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Automatic Video Ads (With SOUND?) Coming To Your Facebook Feed
Source: http://gizmodo.com/5969497/report-automatic-video-ads-with-sound-coming-to-your-facebook-feed
If you think the auto-play commercials on sites like ours are annoying, get ready to have it in your face times a billion: Ad Age says video ads are hitting Facebook.
The transition, which AdAge’s anonymous industry sources say will begin in the first half of 2013, will stick video commercials in your browser, tablet, and phone. Annoying, right? But what could be even worse is that there’s no play button:
In what’s sure to be a controversial move, the visual component of the Facebook video ads will start playing automatically — a dynamic known as “autoplay” — according to two of the executives.
This means an ad for Bacardi (if you’re targeted as a drinker) will show up upon your arrival at The Book and start flashing without any intervention—”Facebook is still debating whether to have the audio component of the ads activated automatically as well,” says AdAge. That latter part seems unthinkable, given how universally-despised audio ads are. A total web faux pas. Unlike obscure, opaque image sub-licensing, automatically playing a cereal jingle when you go to Facebook seems like the kind of thing that actually drive people away from using Facebook. At least as regularly.
Yes, Facebook is free. And yes, ads on Facebook are only going to multiply and advance. But that doesn’t mean we can’t challenge auto-play video commercials with spontaneous sound as idiotic and obnoxious. But for now, this is just a rumor—keep your eyes and ears peeled. In the meantime, we’ve reached out to Facebook for comment. [Ad Age]
The Four Seasons Has A New Plan To Promote Itself As A Destination For Foodies
Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-four-seasons-new-website-taste-2012-12
Instead of trying to turn all of its 90 restaurants into destination eateries, luxury hotel chain Four Seasons is taking a different approach to promote its dining venues.
The company just launched a new website called Taste, which is basically a Pinterest knockoff that showcases restaurants, chefs, and recipes at the Four Seasons.
In one section called “1 Ingredient, 3 Ways,” Four Season’s chefs will create recipes centered around (what else?) specific ingredients, and visitors can then vote on which version they like best.
There’s also a unique learning component featuring a flavor profile on the ingredient, what region it comes from, its taste, benefits, and the ways it can be prepared.
The company is banking on people discovering Taste not only through the Four Seasons’ website, but through searches such as, “What can I make tonight with apples?” It sees the website as a useful tool, while also connecting visitors with its chefs, restaurants, and ultimately its brand, we learned at a launch event for the website at the Four Seasons New York this week.
In essence, the Four Seasons is building an interactive epicurean community that is also spreading its desired image as an food-oriented hotel, one website click at a time.
SEE ALSO: The 10 Best All-Inclusive Hotels On The Planet
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Google Fiber Launches with Google Fiber TV
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/26/google-fiber-gets-formal-launch-adds-google-fiber-tv/
Google just kicked its Google Fiber efforts into overdrive. The company’s Kansas City effort is getting a full launch and now includes Google Fiber TV — a “real” TV service with recognizable channels and its own, fully searchable interface that mixes DVR results with Netflix and YouTube. As many as 500 shows can be stored in full 1080p HD, and several TVs within the home can tune in at the same time.. Not surprisingly, there’s also a major mobile component taking advantage of that 1Gbps fiber link, as users will have the option of browsing, sharing and eventually watching live TV directly from tablet apps. The company is also promising an ever-evolving service that includes Google+ video hangouts. For hardware, Google has its own dedicated Network Box with a four-port gigabit Ethernet router and 802.11n WiFi, a TV Box with live viewing and a WiFi access point as well as a Storage Box DVR with 2TB of data and the ability to record eight shows at once. Your remote control? A free, bundled Nexus 7 tablet, naturally.
The overall service will come with 1TB of Google Drive space, although it’s expensive to get started: there’s a $300 “construction fee” (currently being waived) to wire a home for the fiber optics. Three packages will be on offer, starting with a Gigabit + TV package that includes the essentials, all major channels and “hundreds” of fiber channels (plus on-demand content) for $120 a month. Skip traditional TV and it costs $70 a month — and if yo! u’re a l ocal resident willing to pony up the construction free, you can get 5Mbps internet access for free for “at least” seven years. Key institutions are getting the full gigabit access for free, as well. Only small slices of Kansas City in both Missouri and Kansas state should have access at first, but Google is conducting a six-week “rally” where the most people paying a $10 pre-registration fee dictate where Google Fiber goes next. Now if only other cities would go the same route.
Update:The full event replay is available for your inspection after the break.
