Google Maps Comes In Out of the Cold

In a logical next step - Google brings us indoor maps of places where you can and do get lost. Earlier this week, a U.K. company named FootPath was being bashed by consumers for gather their shopping habits via captured mobile data at malls - With its upgraded indoor maps - Google can gather the same information with the users knowledge by offer instant Ads (savings coupons and the like) for stores at a given location.

Amplify’d from www.businessweek.com

Google's next frontier in digital mapping will span the world's shopping malls and airports.

An upgrade of Google's mobile mapping service released Tuesday includes directions within stores, malls, airports and transit centers in the U.S. and Japan.

For now, Google's indoor maps can only be viewed on smartphones and tablet computers that run on the company's Android software. That's still a potentially huge audience because more than 550,000 Android-powered devices are activated each day

"It's like we have taken the map that you see on a kiosk at a store or mall and put it on your phone," said Steve Lee, a product management director for Google.

The indoor directions include two retailers known for their labyrinth stores -- Home Depot and Ikea. Macy's and Bloomingdales also have shared the floor plans of a few of their biggest stores. Read more at www.businessweek.com

 

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Facebook said to plan record-size IPO

So what does this mean for Mark Zuckerberg - It means that he would be worth $24 Billion, according to the WSJ. He would climb the list of the wealthiest Americans. Based on the Forbes 400, Mark would take over the number 7 spot from George Soros. But fortunes are made to be lost - just ask Groupon chief Andrew Mason, who has watched his net worth swan dive in recent days.

Amplify’d from www.washingtonpost.com

Facebook Inc. is considering raising about $10 billion in an initial public offering that would value the world’s largest social-networking site at more than $100 billion, a person with knowledge of the matter said

Facebook’s valuation is currently pegged at $66.6 billion by SharesPost Inc., which handles trading of privately held companies. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier yesterday that Facebook was considering the $10 billion IPO with a valuation of more than $100 billion. The company aims to go public between April and June, the Journal said.

“Groupon has lost a lot of steam and I believe bankers are saying, ‘The market is still hot so let’s do it right now,’” he said. Read more at www.washingtonpost.com

 

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Zynga's Quick Rise May Bring about Its Demise

With its IPO looming, Zynga could be facing a talent drain, because of its work culture. The IPO, should be Zynga's high-point, but might end up being its low-point, as employees cash out the door. At this point, money becomes less of a bargaining chip.
 Free Zynga Games

Amplify’d from dealbook.nytimes.com

In dozens of e-mails to a companywide list, frustrated workers complained about the long hours and stressful deadline periods. The quarterly staff survey solicited 1,600 responses, with plenty of criticism, including one person who said he planned to cash out and leave after the initial public offering.

But that culture, which has been at the root of Zynga’s success, could become a serious liability, warn several former senior employees who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity because of fear of reprisals.

“Zynga should be an example of entrepreneurship at its best,” said Roger McNamee, a co-founder of the venture capital firm Elevation Partners. “Instead it’s going to be a Harvard Business School case study on founder overreach — this will be a cautionary tale.”

“We’ve learned that when companies treat talent as a commodity, the consequences are severe,” said Ms. Toledano of Electronic Arts. “It takes years to repair a reputation.” Read more at dealbook.nytimes.com

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Google kills off seven more products

Sometimes you need to scrap an idea that misses the mark – While this may seem like a failure on Google's part – it's not. It's just time to move on to the next "big" idea. And I really didn't like wave anyway!

Amplify’d from www.bbc.co.uk

The out-of-season "spring clean" brings an end to services including Google Wave, Knoll and Google Gears.

"We're in the process of shutting a number of products which haven't had the impact we'd hoped for, integrating others as features into our broader product efforts, and ending several which have shown us a different path forward," said Urs Holzle, Google's vice president of operations.

Any company with the resources and number of brains that Google has will have ideas, only some of which will fly.

Something may displace Facebook but I'm not sure it is likely to be Google+ Read more at www.bbc.co.uk

 

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Adobe's new pricing plan doesn't sit well with customers

Adobe has clearly hit a rough patch and it hasn't helped itself with its new pricing plan. And now its longtime supporters are speaking out against them. In the quote of the day - Doug Evans says that he is looking at QuarkXPress as a replacement (at least for InDesign) to adobe's offering. Adobe may take a lesson from the world of databases - where open source databases now dominate. The lesson - your customers will find alternatives --

Amplify’d from news.cnet.com

It's time for Photoshop customers to think carefully about how to pay for the software, because Adobe Systems is curtailing upgrade deals to steer people toward a new $600-per-year subscription for a wide range of its products.

