Archive for the 'Social Networking' Category
Gune now searches the additional 14 options: Google News, Bing news, Picasa, Friendfeed, Wikipedia, Delicious, YouTube, Flickr, IMDB, Bing images, Scribd, Metajam, Amazon and eBay.
Gune already offered, simultaneous web search on Google and Bing, with page of results generated by its own algorithm. Now added news search, with the same principle. Moreover, Gune do searches in Picasa and Friendfeed, using their algorithm and present the results in a unique page.
Gune is available for all mobile platforms, through the app can be downloaded for free at the address below. http://www.handycase.com/gune/pc/
“Instead of mobile sites that offer searches with tools offered by the Google and Yahoo, where you go, copy the code and paste it into your site. We chose to develop and offer our own system and of course search on Google and Bing, is meta-search the best and most traditional model, but 100% mobile.” Explains Ricardo Garay, CEO Handcase.
Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) today announced that the Samsung Zeal™, a dual-hinge messaging phone in a unique, flip-style format with an E Ink technology transforming the QWERTY keypad, will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores on Nov. 11.
Available color: Black
Key features:
· Dual-hinge form factor with E Ink keyboard that changes based on the user’s needs
o Open it vertically as a flip phone and it has a traditional numeric keypad and can change to an alpha-only keypad
o In landscape, the phone features a QWERTY keypad that can change to numeric with symbols
· Corporate Email support for Microsoft Office Exchange so customers can synchronize corporate e-mail, contacts and calendars from their office e-mail
· 2.0 megapixel camera with night and panorama shot, auto focus and camcorder
· Bluetooth® technology with support for headset, hands-free, stereo, phonebook access, basic print, basic imaging, and object push for vCard and vCalendar
Lifestyle features:
· Social Beat Widget – Offers a single point for accessing social networking sites, allowing customers to stay connected to Facebook®, Twitter™ and MySpace™ plus more than 50 news, sports and entertainment feeds
· VZ Navigator® capable – Receive audible turn-by-turn directions to millions of points of interest and share the directions with others
· Media Center – Access downloadable games, ringtones, wallpapers, location-based services and more
· Skype mobile™ capable
· Mobile Web capable
· Full suite of messaging options, including text, picture, video and voice messaging; Mobile IM; Mobile Chat; Mobile Email; and Mobile Web Email
· microSD™ card slot with support for up to 32 GB (card purchased separately)
· Personal organizer with calendar, calculator with currency converter, notepad, alarm clock, world clock and stop watch
Price and availability:
· The Samsung Zeal will be available on Nov. 11 for $79.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.
· Customers can purchase the Samsung Zeal beginning today at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores or online at www.verizonwireless.com. For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.
Verizon Wireless, the nation’s largest and most reliable wireless voice and 3G data network, and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the number one mobile phone provider in the United States(1), today announced the upcoming availability of the Samsung Continuum™, a Galaxy S™ smartphone. The Continuum is the world’s first smartphone designed with a dedicated ticker display, which provides users with up-to-the-minute news, sports, finance and social networking updates for maximized multitasking.
The Continuum features two separate but integrated displays: a 3.4-inch touch screen Super AMOLED™ main display and a customizable 1.8-inch Super AMOLED dedicated ticker display that streams customized information in real time. Additionally, the Continuum is powered by Android™ 2.1, with support for Google Mobile Services, including Gmail™, YouTube™, Android Market™ and more. The Continuum also includes a 1GHz Hummingbird Application Processor, 5-megapixel camera, and multiple entertainment and social networking features.
