales through its mobile platform in a single week during the first quarter of 2012, the company has announced. Tealeaf has revamped its mobile platform for marketers, letting clients re-create problems and optimize functionality, so they can see issues users will experience on different platforms.
02/04/2012 | Full story...
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Hulu's media ownership partners are close to buying out one of their number. NBCUniversal, News Corp., The Walt Disney Company and members of the Hulu team are to purchase the stake owned by Providence Equity Partners at a price that values the company at $2 billion.
30/04/2012 | Full story...
AOL has a new video hub for consumers that offers premium video across 14 content channels, as the firm looks to bring in high volume targeted traffic that will appeal to advertisers. The channels will include food, business, entertainment, style, tech, travel, health and others, reaching an audience of 57 million US consumers.
30/04/2012 | Full story...
YouTube has been told to take down copyrighted clips of music from its German site, following a court ruling over the weekend. The ruling marks a new setback for Google as it faces numerous issues over copyright.
23/04/2012 | Full story...
A promotional video posted by television channel TNT has taken YouTube by storm, getting 23m views in just one week. The ad is fast becoming the most shared video on the website. Published on April 11, the 'A Dramatic Surprise On a Quiet Square' video campaign has clocked a whopping 22,626,099 views and 214,896 'likes' already.
18/04/2012 | Full story...
This video viral from Samsung shows promotes its latest smartphone/ tablet hybrid by showing that bigger is better... quite literally. The ad has already notched up over 2.5m YouTube views in less than 2 weeks. See why it's our video viral of the week below...
13/04/2012 | Full story...
An average of 70% of in-stream impressions play all the way through, with users being 200 times more likely to click on in-stream ads compared to standard banners, according to new research. The study, from ad technology provider MediaMind, highlights the power of in-stream video advertising. The research indicates that 75% of in-stream impressions play three quarters of the spot duration - providing advertisers with plenty of exposure time in front of consumers.
12/04/2012 | Full story...
Ford is launching an online reality TV show in partnership with Yahoo in the US. The car maker will promote its Focus Electric model during an online reality program called "Plugged In." The online program will begin in May, when Ford's Focus Electric model will be available in some U.S. markets. It will be broadcast exclusively on Yahoo! Screen.
12/04/2012 | Full story...
Social media 'pinboard' Pinterest is on the rise, and this campaign from Kotex is a fine example of how brands can use the popular social media Pinboard to boost their followers and create a lasting brand impact. Find out why it's our viral of the week below....
04/04/2012 | Full story...
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UK businesses are rejecting the latest internet marketing regulations according to new research by KPMG. One month before the regulations become law a massive 95% of firms claim they have not yet complied with new EU cookies law - internet marketing regulation that extends the nature of data protection to cover cookies that track certain types of consumer behaviour. Our suspicions are that among small SMEs, the number could be even higher. And the UK is not alone...
13/04/2012 | Full story...
Plans to allow UK authorities to monitor the online activity of every person in Britain were pushed back this week after being condemned by MPs of all parties. The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, announced that the contentious measures would be published only in draft form and would be subject to widespread consultation - concessions that could delay the proposals for at least a year.
05/04/2012 | Full story...
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Music artists on Spotify need 4m Spotify plays to earn minimum wage, according to claims made by a PacketVideo executive last week.
30/04/2012 | Full story...
Spotify is expanding its US services a year after the Swedish firm entered the market, developing an Internet radio service that would directly challenge Pandora Media. Citing "two people with knowledge of the situation," Bloomberg said the new service would launch before the end of the year and be funded by advertising.
27/04/2012 | Full story...
US-based genealogy site Ancestry.com has bought Archives.com, a family history website, for approximately $100m. The deal will see Ancestry.com bulk up its family history category for customers, while staffing up with an additional team of engineers, digital marketers, and family history experts. Archives.com is owned and operated by Inflection LLC, a Silicon Valley-based technology company.
27/04/2012 | Full story...
Google is tackling the growing problem of fake reviews, researching new spam detection software to prevent people 'gaming the system' with bogus ratings to drive traffic and sales online. A new Google-sponsored study, entitled 'Spotting Fake Reviewer Groups in Consumer Reviews', by University of Illinois researchers is being used to help to spot opinion spam using a new relation-based algorithm called GSRank (Group Spam Rank).
26/04/2012 | Full story...