Adobe--a software powerhouse going through a rough patch with layoffs and with Web standards hurting its Flash business--is making a big bet on subscriptions for its Creative Suite (CS) products. Some customers, though, aren't happy about the change.

Adobe announced the new upgrade and subscription pricing earlier this month--but the issue started ringing alarm bells for many only yesterday when one authority--Scott Kelby, president of the National Association for Photoshop Professionals--objected in an open letter to Adobe.

Doug Evans said

but have sought out alternatives for the Adobe offerings as we prioritize our upgrade paths," including Phase One's Capture One and QuarkXPress. Read more at news.cnet.com

 

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Less than 6-degrees separate you from Kevin Bacon

The internet has made a growing world much smaller with the help of Facebook and LinkedIn. And this research only confirms what we all suspected. But the important thing to remember is Kevin Bacon and if you are reading my blog --you are now on 1 degree separated from Kevin Bacon. Kevin got his hair cut next to me for years at Astor Place. Your world just got smaller!

Amplify’d from www.slashgear.com

Back in August, I mentioned that Facebook and Yahoo had been testing the six degrees therefore where we are all supposed to be connected to each other by no more than six other people. This is commonly known as the six degrees of Kevin Bacon. Scientists at Facebook and the University of Milan have now reported that there are actually less than six people separating us all. Read more at www.slashgear.com

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Rumor: iPad 3 will be thicker than iPad 2

If this rumor turns out to be true - it will be a departure from the way Steve Jobs did things - Thicker is not better and Steve would have sent a FAT iPad back to the drawing board until it was right! Let's hope they get it right.

Amplify’d from www.tgdaily.com

The next iteration of Apple's iPad tablet will lose some of its sexiness in favor of a higher-resolution display.

There are rumors that the iPad 3 will have a nearly unparalleled resolution of 2048 x 1536, which is double that of the iPad 2.

That will force the device to be 0.7mm thicker than the super slim iPad 2. Surely for any Apple fan, though, that won't be a deterrent for owning what will be the highest-resolution tablet on the market. Read more at www.tgdaily.com

 

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Kindle Fire Having WiFi Issues?

While every product launched is followed by doomsday crowd, who announce the unexpected appearance of bugs in a 1st generation product – Here the bugs might be more of a poor product design decision. Silk is anything but silky smooth --- its slow -- and my own speed tests showed 15 second to 46 second speed differences between my iPad and the FIRE. I have also experienced poor performance while streaming video - but the jury is still out on whether its my network or the FIRE. I will continue my testing and share my observations.

That said I expect bugs in a new product - its par for the course!

Amplify’d from techcrunch.com

Amazon’s Kindle Fire is arriving at many a home this week, and as expected with a launch of this magnitude, there are a few bugs yet to be squashed. Some users are reporting issues with wifi reception, and others say that the device shuts off its wireless when you turn the display off Read more at techcrunch.com

 

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Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet: Not quite as open as we thought

As Jim points out, what people didn't expect was that the Kindle Fire would close off users access to competing apps. Well - that's not a problem anymore - from the Xda-developers forum member Jolleyboy has posted a guide for installing the Android Market on Amazon’s tablet. It’s not necessarily for beginners, since it requires you to root the tablet and change the the permissions of the /system/app directory.

And I am certain that very soon you'll be able to have your Ice cream sandwich on a Fire pretty soon.

Amplify’d from www.zdnet.com

While the tech-savvy crowd quickly determined that as tablets they could be used for content from outside sources, the reality is just settling in that outside content may not be as welcome as first thought.

Not surprisingly, Amazon has the Kindle app preinstalled for buying and reading ebooks. Kindle Fire buyers wanting to use competing apps and ebookstores will notice they are available in the Amazon Appstore but not visible on the Fire. You can see them in the Amazon Appstore on desktop browsers, but not on the Fire.

Not quite as open as it appears.

Given the approach the companies have taken so far, it leads me to wonder what they will do when the expected hacking begins in earnest. Read more at www.zdnet.com

 

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Google guru eyes self-driving cars

Self-driving cars – a very cool idea, but if you attended the 1964 New York World's Fair – Cars should be flying by now. I agree with Schmidt that the proof is in the data – And every organization public, private and person has mountains of data that if correctly aggregated and deciphered - can provide policy makers with the correct questions they need to answer (problems they should fix), and the best answers to address those questions. If you're a geek and haven't heard of Apache Hadoop take a look --

It's all about the data!