Gallery: Google Fiber July 26 event
Continue reading Google Fiber gets formal launch, adds Google Fiber TV (update: event video)
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Networking, Internet
Google Fiber gets formal launch, adds Google Fiber TV (update: event video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Microsoft sets ‘do not track’ as default on IE10, ruffles feathers
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/01/do-not-track-is-default-on-ie10/
Internet Explorer 10 on Windows 8 won’t be the first major browser to pack a “do not track” component, but it’ll be the first to have it switched on by default. Though Microsoft doesn’t yet support the feature on its own websites, it plans to help hammer out the protocols by cooperating with industry, government and standards organizations in the months ahead. With Twitter’s support for the measure, the crew in Redmond isn’t the only one kicking the privacy ball forward. The Digital Advertising Alliance, however, isn’t pleased with the development, in no small part because it struck a deal with the White House to honor “do not track” so long as it’s not a default setting. Despite the move, Microsoft said it hopes users will choose to share their data with advertisers to receive more relevant advertising. Hit the more coverage links for added details on Microsoft’s feather ruffling.
[Image credit: Tomas Fano, Flickr]
Microsoft sets ‘do not track’ as default on IE10, ruffles feathers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 06:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source: http://gizmodo.com/5887555/google-street-view-is-coming-to-the-great-barrier-reef
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is the largest natural coral formation on Earth and you’ll soon be able to see it in all its glory—from your desk.
The Catlin Seaview Survey, a collaboration between Google, the University of Queensland, and the Caitlin Group, will perform a diagnostic on the reef system’s health via a panoramic underwater photographic and video survey. The program has already taken some preliminary surveys, though the group plans to undertake the projects main component—three surveys begin at 20 points around the reef—in September.
Images will be captured by a 360-degree camera (actually four conveniently positioned fish-eye lens SLR’s) affixed to the front end of an Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV) for shallow surveys, and robotic subs for surveys between 30 and 100 meters. The group hopes to also study how and if the migratory behavior of tiger sharks, green turtles and manta rays has been affected by global warming.
Starting today Internet users should be able to access these images via Google Street View and will also be able to watch video of each study section on YouTube. [University of Queensland via New Scientist]
Image: Caitlin Seaview Survey
Flash 11 and AIR 3 landing tonight and delivering 7.1 surround sound to connected home theaters
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/03/flash-11-and-air-3-landing-tonight-and-delivering-7-1-surround-s/
Later tonight Adobe Flash 11 and AIR 3 will hit the tubes delivering with it a host of new features, including hardware acceleration for 2D and 3D graphics — at least for desktops. Stage 3D support will be added to the mobile variants for Android, iOS and BlackBerry at a later date. AIR 3 will also be sprucing up connected entertainment devices, like Samsung SmartTVs, with the ability to deliver Flash-based games and content to your home theater system. What’s more, Adobe has baked in support for both Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound. That means both 5.1 and 7.1 sound can be built into an AIR app, whether it be a game or streaming video, and pumped out at up to 512Kbps though your Blu-ray player or other connected theater component. For more, including a demo of a Flash app on a phone and a TV communicating, check out the trio of press releases and video after the break.
Flash 11 and AIR 3 landing tonight and delivering 7.1 surround sound to connected home theaters originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The iPad Costs Apple As Little As $229.35 to Build
The $500 16GB, Wi-Fi only iPad costs Apple less than half that to build, according to a recent component breakdown from iSuppli. And for the 64GB 3G iPad, Apple clears nearly $500 in profit. Here’s how it breaks down:
Apple iPad Estimated Bill-of-Materials and Manufacturing Cost Analysis:
This will no doubt be updated once iSuppli and others are able to do a teardown of an actual device, but those estimated profit margins are pretty stunning, particularly on the higher-end models. iSuppli also points out that the 32GB versions of the iPad only cost $30 more to make than their 16GB counterparts, yet retail for $100 more—a good indication that that’s where they expect the sweet spot to be in the market.
Goes a long way to explaining why Apple’s so willing to be flexible on the price, no?[iSuppli]
Track Flash In Google Analytics
The following article by Glenn Gabe – Track Flash In Google Analytics – deserves special mention because of the large number of all-flash websites out there, especially all the sites made for big brands. Most of them have not been properly or completely indexed by search engines because of their use of Flash. With GAforFlash, user interactions with the Flash site can be properly tracked and analyzed. The 2-part series explains how to deploy GAforFlash properly and gives examples of what can be tracked.
Part 1 – introduction to Google Analytics For Adobe Flash Component (GAforFlash)
http://www.hmtweb.com/blog/2009/02/how-to-track-flash-in-google-analytics.html
Part 2 – deploying GAforFlash
http://www.hmtweb.com/blog/2009/02/how-to-track-flash-in-google-analytics_08.html
Digital Consigliere
Dr. Augustine Fou is Digital Consigliere to marketing executives, advising them on digital strategy and Unified Marketing(tm). Dr Fou has over 17 years of in-the-trenches, hands-on experience, which enables him to provide objective, in-depth assessments of their current marketing programs and recommendations for improving business impact and ROI using digital insights.
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