Twitter has revealed its plans to raise up to $1 billion in its long-anticipated public offering. Potential buyers finally got a glimpse at Twitter’s financials yesterday, which indicate the social platform’s revenue more than doubled to $254 million during the first half of 2013. However, while the popular messaging service continues to transform electronic communication and public conversation, the company is still losing money while facing hurdles drawing new users and advertisers. Continue reading Twitter Reveals its Financials and Plans for $1 Billion IPO

Since last year’s official launch of the re-imagined Myspace in June, its new owners — Tim Vanderhook, Chris Vanderhook, and Justin Timberlake —  have launched iPhone and Android apps while introducing a slew of musical artists to the service. This week, Myspace announced it now has 36 million users, dominated largely by musicians, millennials and artists including photographers and designers. Through Myspace, many are finding a home for music and art discovery and streaming. Continue reading Myspace Draws 36 Million Millennials, Musicians and Artists

Facebook will start sharing its wealth of user data with the major TV networks in an effort to compete with Twitter’s move into measuring social TV. Data that the company offers will be limited and stripped of users’ personal identifiers. Facebook hopes to provide data on users’ viewing habits and what they share regarding television shows. The company plans to increase its user base and boost ad revenue, and prove it is a useful service to TV broadcasters. Continue reading Facebook Shares Social User Data with Major TV Networks

The National Football League and Twitter are partnering to deliver football highlights and related content through the social media service. Content will include in-game highlights from the NFL Network on Thursdays and clips from games after they’ve aired on CBS and Fox. The NFL will offer news, analysis and fantasy football advice. The move is part of Twitter’s Amplify program that allows TV content owners to integrate programming in Twitter feeds. The revenue from embedded ads will be shared by the companies. Continue reading Social TV: NFL Highlights Coming to a Twitter Feed Near You

Speaking at Advertising Week on Monday, Twitter exec Matt Derella noted that 85 percent of American consumers watch TV with a phone or tablet in their hands, while 70 percent of tweets are sent during programming rather than commercials. He suggests that these statistics are an important sign. This could mark a second revolution for TV viewing — the first being when consumers began channel-flipping with remotes, and the second involving the inclination to contribute via social media. Continue reading Advertising Week: Twitter Sees Opportunities in Social TV

YouTube this week announced a new feature that will soon allow its users to watch video content offline. Starting in November, Google’s YouTube mobile apps will enable users to download content for offline viewing within a 48-hour period following the downloads. While the new feature may be a win for video fans when they are not online, some industry execs speculate that the move will not have much of an impact on total viewing numbers or advertising dollars. Continue reading YouTube Mobile Apps Will Soon Add Offline Viewing Feature

Google announced it has acquired Bump, the popular mobile app that enables users to share contact info, images, videos and files by simply “bumping” mobile devices into each other. While neither company revealed specifics of the deal, a source close to the transaction told AllThingsD that Google paid between $30 and $60 million. The news comes as Apple releases its iOS 7 today, which includes a similar technology called AirDrop, a new means of wirelessly sharing files with other nearby Apple device users. Continue reading Google Acquires Mobile Startup Bump as Apple Unveils AirDrop

Houston-based SnapStream offers a line of DVR devices that are highly scalable and can go well beyond consumer DVR functionality. These devices have the ability to use 30+ channels to record a large collection of TV programming simultaneously, create clips and share via the cloud. SnapStream products are being used in the media industry in addition to other non-media industries that have a need to record and catalog video — for example: government, schools and the military. Continue reading SnapStream DVR Records Multiple Channels and Shares Clips

ETC@USC Executive Director and CEO Ken Williams addressed the topic of advanced media technology for the home when he spoke at the NAB Futures Conference last Fall. As part of ETCentric‘s member exclusive features, we are pleased to present the perspectives Ken articulated to broadcasting leaders and technology innovators at the invitation-only event where attendees openly discussed the future of broadcasting and explored how businesses will thrive in this era of digital disruption. (Statistics cited reflect the timeframe in which the talk was given.) Continue reading EXCLUSIVE: Ken Williams on Advanced Media Tech for the Home

Apple did not unveil any updates to its Apple TV software or hardware during the company’s press event this week as many had expected. However, people familiar with Apple’s plans indicate that Apple TV is scheduled for software updates on September 18, the same day that the company plans to release its new iTunes Radio service and redesigned iOS 7 mobile operating software for download by iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners. Continue reading Apple TV Software Could Be Scheduled for Refresh Next Week

Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel recently announced that the company’s messaging app is processing more than 350 million snaps a day, which is an increase from 200 million in June. The popularity of the app stems from the fact that one can send pictures that are instantly deleted after being opened. Facebook’s Poke app may have been a potential threat to Snapchat, but while the Poke app has lost popularity, Snapchat is number 12 among Apple’s free apps. Continue reading Snapchat Boasts 350 Million Snaps Per Day, Looks to Expand

When marketers discuss social TV and growing trends involving second screens, they are often thinking Twitter, which has become synonymous with the sharing of TV-related content. Last week we reported that Twitter had acquired social TV tracking service Trendrr in a deal that further consolidates the social TV monitoring market. Understanding social TV is rapidly becoming vital to marketers. Earlier this year, Twitter purchased social analytics firm Bluefin Labs, and Nielsen acquired SocialGuide. Continue reading Despite Growing Competition, Twitter Leads Social TV Wave

Facebook announced that it is updating its privacy policy to remind users that their data can be used by advertisers. Facebook has made changes to two legal documents in order to make it clear that users grant Facebook the right to share their name, profile picture and content with advertisers. While Facebook’s policy has never been a secret, Facebook hopes to make their rules more explicit for users who may have been confused. Continue reading Facebook Updates Privacy Policy, Details Use of Personal Data

A Kickstarter-funded UK company led by app developer John McLear has created a piece of jewelry with built-in RFID technology that can be used to unlock doors and mobile phones, start a car, transfer information, link people and more. The NFC Ring, which never needs charging, provides users with the option of public and private inlays for secure information sharing. The Kickstarter campaign concluded last week and dramatically exceeded its target goal by raising about $380,000. Continue reading Wearable Tech: NFC Ring Designed to Unlock New Possibilities

Two months after Instagram introduced video to its popular app, the company has acquired video sharing app Luma (formerly Midnox), which provides users with a variety of filters and adjustment controls including brightness, contrast, saturation, exposure and more. Luma also has stabilization technology that could help Instagram with its Cinema stabilization feature. The Luma app is no longer available via iTunes, although the company will offer support through the end of the year. Continue reading Instagram Acquires Video Sharing App and Stabilization Tech