Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “How Evernote Turned Note Taking Into a $10 Million Business”

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• How Evernote Turned Note Taking Into a $10 Million Business
• iPad 2 Will Have Two Cameras [REPORT]
• Remember Summize? It’s an Ad Farm Now
• Startup Fitango Provides Day-to-Day Plans for Reaching Any Goal
• Picplz for iPhone, Android Now Posts Photos to Flickr, Tumblr & Posterous
• Gorgeous New iPhone App Simplifies Gift Giving
• The Top iPhone & iPad Apps of the Year
• Were You Naughty or Nice on Facebook This Year? [APP]
• Tablet Sales Expected to Quadruple by 2012 [REPORT]
• Google Testing New Location-Based Marketing Platform in Portland
• Twitter Celebrates 100 Million New Accounts in 2010 [INFOGRAPHIC]
• MySpace Introduces “Hijacks” With the Black Eyed Peas
• Play Secret Santa With Your Twitter Network
• What’s Hot This Week in Social Media
• Foursquare Unveils New Version of API
• How Operation Payback Executes Its Attacks
• Join Baratunde Thurston & Eclectic Method at the Mashable Awards
• How the World Googled in 2010
• The 10 Most Innovative Viral Video Ads of 2010
• Who’s Using Twitter? [REPORT]
• Google Launches Tool to Get Companies to Back Up Their E-mails With Gmail
• YouTube Increases Upload Time Limit Even More
• 7 Tips for Building a Better Branded App
• Win a Holiday MashPack With 12 Tech Prizes & Ben Folds Tickets [GIVEAWAY]
• Operation Payback Targets Amazon.com [UPDATED]
• “Best Social Media Customer Service” Finalists Discuss Their Success [INTERVIEWS]
• Barcode Hero Lets Kids Send Wish Lists to “Santa”
• 9 Web Tools to Keep Your Business Running Smoothly During the Holidays
• YouTube 2.1 for Android Brings Revamped UI & Smoother Interaction
• This Morning’s 4 Biggest Stories in Social Media & Tech

How Evernote Turned Note Taking Into a $10 Million Business Posted: 10 Dec 2010 03:01 AM PST This post is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark as a new part of the Spark of Genius series that focuses on a new and innovative startup each day. Every Thursday, the program focuses on startups within the BizSpark program and what they’re doing to grow. Notes — they’re not sexy or flashy. But when one is the difference between remembering something of significance and forgetting it, then it takes on an indispensable purpose. Perhaps that explains the meteoric rise of Evernote — the ubiquitous note-taking platform that added more than 500,000 new users in November and is anticipating hitting 6 million members before the end of the year. While Evernote’s products have been around since early 2008, most of its growth has happened this year. At the beginning of year, Evernote was adding 3,000 new users a day. Today, that figure has risen to 18,000 new people per day. It took the company practically two years to sign on its first 2 million members, but this year alone it is on track to double that stat and sign on 4 million new users. To say things are trending upwards would be an understatement. And so, Mashable spoke with both Evernote’s CEO and founder Phil Libin and VP of marketing Andrew Sinkov to get their insights behind the company’s success. Marketing Through Product “Evernote does not pay for users,” says Libin, who shares that his company purposely avoids advertising. Instead, the startup takes a more holistic approach and lets its products and members bring in new users for them, he says. “All of Evernote is focused on making our product better and that includes marketing, which is entirely product-centric. Our marketing process is a direct extension of product development, with our goal being to help our users share our love of the product,” Sinkov says. The product approach has found a best friend in mobile application markets. More than half of all new users are being introduced to Evernote through mobile app stores. Although long popular on the iPhone, Android is helping to fuel mobile adoption and is significantly contributing to new user acquisition. Money Matters The let-them-come-to-you approach extends to Evernote’s freemium business model. “Users upgrade to Premium whenever they like,” says Sinkov, “we don’t push anyone to buy anything.” And yet the company has managed to convert 160,000 users to paying customers, and generates around $800,000 each month in revenue. Both Sinkov and Libin admit that the percentage of new users that upgrade is unremarkable — less than 1% of active users sign up for premium accounts in the first month. But Evernote users tend to be around for the long-haul, and the longer they stay, the more likely they are to upgrade. Sinkov credits the company’s content and social media strategy for its ability to convert Evernote users who stick around. “Our time is spent primarily on educating users through blogging, social media, podcasting, email and other communication tools,” he says. “We’ve found that the more content we provide, the more engaged our users become, and the more likely they are to tell a friend and convert to Evernote Premium. For example, around 20% of our social media followers are Premium, while the number is around 3% for the general user base.” The International Explosion “The international growth has been amazing,” reports Libin. Evernote is available in more than 14 languages, has an office in Japan and hopes to develop a ground presence in Europe and Southeast Asia using the $20 million in funding it recently secured to more aggressively expand outside the U.S.. “The majority of our users are in the U.S., but we’re expecting that to change relatively soon. Our largest market outside the U.S. is Japan, where we recently opened an office in Tokyo. We launched there about six months ago, and Japan now represents 20% of our total user base,” says Libin. “European growth has outpaced that of both the U.S. and Japan.” End users aren’t the only audience embracing the service abroad. “There’s also an explosion in international partners and developers using our API to build Evernote integrations. The amount of innovation that we’re seeing from around the world has been incredible,” shares Libin. TV Brain Power and Uncharted Territories Evernote is in the business of making note-taking a no-brainer activity; it’s constantly improving its products to make its system a more fail-proof system than our brains. Of course, a system is only as strong as its accessibility, and while Evernote is available in application form on the web, mobile and desktop, there’s still uncharted territories left to be conquered. Where there’s a platform, there will be Evernote, says Libin. Most intriguing are his plans to bring the Evernote experience to the television set. Libin was tight-lipped on specifics but he did indicate that an Evernote application for internet connected TVs is in the works and will be shipped in 2011. Libin speaks of the application as a lean back way to wade through your thoughts and an opportunity to experience and share notes as entertainment. Libin’s futuristic and colorful vision makes us wonder if notes can be sexy after all. Images courtesy of Instragram, sinkov, Flickr, labguest Sponsored by Microsoft BizSpark BizSpark is a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today. More About: android, evernote, Mobile 2.0, notes

iPad 2 Will Have Two Cameras [REPORT] Posted: 10 Dec 2010 02:00 AM PST The next iteration of Apple’s iPad might have a front and a rear-facing camera, Reuters reports citing multiple sources. The info originates from four component suppliers for the iPad, who are preparing for a new round of production in the first quarter of 2011. Two of them merely say they’ll be producing the same components as in the original iPad. One claims that a new version of iPad is coming, with front and rear-facing cameras, while another source says the iPad 2 will be slimmer and lighter, with a better resolution display, All these predictions are essentially no-brainers, especially the camera, which is already present in most iPad competitors; not including the camera in iPad 2 would be a big surprise from Apple. However, with the tablet race heating up – the market is expected to quadruple by 2012 – Apple might want to surprise us with an unexpected feature or two for the next iPad if it wants to keep its lead ahead of the competition. [via Reuters] More About: apple, camera, ipad, iPad 2, Tablet For more Tech coverage: Follow Mashable Tech on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Tech channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

Remember Summize? It’s an Ad Farm Now Posted: 10 Dec 2010 12:43 AM PST Back in the early days of Twitter, Summize was the best Twitter search engine around. It wasn’t long until Twitter figured it out too, and acquired the service, integrating it into its own search engine, currently available at search.twitter.com. Well, memories like that don’t last long in the online world. Twitter let the domain name summize.com expire some time ago, and now it’s just a long list of advertisements. After the acquisition, Summize used to redirect to search.twitter.com, and some users are still used to typing summize.com into their browsers, but obviously not many, as the change has gone largely unnoticed. As far as domain names go, summize.com is solid and definitely has some value; we’re guessing it’s just a matter of time before someone purchases the name and builds something around it. Reviews: Twitter More About: domain name, Search, summize, twitter For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

Startup Fitango Provides Day-to-Day Plans for Reaching Any Goal Posted: 09 Dec 2010 10:53 PM PST Fitango, a web app that helps users reach goals by providing day-by-day “Actionplans” and social support, is launching its beta site today. The idea behind the platform is that it is easier to accomplish something if you spread out tasks evenly throughout a chunk of time than if you try to do it all at once — it’s easier to run a half-marathon if you’ve been training for months than it is if you start training the week before the race; it’s easier to buy one holiday gift every week rather than buy all your gifts the day before you need to give them. After a customer downloads an Actionplan, he is assigned daily tasks that will culminate in the completion of his goal after a set number of days. There are currently about 200 plans on the site, and they range in topic from kettleball training to cooking with your kids. In order to stay motivated, users can recruit friends to become “motivators” on their Actionplans, share their progress or “brag” through social media sites, and join discussion “bubbles” of fellow participants completing the same plan. The company joins a bevy of startups like Streak.ly, Health Month and lifetick looking to capitalize on the concept of goal-setting programs. Fitango, however, sets itself apart with a creative business model. Currently, about 90% of plans on the app are free, but the startup plans to develop an easy way for experts to develop plans to sell on the platform. The company, which currently relies on seed funding from the founder and another angel investor, will collect a percentage each time one of these expert-written plans is sold. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, DNY59 Reviews: iStockphoto More About: beta, Fitango, goals, launch, motivational, startups For more Startups coverage: Follow Mashable Startups on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Startups channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

Picplz for iPhone, Android Now Posts Photos to Flickr, Tumblr & Posterous Posted: 09 Dec 2010 10:16 PM PST A new update to the mobile photo sharing service Picplz now enables users to more quickly snap and share their photos on the web. The iPhone and Android apps — which already integrate with Facebook, Foursquare and Twitter — can now post directly to Flickr, Tumblr and Posterous. The new posting options are immediately available and can be configured from within the apps or on the website. Once your Flickr, Tumblr or Posterous accounts are added, you’ll then be able to select to post to the services with each photo upload. Today’s update will be welcome news to application users who have requested support for additional services. While each of the services already allow for uploads via mobile apps themselves, Picplz provides a more optimal way to distribute photos across the web and check in to Foursquare while doing so. Of course, the addition of these services will also help the startup stand taller on the features side of things than Instagram, a rival mobile photo sharing for iPhone. Reviews: Flickr, Foursquare, Posterous, Tumblr More About: flickr, mobile photo sharing, picplz, posterous, tumblr For more Mobile coverage: Follow Mashable Mobile on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Mobile channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