Amplify’d from www.bostonherald.com

Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt envisions an explosion of “big data” and the simplification of powerful technology changing the world, from the spread of democracy to the introduction of self-driving cars.

He said the availability of huge sets of data, and algorithms to make sense of them, leads to possibilities like self-driving cars, one of Google’s side projects.

Schmidt called for citizens to demand its leaders to use such data when making policy decisions about issues like global warming.

In God we trust, but all others bring data Read more at www.bostonherald.com

 

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A Quarter of UK iPad owners use their Apple tablets just once a week

This could just be another insignificant survey - or it could be an indication of a changing tide.

Amplify’d from www.t3.com

A quarter of iPad owners use their market leading tablets just once a week with less than half admitting they use the device on a daily basis, a new study has found.

Brits appear less than gripped with their iOS bragging gadgets with more almost 20 per cent saying they would sell their iPad as they use it so little

The figures, which come courtesy of a study carried out by MyVoucherCodes.co.uk Read more at www.t3.com

 

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Kindle Fire will be hottest tablet since the iPad

Cashmore and I are on the same wavelength. The Kindle Fire will introduced a whole new consumer segment to tablets at a very inviting price point. This may end up being the most popular gift of the holiday season.

Amplify’d from edition.cnn.com

The iPad is one of the most disruptive technologies of the past 5 years.

the iPad is about to get some stiff competition -- finally.

If you want something like the iPad, your best choice has been ... the iPad.

On Tuesday, Amazon releases its Kindle Fire. For only $199 -- versus $499 for the iPad -- you get a full-color, 7-inch touchscreen tablet. You also get access to a millions of movies, TV shows, songs, books and magazines. Not to mention that Amazon has its own version of Android's app store, and the Kindle Fire comes with a new Web browser that claims to be faster than the competition.

Then on Wednesday comes Barnes & Noble's Nook Tablet, which has similar specs as the Kindle Fire but more memory and storage. It's priced at $249 -- half the cost of an iPad.

Mark my words: The Amazon Kindle Fire will be the most successful tablet device since the iPad. Read more at edition.cnn.com

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Malware placed in the iTunes App Store

According to Miller it was only a demonstration - but it indicates that the safe App Store might not be so safe. With thousands of apps - how many more malicious apps are being downloaded right now!

Amplify’d from www.tgdaily.com

It's not easy to get a malicious app into Apple's heavily guarded and scrutinized App Store, but it is still possible.

Infamous Apple hacker Carlie Miller created an app that was disguised to look like a generic stock market app, telling potential downloaders that it let them monitor their stock prices.

In reality, though, it contained malicious code that could be used to gain limited remote access of the phone and grab sensitive data. Read more at www.tgdaily.com

 

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Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL team up Against Google

The current marketplace is all about sharing – expect to see more sharing as companies begin to explore how they can leverage partnerships with competitors to generate additional revenue streams.

Amplify’d from www.businessweek.com

Microsoft, Yahoo and AOL are joining forces in an online advertising attack on Google and Facebook.

Microsoft, Yahoo and AOL all need to change the direction of an online ad market that has been increasingly tilting in the direction of Google and Facebook

Microsoft, Yahoo and AOL believe that space will be in higher demand if they can succeed at creating a more efficient, transparent market that helps connect advertisers with the Web audiences best suited for their marketing campaigns. Read more at www.businessweek.com

 

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GM headed to the Cloud with Google Apps

I am a huge proponent of getting email out of the server room and into the cloud. If email administration isn't part of your core business - then let it go. Too many IT directors think that their job is to maintain a death-grip on every technology used at their firm. These technologists can be hurting your business from a financial and technological standpoint. The cost savings on hardware and software can be significant - with or without the elimination of full-time resources. From a technology end - I have encountered very few IT staffs who maintain the latest patches and updates to their email environments, leaving security holes wide open, which puts the entire organization at risk. Many executives who I speak with are rightfully concerned about email security in the cloud - and I always ask them to audit their existing environments.

Then there is always the added cost of bringing in a third-party partner to assist with repairs, architecture, updates and integration.

Cloud-based offerings aren't bullet proof, so check your SLA.

General Motors is ready to sign a deal to move its 100,000-plus workforce to Gmail and Google Apps

If it really does happen, it will be a huge move in moving desktop and productivity apps to the cloud. Gmail is already replacing many on-premise email systems, particularly at colleges and universities.

