Mobile Devices, Social Networking and Facebook’s Privacy Snafu

When I read that Apple iPad reaches 1 million sales faster than the iPhone, I guess the world is more than ready for mobile devices. You may know that tablet computing is not exactly a new technology. Microsoft have tried in the past and failed, but somehow the people at Apple has got it right.

Besides the technology and design of the iPad could factors such as the emergence on social networks have an influence to make it a winning formula? Or could saving the environment and convenience that it provide has something to do with it? I sure would love to read my ebooks and newspapers on the iPad if I have the choice. It is a lot easier than flipping through the morning papers in the subway without hitting someone in the face.

Because iPhone screen may not be big enough and it may not always be convenient to boot up a notebook (I know I have been in that situation many times), mobile device like this can make it easier to be constantly connected to catch up with the most up-to-date news in Twitter or Facebook. The latest stock market news or development of the oil spill, because BP turns to Twitter and Facebook, are literally at your fingertips. All these while chatting with friends on Facebook or running through emails.

Talking about Facebook, their privacy issue may still need more tweaking especially when it exposed users chats briefly. You can read about it more at Facebook privacy snafu exposed users chats.

How To Generate Buzz On Social Networks

There are so many social networks around right now to name. And I could not believe the amount of accounts that my buddy has signed up. Sometimes I do wonder how he keep up with all of them, if he did.

Sure social networking is fun and you get to meet nice people and even meet people that you thought that you have lost contact with since high school. But there are more to that. Businesses are using social networking sites to get their “fans” and clients together to talk about them online.

These are generally done online through social networking sites like Facebook, Friendster etc. Things have gone mobile ever since, and I am not just talking about mobile versions of Facebook, Friendster etc. There is a relatively new social network known as FourSquare. It uses GPRS/WiFi and GPS to locate your mobile device and lets you virtually “check-in” at your location. You can then find people around you and leave a comment about your location, say a café for instance.

I know it sounds a little geeky but here is an article about Creating Buzz On Social Networks.

Facebook Privacy Issues … Again

After much negative publicity about their privacy issues. Facebook’s CEO finally decided to speak up on his blog, followed by the change on the site. Here are the two links detailing the issues :

Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook blog : http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=391922327130

The New Privacy Guide : http://www.facebook.com/privacy/explanation.php

Facebook To Make Privacy Settings Simpler

Facebook has certainly been in the spotlight lately in regards to its privacy issue. So what a CEO to do when that happens? He speaks to the press, The Washington Post to be exact.

More at : Facebook CEO: We Will Add Simpler Privacy Controls

Facebook Shared Personal Data With Advertisers Without User Consent

Facebook, the giant social network now under fire over its privacy practices, has been sending personal information to online advertising companies without its users’ consent, according to a Harvard Business School professor who filed a letter of complaint with the Federal Trade Commission Thursday.

See full article from DailyFinance: http://srph.it/awSPTP

Aiming Your Company at the Bottom of the Barrel – UnMarketing

Judging by the size of Yellow Pages they are still able to offer ROI – if not how do they sell – APLINK tends to think that like alot of activity I undertake in Social Media – some may look at the Yellow Pages as a meer Signpost to their door – that they choose to pay for, to some it is even irrelevant whether the ad results in any sales at all.

I (APLINK) sometimes forget that even though myself and people I know are very internet SAVVY – there remains a HUGE part of the global population that are not. I believe for the short to medium term this community needs to have traditional methods of living. In Australia some years ago BANKS tried to force everyone to use Internet Banking – was that realistic – no it was not then and is still not today.

But this post by UnMarketing is a worthy read – excerpt below

1. You’re aiming at the bottom of the barrel: No, I’m not saying people who use them are the lowest of the low, it’s that they’ve gone through every other resource that influences them to potentially buy before pulling out the directory. Have a look:

This is the Hierarchy of Buying I came up with 5 years ago after surveying a thousand or so people on how they hired a service provider. So your potential customer doesn’t already have a provider, doesn’t know anyone who could perform the service, doesn’t know anyone who knows anyone and hasn’t even heard of anyone in the field. So no relationships, no word-of-mouth. Nothing. (I should really make a new one, since Google would rank above Yellow Pages.)

2. Paper spam: Email spam works on the premise that if you blast it to a million people, a fraction of a fraction may be in the market for the product and a fraction of that may even click. Phone directories work on this same premise. 1.6 billion pounds of paper per year are used to produce the 500 million directories that go out in the United States every year in the hopes that you may be in the market for one of the 2,000 categories of businesses that are listed. It’s spam at its finest. You didn’t opt-in, the majority of people don’t use it, many not even taking it out of the plastic. Instead it ends up in landfill, might get recycled or thrown at random phone company trucks that drop them off. Sadly I don’t see them ever going opt-in, since like most things in the print industry, they charge due to bloated “circulation” numbers and I estimate the number of people who would actually ask for it at 14, give or take 12. Makes you want to go out and hug a tree and then go here to opt-out of them!

Read more via UnMarketing » Blog Archive » Aiming Your Company at the Bottom of the Barrel.