Gorgeous New iPhone App Simplifies Gift Giving Posted: 09 Dec 2010 09:30 PM PST The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here. Name: Gift Plan Quick Pitch: Gift Plan is an iPhone app designed to solve one of life’s little problems: gift giving. Genius Idea: Creating a holiday shopping list is one of those necessary yet tedious tasks this time of year. Jotting down notes to remember that Uncle Tim wants a new pair of shades and Cousin Sarah needs new headphones is easy enough, especially if you save them in digital form. Still, these lists aren’t exactly efficient ways. Gift Plan, an iPhone app from Glasshouse Apps, offers up a new and convenient way to not only craft your holiday lists, but maintain an ongoing record of what all your friends and family like and want for any special occasion. The application also makes its fairly painless to build your master gift recipient list by importing selected contacts and their birthdays, anniversaries and profile photos from Facebook. Of course, you can manually add contacts and import birthdays from your phone’s address book to complete your recipient gift list. As you do, you can stop to edit the profile for each person and add or replace a photo, specify a new occasion, jot down some gift ideas, note likes, specify sizes and list out previously purchased items. Should you make the effort, the end result will be a rich gift profile on each of your friends, which will not only make it easier to shop in the short term but will also serve as a permanent record you can reference for future occasions. Gift Plan’s strongest quality apart from its practical utility is its colorful design. The application’s use of photos brightens the entire experience. The slick interface is not without its quirks, but we love a number of the subtle design touches that are sprinkled thoughout the app. Occasions are sorted by date with color-coded labels highlighting the number of days until the birthday or holiday, for instance. Plus, for each idea you can tap the shopping basket or gift icons to automatically add an idea to your list or mark it and save it as bought respectively. We also quite like that you can visually navigate the image-centric gift profiles with a swipe of the finger. One drawback to Gift Plan is you’ll have to fork over $1.99 to buy the application [iTunes link]. We’d also love to see Glasshouse Apps work in deeper integration with Facebook and pull in contacts’ “Likes.” Still, we find this iPhone application to be an almost perfect gift list builder that makes planning around holiday and birthday shopping rather enjoyable. Occasions Profile Ideas Shopping List Calendar Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark, a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today. Reviews: Facebook, iPhone More About: facebook, gift plan, Gifts, glasshouse apps, holiday shopping For more Startups coverage: Follow Mashable Startups on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Startups channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

The Top iPhone & iPad Apps of the Year Posted: 09 Dec 2010 08:51 PM PST With more than 300,000 applications for iOS devices, Apple’s iTunes App Store is a marketplace of enormous proportion. Apple has released its annual iTunes Rewind feature and named its apps of the year, which makes this the perfect time to reflect on the apps that have managed to best the competition and rise to the top of the charts this year. Apple named Flipboard its iTunes Rewind 2010 iPad app of the year and selected Hipstamatic as its favorite app for iPhone. These applications have the distinction of being hand-selected by Apple, which comes with the added bonus of being featured prominently in the app store. On the performance side of things, we’ve listed out all of the top achievers below by device and category, but one huge standout is Angry Birds — the wildly popular iOS app made five out of six top ten lists. Plants vs. Zombies was also a repeat winner and is listed as a top grossing iPhone and iPad app and a bestselling iPhone app. Facebook for iPhone beat out every other free iPhone application in the market. The app’s dominance speaks to the social network’s mobile growth, and is especially interesting considering that Facebook seems to be missing an opportunity to reign supreme on the iPad by not developing an application for that device as well. In it’s place, the third-party-developed Friendly Plus for Facebook was a top paid iPad app this year. Apple’s own iPad applications faired quite nicely. iBooks was the free iPad app of the year, and Pages and Numbers made the top three for both the grossing and paid categories as well. Other notables include Netflix as the number three free iPad app, Wolfram Alpha as a top paid iPad app and Doodle Jump, which made the highest grossing and bestselling lists for iPhone. Top iOS Apps o the Year Top 10 Free iPad Apps 1. iBooks 2. Pandora Radio 3. Netflix 4. Google Mobile App 5. Solitaire 6. Movies by Flixster–with Rotten Tomatoes 7. IMDb Movies & TV 8. Kindle 9. Google Earth 10.Virtuoso Piano Free 2 HD Top 10 Paid iPad Apps 1. Pages 2. GoodReader for iPad 3. Numbers 4. Angry Birds HD 5. Keynote 6. Glee Karaoke 7. WolframAlpha 8. Pinball HD 9. Friendly Plus for Facebook 10. Star Walk for iPad Top 10 Grossing iPad Apps 1. Pages 2. Numbers 3. Keynote 4. LogMeIn Ignition 5. SCRABBLE for iPad 6. Documents To Go Premium–Office Suite 7. Angry Birds HD 8. Real Racing HD 9. Plants vs. Zombies HD 10. Proloquo2Go Top 10 Free iPhone Apps 1. Facebook 2. Angry Birds Lite 3. Words With Friends Free 4. Skype 5. Tap Tap Revenge 3 6. The Weather Channel 7. Paper Toss 8. Bing 9. ROCK BAND FREE 10. Talking Tom Cat Top 10 Paid iPhone Apps 1. Angry Birds 2. Doodle Jump 3. Skee-Ball 4. Bejeweled 2 + Blitz 5. Fruit Ninja 6. Cut the Rope 7. ALL-IN-1 GAMEBOX 8. The Moron Test 9. Plants vs. Zombies 10. Pocket God Top 10 Grossing iPhone Apps 1. MLB.com At Bat 2010 2. Angry Birds 3. Call of Duty: Zombies 4. Bejeweled 2 + Blitz 5. FriendCaller 3 Pro 6. Zombie Farm 7. TomTom U.S.A. 8. TETRIS 9. Plants vs. Zombies 10. Doodle Jump Image courtesy of Flickr, spieri_sf Reviews: Angry Birds, Apps, Bing, DOODLE JUMP , Facebook, Flickr, Flixster, Google Earth, Google Mobile App, Rotten Tomatoes, Skype, Tap Tap Revenge, iPhone, pages, scrabble More About: angry birds, apple, iOS, ipad apps, iphone apps For more Mobile coverage: Follow Mashable Mobile on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Mobile channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

Were You Naughty or Nice on Facebook This Year? [APP] Posted: 09 Dec 2010 08:02 PM PST Looking for a way to figure out whether or not you’re worthy of that Kindle this holiday season? Well, there’s an app for that… on Facebook. Honda unleashed its “NaughtyOrNice-a-tron” Facebook app today. It analyzes a user’s Facebook activity, including status updates, comments and likes, focusing on language usage and key behaviors, to determine if he or she has been naughty or nice on the world’s largest social network. The NaughtyOrNice-a-tron Facebook app is part of Honda’s seventh annual “Happy Honda Days” campaign, which promotes its end-of-year sales event. This year, Honda’s goal with the campaign is to “communicate unbridled holiday happiness.” We think the NaughtyOrNice-a-tron app is a nice addition and does just that. Testing out the app, I couldn’t help but remember all the good times I had this year — as the algorithm trucked away, it showcased comments and status updates that sparked delightful moments for me. I really got a chuckle, for example, when it scanned through a status update I posted after my iPhone mistakenly auto-corrected “going” for “Google.” Evil auto correct. The app deemed that to be a “nice” moment for me (coded in the color green). I have to admit that it did indeed make me smile that day I texted a friend to apparently say that I was “Google crazy.” It’s sort of sad that I may actually type “Google” more than “going.” If a piece of naughty data is discovered on your Facebook profile, it appears with a red filter over it. Surprisingly, the app deemed me to be completely nice… not a naughty bone in me. But I found another Facebooker who wasn’t found to be such a goody two-shoes: After a thorough scan, the app pumps out your results — as you can see below, I’m definitely worthy of a Kindle this year (hint, hint, Santa). Apparently, a few of my friends are, too — the results page also includes the results for your friends who have scanned their own profiles. This isn’t the first time Honda has utilized social media to promote its latest initiatives. In August, the car company advertised on virtual billboards in Car Town, a Facebook game. And it also launched its “Everybody Knows Somebody Who Loves a Honda” Facebook app last year, which encourages users to help Honda prove its theory that everyone does indeed know somebody who loves a Honda. Of course, social media isn’t always rainbows and butterflies — Honda has received some backlash along the way, but luckily has been able to manage it with panache. What do you think of Honda’s new Facebook app and its previous attempts to engage Facebook users? Let us know what you think in the comments, and don’t forget to check out if you’ve been naughty or nice on Facebook this year! Reviews: Facebook, Google, iPhone More About: facebook, Facebook app, facebook application, facebook applications, honda, naughty or nice For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

Tablet Sales Expected to Quadruple by 2012 [REPORT] Posted: 09 Dec 2010 06:07 PM PST The burgeoning tablet market — buoyed by the iPad — really started to take shape in 2010. According to a new report from eMarketer, tablet sales are expected to increase more than 400% by 2012. eMarketer estimates that more than 81.3 million tablets will be sold in 2012, up from the estimated 15.7 million units sold worldwide in 2010. Much of that growth, like the entire tablet boom, is expected to be fueled by the iPad. eMarketer estimates that the iPad currently represents 85% of tablet sales in 2010 and while the firm believes Apple’s marketshare will dip in the coming 24 months, it will continue to lead the category. The report suggests that in 2012, the iPad could sell more than 56.1 million units and represent 69% of total tablet sales. These are bold predictions, especially as competitors line up to take Apple head-on in the space. Still, with the rapid adoption that the iPad is already seeing across a variety of different industries, the iOS app ecosystem could conceivably remain a big draw. The study also estimates that the tablet boom will continue to expand worldwide. eMarketer estimates that 62% of tablet sales in 2010 are from the U.S. By 2012, that share is expected to drop to 50%. Obviously all predictions are just that — predictions — but we feel pretty certain that the iPad and the tablet market itself, will continue to be hot tech topics well into 2012. Were you surprised by the tablet explosion this year? More About: emarketer, ipad, study, tablet sales, tablets For more Business coverage: Follow Mashable Business on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Business channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

