Where are the $99 Tablets?

I just finished reading a TechCrunch blog letting folks know that WOOT! is selling HP TouchPad tablets today for $219.99. So what do you get - you get a refurbished 9.7” 32GB Wi-Fi Tablet running WebOS 3.0. In my opinion this isn't a very good deal - not even for the developer who believes that WebOS is coming back in a big way.
If you are in the market for a tablet - here are a few Android tablets that won't break the bank and actually have software being developed for them.
First take a look at the NOVO7 by Ainovo. This 7 inch tablet doesn't claim to be an iPad, but at prices staring at $89 its features are more than impressive. It $99 basic sports a front and back camera, HDMI out (1080p), plus a mini-USB and Android 4.0. So for $100 less than a Kindle Fire you get HDMI.
Or look at Idolian's $99 IdolPAD or its latest model the TorboTab C8 for $149.  Take a look at the IdolPAD.
There are better New tablet choices out there than the TouchPad.

QR Codes on the Rise in Print Magazines

According to a recently released study QR code appearances increased throughout 2011. 40% of the QR advertising activity came from the home, fashion and beauty categories. This growth should continue in 2012, as retailers look to lure in shoppers and more advertisers turn back to magazines for Tags.

Read Article: 
Mobile UX designers and marketing and analytics firm Nellymoser released today a comprehensive study of print magazine action codes. They took the time to review every 2011 issue of the top 100 national magazine titles: all 164,000 pages' worth. They found a total of 4,400 QR Codes, MicrosoftTags, Spyderlynk SnapTags, BEE Tags, JagTags, Digimarc watermarks and other codes with an iPhone or Android device. For each tag, they scanned and ran the resulting Web page or video. At least give them props for being thorough.

Google's biggest AdWords customers might surprise you

The infographic on the breakdown of Google's 2011 Ad revenue below is worth a look. You will recognize the brands and now you know how much they value Google platform in dollars. For companies that live on advertising dollars - here's your list of companies to call to try and steal some Google bucks.

Read the Article: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57364908-93/googles-biggest-adwords-customers-might-surprise-you/

The home improvement chain and its competitor, Home Depot, are estimated to have spent more than $100 million combined on Google ad click-throughs in 2011. But it turns out that the finance and insurance sector is the industry that spends the most on Google, according to recently released estimates. ... Here's the breakdown: Of Google's nearly $38 billion in revenue last year (96 percent of which comes from advertising), more than 10 percent, or $4 billion, came from insurers, lenders, and other financial outfits like State Farm, Geico, and Quicken Loans. According to Wordstream, if you click on an ad that comes up after searching for the phrase "self employed health insurance," you just made Google $43.49.

RIM CEO's whacky new plan

If you want to send investors running in the opposite direction - look no further than RIM's new chief, Thorton Heins, who is keen on fixing the RIM's problem, U.S marketing! Steve Tobak's article is worth a glance - he tells us why Heins' and RIM are headed downhill.
RIM is a soon to be out of the picture player, who once dominated corporate environments to become a dinosaur of the decade.

Read the Article: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505125_162-57364400/rim-ceos-whacky-new-plan/

In what's quickly becoming a trademark "Oh no they didn't" style, RIM's floundering founders have decided to turn the company's reins over to a little-known insider, one of the BlackBerry maker's co-COOs, Thorstein Heins.
Heins wasted no time breaking out the company Kool-Aid when he announced in a conference call that he plans to stay the course, saying, "I don't think that there is some drastic change needed."
What a fascinating strategy for a company whose revenues have flatlined and whose profits and share price have plunged by over 70 percent over the past year.

Upstart mobile OS Tizen set to challenge iOS and Android

Backed by the likes of Intel and Samsung, Tizen, an open source operating system designed to rival iOS and Android. The good news is that there is always room for another to the party - as long as you understand that the party is being hosted by iOS and Android. Tizen may find a niche, but I doubt that it will compete in a meaningful way,

Read More: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223570/Upstart_Mobile_OS_Tizen_Previews_Code_
 An alpha release of the source code for the Tizen open-source operating system, aimed at giving Android and iOS a run for their money, is now available for download. Tizen is a Linux-based platform. It includes an HTML5 application framework and a customizable user interface, in addition to the operating system.

Tablet Visitors Spent 54% More Than Smartphone Visitors in 2011

Not very surprising that this study shows tablets users increased their shopping from devices that have become primary gateways to the internet. I expect these numbers to increase month over month, as the wait and see consumers finally caves in and joins the tablet party. As Adobe noted, non-Apple tablets will have an opportunity to establish themselves and I expect price to be the major factor in the consumer decision making process.
Shop for a Tablet



 Read More: http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2140454/Tablet-Visitors-Spent-54-More-Than-Smartphone-Visitors-in-2011

"Mobile is no longer a one-size-fits-all-strategy. It's like saying you have an Internet strategy. You have to get more granular. Audiences are really different," John Mellor, VP of business development for Adobe's Digital Marketing Business, said in an interview. He recommends that retailers segment their customers to account for the different audiences and their behaviors.
The study found that the average order values and conversion rates on Black Friday and Cyber Monday were higher than the averages for the 2011 calendar year and holiday season. However, the average order value during the 2011 holiday season totaled $111, which was $12 lower than the average order value during the 2011 calendar year.
The study is based on an analysis of 16 billion visits to the websites of more than 150 retailers in 2011. The average annual revenue of the sites is $260 million.

Google Lifts Chelsea, So City Hikes Tax Bill

 Only two things are certain in this life "Death and Taxes".  I may need to move to the Big Apple - My home state of New Jersey kills its residents with taxes -- I'd love to pay 7k  in taxes.

 Read More: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204301404577171431438979196.html

A year ago, Google Inc. paid $1.8 billion for the massive brick building housing its Manhattan headquarters in Chelsea. Now it is getting a New York welcome: a notice from the city that the building's property tax bill is about to go up by 17%, the largest increase of any major New York office address this year.

The city's Department of Finance will mail tax-assessment notices to the owners of a million properties in the next few days. Despite a soft real-estate market, the notices will inform many owners across the city that their taxes are due to go up in July, when the new fiscal year starts.