Color: Mirror Black
Key features and specifications:
· 3.4-inch Super AMOLED Main Touch Screen Display – Main display provides user-customizable homescreens and widgets in a brilliant screen display
· 1.8-inch Interactive Super AMOLED Ticker Display – Dedicated ticker display enables zero-click access to news, social networking, sports and entertainment feeds; users can select what content they want on the ticker by selecting from menu on display
· Grip Sensor – By touching the bottom sides of the device, the ticker display lights up to give users real-time weather, social networking services (SNS), message, IM and e-mail notification updates
· Super AMOLED Screen Technology – Brilliant screen makes watching movies, viewing videos and playing games come to life like never before, even in bright light and outdoor environments
· Android 2.1 platform – With support for Google Mobile Services, including Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk and Android Market
· Preloaded with Bing Maps and Bing Search
· Full HTML Web browsing capabilities
· 3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities – Allows customers to transform their phone into a wireless modem for up to five compatible Wi-Fi-enabled devices
· Advanced touchscreen gestures capabilities, including multi-touch pinch to zoom, double tap to zoom and horizontal swiping, which provides easier and quicker access to many applications, including location-based services, Web browsing and digital photos or videos
· Multiple file formats supported, including DivX and Xvid support
· Samsung 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird Application Processor – Produces amazing graphics, faster upload and download times, and HD-like multimedia content
· Six-axis sensor that works with the smartphone’s accelerometer to provide a smooth, fluid gaming experience when the user is tilting the device up or down or panning the phone to the left or right
· Virtual QWERTY Keyboard Featuring Swype Technology – Input text faster and in a more intuitive way with one continuous finger motion across the screen keyboard
· Full suite of messaging options – Text, picture, video and voice messaging; corporate and personal e-mail accounts supported
· 5.0-megapixel camera/camcorder – Auto-focus and LED flash with HD video recording and playback capabilities to capture photos and videos for playback on your HD television; playback (720p) on the screen display
· Wi-Fi Connectivity (802.11 b/g/n)
· Stereo Bluetooth® Technology – Support for headset, hands-free, stereo, phonebook access, and object push for vCard and vCalendar
· Corporate Email – Supports Android Éclair Exchange ActiveSync e-mail to synchronize corporate e-mail, contacts and calendars from office e-mail accounts
· Music player features lock screen, ticker display and quick side panel controls and 3.5-millimeter headphone jack
· 8 GB microSD™ card preinstalled expandable up to 32 GB
Lifestyle features:
· V CAST Music with Rhapsody®, V CAST Video on Demand, V CAST Song ID, Visual Voice Mail, V CAST Tones, VZ Navigator®, Mobile IM, City ID, Bing Search and Maps, and Blockbuster Application
· Dedicated ticker displays up-to-the minute news, weather and SNS updates, as well as music player controls and incoming e-mail, IM, and text messages without interrupting the activity on the main display
· Samsung’s Social Hub – Built around messaging, contacts and calendar sync, which allows users to send and receive information, whether it is e-mail, social network updates or SMS messages
o Integrated Calendar information from portal calendars, on Exchange, Google Calendar™ and SNS, including Facebook®
o Integrated Contacts syncs with Exchange, Google, Twitter and Facebook – Facebook contacts display in four categories, including Info, History (previous calls and messages), Activities (status updates and notifications on social networking sites), and Media (Facebook profile photos and photo gallery)
· AllShare™ – Enables inter-device connectivity through Digital Living Network Alliance® (DLNA®), so users can send multimedia content wirelessly to other DLNA Certified®-enabled devices such as TVs and laptops
· Daily Briefing – Instant access to weather, news, stocks and schedules
· Write and Go – Quickly jot down an idea and later decide on a format, such as SMS/ MMS, e-mail, calendar or memo, to send or post to popular SNS sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace
· Smart Alarm – Natural alarm sound and display automatically illuminates
· Weather Clock – Displays current time and weather of the selected city (ability to add and select other cities)
Pricing and availability:
· The Samsung Continuum will be available for order starting Nov. 11 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement and data package. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. The device will be available for purchase in stores beginning Nov. 18.
· For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.
Launching today, Appitalism.com is the first site to combine a social community with an online store to help consumers quickly and easily discover, discuss and download the best digital content for all devices. Compatible with smartphones, tablets, PCs and eBook readers, the site debuts with a catalog of more than ten million premium apps, songs, books, games and videos.
Independent of any device or platform affiliations, Appitalism.com offers an unbiased and personalized experience for members based on their interests and on feedback from the wider community. Through Appitalism’s chat feature, members can discuss, rate and review all of the content on the site, empowering them to collectively determine the best apps and content. Members can intuitively discover the latest and greatest digital content, either through Appitalism’s search engine, category directory or community recommendations.
