Google I/O day 1: Android 3.1, Ice Cream Sandwich, movies and more By JR Raphael (@jr_raphael) Whew! Google just wrapped up the opening keynote session for day one of its I/O developers' conference -- and boy oh boy, is there a lot of Android news. Here's a quick wrap of all the highlights. Google I/O: The Android Numbers It wouldn't be a modern mobile event without some proper bragging, and Google certainly seized the opportunity. In terms of apps, the Android Market now has 200,000-plus programs available. Google I/O: Android 3.1 The next version of Honeycomb, Android 3.1, starts rolling out to Motorola Xoom users on Verizon's 3G network today. Android 3.1 will also be coming to Google TV, as will full access to the Android Market. [RELATED: How to force your Xoom to check for the Android 3.1 update] Google I/O: Ice Cream Sandwich We've heard about it for months, and today, Android Ice Cream Sandwich -- a mouthful in more ways than one -- is finally official. Google I/O: Google Movies The update that enables this feature will be included in Android 3.1.
Social Media Monitoring, Analytics and Alerts Dashboard The future of Android, visualized By JR Raphael Well, gang, after weeks of waiting and wondering, we finally have a pretty good picture of what the future of Android will look like. At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week, Google and some of its hardware partners divulged new details about the Android road map -- what versions are in the works and how tablets and smartphones will ultimately coexist. In short, we'll likely see a second edition of Android Gingerbread, version 2.4. If all goes as expected, it seems quite probable that some phones will end up skipping the current 2.3 incarnation of Gingerbread and being upgraded directly to 2.4; that was a pretty common occurrence back in the Eclair days, when Google launched Android 2.0 and followed it up soon after with the also-Eclair-named 2.1. The big news, though, is the confirmation that the following release -- the "I"-named edition of the operating system -- will merge Gingerbread with the currently tablet-focused Android Honeycomb.
5 Social Media Marketing Trends: New Research Are you being asked to prove the value of social media for your business? Do you struggle to accurately measure the return on investment (ROI) of your social media marketing? You’re not alone. Several new research studies reveal that marketing managers are under increased pressure to show measurable results from their social media efforts. But these same managers indicate that measuring the returns is one of their top two challenges for 2012. See how your experience compares to others in the industry. #1: The Benefits Derived from Social Media are Increasing In a survey of 700 marketers from all over the globe, Wildfire App discovered that nearly all marketers find value from social media and that 75% of marketers plan to increase their media spending in 2012. The top two benefits highlighted by these marketers are increased brand awareness and the ability to engage in dialogue directly with their customers. #2: More Businesses are Investing in Social Media So What are Companies Measuring?
Google Meets Miss Manners, Encourages Searchers To Thank Those Who +1'd Content DEAR MISS GOOGLE: When I searched for something using your service, I found a friend had +1′d one of the of listings. What should one do in this case? GENTLE SEARCHER: It’s always polite in these situations to thank your kind friend. Yes, a new Google+ feature has been spotted in the wild that further blends organic results with social information. When logged in as a Google+ user, various editors here could see this functionality appearing sporadically on a range of search terms. If a searcher did choose to thank someone for the +1, they were prompted to thank directly on Google+. This limited visibility post is shown directly on the wall of the user who is doing the thanking. Bas van den Beld performed a search related to the specific thank you post and found that some users were downright purplexed about the new communication: So don’t be surprised next time you’re thanked for a +1 on your wall. Image credits: State of Search, CharlieSaidThat
7 Ways To Make Social Media Optimization (SMO) Work In The Post-Google Age | Digital Quarters This post originally appeared as a guest post on iMediaConnection. Preface: Recently, I wrote a controversial post about the end of an era: The days of SEO are dead, and being replaced by a new wave that is far more important and more valuable for publishers: social media optimization (“SMO”). I received a number of requests to describe how publishers should create their SMO strategy, and I offer this post to answer that question. The days of search engine optimization (SEO) as a critical audience-driving strategy for digital publishers are numbered. Forward-looking marketers need to educate themselves about a far more meaningful and effective way of bringing audiences to media destinations — social media optimization (SMO.) Unlike SEO, which uses algorithms to rank top search results, SMO uses the will of the audience to determine what’s important. 1. The first step is winning the attention of the audience and knowing what it wants, not just in the abstract. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Android 4.0 upgrade list: Is your device getting Ice Cream Sandwich? By JR Raphael (@jr_raphael) Grab a napkin, Android fans: Google's Android 4.0 operating system -- aka Android Ice Cream Sandwich -- is ready to be served to phones and tablets around the world. Android 4.0 introduces the biggest changes Google's mobile platform has seen since the days of Froyo. The new OS delivers a sleek new design with layers of polish and loads of tasty fresh features. But how do you know if your phone or tablet will get the upgrade -- and if so, when you can expect to unwrap Ice Cream Sandwich for yourself? I've made it easy. Want a more detailed look at Android 4.0 and what it'll do for your device? UPDATE: Looking for info on Android 4.1, a.k.a. [Page last updated: February 5, 2013] Android 4.0 Upgrade List: Devices That Have Received (or Are Receiving) Ice Cream Sandwich • Acer Iconia Tab A100 [UPDATED 5/1/12]: Acer delivered Android 4.0 to its Iconia Tab A100 tablet in late April 2012.
