Internet Trends Archive

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Spotify to get Branded with New Apps

By
khoward
– April 13, 2012Posted in: Apps, Internet Trends, Tech

Following what seems to be becoming a pattern of updates and announcements from Spotify, the company is said to be launching branded apps – giving advertisers the same ability as developers to set up playlists and features that make use of the music streaming service.

If you have yet to be impressed with currently available music recommendations perhaps you’ll enjoy AT&T’s “Surround Sounds” or get your next workout playlist through Reebok.  These as well as other brands like McDonald’s and Intel are expected to make appearances in the form of Spotify apps in the coming months.  Could branded apps be a hit for Spotify?  We’ll have to wait and see.

(Via The Verge; Imag4e via VentureBeat)

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Evernote + Pinterest = Springpad?

By
khoward
– April 11, 2012Posted in: Apps, Innovation, Internet Trends, Tech

After launching three years ago as an intelligent “notebook,” digital organizer Springpad has launched a redesign that makes it quite a bit more like popular sharing site Pinterest.  Springpad users can now make their notebooks public and follow the public notebooks of other users.

Previously, the startup was a more personal service – a place to save websites, images, and products, or “springs,” which are then analyzed to bring you offers, coupons, related news items, and other relevant information.  The Springpad 3.0 update adds to that intelligent functionality the ability to share and even co-curate notebooks.  It also includes themes and accents for personalized notebooks along with new features to make your “springs” more actionable.

As a digital organizer and social sharing site, Springpad seems to compete with both Evernote and Pinterest – quite a daring undertaking.  But it could just be the right service for Pinteresters who demand a private option – or Evernoters who want more from their “notes.”  You can check out Springpad 3.0 right here.

(Image and Story via TechCrunch)

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Harry Potter eBooks Pass $1.5 Million in 3 Days

By
khoward
– April 5, 2012Posted in: Internet Trends, News, Tech

After making their long-awaited appearance on fan site Pottermore, digital versions of the series saw more than $1.59 million sales in the first three days.  The release of eBook versions of the novels came a few months after the originally planned October 2011 launch, and fifteen years after the print version of J. K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter novel was published.

Available in EPUB and Amazon Kindle formats as well as audio books, the digital versions of the seven novels are available only on the Pottermore site.  Demand from beta users on Pottermore, which is intended to eventually be a Harry Potter-themed social network/game site, caused the delay on the eBook launch.

(Story and Image via Mashable)

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Instagram Finally Makes Android Appearance

By
khoward
– April 3, 2012Posted in: Apps, Internet Trends, News, Tech

For Android users who until now could only view the wonders of Instagram over the shoulder of their iPhone-carrying friends, the wait is over.  Announced at March’s SXSW as being near release the Android version of the popular photo editing and sharing app is now available for download for Android 2.2 and above.

Instagram for Android has most of the same features and a similar interface to the iOS version, which has been available since 2010.  The application, which is sure to greatly increase from its 30 million registered iOS users, does not yet appear to support tablets.  For Android smartphone owners the time to become an Instagram photographer has finally come.  For everyone else, prepare to see even more square, vintage-style photos just about everywhere.

(Via CNET; Image via Google Play)

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Film/Music Studios Plan Center for Copyright Information

By
khoward
– April 2, 2012Posted in: Internet Trends, News

With the cooperation of top Internet service providers (ISPs) like AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon, major film studios and music companies are working on a graduated-response program which will be directed by the Center for Copyright Information.  Aimed at discouraging illegal downloads and file-sharing of copyrighted materials, the program will have the ISPs sending warning letters to customers identified as downloading pirated movies and music – with stricter consequences following additional illegal downloads.

The Center for Copyright Information would help educate on copyright law as well as the consequences of violating those laws.  It will also evaluate the effectiveness of the graduated response program while actively pursuing other Internet service providers to participate.  Terms of the program are a still a working effort, but the involved parties are expected to announce the future director of the Center for Copyright Information in the near future.