“Appitalism was developed as an open marketplace, combining a large variety of content with the ability for consumers to discuss, review and rate that content,” said Simon Buckingham, CEO of Appitalism. “Our goal is to be the leading destination for consumers seeking to learn about and purchase the highest rated apps and content for any device.”
Appitalism is free to join and active members who write reviews and continually engage with the site are rewarded with titles and badges and earn “App Rewards” for their contributions to the community. App Rewards can be redeemed for any items in the Appitalism content catalog.
To join the community and discover a diverse array of digital content – from music to movies and from ring tones to apps — visit Appitalism.com, fuel for your digital life.
Verizon Wireless and Pantech today announced the Pantech Crux™ will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores today. The Pantech Crux, developed by Personal Communications Devices, LLC, offers customers the perfect combination of simple, sleek and affordable features plus the reliability of Verizon Wireless’ network.
Key features:
· Touch screen with 3.0” display
· Music player with external control keys
· Widgets that offer easy access to social networking services
· Pre-installed 1 GB microSD™ card – expandable to 32 GB
· Mobile IM and Mobile Email
· Virtual QWERTY keyboard
· Home Key – Gives quick access to main home screen or allows customers to easily switch between currently open applications.
Lifestyle features:
· Media Center – Download ringtones, wallpapers and games to your phone
· Skype mobile™ capable
· V CAST Music with Rhapsody® (subscription and PC downloads) – digital music service that allows customers to download soundtracks and albums or sync playlists with a PC
· Full suite of messaging options, including text, picture, video and voice messaging; Mobile IM; Mobile Email; and Mobile Web Email
· Stereo Bluetooth® technology for wireless connections between electronic devices; connects to Bluetooth-enabled headsets and hands-free systems
· HTML Web browsing capabilities for news, sports, weather and e-mail, providing access to up-to-date information
· Social Networking Widget – Offers a single point for accessing social networking sites, allowing customers to stay connected to Facebook®, Twitter™ and MySpace™, plus more than 50 news, sports and entertainment feeds
Pricing and availability:
· The Pantech Crux will be $49.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.
· For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.
Verizon Wireless and LG Mobile Phones today announced the LG Octane™ will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores tomorrow. Keeping customers up to date with their social networks has never been more convenient with the LG Octane’s iconic form factor with full QWERTY keyboard and seamless integration of Facebook®, MySpace™ and Twitter™ via Social Beat.
Key features:
· Sleek, dark brown outer case
· QWERTY keyboard
· Social Beat Widget – offers a single point for accessing social networking sites, allowing customers to stay connected to Facebook, Twitter and MySpace plus more than 50 news, sports and entertainment feeds
· microSD™ slot for up to 16 GB of memory
· Bluetooth® 2.1 capabilities with support for the following profiles: headset; hands-free; dial-up networking; object push for vCard and vCalendar; stereo; file transfer; phonebook access; basic printing; basic imaging; human interface; message access; and instant sharing of music, photos and videos
· Built-in music player with music library, repeat and shuffle features, as well as stereo sound via headset or Bluetooth
· Voice commands
Lifestyle features:
· V CAST Music with Rhapsody®
· Favorites shortcut keys for quick access to up to 10 contacts with picture ID
· Customizable font type and size on internal and external LCD for dialing, menu and lists, and messages
· New Mobile E-Mail client 4.0
· Skype mobile™ capable
· Visual Voice Mail and HTML Web Browser
· 3.2-megapixel autofocus camera and camcorder with flash that includes:
o Five different camera resolutions and two different video resolutions
o Zoom up to 2.98 times
o Intelligent shot for improved image quality
o Smile shot automatically takes a picture when a smile is detected
o Panorama for three guided, sequential shots
o Dual display activation for self portraits
o Image editor with zoom, rotate, resize, crop, added frames and stamps
o Customize brightness, white balance, shutter sounds, color effects and use a self-timer
Pricing:
· The LG Octane will be $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.
· For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.
Eye-Fi Inc., best known as makers of the world’s first wireless memory card, today launched Eye-Fi View, giving consumers a new way to access their photos and videos from virtually any computer or mobile device. Along with Eye-Fi View, Eye-Fi also introduced a new email-sharing feature, allowing direct, private sharing of full-resolution images without clogging inboxes or requiring viewers to login.