Google Testing New Location-Based Marketing Platform in Portland Posted: 09 Dec 2010 04:31 PM PST Google is rolling out a new advertising and marketing platform for local businesses, and this time, it’s all starting in Portland. You may recall that earlier this month, Google launched a social, Yelp-like service for consumers. Dubbed Hotpot, the service was based on data from Google Places, but it brought an entirely new, user-friendly interface and recommendation engine. At the time, we noted that Google had beat Facebook to the punch in launching location-based recommendations; we wondered which company would be most aggressive on places-based marketing. While Google has already dipped its toes into location ads within Google Maps and Search (and with special programs like Boost, its Hotpot marketing scheme is something entirely new. Here’s the original Hotpot interface. Just like Yelp does, Google will be sending businesses window decals and kits. According to Bernardo Hernandez, Google’s director of emerging marketing, “These kits are a multi-flavored sampler of marketing materials that can help businesses get even more exposure, get them rated and reviewed online and get more customers through their door.” The samplers will include basic cards and stickers as well as “high-tech, Google-ized goodies.” Portland business owners can request a kit if they’ve linked their business to a Places page. The most important part of the kit, according to Google, is the "Recommended on Google" window sticker pictured above. The sticker has Near Field Communications (NFC) technology built in, so many smartphone users will be able to touch their phones to the sticker and instantly receive more information about the business. “Suddenly stickers are cool again!” writes Hernandez. While we’re of the opinion that stickers are and will be perennially cool, we do think the NFC tech twist is a neat trick. In addition to the stickers, Google is also testing out some community events and competitions around Hotpot. We look forward to seeing the results of Hotpot marketing — and eventually, we’d like to see numbers on Hotpot, itself. Do you and your friends and neighbors use Hotpot yet? More About: Google, hotpot, location, MARKETING, trending For more Business coverage: Follow Mashable Business on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Business channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

Twitter Celebrates 100 Million New Accounts in 2010 [INFOGRAPHIC] Posted: 09 Dec 2010 04:07 PM PST Twitter has seen a phenomenal amount of growth over the past year. In fact, the company claims more than 100 million new accounts were opened in 2010. To celebrate, the startup has created an infographic showing off some of the most notable new accounts from this year. It’s quite a motley crew; celebs such as Billy Idol, Tiger Woods, Sylvester Stalone and Cher rub digital elbows with world leaders, including the Dalai Lama, Donald Rumsfeld and Queen Noor of Jordan. The resulting infographic is a small slice of Twitter’s class of 2010, but it represents the growing diversity and popularity of the still-young platform. Around the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010, many folks were discouraged by the apparent flatline in Twitter’s growth stats. But even as Twitter.com saw less meteoric traffic growth, the number of tweets sent each month was still on the rise. What quickly realized is that Twitter, by releasing a slew of official mobile apps, affected significant growth in mobile traffic andsignups. In fact, this past September, Twitter co-founder Ev Williams said that since the mobile rollout began four months earlier, the company had seen a 62% spike in mobile usage of the service. At that time, he also said around 16% of all new accounts were created from a mobile device. Who were your favorite new Twitter account holders from the past year? In the comments, tell us how you have seen Twitter’s membership grow or change in 2010. Click to see full infographic. Reviews: Twitter More About: 2010, growth, twitter, yearinreview For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

MySpace Introduces “Hijacks” With the Black Eyed Peas Posted: 09 Dec 2010 03:23 PM PST The Black Eyed Peas have taken over MySpace in an effort to improve its social entertainment offerings. Hijacks is a project that involves allowing celebrities — like the aforementioned Peas — to “take over” MySpace. Fans will have the opportunity to learn more about these celebrities’ particular interests, while also receiving access to new products and exclusive content. So in the case of the Black Eyed Peas’s MySpace Hijack, fans can do things like play a new 8-bit game, view the band’s featured playlist and learn more about chanteuse Fergie’s love of Italian fashion house Emilio Pucci. Non-MySpace users will be able to view some of the content from the hijack, but actual MySpace membership is necessary to receive access to items like a limited edition Black Eyed Peas badge. This promotion is taking place just a little more than a week after the Black Eyed Peas released their last disc, The Beginning. Next week, Jack Black will take over with his own hijack for three days, shortly before his next film, Gulliver’s Travels, hits theaters. More as-yet-unannounced celebrities and musicians will be participating in the program in 2011. MySpace SVP Sam Wick says Hijack is designed to use the “power of celebrities” — especially global ones — to introduce the social network’s audience to a deeper content experience. He views it as a chance for users to check out the site’s new content hubs and topic pages. “The way we think about it is, in essence, as the virtual equivalent of Saturday Night Live,” Wick says, pointing out that celebrities typically do such programs in order to promote a project. “But it’s really a personification of who they are — and we look at it in the same way. So the artist is really deeply involved in the programming aspects of Hijack itself.” The program’s being promoted both on MySpace and off — for instance, anyone visiting the Black Eyed Peas Facebook Page will view a tab informing them about Hijack. Wick says a number of celebrities, like Chris Brown, have tweeted out information as well. Hijack has launched just a little more than a month after MySpace first announced plans for a completely overhauled design, with the intention of being "the leading entertainment destination that is socially powered by the passions of fans and curators." Reviews: MySpace, chris brown More About: black eyed peas, jack black, myspace, myspace hijack For more Entertainment coverage: Follow Mashable Entertainment on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Entertainment channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

Play Secret Santa With Your Twitter Network Posted: 09 Dec 2010 02:37 PM PST If Secret Santa gifts weren’t an option at your office this year, you can still participate in the holiday tradition — on Twitter. The Great Twitter Secret Santa pairs you up with another Twitter user you’re following or who follows you to be their Secret Santa. The sign-up is open until tomorrow. On December 13, participants will receive their match and can then mail a Secret Santa gift to his or her assigned match. Regan Meador, co-founder of the site, says the idea came from a discussion about taking old traditions and giving them a digital twist. “Initially it was for fun. As we’ve watched it grow it’s become a great social experiment to observe,” Meador says. To participate, fill out a short form with your contact information (address or e-mail address), and your favorite color, favorite childhood gift, etc. to give the person you get paired with an idea for a gift. Jason DeRoner, one of the three developers who worked to build the site, said some people even choose to exchange the gift in person. “That’s the beauty of it, it’s all dependent upon the individual’s Twitter network,” DeRoner said. The app does require that other people in your Twitter network participate to work, but getting your followers to join in is easy. As you can see below, no one in our network is participating yet. But we are more than happy to offer a present to whomever we are matched up with! Reviews: Twitter More About: Holidays, secret santa, social media, twitter For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

What’s Hot This Week in Social Media Posted: 09 Dec 2010 12:47 PM PST Welcome to this week's edition of "What's Hot in Social Media," a series in which we revisit the week’s most popular stories concerning social networks. We're keeping our eye on five interesting developments this Thursday. Hackers Take Down Visa, PayPal, MasterCard & More A group of anonymous hackers took down a number of websites in the name of WikiLeaks for several hours Wednesday, including those of Visa, Mastercard, Swiss bank PostFinance, PayPal, Senator Joe Lieberman and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, all of which had recently terminated service with or criticized the organization in some way. All sites appear to be up and running at this time, although we’ve received word that attacks against Amazon and PayPal are currently being carried out. Twitter Accused of Censoring WikiLeaks Following numerous accusations that Twitter has been purposely keeping WikiLeaks and related terms out of its Trending Topics list, a spokesperson for the microblogging service issued a more thorough explanation of how Trending Topics are determined. In essence: Twitter favors novelty over popularity. Facebook Unveils New Profiles Facebook unveiled new profile pages late Sunday, just hours before Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared on 60 Minutes. Tumblr Struggles Under 24-Hour Outage Popular blogging platform Tumblr returned to the web Tuesday after more than 24 hours offline during a planned maintenance gone awry. The exact reasons for the outage are unknown. Disney Celebrates 100 Million Facebook Fans The Walt Disney Company hit a major marketing milestone at around 8 p.m. PT Saturday night: 100 million Facebook Likes across its more than 200 official brand, property and character Pages. Reviews: Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Wikileaks, pages More About: disney, facebook, tumblr, twitter, wikileaks For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

Foursquare Unveils New Version of API Posted: 09 Dec 2010 12:21 PM PST Foursquare is taking the training wheels off a much-enhanced version of its API and making it publicly available to developers today. The startup has been fine tuning the new version — “APIv2″ as Foursquare calls it — for more than a year with a particular focus on speed, consistency and clarity. Foursquare has dropped support for XML to make its server more responsive, updated to OAuth2 to make it easier and more secure for users connecting to Foursquare through third-party services, and added much-requested new endpoints for fetching user badges, venue histories, and venue popularity. Here’s how Foursquare describes the new API to developers: “The foursquare APIv2 gives you access to all of the data used by the Foursquare mobile applications, and, in some cases, even more. Integrate checking in or viewing checkins into your application, build tools to help users use or visualize their own history, experiment with new ways of displaying badges, leverage our uniquely rich information about venues or do things we haven’t even thought of yet.” If you want to see the new API in action, look no further than the new Foursquare for Android application released a few days ago; it’s said to be the first Foursquare client built entirely off of the new API. The application supports a more streamlined approach to checkins and is deeply integrated with the Android operating system. The first version of API was publicly released just more than a year ago. Since then, a number of businesses have tapped the API to add location features to their applications. Instagram, for instance, uses the API to allow users to add places to photos and to check in with each mobile photo update. Most recently, Gowalla even updated its iPhone application to integrate with the rival location-based service. Reviews: Android, Gowalla, foursquare More About: foursquare, foursquare api For more Dev & Design coverage: Follow Mashable Dev & Design on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Dev & Design channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

How Operation Payback Executes Its Attacks Posted: 09 Dec 2010 12:16 PM PST Over the last few days, companies like Visa, Mastercard, PayPal and Amazon.com have found themselves targets of coordinated distributed denial-of-service attacks, designed to force their websites and other infrastructure elements offline. The campaign, which is called “Operation Payback” (and is reportedly headed up by Anonymous), is targeting companies that have denied service to WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange. In essence, what is happening is that lots and lots of individuals are hammering specific websites with TCP or UDP packets or HTTP requests. There are only so many resources to go around, which means that with enough individuals involved, even large websites can be taken down very quickly. Most of the participants in Operation Payback are not hackers — at least not in the true sense of the word. Instead, these users are using computer programs — or more recently, simply visiting websites — in order to stage their attack. The tool being used to power these attacks is called LOIC (Low Orbit Ion Canon). This tool, which was purportedly originally created to stress test networks, is written in C# and can be downloaded off open source code repositories like Github and Sourceforge. LOIC can be used to target a website the user inputs, or using an option called Hive Mind, to connect to IRC or even Twitter, and grab information for a targeted web attack. Sophos’s Naked Security blog and Mark Hofman at the Internet Storm Center have more technical write-ups on how the program actually works. Because C# will only work on Windows computers out of the box (Mac and Linux users have to install additional libraries and do extra configuration), a Java port of LOIC also exists. One-Click DDoS Attack The most recent variant of LOIC is a new proof of concept that is floating around called JS LOIC. The “JS” in the title stands for JavaScript. This proof of concept, which doesn’t appear to have as many features as LOIC or Java LOIC — and may also be easier to stop — is actually pretty clever. Rather than requiring a user download program to run, someone can just visit a web page with a single HTML file and press a button to carry out their part of an attack. On the one hand, the trick of using JavaScript to carry out this kind of flooding attack is pretty clever. On the other hand, it’s also pretty scary. From what we can gather, the majority of the attacks on Operation Payback targets are not coming from web clients. However, that could change. We would caution users against clicking on any links claiming to aid in this series of attacks. Not only is willfully participating in a DDoS illegal in many countries, you never know what is behind the file you download or what action clicking on that web button could trigger. As with many other aspects of the WikiLeaks saga, the distributed and de-centralized nature of the Internet means that shutting down all mirrors for documents — or even for attack tools — is an exercise in futility. Reviews: Internet, Linux, Wikileaks, Windows More About: anonymous, ddos, loic, operation payback, wikileaks For more Tech coverage: Follow Mashable Tech on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Tech channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