Just one day after Google launched it's take on the cloud storage space, another key player has entered the arena. Sony's PlayMemories cloud storage service has launched in the UK, but unlike its rivals DropBox and Google Drive, the service only works for media files. The service is available online or via a downloadable mobile app for free on both the Android and iOS platforms.
26/04/2012 | Full story...
Toyota Motor Europe has undergone a radical change to its consumer website, building a new navigation model based on eye-racking tests in a bid to boost engagement and conversions on its site. The car maker said the new site places a strong emphasis on moving users from knowledge gathering to actively considering purchasing a vehicle.
26/04/2012 | Full story...
Google has launched its much-anticipated Google Drive, an online storage locker that lets users store as much as 5GB of photos, documents, music and videos for free. The cloud-based service is offering more space for a monthly fee, starting at 25 GB for $2.49 a month, 100 GB for $4.99 a month or 1 TB for $49.99 a month. Those who upgrade their accounts will also get upgraded to 25GB of storage in Gmail. The prices are a blow to Dropbox, which offers 2GB of storage free, and then gives users the option of paying $10 or $20 a month to upgrade to 50GB or 100 GB of storage.
25/04/2012 | Full story...
Mobile maker Motorola has won a patent case against the Xbox console, in ruling that could cost Microsoft $4bn to meet the licensing demands. A judge at the US International Trade Commission ruled that the firm infringed four patents owned by Motorola Mobility. The claims relate to technologies involved in the H.264 video compression standard and wi-fi connectivity.
25/04/2012 | Full story...
Google has dropped its publishing payments platform 'One Pass' and its Blackberry sync tool as the internet giant continues to focus on core products in its battle against the likes of Facebook, Apple and Microsoft. The move forms part of as part of CEO Larry Page's ongoing 'spring cleaning', which also saw its Google Related browsing assistant, the mobile web app for Google Talk and a number of Picasa photo sharing services.
24/04/2012 | Full story...
eMusic has launched an Android app, as the long running online music store looks to take on the likes on Spotify and Rdio in the mobile arena. The app brings together curated radio stations, music recommendations, playlist mixes and downloads (with a subscription) to the Google mobile OS.
24/04/2012 | Full story...
Healthcare provider Bupa has hired Affiliate Window to begin a new digital drive to promote its latest 'Bupa by You' insurance service. Bupa By You is a new, adaptable health insurance, with a variety of customisable options to suit individual needs.
24/04/2012 | Full story...
The not-for-profit organisation Women in Wireless (WiW) has launched its UK 'chapter', aimed at connecting, developing and promoting women in the mobile and digital media sectors. With over 3,000 members across its New York and San Francisco chapters, the inaugural 'sell-out' event this month saw Nokia CMO Jerri DeVard, share her career experiences from over 25 years as a marketer.
24/04/2012 | Full story...
Google has launched a new monitoring tool for Gmail users, providing insight into how they use their email. Gmail Meter offes monthly statistics about everything from how many emails a user has sent and received to how long it usually takes them to reply. The tool works as a Google Apps script that runs on the first day of every month, then sends users an email about their Gmail use.
23/04/2012 | Full story...
Betfair has launched App Cloud, a service that lets software developers build their own transactional betting websites and widgets off of Betfair's sports exchange platform. As part of its official partnership with Betfair, Manchester United are the first to go live with an App Cloud based betting service, offering their fans visiting manutd.com the opportunity to register, login and bet seamlessly with the club's tailor-made on-site betting product.
19/04/2012 | Full story...
Google is to launch a new cloud storage service called 'Google Drive' next week, according to reports. People will be able to pay for more storage, but prices are not yet known, Read Write Web reported. It is expected to allow users to put their files into Google Drive and access them on their desktop, mobile phone or tablet. The report stated that the service will work on Mac, Windows, Android and iOS - all via drive.google.com.
18/04/2012 | Full story...
In landmark moment for the digital publishing sector, AOL's The Huffington Post has become the first blog to win the prestigious Pulitzer prize in the US. The news site, formed in 2005, scooped American journalism's top honour, winning this year's Pulitzer Prize for national reporting.
18/04/2012 | Full story...
The company behind the hugely popular Raspberry Pi device has shipped the first batch of pre-orders to customers, as demand for the 'DIY' mini computer intensifies. According to a report in the Inquirer, the Raspberry Pi Foundation has shipped 700 of the 220,000 pre-orders that were received six weeks ago.
18/04/2012 | Full story...