“When we released the first Eye-Fi card three years ago, we solved the fundamental problem of getting pictures off the camera and onto computers and online sharing sites. As we enter the biggest photo-sharing season of the year – Halloween to Christmas – we’re delivering an even easier way for people to view and share photos from any device, with more control than ever,” said Jef Holove, President and CEO of Eye-Fi. “Photos and videos of the kids trick-or-treating can be easily emailed to grandma and shown off on dad’s iPad”
When it comes to photography, viewing the images is the point, and more devices – from netbooks to smartphones to tablets – create more ways consumers want to view and show their memories. With Eye-Fi View, this content is now accessible from virtually any Internet connected device and can be viewed and shared at home, at the office, or on the road.
Whether selecting certain photos to share on public sites like Facebook or Flickr, or privately sharing several images or full albums with trusted email contacts, Eye-Fi makes it easy. By simply logging into their Eye-Fi account from any device, users can view photos, publish them on the web, or share them via email.
“There are many sites on which pictures and videos can be shared. But even in this age of social media, email remains the most popular method of sharing among consumers,” added Holove. “With our unique approach to email sharing, Eye-Fi is extending its ease of use capabilities to customers who want to email their photos. Because, put simply, photos are created to view.”
With Eye-Fi’s email feature, users select contacts from their own address book, and recipients – whether Eye-Fi users or not – can easily download full-resolution images through a single link, without worrying about overwhelming their inbox.
Pricing and Availability
With the latest Eye-Fi Center release, Eye-Fi X2 card users can automatically send content to their Eye-Fi View. Access to content uploaded within the last seven days is always free. Upgrade to Eye-Fi Premium to maintain access to an unlimited amount of content for only $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year. All Eye-Fi users can take advantage of the new email sharing feature.
Eye-Fi products are now available at Wal-Mart stores nationwide. Wal-Mart is the latest national retailer to feature Eye-Fi, following the addition of Target earlier this year. Availability beyond electronics and photography outlets underscores the expanding consumer demand for Eye-Fi’s unique solution. Additionally, Eye-Fi’s international users can now subscribe to all Eye-Fi services including Eye-Fi Premium. For more information, visit www.eye.fi.
Leading social shopping site LivingSocial today announced the acquisition of social adventure company Urban Escapes. LivingSocial will now be able to exclusively offer its 10 million subscribers-strong worldwide community a host of diverse, fun and unique adventures and experiences, produced by a team of on-the-ground experts.
“By working closely with merchants in all of our markets, LivingSocial has helped thousands of people across the country experience fun and exciting things to do in their neighborhood,” said Tim O’Shaughnessy, CEO and Co-Founder of LivingSocial. “With the acquisition of Urban Escapes, we will now have the ability to help curate some amazing experiences and adventures exclusively for our members.”
From “Zen Escape Yoga Hikes” to “Boulder and Brew Tours™,” Urban Escapes redefines social adventure, and its unique itineraries promote a fun and active lifestyle and a chance to escape the day-to-day rat race. Urban Escapes staff will work directly with LivingSocial representatives in five introductory markets designing and creating one-of-a-kind experiences and adventures for LivingSocial customers.
“People who use LivingSocial are already looking for fun, new things to do in the area they live or where they’re visiting,” said Maia Josebachvili, founder and president of Urban Escapes. “We’re passionate about organizing experiences you could never arrange on your own and this acquisition is the perfect opportunity for us to expand these completely unique, guided experiences around the globe.”
As the premiere local activity discovery engine, LivingSocial lets anyone find restaurants, shops, activities and services popular in their area at a savings of 50% to 70%. Handpicked adventures from Urban Escapes offer unique adventures and experiences at affordable prices to the LivingSocial community.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
PicBounce is a simple yet powerful and viral app! Two weeks ago (9/27/2010) Clixtr, Inc. released PicBounce, a new iOS application, which they showcased at their TechCrunch Disrupt conference booth. PicBounce, the social camera, is a new and improved camera for the iPhone that is the simplest and fastest way to upload a photo from your iPhone to Facebook and Twitter. All you do is take a photo or choose an existing photo. Write a caption. Bounce it to Facebook and Twitter. You’re done. It’s that easy!