Join Baratunde Thurston & Eclectic Method at the Mashable Awards Posted: 09 Dec 2010 12:05 PM PST To celebrate this year’s Mashable Awards winners, we invite you to join us at the 2011 International CES Convention Week in Las Vegas. Kicking off the opening night of CES on Thursday, January 6, 2011, we’re pleased to announce that comedian Baratunde Thurston, The Onion’s Director of Digital, will host the Mashable Awards Gala at the Cirque du Soleil Zumanity theater at the New York New York hotel and will feature special Cirque du Soleil Zumanity performances, as well as the DJ/VJ stylings of remix masters Eclectic Method. Mashable’s Pete Cashmore, Adam Ostrow, Adam Hirsch, Ben Parr, Christina Warren and special guest presenters will join Thurston and Eclectic Method in announcing and celebrating this year’s winners. There are a limited number of tickets still available. Use the code CESticket for 20% off General Admission or VIP tickets. The Mashable Awards Gala at Cirque du Soleil Zumanity (Vegas) In partnership with Cirque du Soleil, The Mashable Awards Gala event will bring together the winners and nominees, the Mashable community, partners, media, the marketing community, consumer electronics and technology brands, and attendees from the 2011 International CES Convention to Las Vegas on Thursday, January 6, 2011. Together, we will celebrate the winners and the community of the Mashable Awards at the Cirque du Soleil Zumanity stage in the beautiful New York New York Hotel. The event will include acts and performances from our partner Cirque du Soleil Zumanity. In addition, there will be special guest presenters and appearances. Date: Thursday, January 6, 2011 (during International CES Convention week) Time: 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. PT Location: Cirque du Soleil Zumanity, New York New York Hotel, Las Vegas Agenda: Networking, Open Bars, Acts, Surprises and the Mashable Awards Gala presentations Socialize: Facebook, Foursquare, Meetup, Plancast, Twitter (Hashtag: #MashableAwards) Thanks to Our Sponsors Mashable Awards Gala Partner: From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is now a global entertainment organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has over 5,000 employees, including more than 1,200 artists from close to 50 different countries. Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to nearly 100 million spectators in 300 cities on five continents. In 2010 Cirque du Soleil, will present 21 shows simultaneously throughout the world, including seven in Las Vegas. For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com. 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The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford, please visit http://facebook.com/ford. LG Electronics is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances, employing more than 84,000 people working in 115 operations including 84 subsidiaries around the world. With 2008 global sales of $44.7 billion, LG comprises of five business units – Home Entertainment, Mobile Communications, Home Appliance, Air Conditioning and Business Solutions. In the United States, LG Electronics sells a range of stylish and innovative home entertainment products, mobile phones, home appliances and business solutions, all under LG's "Life's Good" marketing theme. For more information, please visit www.lg.com. Mashable Awards Partner: Join us at the 2011 International CES®, the global platform for inspired ideas and innovation. With 2,500 exhibitors, CES continues to be the world's largest consumer technology tradeshow and always reflects the dynamic consumer electronics industry. The International CES is not open to the general public and all attendees must be in the CE industry to be eligible to attend the show. Register FREE for the 2011 CES with priority code MSHB, an exclusive promotion for Mashable Readers. Mashable Awards Category Sponsor, Gala Silver Sponsor and After Party Sponsor: Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform and the new BlackBerry PlayBook. For the latest on the BlackBerry PlayBook visit the Inside BlackBerry Blog. Mashable Awards Category Sponsor: Win an iPad! Join us on Facebook to learn how to enter Dynadot's I Can Haz iPad Giveaway! Dynadot is an ICANN accredited domain name registrar and web host where you can register the perfect domain name affordably, reliably, simply and securely. Whether you are a blogger, business owner, or planning on creating the next best Internet meme you need a domain that represents you. Let Dynadot help you establish your web identity today. Mobile Future is a broad-based coalition of businesses, non-profit organizations and individuals interested in and dedicated to advocating for an environment in which innovations in wireless technology and services are enabled and encouraged. Our mission is to educate the public and key decision makers on innovations in the wireless industry that have transformed the way Americans work and play and to advocate continued investment in wireless technologies. Our "Mobile Year in Review 2010″ animation launching this December will prove a glimpse into the most notable breakthroughs in the wireless industry this year. Yahoo! is an innovative technology company that operates the largest digital media, content, and communications business in the world. Yahoo! keeps more than half a billion consumers worldwide connected to what matters to them most, and delivers powerful audience solutions to advertisers through its unique combination of Science + Art + Scale. Yahoo! is proud to sponsor this Mashable Award because Yahoo! is focused on connecting individuals to a community of millions so they can change the world together. That's How Good Grows at Yahoo!. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. For more information, visit the company's blog, Yodel Anecdotal. Mashable Awards Gala Silver Sponsor: Aro Mobile is an intelligent mobile experience that includes better email, connected contacts, smarter calendar and improved browsing. The Aro system automatically learns what's important in your life—the people, places, dates and organizations you care about most. In your communications, Aro automatically identifies people, places, events, dates,organizations and locations. From any recognized term, Aro offers quick action menus to speed up your day. The unique Aro experience is powered by advanced web services: next generation natural language processing and semantic data analytics services. Aro gives you the power to see through the clutter and focus your mobile life. Mashable Awards Gala VIP Lounge sponsor: Influxis specializes in the deployment of creative streaming solutions. Services include large scale deployment, mobile streaming, turn-key applications, and enterprise support with custom network options. With the unique combination of a worldwide network, knowledgeable developer support and nearly a decade of streaming media experience, Influxis is an essential partner to businesses, advertisers, developers, educators, and others who seek expertise in innovative streaming. Reviews: Facebook, Foursquare, Internet, Mashable, Twitter More About: Baratunde Thurston, eclectic method, mashable awards, open web, social media For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

How the World Googled in 2010 Posted: 09 Dec 2010 12:04 PM PST Shortly after Yahoo released its list of the year’s top searches, Google has announced the results of its annual zeitgeist report, revealing the most popular search terms of 2010 by region and worldwide. The search giant analyzed billions of searches performed in 2010 and compared them with searches from 2009 to surface emerging trends. Chatroulette, the iPad and Justin Bieber were the three fastest-rising search terms in 2010; Twitter and Facebook also made the list, at numbers eight and 10, respectively. Among the items of interest that lost the world’s attention in 2010 were swine flu, Stephanie Meyer’s novel (and the accompanying movie) Twilight: New Moon, Susan Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire, “MySpace layouts” and Michael Jackson. The iPad was the emergent search winner in the consumer electronics category, followed by the iPhone 4, Nokia 5530, HTC EVO 4G and Nokia N900. In terms of news searches, Haiti proved the most popular, followed by Turkish sports club Besiktas, Chile, “earthquake,” Lady Gaga and the iPhone 4. The Gulf of Mexico oil spill ranked 10th. If you’re interested in learning more about what consumers searched for on Google in 2010, check out the company’s microsite, which includes tools to help you dig deeper into the data. For a more general overview of the year, I’d suggest watching the video above. Reviews: Facebook, Google, MySpace, Twitter, twilight More About: 2010, Google, google search, trending, Zeitgeist For more Tech coverage: Follow Mashable Tech on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Tech channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

The 10 Most Innovative Viral Video Ads of 2010 Posted: 09 Dec 2010 12:01 PM PST Josh Warner is president and founder of Feed Company, which promotes and distributes brand videos, including campaigns such as Levi’s “Backflip,” Ray-Ban’s “Catch” and Activision’s “Bike Hero.” In four years, Feed has seeded more than 200 videos across the social web. Everybody loves viral videos. That’s why they’re “viral.” Ad agencies have been trying, in their own way, to replicate the success of viral videos to help their campaigns get exposure and new fans. While some may miss the mark, there are some truly great and innovative viral video ads out there. For this year’s top innovative viral video ads, advertisers and ad agencies split their goodness between web specific videos and great TV ads that did well online. Regardless of origin, the top 10 videos share several traits worth noting. Every creator knows his or her audience well and what executions appeal to them most. The videos are also inclusive in tone, making you feel like you’re a part of the brand’s message and experience. This positive, inclusive tone and tight content/audience match make this year’s social videos worth sharing. Let us know your favorites in the comments below. 1. NSFW. A Hunter Shoots A Bear! Click HERE for the full interactive experience. Advertiser: Tipp-Ex Ad Agency: Buzzman Why It Works: What if you were a hunter and had to choose between shooting a bear or dancing with it? With a seemingly infinite number of responses to anything clever or dirty you might think of, this video from Tipp-Ex, a white-out tape, takes choose-your-own-adventure style videos to a whole new level. A distinctly old-school product does something brand new on the YouTube platform. 2. Embrace Life Advertiser: Sussex Safer Roads Partnership Ad Agency: Alexander Commercials Why It Works: One of the most innovative videos of the year is a British PSA that encourages people to wear a seat belt. You expect it to be boring, right? But it takes your breath away with simplicity and emotion. It is a welcome respite from traditional scare-tactic PSA’s. 3. Guy Walks Across America Advertiser: Levi Strauss & Co. Ad Agency: Conscious Minds Productions Why It Works: Walking across America should take more than two minutes but this imaginative stop-motion-film from Levi’s definitely makes you want it to last even longer. The 2,770 still photos of a hipster footing it through America’s byways and landmarks clearly strike patriotic chords for a country in search of good news. It even comes with a Google map that traces the route of the filmmakers. 4. Old Spice Responses Advertiser: Procter & Gamble Ad Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Why It Works: Not having this as our number one ad is the same reason why you pick someone other than Arcade Fire as your favorite band. It’s just too obvious. But Isaiah Mustafa is, hands-down, this year’s social superstar along with W + K for the Old Spice response videos. All 200+ of them. 5. The Puma Hardchorus Advertiser: Puma Ad Agency: Droga5 Why It Works: Millions of men had to choose between soccer and their loved one when major matches fell on Valentine’s Day this year. So Puma put the toughest European footballers in a video to sing a romantic song that would help soccer fans out of their scheduling jam — a brilliant example of doing something nice for your customers. Take a look at the video comments on YouTube for a peek into the psyche of European football. 6. Google Chrome Speed Tests Advertiser: Google Ad Agency: BBH Why It Works: This video shows a race between Google Chrome loading a web page and a potato getting shot through a gun on its way to becoming a French fry. It’s a video for everyone that’s sick of waiting for web pages to load in their browser, which is, well, everyone. 7. Swagger Wagon Advertiser: Toyota Sienna Ad Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi LA Why It Works: One of the best ways to find an audience online is to know exactly who you’re looking for — and then make them feel good. Toyota and its ad agency did both with a video that makes any parent in search of a minivan feel cool and hip. 8. There’s A Soldier In All Of Us Advertiser: Activision Ad Agency: TBWA\Chiat\Day Why It Works: Kobe Bryant and Jimmy Kimmel join us regular folk (the concierge, short-order cook, businesswoman) in playing real-life soldiers in this spot for Activision’s “Call of Duty: Black Ops” video game. The video’s inclusive message does a great job showing us the new game is for everyone. 9. Write the Future Advertiser: Nike Football Ad Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Why It Works: This epic video takes you through make-or-break moments of three soccer greats and how their lives change either way. Shot by Mexican director Alejandro Inarritu (“Babel”), it got millions of web views in its first week and was a great promotion for both the FIFA 2010 World Cup and Nike. 10. Master of Business Card Throwing Advertiser: Samsung Ad Agency: The Viral Factory Why It Works: Viral video trick ads are dated, but this execution for Samsung’s new digital camcorder makes you want to toss business cards for a living. You can’t watch it without trying to do it yourself, or at least film it. Hopefully with a Samsung Digital Camcorder H205. Thanks to Matt Koskela for research assistance. More Video Resources from Mashable: - HOW TO: Become a YouTube Sensation - HOW TO: Start Your Own Internet Talk Show - 4 People Who Let the Crowd Control Their Destiny - 3 Things Any Video Needs to Go Viral - 10 Memorable Viral Videos of 2010 Image courtesy of iStockphoto, cybrain Reviews: Google, Google Chrome, World Cup, YouTube, iStockphoto More About: ad agency, ads, advertisements, List, Lists, MARKETING, social media, trending, video marketing, viral, viral video, web video, youtube For more Web Video coverage: Follow Mashable Web Video on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Web Video channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