(Image and Story via CNET)

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Erasing Digital History

By
khoward
– March 30, 2012Posted in: Apps, Internet Trends

For Internet mistakes you’d like to forget (like the wholly regrettable theme on your MySpace page) and social sites that are putting a serious dent in your daily productivity (you know the ones), Erasey Page will let you erase it all, one website at a time.  At least after a fashion.

The web-based project offers to give Internet prisoners their lives back – just put in the address of the website you want to remove from your life and erase away with the giant eraser.  Of course, you’re really only erasing an image of your least favorite or most time-consuming site – those websites will still be there when you choose to return.  But Erasey Page does provide a reminder that life does exist outside of the web, if you’re brave enough to face it.

While Erasey Page is currently offline as it features in Miami Beach’s Bass Museum of Art, it will be available to web users as early as April 6.  Until then, we’ll have to settle for the less-cathartic version of turning off the Internet noise – closing the web browser.

(Image and Story via Read Write Web)

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Konami Joins Zynga’s New Platform

By
khoward
– March 9, 2012Posted in: Apps, Internet Trends, Tech

Along with Playdemic and Rebellion, Konami Digital Entertainment has signed up with Zynga to bring games to the stand-alone platform, Zynga.com.  The agreement with the game developer responsible for gaming franchises such as Silent Hill and Contra shows that Zynga’s attempt to gain independence from Facebook has a good chance at success.

The games these new developer partners will bring to Zynga.com remain unknown – as do the dates the games will make an appearance on the platform.  Even so, Konami’s addition to the platform means even more to look forward to in Zynga’s future – and in the future of social gaming.

(Story and Image via CNET)

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Live-Stream All the Olympics Coverage You Could Want

By
khoward
– March 7, 2012Posted in: Internet Trends, News

If you just can’t get enough of the Olympics, NBC has you covered.  With assistance from YouTube, the broadcast company will live-stream all Olympic events on NBCOlympics.com.  “Replays of Web-exclusive events, all television broadcast, interviews with the athletes and exclusive daily segments about London 2012” will feature on the site along with around 3,000 of event coverage, according to NBC.

From each of the 302 gold medal moments to everything in-between, the NBCOlympics.com live-stream will also be available on mobile devices.  If you can’t make it to London for the 2012 Olympic Games, you won’t have to miss any of the athletes’ best and worst moments – and there’s sure to be quite a few this year.

(Via Time, Image via NBC)

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The Android Market Becomes Google Play

By
khoward
– March 6, 2012Posted in: Apps, Google, Internet Trends, News, Tech

Google opened a new media hub today, designed to put the company’s music, app, game, and e-book offerings all in one central location.  Along with the Android Market and the Google eBookstore, Google Play includes Google Music, which just launched in November.

The branding and organization move could be the result of revenue issues with Google Music as well as the Android Market – though Google’s director of digital content states that the music service is up to 4 million users.  The bundling of these services into Google Play won’t affect current libraries and playlists – though it could become strong competition for Apple’s iTunes and Amazon.

(Story and Image via CNET)

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Shop the Friendly Skies with Amazon

By
khoward
– March 5, 2012Posted in: Internet Trends

Those SkyMall magazines can be entertaining, but Delta Airlines is looking to offer its passengers a more practical on-flight shopping experience – with free access to Amazon.com.   Travelers will be able to access the online retailer site through the airline’s Delta Connect Wi-Fi portal.

Visits to Amazon.com will be part of the free web content offered to Delta passengers through Delta’s wireless carrier Gogo.  Travelers can also access real-time travel information, Wall Street Journal news, and People magazine through the same platform.

The rest of the web, however, isn’t free.  For full access to the Internet on Delta flights, passengers will be required to pay the airline’s fees.  Browsing Amazon’s seemingly unlimited offerings could definitely help pass the time on a long flight.

(Via Mashable; Image via Engadget)

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