In the first two weeks there have been over 200,000 downloads of the PicBounce App for iPhones and iPod Touches with cameras. The service has had to scale fast in order to be able to handle the 10’s of thousands of photos being uploaded. PicBounce even past Facebook last week in the iTunes App Store: http://picbounce.com/4hnhj
Clixtr, Inc. launched the Clixtr iPhone App, their first application, as a TechCrunch50 finalist last year, 2009. The Clixtr iPhone App allows users to collaboratively share photos in real-time with everyone else at an event and people around the world are able to tune in at Clixtr.com. The Clixtr product won the Silicon Valley Business Journal Emerging Technology Award for Social Networking 2009 and the Consumer Electronics Show Mobile App Showdown 2010 in Las Vegas.
JunoWallet, the nation’s #1 promotional gift card application available to iPhone and Android users, has just launched its location based loyalty application, JunoPoints, making it possible for users checking into Foursquare to earn points with monetary value. Businesses who choose to “GO LIVE” on JunoPoints via the JunoWallet retailer dashboard, will give the 3.5 million Foursquare users a real reason to frequent their business. Venues can GO LIVE by logging into their retailer dashboard and hitting the “GO LIVE” button. There is no cost front-end cost to do so. JunoPoints is fully integrated with Foursquare’s API. Below is a link to the JunoPoints page in the Foursquare App Gallery: http://foursquare.com/app/JunoWallet
JunoWallet also offers clients their very own custom badges that customers may earn once they get to10,000 JunoPoints. These can then be redeemed for a $100 mobile gift card at that venue only, affording businesses an inexpensive viral way to build loyalty and reward customers. At the users options, check-ins are posted on the users Facebook page and Tweeted.
HotSpots
JunoPoints also offers businesses and events the ability to reward customers with spot promotional rewards when their customers “check-in” using Foursquare. With HotSpots venues can now monetize their floor space and take advantage of revenue from HotSpots sold and the customers coming in to get the HotSpot JunoPoints.
“It is a great way to drive traffic, generate ad dollars, and work with vendors to create a great relationship,” says Chris Sweis, chief mobile officer. “Vendor sponsored HotSpots drive traffic and creates a stronger marketing partnership with the business and its product vendors,” says Sweis.
“HotSpots are ads inside the venue either on the floor or anywhere the business wants them. A user can find the venue and stand near or on a HotSpots with their mobile device to earn jumbo JunoPoints from that advertiser. ”
“For example a restaurant that serves Russian Standard Vodka will have a HotSpot sponsored by Russian Standard Vodka on their rooftop deck. When a JunoPoints user comes into the bar/restaurant, they are notified via a pushed message,” he says.
The HotSpot is promoted in JunoPoint’s mapping feature and drives the users in the venue. The venue benefits from the users traffic. The advertiser benefits by having an advertisement at point of sale, giving them massive branding and exposure including inside JunoWallet.
“Venues now have a way to monetize the floor with HotSpots and work with product vendors to promote them more from inside the business all the while driving in more traffic and sales,” says Sweis,
“In addition, JunoWallet looks to sell HotSpots for businesses and place them inside the venue from time to time. All HotSpots pay the venue owner 15% of all the revenue generated just like an ad agency would earn.”
This revenue can be substantial and offset some cost within the business that otherwise would have had to be paid from your current revenues.
“For a newer brand using JunoWallet, HotSpots can be a great benefit to getting point of sale awareness and driving traffic and trial into restaurants and bars that our product is sold in.” Martin Kuta – Russian Standard Vodka.
What is location based loyalty?
Location based loyalty is built around customers frequenting a specific business location more often and getting rewarded for that activity. Checking into your location builds value not just in the form of more transactions from customers, but also by building value for the business because it reaches great numbers of people, bringing in more business from those who are not yet customers.
How do you build a location based loyalty program with JunoPoints?
Build a relationship around your business with your customers and reward them with JunoPoints that act as a futures contract.
Simply said, by getting customers to frequent the business now, building value to its bottom line, then at one point in the future, they get rewarded with a $100 gift card that the business issues at their cost of goods sold.
For additional information regarding JunoWallet, visit www.junowallet.com or download JunoWallet for your iPhone or Android today.