Who’s Using Twitter? [REPORT] Posted: 09 Dec 2010 11:02 AM PST The Pew Center is out with a new report that focuses on Twitter usage in the U.S., and it reveals that 6% of the entire U.S. adult population uses Twitter. Young adults ages 18 to 29, minority groups — 13% black and 18% Hispanic — and urban dwellers are among the groups with the highest level of Twitter use. The report reveals that women and those with college educations are also slightly more likely than other groups to tweet. One-quarter of Twitter users check the service multiple times per day to see others’ tweets, while one in five never look for new updates. Here are some select statistics about the actual tweets that are going out there: 72% of Twitter users say they post updates about their personal life, activities or interests. 62% post work-related updates. 55% use Twitter to share links to news stories. 53% use the service to retweet others’ material. 40% use the service to share photos with others, while 28% use it to share videos. 24% tweet their location. The report was compiled as a result of multiple surveys: Data on overall Twitter usage and demographics is from the Pew Internet Project’s November 2010 tracking survey. Information on how often people use Twitter, as well as the topics they post about, were from two October 2010 surveys. According to the center, this is the first time it has conducted research that focuses solely on Twitter users. This is because Pew typically looks into general online activities, as opposed to particular brands. So in most instances, the center’s research has involved asking Internet users if they “used Twitter or another service to share updates about yourself or to see updates about others?” In August 2008, 6% of Internet users answered “yes.” By September 2010, the number had changed to 24% — but some analysts and readers assumed this pertained to Twitter users alone. This is what led researchers to decide that Twitter usage was worthy of being examined on its own. As we enter 2011, it will be interesting to see if Twitter remains an entity worth studying in an extensive manner. Reviews: Internet, Twitter More About: Pew Center, twitter For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

Google Launches Tool to Get Companies to Back Up Their E-mails With Gmail Posted: 09 Dec 2010 10:50 AM PST Google has just launched Message Continuity, a cloud-based enterprise solution for backing up corporate e-mail whenever Microsoft Exchange goes down. The new product, powered by Google’s 2007 acquisition of Postini, focuses on giving companies another access point to their e-mail accounts. It essentially creates a complete backup copy of Microsoft Exchange Servers and puts those e-mails into a Google Apps account, replicating that information within Gmail, Calendar and Contacts. The hope is that when a company’s e-mail servers go down, it will be able to boot up Google’s cloud-based solution and continue its work without interruption. Google and Exchange are constantly synced to make sure Message Continuity is up-to-date. And because it’s cloud-based, the only way it goes down is if Google goes down. It’s also a not-so-sneaky attempt by the search giant to get enterprises to switch from Outlook to Gmail. “Since Microsoft Exchange and Gmail are always in sync with one another, there's no need to migrate e-mail data when eventually deploying Google Apps,” the company said in its blog post. Google acquired Postini in 2007 for $625 million for its cloud-based e-mail technology. It’s the basis for some of Google’s cloud security features. Images courtesy of iStockphoto, bluestocking, Pablo631, Qoqazian Reviews: Google, gmail, iStockphoto More About: gmail, Google, google apps, Google Message Continuity, microsoft, Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Exchange Server For more Business coverage: Follow Mashable Business on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Business channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

YouTube Increases Upload Time Limit Even More Posted: 09 Dec 2010 10:22 AM PST Impossibly long videos featuring cats repeatedly slamming into mirrors are about to get even longer, as YouTube has announced that it’s extending its upload time limit. According to the YouTube blog, those users who have a history of complying with the YouTube Community Guidelines and copyright rules will no longer be constrained by the 15-minute upload limit. YouTube doesn’t specify how long the upload limit will be, just that users can click the "Upload" button at the top of the site to see their accounts qualify. In July, YouTube increased its upload time limit from 10 to 15 minutes, stating that it had been beefing up its copyright protection tools, i.e. the Content ID system (which lets copyright holders have more control over their content), making it less likely that users could upload large chunks of movies and TV shows without permission. The newly extended limit is also a result of advances in the video-sharing site’s copyright tools. Reviews: YouTube More About: video, youtube For more Web Video coverage: Follow Mashable Web Video on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Web Video channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

7 Tips for Building a Better Branded App Posted: 09 Dec 2010 10:15 AM PST This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business. At this point, many companies recognize that developing a branded mobile app can be an asset. Unfortunately, fewer of them understand how to best leverage this new channel in order to benefit their brand. "We were inundated with requests that were like, ‘We need an app because somebody within an organization says we need an iPhone app or we need an Android app,’ ” says Anthony Franco, the president and co-founder of app development agency EffectiveUI. “The conversations are sometimes a little awkward because we asked the very simple question, ‘Why?’ And there was this struggle, and there's still a little bit of struggle with articulating the reason behind the mobile app." In order to better articulate the factors that should drive mobile app development, EffectiveUI recently commissioned a Harris Interactive survey of 781 online adults who downloaded mobile apps. As the company suspected, the study found that 38% of mobile app users weren’t satisfied with the apps available from their favorite brands. Franco recently chatted with us about how brands can avoid contributing to this group of unsatisfied mobile app users. 1. A Mobile App Is Not a Marketing Campaign If your goal is merely to make your brand visible, advertising networks are a better outlet for your marketing campaign than a mobile app. Only 18% of respondents in the study said that they even considered whether an app was from a brand name company when deciding to download it. Even your most loyal customers won’t download an app unless it does something useful for them. When a major credit card company recently tried to build a social network around its brand on a mobile app, for instance, it crossed the line between what is appropriate for a mobile app and what is appropriate for a marketing campaign, said Franco. “[The mobile app] had nothing to do with their business really, other than to attract eyeballs,” he says. “And if you look at the reviews on that app, it's: ‘This is an obvious attempt at trying to market to me. It's a well-designed app, it's pretty, but all it is is about deals in my area trying to sell me something.’ Try to stick really closely to what your business does, and provide value." 2. A Branded App Is Not a Mobile Website Some companies that Franco has worked with have initially wanted to put all of their website features into their mobile apps. But that’s not what apps are intended for, Franco says. Seventy-three percent of mobile app users in the study agreed that they expect a company's mobile app to be easier to use than its website. Taking the top 10 features of a company’s website and moving them directly over to its mobile app, for example, just doesn’t work. The problem is that those 10 features may be useful on the web, but that usefulness may not translate when put on a mobile device. “[Customers] don't want the entire website on a mobile application. They want utility and a very defined set of features that are specifically designed for mobile use cases. Make it easier to use — make it less complex than your website." 3. A Branded App Should Provide Utility Seventy-five percent of survey respondents said that a mobile app should do exactly what they want or need it to do. "In other words, provide me utility,” Franco says. “Don't market to me. Provide me something to get something done.” There are quite a few utility-based branded apps out there. Chipotle, for example, has an app that allows you to order without waiting in line. One feature in the Starbucks app allows users to buy coffee with their phones. And Target recently introduced an iPad app that will make it easier for customers to shop during the holidays. 4. Focus on the User In order to understand what will appeal to your target users, it’s helpful to understand your target users. And a little research never hurt in contributing to this objective. Franco says that after the brand decides what kind of consumer it is targeting with its mobile app, the app developers should figure out a way to deepen their understanding of what that consumer wants. Sometimes it’s a matter of interviewing people on the street. Sometimes it’s going into people’s offices and watching how they use a website or software. “[A mobile app] has to be user-centered,” Franco says. “It has to come from a place of empathy for what the user wants to get done on their device. It can't be from a place of big creative, big think, big campaign, and hoping it's going to go viral. That's not what people want on their mobile devices." 5. Build Around Mobile Use Cases People accomplish some tasks on their phones. They prefer to do other tasks on a website or in some other way. It’s important to focus on the former category so that you don’t clutter your app with features that users won’t appreciate in a mobile setting. EffectiveUI cited the FedEx app, for instance, allows users to do four tasks: make a shipping label, track a package, find a FedEx location and get a quote. While the app leaves out a lot of features that are available on the company’s website, it focuses on tasks that people are likely to complete on their phones, while standing in line, on a train or during a break. 6. Think Twice Before Becoming a Game Developer While some brands like Barclaycard and Audi have had some success with branded mobile apps that are games, this strategy is a risky one. First, you’re entering the gaming business. There are a lot of companies that exclusively build games in the app store, and they’re pretty good at it. Competing can be tough. Second, it’s hard to determine the ROI for a game. Are they really engaging with your brand by, let’s say, navigating a character down a crazy waterslide? “If you want to [get] eyeballs, there are ad networks for that,” Franco says. “You're specifically going in and picking out a game that is relevant to your brand and saying, we want to sponsor that game. So instead of getting into the gaming business, stay in the marketing business if that's your goal. And sponsor other things. Or use the mobile ad platform.” 7. It’s Better to Have No Branded App Than a Mediocre One The EffectiveUI study found that 13% of people who had a bad experience with a branded app avoided downloading other apps from that brand because of it. That means that if you create an ineffective branded app, it will affect your future attempts at mobile applications as well. "The study basically says take this channel seriously,” Franco says. “And don't just treat it like a $60,000 microsite campaign. A bad microsite falls flat, and it's designed to go away in three months. A bad mobile application does lasting damage — it's there forever. So take it very seriously.” More Marketing Resources from Mashable: - 13 Branded Mobile Apps That Got It Right - HOW TO: Develop a Branded iPhone App on a Budget - 5 Musts for Mobile App Marketing - HOW TO: Build an App for Your Small Business - Social Media Marketing 101: In-House Team, Agency or Consultant? Image courtesy of Flickr, drinksmachine, ☃’, kevinthoule Reviews: Android, Flickr More About: Anthony Franco, app development, apps, branded app, business, EffectiveUI, List, Lists, MARKETING, mobile app, mobile apps, mobile marketing, small business For more Business coverage: Follow Mashable Business on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Business channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

