Facebook’s growth in mobile advertising revenue contributed in part to a surprising second quarter return this year. The social network’s large user base and scalable mobile advertising platforms have become major attractions for advertisers. The company has been taking advertisers more seriously in ad platform development and is working closely with them to understand their needs. As a result, advertisers are becoming more comfortable with Facebook. Continue reading Facebook Mobile Development More Attractive to Advertisers

Advertising powerhouses Omnicom Group of the U.S. and Publicus Groupe SA of France announced a merger on Sunday that aims to fend off the growing competition from Silicon Valley tech companies including Google and Facebook. The new Publicis Omnicom Group will have combined revenue of nearly $23 billion. The Wall Street Journal describes the merger as “a $35.1 billion cross-border linkup that shows how Big Data is making Madison Avenue look more like Wall Street.” Continue reading Advertising Giants Merge in Effort to Fend Off Silicon Valley

Television remains in the majority for advertising spending in the first quarter of 2013, according to a Nielsen report. Television advertising has 59 percent of total spending and 3.5 percent of global growth. Newspaper and magazine ad spending has declined in this period. In contrast, display Internet advertising spending has grown significantly at 26.3 percent. Growth in Internet ads was strongest in non-U.S. markets in Q1. Continue reading Advertising: TV Keeps Majority and Display Internet Grows

A new Slingbox software update includes new features, the most important of which is allowing owners to invite Facebook friends to share their video stream. The update to the Watch software applies to the Slingbox 350 and 500 models. It supports both Mac and Windows, and most popular Web browsers. Web-based streaming from a Slingbox only allows one connection at a time. Friends can access the owner’s Slingbox directly from Facebook. Continue reading Slingbox Now Allows Pay TV Sharing with Facebook Friends

Nvidia offered a sneak peek at its next-generation mobile processor, Project Logan, during the SIGRRAPH Conference in Anaheim this week. Logan is based on Nvidia’s advanced Kepler graphics architecture used for desktop and laptop chips. Nvidia plans to launch Logan next year, and combine its mobile phone and desktop 3D graphics architectures. This will enable new mobile applications such as augmented reality, computer vision and speech recognition. Continue reading SIGGRAPH: Nvidia Demonstrates Next-Gen Mobile Processor

Canon has been demonstrating a handheld version of its MREAL Mixed Reality technology at SIGGRAPH this week. According to Canon, the technology merges virtual objects with the real world, at full scale in three dimensions. The company launched its MREAL Mixed Reality headset earlier this year. The handheld version functions similarly to the headset, by enabling the use of markers or sensors to render images in real space. Continue reading SIGGRAPH: Canon Previews Handheld Mixed Reality Technology

Television is becoming an important part of Twitter’s advertising strategy. In May, Twitter revealed an experimental advertising plan that will allow companies to use Twitter to directly engage with consumers who see their TV commercials. Twitter reported that users who are shown promoted tweets had a 58 percent higher intent to buy compared with people who only viewed the TV ad. Rates of user engagement were 27 percent higher than previous averages for companies using Twitter to reach customers. Continue reading Companies Can Target Viewers While They Tweet on Shows

The “favorite” feature in Twitter allows users to mark a tweet and keep it, such as a bookmark in a Web browser. When favoriting, it signals the originator that it has been marked, without a public acknowledgement in a feed. Favoriting is also another way to affirm the value of a tweet, but can also be tracked, which is what Favstar is doing. The company monitors favorites, and ranks tweets and their creators by the favorites that they generate.

Continue reading ‘Favoriting’ on Twitter is More Discreet than Re-Tweeting

A new trend in music among new generations is a return to the era of nostalgic vinyl LPs and high fidelity sound systems. One reason is fashion, but many are seeking a richer music listening experience. These music fans want high-end systems that include vinyl sounds, a more robust music experience, and elegantly designed sound systems. They are also expecting to spend several hundred to several thousands of dollars for their ideal sounds. Continue reading Trend: New Audiophiles Looking for Hi-Fi Music Experience

During yesterday’s breakfast event unveiling Google’s new Nexus 7 tablet, the company also announced the $35 Chromecast, a small thumbnail device that connects to televisions via HDMI and enables users to send content via Wi-Fi from phones, tablets or PCs to the TV screen. Chromecast comes with three months of free Netflix and offers more functionality than Apple TV’s AirPlay. “On paper at least, it’s the best device Google has ever announced,” suggests Wired. Continue reading Is New Google Chromecast All About the Future of Pay TV?

Google unveiled a new thinner version of its Nexus 7 tablet yesterday, this one also made by ASUS, featuring a 1920 x 1200 screen and pixel density of 323 ppi. The CPU has moved up to a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm S4 Pro paired with an Adreno 320 GPU and 2GB of RAM. The 7-inch tablet also features the updated Jelly Bean 4.3 operating system. The new Android OS offers support for multiple users with restricted profiles and Bluetooth LE for pairing with wireless accessories. Continue reading Google Unveils Thinner Nexus 7 Tablet with Hi-Res Screen

We recently reported that Nokia unveiled its Lumia 1020 Windows 8 smartphone, with its most notable feature, a 41-megapixel camera. The ultra-high resolution surpasses most, if not all, smartphone and point-and-shoot cameras. In its thorough hands-on review, The Verge describes the 1020 as a decent device that is awkward to handle and short on third party apps, but its performance and camera may make up for any shortcomings. Continue reading Review: Nokia Lumia 1020 Windows Phone with 41MP Camera

The popular designer Asher Nahmias recently removed his work from a well-known online store due to accusations that Stratasys, a 3D printer manufacturer, improperly used one of his designs. The incident highlights the confusion surrounding copyright and 3D printing, which involves more than just individuals stealing designs from corporations. But as 3D printing grows, intellectual property issues surrounding it will not be addressed overnight. Continue reading 3D Printing Raises Complex Questions of DRM and Copyright

Technology leveraging unused TV spectrum is being positioned for commercialization, three years after approval by the FCC. This technology can be used to provide wireless broadband Internet in rural areas in the U.S. and in developing countries. In the U.S., there are at least 40 experimental installations operating, in addition to others in Singapore, Vietnam and African countries. These programs involve Google, Microsoft and local telecom companies. Continue reading Unused TV Spectrum Provides Broadband for Rural America

While an official Google event is scheduled for today that may or may not include tablet news, a new Nexus 7 is rumored to be offered at Best Buy beginning July 30th. The leaked Best Buy flyer reveals updated hardware, with a 1920 x 1200 high definition display, 16GB of storage, and a price of $229. If true, Google will offer a seven-inch HD tablet ahead of Apple. The current iPad mini does not have a high-definition screen and has a starting retail price tag of $329. Continue reading New Nexus 7 with Android 4.3 to Be Available by Next Week