Google is to split its stock for the first time, making its sky-high shares easier for the average person to buy. The move comes as a response from investor concerns, and also acts as a way of preserving power for the company's co-founders. The stock split was the first for Google since going public in 2004.
17/04/2012 | Full story...
Government funded body e-Placement Scotland is calling for employers and students to get behind a new initiative: 'Let's Get Paid'. The initiative aims to promote the importance of offering paid work experience for computing and IT students in Scotland.
11/04/2012 | Full story...
AOL is to sell more than 800 technology patents and related applications to Microsoft for about $1.06bn, as the embattled online giant looks to return cash to investors. The move marks the latest episode in an increasingly expensive battle for intellectual property, with the likes of Google, Apple, Facebook and Yahoo also tussling for the rights to provide the best technology to their customers.
11/04/2012 | Full story...
Google has revealed details of its research into augmented reality glasses, as part of a bid to introduce wearable computing into the mainstream technology industry. The firm released a short video demonstrating how the technology, still in development, could work. The wearer is seen taking pictures, checking the weather, getting directions, and placing a video call, all of which are controlled using voice activated icons that appear in the user's field of vision.
10/04/2012 | Full story...
24/7 Real Media WPP's digital marketing technology company has unveiled a new name and brand: 24/7 Media, Inc. In addition, the company also announced the launch of a new business unit: Real Media Group.
10/04/2012 | Full story...
Apple is set to become the world's first 41 trillion company by 2014, according to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, boosted by sales of iPhones, iPads and Mac computers. Munster says that Apple should target USD910 per share within 12 months, buoyed by potential product releases such as the iPhone 5, before surpassing the USD1 trillion barrier a year later, driven by iPhone sales.
10/04/2012 | Full story...
Pottermore's Harry Potter e-book sales were worth "over £1m" in the first three days following publication on 27th March. The figures were revealed the business' chief executive Charlie Redmayne speaking to Radio Litopia's "The Naked Book" last week.
10/04/2012 | Full story...
Yahoo is set to axe around 2,000 jobs, representing 15% of its workforce, according to reports. The cuts will be made across the company, although Yahoo's product division is expected to be hardest hit. The move will add to the internet giant's woes as it struggles to compete with rivals Google and Facebook.
05/04/2012 | Full story...
Google has launched real-time service alerts for the London Underground, keeping commuters and travellers notified of any potential disruptions to their journeys. The service works on UK Google Maps website and on Android devices, and includes planned engineering works for weekends in its journey planner, delivering alerts as part of its directions results.
05/04/2012 | Full story...
Tesco has axed its second-hand car sales website after just a year - because it did not have enough cars to list on the website. The shutdown was announced on the Tescocars.com website with the words, "Following a review of the business model we and Carsite, our partner, have decided that we cannot offer customers a satisfactory range of vehicles and as a result, have decided it is right to close the business."
05/04/2012 | Full story...
James Murdoch has stepped down as chairman of BSkyB, just six weeks after giving up a similar role at News International, following the phone hacking scandal that rocked the News Corp media empire last year. Deputy chairman Nick Ferguson will take over at the helm of BSkyB, as the broadcaster looks to dispel pressure from shareholders concerned that phone-hacking allegations at News International are damaging the rest of the Murdoch empire.
04/04/2012 | Full story...
Thorntons has launched an outdoor campaign letting smartphone users scan a QR code and buy an Easter egg for 1p. The mobile checkout technology - Simply Tap - has been introduced by Mobile Money Network (MMN) and is claimed to be the first transactional image recognition and QR code service.
04/04/2012 | Full story...
Yahoo could be set to begin laying off thousands of employees as early as this week, as the Internet giant's new chief executive finalises a major new strategy for the internet firm. The Sunday Times reported that the move could see the groups search division come under threat, as CEO Scott Thompson recently talked with Microsoft and Google about potentially using their search engines on the Yahoo! site.
03/04/2012 | Full story...
UK Chancellor George Osborne opened Google Campus last week, a new centre offering desk space and mentoring for technology companies. Campus is situated in the Old Street area of east London, an area dubbed the Silicon Roundabout. The new building incorporates existing co-working space TechHub, which has now moved out of its original premises.
02/04/2012 | Full story...
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This year's crop of April's fools jokes are among some of the strangest yet, including Google maps going low-fi with an 8-bit version, a one inch notebook and Hungry Hippos going iPad compatible. We provide a round-up from some of the best from yesterday's hoaxes...
02/04/2012 | Full story...
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