Win a Holiday MashPack With 12 Tech Prizes & Ben Folds Tickets [GIVEAWAY] Posted: 09 Dec 2010 09:14 AM PST ‘Tis the season and Mashable has been getting into the holiday spirit by talking about this year’s most gift-worthy gadgets and inviting readers to get together at Mashable Holiday Meetups. Now we’re celebrating by giving you awesome social media and tech prizes. Every weekday for the next two weeks, we’ll give away a Holiday MashPack filled with at least 12 wish list items. A different grand prize will be added each day, getting bigger and better as we get further into the holiday season. Today’s grand prize is a pair of tickets to see Ben Folds in concert at the Beacon Theatre in New York City on December 14. You’ll find a list below detailing the 12 other fantastic prizes in today’s MashPack — and see information on how to win. Yesterday’s MashPack went to Katherine Lee from Charleston, SC. (Congratulations, Katherine!) For those who didn’t win yesterday, go ahead and try your luck today. Happy holidays from Mashable! How To Win Today’s MashPack Tweeting for today’s MashPack will end Friday, December 10 at 12 p.m. ET. Please use your real identity in the submission so that we may contact you via e-mail, Twitter or Facebook to let you know that you’ve won. We’ll contact the winner after the contest closes. At this time, the contest is limited to those 18 and older in the U.S. Pair of Ben Folds Tickets Today’s MashPack grand prize is a pair of tickets to Ben Folds show at the Beacon Theatre in New York City on December 14. Although Folds has been making music for decades, his name garnered new buzz on the web earlier this year when he was linked to Merton, the Chatroulette Piano Guy. Folds has performed “Odes to Merton” at concerts, but has assured Mashable in an interview that they are not the same person. The December 14 show caps off his East Coast tour and will feature music from Lonely Avenue, his latest collaboration with eminent English novelist Nick Hornby. The album is also included in today’s MashPack. Sony MHS-TS10 Bloggie Touch HD Camera Sony’s Bloggie Touch camera captures Full HD video and 12.8-megapixel still shots with the simple touch of its single record button. The large touch screen showcases your photos and videos, which are stored on built-in memory. Its size makes it readily available from your pocket or purse, and you can easily upload your photos and videos to your favorite social networking sites while you’re on the go. Griffin Technology PowerDockDual Your iPad and your iPhone (or your iPod) get seats of honor in PowerDock Dual’s built-in charging dock, while the valet dish is a resting place for your change, keys and whatever else might live in your pockets. It has an AC power supply with four international plug adapters, 10 watt (2 amp) charging for your iPad and 5 watt (1 amp) charging for your iPhone or iPod. The screens and speakers are unobstructed while the batteries get charged, so you can listen while you watch. It’s perfect side table entertainment! Griffin Technology AirCurve Play The AirCurve Play acoustically amplifies the speaker of your iPhone without batteries, cables or electricity. It collects the sound from the built-in speaker of your iPhone, amplifies it in a built-in coiled waveguide, and projects it out into the room. AirCurve’s transparent polycarbonate body lets you appreciate the waveguide’s graceful curves, inside, that do all the work. Its internal engineered waveguide requires no power, making it a perfectly portable audio/video conference phone, and self-contained music player and video viewer. Caseable Custom-Designed Mashable Laptop Case Caseable, a startup based right in Mashable HQ’s backyard — Brooklyn, New York, creates handmade, customized cases for just about any size laptop or tablet. You can get any look you’d like by handpicking your colors for each detail — even the zipper! Caseable made specialized 15-inch Mashable cases exclusively for our holiday MashPack winners. They’re quite snazzy, if we might say so ourselves. Picaboo Madison Photobook Picaboo photo books can be fully customized by dragging-and-dropping photos and captions anywhere on your pages. You have complete creative control with powerful-yet-simple editing options. The Madison’s heavyweight, archival quality lay-flat pages are ideal for highlighting panoramic, two-page spreads, and the paper's pearlescent sheen coating adds a luminous glow to your photos. The elegant custom cover features a photo of your choice under a protective laminate and a full-grain glove leather wrap around the spine and back cover is available in five colors. Skullcandy Headphones Skullcandy headphones are known for their funky fashion and durable design. Their style is in line with an impressive list of celebrities who endorse the brand, including rap czar Snoop Dogg; snowboarding legends Terje Haakonsen, Mark Frank Montoya and Devun Walsh; skate pros Lizard King, Theotis Beasley and Greg Lutzka; surf rulers Mick Fanning, Owen Wright, Kolohe Andino, the Gudauskas brothers, and Clay Marzo; as well as free-ski greats Tanner Hall, Kaya Turski, and Tom Wallisch. Merkury Innovations Universal Square Stereo Speakers The Universal Square Stereo Speakers are just one example of Merkury Innovations’ fun and stylish electronic accessories. These battery-free speakers will work with audio devices featuring a 3.5mm audio jack. The slim design and exciting metallic colors can complement any decor. Their compact size make them convenient for toting from room to room in the house or packing up for a friend’s party. Ben Folds’ Lonely Avenue Deluxe Album Lonely Avenue contains 11 new songs featuring music by Ben Folds with words by Nick Hornby for what The Huffington Post calls “one of the most interesting collaborations of the year.” This special deluxe edition includes the album on CD and vinyl, four short stories by Nick Hornby, and 15 images by acclaimed photographer Joel Meyerowitz, all in a hardbound, 152-page book. Hard Candy Mobile Phone Cases Hard Candy Cases merges fashion and function to distinguish and protect mobile phones from the wear and tear of daily use. It’s one of the fastest growing brands in the Apple accessories industry with distribution in the United States, Singapore, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, France, Puerto Rico, Thailand, Indonesia, Ireland, UK and Malaysia, among others. Power Support USA iPad Leather Sleeve Constructed with premium quality leather, the Power Support USA iPad sleeve protects while complimenting the aesthetics of the device. The sleeve’s soft inner lining prevents scratching while using this sleek carrying case. Its clean design and superb manufacturing techniques make for high-quality iPad protection. Power Support USA iPhone 4 Anti-Glare Films Power Support USA films protect your iPhone 4 screen from scratches, dirt and dust while reducing glare, fingerprints and smudges. It’s specially formulated to be compatible with retina display and resist glare and fingerprints while protecting your screen. The static cling adhesive film leaves no residue if film is removed. Power Support USA iPhone4 Designer Collection Cases Power Support has teamed up with cutting-edge designers Tibi, Rachel Pally and Rory Beca to create a set of super stylish air jackets. Measuring under 1 mm, the jacket snugly hugs the back of your iPhone 4. You can keep your phone protected from dings and scratches while looking fashionably fresh with the Power Support Designer Collection. It’s a win-win for any iPhone 4 owner! Twournal Twitter Journal Twournal allows you to create, buy and sell Twitter books printed from your tweets. All Twournals have color covers, can include replies and Twitpic/Tweetphoto/Yfrog pictures in color or black and white. You can choose a custom picture for your front cover. Select which tweets you want to start and end at. And you can add a dedication message to appear after your title. Reviews: Facebook, Mashable, TweetPhoto, Twitpic, Twitter More About: gadgets, holiday giveaway, mashpack, social media, tech, twitter For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

Operation Payback Targets Amazon.com [UPDATED] Posted: 09 Dec 2010 08:44 AM PST A collective of hackers who have set their sights on those companies that have denied service to WikiLeaks and its founder are now trying to take down Amazon.com. They announced via Twitter that they would begin their attack at 11 a.m. ET, but so far the site appears to be operational. Mashable also received the below e-mail: “I am part of the attack going on with Paypal, Mastercard and soon to be Amazon. We will take Amazon down in less than one hour. Do you have any questions? And get this straight – WE HAVE NO LEADER! WE ARE DOING THIS ALL INVOLUNTARY [sic]!!! -Operation Anonymous” We have reached out to the sender for more info. Anonymous, who is said to be heading up a campaign called “Operation Payback” (for more on what they’re about, check out the video below), is a loose collective of “hacktivists” who have allegedly been targeting sites such as Visa and Mastercard, companies that have ceased delivery of funds that had been donated to WikiLeaks. The hackers succeeded in taking down the sites of both credit card companies (at least for a period of time), as well as that of Swiss bank PostFinance, which has closed the account of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. They also managed to fell PayPal’s blog for a period of time (PayPal recently restricted WikiLeaks’s account). This morning, a Twitter account called @Op_Payback announced that it would be taking down Amazon.com, which ousted WikiLeaks from its servers at the beginning of December. A third-party seller appears to be selling the infamous WikiLeaks cables (for Kindle) on Amazon UK. We weren’t sure at the time whether this was a legit threat — both Facebook and Twitter closed accounts allegedly corresponding to Anonymous yesterday, including @Anon_Operation, which was supposedly leaking credit card info via Twitter prior to shutdown (MasterCard informs us that no credit numbers have been compromised, however). Upon shutdown, more Twitter accounts began cropping up, including @Op_Payback (on which the Amazon attack was announced) and @Anon_Operationn, which says nothing about Amazon.com. @Op_Payback, however, posted a guide this morning that enabled users to become a part of a botnet that could be used to DDoS Amazon’s servers. WikiLeaks is a highly contested whistleblower site that recently drew the ire of the U.S. government after releasing 250,000 cables from American embassies and diplomats; the cables were first released to news organizations and more than a thousand were then published directly to the WikiLeaks site. Some of those leaked documents didn't have proper redactions and may have exposed active government operatives to danger. Due to political pressure and citing TOS violations, organizations from Paypal to Amazon Web Services began denying service to WikiLeaks. Operation Payback, which is said to be orchestrating these DDoS attacks, set about putting pressure of sites like these — as well as U.S. politicians who had made negative or even threatening remarks about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, including Sarah Palin and Sen. Joe Lieberman — this week. UPDATE: We received another e-mail from a person claiming to be affiliated with Operation Payback: “Make sure everyone knows that we are not 4CHAN. 4CHAN has nothing to do with this. We are currently attacking Paypal. Target api.paypal.com port 443 and it seems sluggish at this time. Again, we are not 4CHAN, we are an anonymous involuntary group called AnonOps With the Amazon attack, they are simply toooo big for us right now. Maybe at a later time we can try again with them. We are using LOIC’s to attack. We have a hive of nearly 5000 users right now. You can read about LOICs here – http://encyclopediadramatica.com/LOIC“ Reviews: Facebook, Mashable, Twitter, Wikileaks More About: amazon, anonymous, operation payback, wikileaks For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