Maxim Top 100 HOT Girls 2009 – itsReal

Check out Asia’s SUPERMODELME.tv here 10 of Asia’s Hottest Girls http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=75478893554

Twinity – Powered by Real life.. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=20625545332

Maxim Top 100 HOT Girls 2009

TABLE OF HOTNES

100. Deanna Russo 99. Melissa Rycroft 98. Rebecca Mader 97. Marisa Tomei 96. Olivia Munn 95. Padma Lakshmi 94. Yvonne Strahovski 93. Michelle Obama 92. Joanna Krupa 91. Chelsea Handler 90. Roselyn Sanchez 89. Jamie Chung 88. Diane Kruger 87. Summer Glau 86. Ali Campoverdi 85. Michelle Trachtenberg 84. Minka Kelly 83. Whitney Port 82. Emma Watson 81. Heidi Montag 80. Jamie Gunns 79. Jaime King 78. Danica Patrick 77. Stacy Keibler 76. Cameron Richardson

75. Tricia Helfer 74. Amanda Bynes 73. Ashley Tisdale 72. Camilla Belle 71. Gabrielle Union 70. Maria Menounos 69. Jennifer Morrison 68. Ashley Greene 67. Emmy Rossum 66. Emma Stone 65. Amanda Righetti 64. Diora Baird 63. Milla Jovovich 62. Heidi Klum 61. Dania Ramirez 60. Carrie Underwood 59. Ana Ivanovic 58. Miranda Kerr 57. Audrina Patridge 56. Amber Heard 55. Christina Milian 54. Rachel Bilson 53. Kim Kardashian 52. Beyoncé 51. Sienna Miller

50. Taylor Swift 49. Freida Pinto 48. Arielle Kebbel 47. Katie Cassidy 46. Nicole Scherzinger 45. Fergie 44. Avril Lavigne 43. Elisha Cuthbert 42. Nikki Reed 41. Nadine Velazquez 40. Lily Allen 39. Anna Faris 38. Charlize Theron 37. Cameron Diaz 36. Hayden Panettiere 35. Anna Kournikova 34. Scarlett Johansson 33. Blake Lively 32. Ciara 31. Hilary Duff 30. Penélope Cruz 29. Zoe Saldana 28. Danneel Harris 27. Vanessa Hudgens 26. Angelina Jolie

25. Julianne Hough 24. Eva Mendes 23. Lindsay Lohan 22. Kate Beckinsale 21. AnnaLynne McCord 20. Moon Bloodgood 19. Chan Marshall 18. Marisa Miller 17. Britney Spears 16. Gina Carano 15. Katy Perry 14. Christina Aguilera 13. Jessica Alba 12. Leighton Meester 11. Jessica Biel Click here to see the top 10!

David Meerman Scott speaks at South-by-Southwest 2009

At the South-by-Southwest Interactive festival, David Meerman Scott, bestselling author of The New Rules of Marketing & PR, launched his newest book World Wide Rave. http://www.worldwiderave.com/

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Top Marks go to ibelong.com.sg – itsReal

Today Newspaper Front Page: “Would you like your USUAL today” – it’s a privilege to belong.

See if you belong @ www.ibelong.com.sg (win some prizes)

Personally i don’t think there was a need to include the prizes the message in the advertisement was strong enough to inspire you to check out what is behind the ibelong concept –

Well done Serangoon Gardens Country Club and your Agency !!! Would be interested in the outcome – APLINK

Maybe SGCC should really grab hold of social netwroking and introduce one for its members and interested people on the internet – maybe another way to get conversions/members – the Tour online seems to be missing something – i thought it was a tour of the club ?

Media Release: Twinity opens for global PUBLIC beta – itsReal

Mayor Opens Virtual Berlin – whilst Twinity becomes open beta

Metaversum GmbH, developer and operator of the 3D online world Twinity, today entered its public beta phase. At the press conference in Berlin, Berlin’s mayor Klaus Wowereit opened the virtual counterpart of Germany’s capital city in Twinity. Singapore, London, and many other international metropolises are set to follow in the near future.

Singapore, 07 September 2008 – At a press conference in Berlin Metaversum GmbH gave the starting signal for the public beta phase of its virtual world Twinity. During this test phase, internet users can venture out and explore virtual Berlin from anywhere in the world. Singapore, London, and many other international metropolises are set to follow in the near future.

During the launch event, Berlin’s mayor Klaus Wowereit was presented with the symbolic key to the virtual city. “Innovative projects from Berlin like Twinity enable people from all around the world to experience the creative metropolis of Berlin on the internet. This opens up a whole new dimension to Berlin. We’re especially happy to see how many new international visitors and inhabitants virtual Berlin has already gained in the last few days,” commented Wowereit.

Germany’s capital is the first city to be rendered in the virtual world. Twinity members can now experience virtual Berlin first hand. From the Brandenburg Gate to Alexanderplatz and Hackescher Markt, members can visit virtual galleries, bars, and clubs, go shopping, meet new people, and even move in and furnish their own virtual apartments. During the public beta phase, Twinity will be constantly tested and updated, new content will be added, and the platform will be optimized with the help of member feedback.

“Our vision is clear,” said Jochen Hummel, CEO of Metaversum GmbH. “This is a trusted environment within a virtual world, lifelike, and based on real metropolises. People can live, work, and have fun here. They can also beam themselves straight into the world’s most attractive cities with a single click. With the launch of our public beta phase, we have laid the foundation for Twinity’s international rollout.”

Pictured: Jochen Hummel, Berlin's mayor Klaus Wowereit & Mirko Caspar

All those interested in visiting Twinity can now register for the public beta at www.twinity.com.