For its part, Google claims at least four million businesses already subscribe to its apps, which include email, calendar, and document collaboration. It can be assumed that these businesses also subscribe to services offered through the Google Apps Marketplace, which offers everything from accounting & finance to project management tools. Read more at www.zdnet.com

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Apple’s Share of the 2011 Tablet Market: 75 Percent +

In a few more years we may be referring to this period as the decade of the iPad. Apple continues to dominate and maintains a healthy lead over competitors because of its strong platform. But don't count out its Android cousins, particularly Amazon, who has a robust platform to offer - and has the ability to attract developers/media companies to a marketplace filled with paying customers.

The price of the actual devices will continue to drop - the real news is that consumers will benefit by getting more access to FREE content from each respective platform.
Look out for the Kindle Fire.

Apple’s tablet continues to dominate the market that it created. The company sold 11.1 million iPads in the September quarter, accounting for about three quarters of all tablets sold through to consumers.

It’s looking more and more like Apple’s iPad will follow the same story arc as the iPod, achieving and maintaining market dominance despite its high-end product trappings. Read more at allthingsd.com

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Groupon's IPO biggest by U.S. Web company since Google

Cover your ears because we are going to hear a loud POP! - Anyone remember 2001 - I do, because it almost destroyed us all. Now I'm older and wiser, particularly regarding my investments. Groupon will not Pop the bubble, it is helping inflate it. But once Facebook has its IPO we could be in trouble again.

Learn How to Invest

The global leader in "daily deals" is now valued at almost $13 billion after saying it increased the offering by 5 million shares to 35 million in total and pricing them at $20 each, above an initial range of $16 to $18.

Wall Street will scrutinize Groupon's Friday showing for clues as to how other highly anticipated dotcom IPOs -- from the likes of Facebook or Zynga -- may fare

Groupon "is a company with permission to market to 150 million consumers daily. No other company in the world has ever had that type of reach," said Boyan Josic, chief executive at DailyDealMedia, which tracks the industry. Read more at www.reuters.com

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Jawbone UP health tracking wristband priced & dated

Take a glimpse into your not so distant medical future - I can't wait for the future versions which will track my blood pressure/ body temp/ etc and dynamically sends my doctor alerts advising him of my health. I know that there health monitoring devices currently available, but I am focused on form-factor. A device you slip over your wrist, rather than connecting 40 wires to all over your body.

Amplify’d from www.slashgear.com

Jawbone has announced launch details for its UP motion-tracking wristband, which will go on sale on November 6 priced at $99.99. Revealed back in July, the UP band syncs with your iOS device via a 3.5mm plug and, using Jawbone’s free UP app, tracks your exercise and sleep patterns and – through subtle vibrations – can even remind you to get active or wake up at the “perfect” time. Read more at www.slashgear.com

 

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New Nook Color could beat Kindle Fire's sub-$200 price

Finally, the stars are aligning for consumers. Thanks to Amazon and now B&N - the era of the sun-$199 tablet has arrived. Look for Apple to lower its pricing on existing and upcoming iPad's. This holiday season, I expect a tablet to be under everyone's tree.

Amplify’d from www.computerworld.com

Barnes & Noble has invited the news media to a New York event on Monday, sparking speculation that the bookseller will announce a lower-cost Nook Color tablet computer that matches or beats the $199 price of the upcoming Kindle Fire

The key for all the platforms could well come down to the number of available of apps, an area where Apple clearly reigns. But O'Donnell said a sub-$200 price for a new Barnes & Noble tablet that emphasizes fast browsing could make up for having fewer available apps Read more at www.computerworld.com

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Jay-Z and Madonna to Get Their Own Non-Music YouTube Channels

As I have said in the past - the digital age is driven by great ideas - but those ideas need a platform to broadcast from and Youtube can provide a platform.

Google has reportedly paid out $100 Million to content producers like Shaq, Jay-Z,  and Madonna to produce content for their own Youtube channels. Publishers like Hearst & Thomson Reuters have also secured their channels.

Amplify’d from popcrush.com

Watch out, television — YouTube, Google and the music world are teaming up to take you down. What was once the go-to site for the ‘Charlie bit me’ video will now become a staple for TV, as the ‘Tube is set to launch 100 online channels, which will leave room for Jay-Z and Madonna to each grab their own slots. Read more at popcrush.com

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