“Best Social Media Customer Service” Finalists Discuss Their Success [INTERVIEWS] Posted: 09 Dec 2010 08:40 AM PST This post is brought to you by BlackBerry, sponsor of the Mashable Awards’ “Best Social Media Customer Service” Category. RIM creates innovative wireless solutions, including the BlackBerry® wireless platform and the new BlackBerry PlayBook, coming soon. Learn more on the Inside BlackBerry Blog. As social media usage becomes more mainstream among businesses, customer service is among the top five reasons businesses give for partaking in social media, according to eMarketer. Acting on this essential business area in social media, we added the “Best Social Media Customer Service” category to this year’s Mashable Awards, our annual contest highlighting the very best the web has to offer. Mashable readers spoke loud and clear, nominating five finalists to the category: Aramex, Boingo, Eurail.com, Hewlett Packard and ZocDoc. We interviewed each of the finalists to get an inside look at why you, our readers, chose these companies as your top picks. Check out the interviews below, share your thoughts in the comments, and most importantly, vote to help choose this year’s “Best Social Media Customer Service” winner at the Mashable Awards. Aramex It’s advisable for brands interested in getting involved in social media to have a real reason to get started. That’s why we admire companies like global logistics and transportation provider Aramex. When we asked Aramex’s Online Conversationalist Feras Hilal what inspired the company to start using social media as a customer service tool, he answered logically: “We identified where customers communicate and interact, and found that our customers were talking about us online. We went where our customers are, and social media is a channel that enables us to tune in to their issues, so we can provide them with solutions. As a customer-centric company, our approach is to listen to customers and adapt to their needs.” Simply put: go where your customers are. And when you get there, do it right. Hilal believes that Aramex’s success is based on social media being a natural extension of the company’s culture and values. Through social media, Aramex reaches customers in a timely and relevant way, helping it “research customer needs, improve our services and really know what our customers (and employees) need,” said Hilal. Aramex stands out from other nominees on the list, because it is notably the only one based in emerging markets. Hilal notes, “We were among the first adopters of social media as a powerful tool for customer engagement in the Middle East, Africa, India and Southeast Asia.” Boingo Gearing up for the new “Best Social Media Customer Service” category, Mashable’s Meghan Peters recently outlined three examples of stellar social media customer service. One of the companies outlined was Boingo. Citing the Wi-Fi service’s knack for technical support, customer engagement and community building, Peters deemed Boingo one of the top players in this area. Mashable readers agreed, nominating the company into the finalists. We spoke with Boingo’s PR and social media manager, Baochi Nguyen, to get the inside scoop about Boingo’s social media strategies and philosophies. Nguyen was quick to clarify: “We believe there's a distinction between customer ’service’ and customer ‘care.’ Customer service means you're doing just that — servicing a customer. It's old school. It's doing the minimum. We like to think of ourselves as being in the customer care business. We want to create connections with folks. We want to foster meaningful relationships. We want people to know we're grateful for their business and the opportunity to serve them.” Regardless of how customers are connecting with Boingo — whether that be via a “traditional” channel (phone/e-mail/chat) or a “new” channel (social media), Nguyen noted that great customer service is “all about being available to help, no matter where that conversation takes place.” So what makes Boingo stand out from the other nominees on the list? Nguyen pointed out two areas: Being proactive. “We don't wait until a complaint makes its way to us to address it,” says Nguyen. “Instead, we are proactively scanning for comments and conversations to jump in and help. Because of the nature of our service — people using the Boingo Wi-Fi network are generally very pressed for time — we need to be helping ‘real time.’ It doesn't help if someone tweets a complaint and we show up 30 minutes later to help, because by then their plane may be boarding or they have to leave the coffee shop. So we need to be extremely responsive.” Being authentic. “The other thing which may set us apart is our commitment to authenticity. We don't hide behind our brand. We use our real names, give our real e-mail addresses and encourage our employees to engage with customers in ways that feel true to them and their style.” Nguyen concluded that great social media customer service is “authentic both to the brand it represents and to the person representing the brand. It's incredibly responsive. And it goes way beyond just ‘customer service.’ It's customer care.” Eurail.Com Chantal Sukel, campaign manager for Eurail.Com, an e-commerce site for Eurail train passes, told Mashable that when the company began its endeavor into social media three years ago, it was focused on “interactions in general.” Since founding a social media presence, however, the company has come to realize that customer service is one of its biggest reasons for staying involved in the social media space. “Soon we noticed that customers knew where to find us to discuss travel plans, ask questions and get inspired by others' experiences,” said Sukel. “When the number of fans and interactions grew, I set up a small and dedicated team of travel professionals who since then assist our fans. Social media works faster and more effective than e-mail support, which is why this way of communicating has rapidly become an important part of our customer service.” Sukel believes that Eurail.Com benefits from the personal touch that its agents add to its social media presence: “Eurail.Com is lucky enough to have extremely dedicated agents that strive to answer all questions within eight hours or sooner. Not only in English, but also Spanish and even Dutch or German! Our fans receive a personal reply, not a script. They talk to an actual human being who can give them anecdotes and tips from their own rail travel experiences.” When evaluating customer service, Sukel believes that personal assistance is key. “Respect, transparency and attention are among the most important things in life, so why not in customer service?” Hewlett Packard Like Aramex, HP entered the social media space inspired by its customers. “Increasingly, our customers are using social media to get their needs met. If we're not there, we're not meeting our customers’ needs,” stated HP's Lois Townsend, manager of global social media strategy. Townsend noted that HP sets itself apart from others in the social media space by utilizing customer feedback about its products and emphasizing community engagement. Product Feedback. “HP builds technology hardware and software,” she said. “Through social media channels like Twitter, Facebook and our HP Support Forums, we are garnering valuable feedback from our customers about our products. HP provides that feedback to our product and content teams, which goes directly into the building of future technology.” Community Engagement. “We also put a big emphasis on community engagement and even hire folks to manage this — creating ways to provide value to our community, and to recognize folks who are actively assisting fellow community members.” Highlighting HP’s community engagement efforts, Townsend noted its brand advocacy program: “We've recruited over 100 HP experts to serve as ‘Ambassadors,’ reaching out and helping our customers every day. For example, one of our Ambassadors reached a customer via Twitter to help them obtain English-speaking support while on holiday in Spain.” She also pointed out that HP hosts online Expert Day events to provide free, 24-hour real-time access to large teams of experts on various topics of customer interest. “These online events attract hundreds of thousands of customers — think of it as the ‘Super Bowl’ of expert assistance,” she said. Townsend shared that HP’s data shows that increasingly, online channels are a preferred method for its customers in finding answers to questions about HP products. The company plans on continued social media integration to support this need. Townsend imagined a future possibility: “Next steps include enhanced integration of social media channels so that, for instance, you can post a question in Facebook that can automatically tap into the experts out in our HP Support Forum.” She also told us to keep an eye on a “revamped, very cool recognition program for our top community contributors.” When it comes down to it, Townsend believes that great social media customer service is about “Lively, quality, and active participation among the customers, and the host company.” She thinks that it should be a forum for “honest conversation that allows for both ‘good and bad’ to be discussed, with a focus on getting to a constructive and timely resolution for any issues.” ZocDoc COO and founder Oliver Kharraz, MD, told us that social media was instinctive for free online doctor booking service ZocDoc. “The ZocDoc philosophy is that people should have faster, easier access to healthcare. It only made sense to us that our users should also have fast, easy access to us.” ZocDoc is in the business of making it easier to find and book appointments with local doctors, taking into account insurance considerations. By filling in four pieces of information, users are quickly on their ways to finding an available doctor. This focus on healthcare may be the most compelling reason to vote for ZocDoc for this Mashable Award category, said Kharraz: “We work in the public interest. Every day we get hundreds of tweets, e-mails, and Facebook messages from people thanking us for helping them find a doctor when they needed one. From tourists on vacation to parents with sick children, ZocDoc has been the service to make people's lives better. People should vote for ZocDoc if they believe that healthcare is an industry worth improving. Our goal is to bring customer service to the doctor's office, where it's never been before.” Focusing once more on ZocDoc’s customers, Kharraz explained that the success of a social media customer service program can be measured by “people’s responses.” He noted, “We get very excited when people choose to take the time to thank us or recommend us to their friends. They're letting us know that we're doing something right.” While it may not be the most scientific measurement, we’re always down for happy customers. What are your thoughts on the finalists for The Mashable Awards’ “Best Social Media Customer Service” category? Let us know in the comments below. The Mashable Awards Gala at Cirque du Soleil Zumanity (Vegas) In partnership with Cirque du Soleil, The Mashable Awards Gala event will bring together the winners and nominees, the Mashable community, partners, media, the marketing community, consumer electronics and technology brands and attendees from the 2011 International CES Convention to Las Vegas on Thursday, January 6, 2011. Together, we will celebrate the winners and the community of the Mashable Awards at the Cirque du Soleil Zumanity stage in the beautiful New York New York Hotel. The event will include acts and performances from our partner Cirque du Soleil Zumanity. In addition, there will be special guest presenters and appearances. Date: Thursday, January 6th, 2011 (during International CES Convention week) Time: 7:00 – 10:00 pm PT Location: Cirque du Soleil Zumanity, New York New York Hotel, Las Vegas Agenda: Networking, Open Bars, Acts, Surprises and the Mashable Awards Gala presentations Socialize: Facebook, Foursquare, Meetup, Plancast, Twitter (Hashtag: #MashableAwards) Mashable Awards Category Sponsor: BlackBerry is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform and the new BlackBerry PlayBook. For the latest on the BlackBerry PlayBook visit the Inside BlackBerry Blog. More Business Resources from Mashable: - HOW TO: Define a Social Media Strategy for Enterprise - Social Media Success: 5 Lessons From In-House Corporate Teams - HOW TO: Get the Most Out of a Coworking Space - 5 iPhone Apps For Avoiding International Business Faux Pas - How the Fortune 500 Use Social Media to Grow Sales and Revenue Image courtesy of iStockphoto, geopaul Reviews: BlackBerry Rocks!, Facebook, Foursquare, Internet, Mashable, Twitter, iStockphoto More About: best social media customer service, customer service, facebook, mashable awards, mashable awards 2010, social media, twitter For more Business coverage: Follow Mashable Business on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Business channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