Social Media Optimization : 13 Rules of SMO Social Media Optimization : 13 Rules of SMO Cameron Olthuis at Pronet Advertising has a nice write up on optimizing for social media, dubbed Social Media Optimization (SMO) by Rohit Bhargava. The concept behind SMO is simple: implement changes to optimize a site so that it is more easily linked to, more highly visible in social media searches on custom search engines (such as Technorati), and more frequently included in relevant posts on blogs, podcasts and vlogs. There has been some cross blogging back and forth between Rohit, Cameron, and Jeremiah Owyang on the rules of Social Media Optimization, and I’ll add a couple more. Here’s a summary of what they’ve put together to date: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. And mine: 12. 13. Loren Baker is the Founder of SEJ, an Advisor at Alpha Brand Media and runs Foundation Digital, a digital marketing strategy & development agency.
About Google Play - Google Play Help Q: What is Google Play? A: Google Play is a new digital content experience from Google where you can find your favorite music, movies, books, and Android apps and games. It’s your entertainment hub: you can access it from the web or from your Android device or even TV, and all your content is instantly available across all of these devices. Q: What is your strategy with Google Play? A: Our goal with Google Play is to bring together all your favorite content in one place that you can access across your devices. Q: What will the experience be for users? Play Store. Q: When will I get Google Play? Q: I live outside the US. Q: What types of content are available in my country? Q: Does this mean Google Music and the Google eBookstore will cease to exist? Q: Where did my Google eBooks books go? Q: I don’t use an Android phone, can I still use Google Play? Q: Why do I not see Google Play yet on my device? Q: How can I contact Google Play consumer support?
FREE Social Media and Facebook Analytics, Statistics & Monitoring Service Android Apps on Google Play The founder and CEO of Onnit, the mega lifestyle brand and one of the fastest growing companies in the country, teaches us how one single day of positive choices leads to a lifetime of concrete strategies for better living, optimal performance, and a stronger mind, body, and spirit. Human optimization thought leader Aubrey Marcus’s personal and professional mission rests on a single question: How can we get the most out of our body and mind on a daily basis? Marcus answers that question in Own the Day, Own Your Life an empowering handbook that guides readers to optimize every moment of the day, from waking in the morning, through work and play, until bedtime each night. From workouts and diet to inbox triage, mindfulness, shower temperature, and sex, this ground-breaking manual provides simple strategies for each element of your day.
Social Media Link Building We've been talking about social media for what seems like ages now. However, unless you've seen it grow from the ground up, it's not an immediately clear concept – you and your clients may not be on the same wavelength. One concept that can still confuse the heck out of clients is social media link building. So let's dig into why social media matters, which networks/platforms have value and which don't, and methods of using social for your own link efforts. Why Does Social Media Matter? One huge reason that social media matters right now is, simply, because everyone likes it. Nearly everyone is on Facebook. Social media is all about relationship building, and the more recent lines of thinking about link building involve (guess what?) With trust being such a good thing, using trusted sites is a critical way that you can show your community that you are legitimate. How to Build Links Socially Promoting a site through social media can also help to build links. The Benefits of Social Links
Search plus Your World: Personal results - Web Search Help Some features are not available in all regions. When you search, you can find relevant information from your other Google products, like Gmail, Google Calendar, or Google+. For example, you can see your upcoming flight information, restaurant reservations, or your next dentist appointment right on the search results page. Turn private results on or off Go to the Search Settings page. This setting is account-specific, so private results will stay turned off as long as you're signed in to your Google Account. The option to change your settings will not appear if you aren't signed into your Google Account and searching on https. Click the globe icon in the top right of your search results page to see results only from the public web. This setting is session-specific, so if you close your browser, private results may appear next time you search. Try it out Events: Search for [my events] or [show me my next meeting] to see events from Google Calendar. Privacy and security of your results