Barcode Hero Lets Kids Send Wish Lists to “Santa” Posted: 09 Dec 2010 08:03 AM PST Barcode Hero is reinventing the holiday wish list for children with a proclivity for mobile shopping and modern conveniences. The startup, which focuses on product discovery through barcode scanning, is releasing an update to its iPhone app that lets kids create mobile wish lists they can send straight to the big guy at the North Pole. The feel-good Holiday Wish List update includes themed fare and encourages kids to create a wish list or two by scanning product barcodes in stores or browsing products via the app. Once the list is complete, children can ship the list — complete with product photos — off to “Santa.” Barcode Hero will deliver a copy via e-mail to parents or guardians who can also share it with their helper “elves.” The wish list addition is cleverly designed with children in mind. Kids can personalize their lists with a digital letter, tell Santa whether they’ve been naughty or nice, and capture and attach a photo to show just how deserving (and adorably cute) they are this year. "Instead of sitting down in the living room with the children to write a letter to Santa on pencil and paper, Barcode Hero allows parents to make wish lists a modern, family-focused holiday activity, complete with photos," says co-founder Blake Scholl. "We're sure Santa will appreciate the help!" The Holiday Wish List update might be more fun than function, but it’s the kind of thing that gives you the warm-and-fuzzies this time of year. 1-start-screen 2-create-a-wishlist 3-add-to-wishlist 4-marcis-wishlist 5-sending-to-santa 6-santa-received-your-wishlist 7-wishlists-for-everyone Image courtesy of Flickr, Mukumbura Reviews: Flickr More About: barcode hero, Christmas, Holiday, holiday wish list, Santa For more Startups coverage: Follow Mashable Startups on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Startups channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

9 Web Tools to Keep Your Business Running Smoothly During the Holidays Posted: 09 Dec 2010 07:25 AM PST This post originally appeared on Dyn.com, a world leader in managed DNS, powering the best brands on the web including Gowalla, Mashable, Twitter, Wikia and more. Follow @DynInc on Twitter. The holidays can be hard for small business owners who need to keep things up and running back at headquarters, but also want to spend time away from work with friends and family. To assist with this need-to-be-in-two-places-at-once quandary, we’ve pulled together a list of tools that can help you manage your business remotely. This hopefully means you’ll be able to enjoy the break you need (and no doubt deserve) all while staying connected. Have a read through the nine tools below that can help you keep your business running during the holidays, and let us know in the comments which tools you’ll be using. Fingers crossed that if you do need to use any of them, you'll be doing it from a comfy chair with a glass of eggnog in hand. 1. Box.net Box.net enables you to access all of your digital content online via a file and folder system. After all, you never know when you’re going to need a file while out of the office. Having it saved on your office computer isn’t going to do you any good when you’re halfway across the country. Box.net also offers free iOS and Android apps that provide a limited version of the service. 2. DimDim If you need to organize an impromptu meeting from afar, doing it online may be your only option. There are a host of companies offering web conferencing facilities, but DimDim’s solution is all-platform-friendly, 100% browser based (no software downloads necessary), and very easy to use. Best of all, it’s affordable — a basic meeting with up to 10 attendees is free. 3. Salesforce Salesforce’s cloud-based customer relationship manager “SaaS” solutions are pretty well known and used by some heavyweight organizations. In addition to letting you log in from anywhere, Salesforce offers subscribers comprehensive free apps for iPods, iPhones and iPads, making staying connected on the go seriously doable. 4. Skype Many Skype users value the service for its free user-to-user calls. However, there are lots of ways to utilize Skype for business. If you need to help a colleague or employee out with a software or IT issue, for example, Skype’s screen-sharing capabilities are very useful. It’s obviously not as advanced as enterprise-aimed solutions, but if it’s just a matter of sorting a simple issue to prevent a hiccup from turning into a drama, then it’s useful to know that Skype offers this ability. 5. Pingdom You can’t monitor your site every hour of every day — especially when you’re trying to take some time out of the office — but you do need to know if your site is down, so you can quickly get it up and working. There are a wealth of uptime monitoring services to suit all budgets, so it’s an area worth researching if you’re looking at this long term. However, if you haven’t put any monitoring into place and just want cover for a few holiday weekends, Pingdom offers a free account and iPhone app to monitor one domain. 6. LogMeIn Similar to Box.net, this remote access and desktop control software is ideal for very small businesses, or even one-man bands. With a personal LogMeIn account you can securely access your computer (files and applications) remotely. A companion product — LogMeIn Ignition — enables you to do the same from a mobile device, too. 7. Flowdock Flowdock is a team communication and collaboration tool. Unlike similar solutions, it offers some nifty features that enable you to keep track of what’s been talked about, shared and decided even if you weren’t online at the time. Within Flowdock, you can use @mentions and hashtags to monitor conversations, making it possible to know at a glance what the team has chatted about. History is saved forever and is easily searchable, and you can set Flowdock up to e-mail you a daily digest of mentions. 8. SocialOomph If you don’t want to drop off the social media radar or miss mentions, then getting set up with a tool like SocialOomph will mean you can schedule tweets. If you go for the paid “Pro” options you can also schedule Facebook statuses and wall updates, as well as blog posts, to go live while you’re away. In addition, the service will alert you to any @mentions so you can respond quickly to customers and commentators if the situation requires it. 9. Delivery Status touch iOS App Delivery Status touch (available for the iPhone and iPad) helps you keep track of all your packages, so you know when they will arrive. It supports more than 25 services (including UPS, FedEx, USPS, DHL, TNT, Canada Post, City Link, Royal Mail, DPD and more). You can also manually set up tracking from services not supported, so if anyone asks you when something is due to arrive, you’ll have a darn good idea — even if you’re away from the office. More Business Resources from Mashable: - HOW TO: Boost Holiday Sales With Commonly Overlooked Marketing Strategies - Social Media Marketing: 5 Lessons From Business Leaders Who Get It - HOW TO: Get the Most Out of Your Business Facebook Page - HOW TO: Develop a Branded iPhone App on a Budget - 5 Tips for Improving Your Social Customer Service Image courtesy of iStockphoto, kemie Reviews: Android, Box.net, Facebook, LogMeIn, Skype, iStockphoto More About: apps, business, dyn, List, Lists, productivity, small business, software, tools For more Business coverage: Follow Mashable Business on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Business channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

YouTube 2.1 for Android Brings Revamped UI & Smoother Interaction Posted: 09 Dec 2010 07:06 AM PST Google has launched a new version of its YouTube application for Android devices, YouTube 2.1. The update is noteworthy not only because of the improvements it brings, but also because YouTube app updates will be delivered separately from Android OS releases going forward. Version 2.0 of the YouTube app for Android was recently released with the Nexus S and the new version of Android, dubbed Gingerbread. Google claims it has listened to user feedback and updated the app according to key requests from users. The app now sports a new, full-screen UI, which can be pulled up simply by rotating the phone into landscape mode, and which lets users pause and resume playback by tapping on the screen. Also, it’s much easier to interact with videos during playback; users can read the video description, browse through related videos, as well as rate, flag and comment on videos without having to interrupt playback. Finally, users can now see all of their subscription updates on the home screen of the application when signed in on YouTube. The app works on devices running Android 2.2 and higher. It’s now available for free in the Android market, and will be shipped with many upcoming Android 2.3 devices, such as the Nexus S. Check out the introductory video to the YouTube 2.0 Android app (which is quite similar to the latest version) below. Reviews: Android, Google, YouTube More About: android, Google, Mobile 2.0, smartphone, video, youtube For more Mobile coverage: Follow Mashable Mobile on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Mobile channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

This Morning’s 4 Biggest Stories in Social Media & Tech Posted: 09 Dec 2010 06:38 AM PST Welcome to this morning's edition of "First To Know," a series in which we keep you in the know on what's happening in the digital world. We're keeping our eyes on four particular stories of interest today. Hackers Take Down Visa, PayPal, MasterCard & More Hackers took down a number of websites in the name of WikiLeaks for several hours Wednesday, including those of Visa, Mastercard, Swiss bank PostFinance, PayPal, Senator Joe Lieberman and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. All sites appear to be up and running at this time. Mark Zuckerberg to Donate Most of His Wealth to Charity Following his $100 million donation to Newark Public Schools, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has agreed to give more than half his wealth to charity by signing Bill Gates’s and Warren Buffet's "Giving Pledge.” Twitter Explains Why #WikiLeaks Isn’t Trending Twitter has more fully responded to numerous accusations that it has been purposely keeping #WikiLeaks and related hashtags out of its Trending Topics list. Is Foursquare About to Add Photo Sharing? It looks like Foursquare is about to roll out one of users’ most-requested features — photo sharing — according to a leaked screenshot. Further News Andy Rubin, the Google executive who heads up the Android division, has revealed that more than 300,000 Android phones are activated every day — more than five times the number activated per day just 10 months ago. Facebook plans on rolling out more privacy management features to users who access the social network via their mobile devices. Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, the twins who already launched one lawsuit against Facebook, claiming that CEO Mark Zuckerberg stole their idea for a social network, are now suing Facebook and Zuckerberg again. Twitter has expanded and enhanced the location layer of its API, making it easier for developers to interface with various datasets and offer better location-based experiences within their apps. Apple has tripled the length of song previews in iTunes from 30 to 90 seconds. Zynga has more than 45 million active daily users, according to the company’s SVP of mobile. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, DNY59 Reviews: Android, Facebook, Google, Twitter, Wikileaks, foursquare, iStockphoto More About: facebook, foursquare, mark zuckerberg, twitter, wikileaks For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

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