Finally. You Can Now Share Music on Facebook.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNextWeb/~3/3YGL9g_STjQ/

Finally. You Can Now Share Music on Facebook.

Finally. You Can Now Share Music on Facebook.All Facebook has uncovered a recent update on Facebook that see’s the social networking behemoth allow its users to post MP3 files onto their profile pages, just as you would with a URL.

As far as I can tell, you still aren’t able to upload audio files to Facebook without using some third party app. But to get a music file to play on your profile just post a link to a file that ends with .mp3.

As All Facebook points out, majority of original MP3 music files aren’t easily found for your standard Internet user. Music is usually deeply integrated with a site’s music player and so you can’t link to the MP3 file itself. Fortunately there are a heap of file sharing services out there that will let you upload an mp3 file you want to share. You can then link directly to that file on Facebook from your profile page, I just did this myself and took no more than 2 minutes.

Anytime you link to an MP3 you can enter the song title, artist, and album, and it will be playable from within the feed.

Services like Grooveshark and Posterous have made this possible for some time, but integration without the need to install a third party app is key here.

I must say though, I am looking forward to being able to share (and embed) music directly from Spotify. Don’t have access yet? You’ll love it when you do. Trust me.

Original title and link for this post: Finally. You Can Now Share Music on Facebook.

Sent from my iPhone

Foursquare Adds Almost 100,000 Users in 10 Days

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Mashable/~3/8VtxJSRG8eE/

Foursquare might’ve been last year’s breakout app at SXSW, but it looks like this year’s conference had a much more profound impact on the service’s growth. The location based network tweeted on Wednesday afternoon that it’s added “almost 100,000 users” in the past 10 days.

That’s a huge number when you consider that the year-old company reported having “over 500,000” users less than a week ago. Anecdotally, I can also tell you that the surge in friend requests received over the past several days roughly lines-up with the numbers that Foursquare is reporting – in other words, my network seems to be growing proportionally to Foursquare on the whole.

Foursquare also reported a record check-in day over the weekend, with 347,000 of them taking place on Saturday, a surge also fueled in large part by SXSW festivities. As for the much talked about rivalry between Foursquare and Gowalla, we’ve reached out to the latter for their own comparable stats, though they indicated that as of Tuesday evening they’d seen 100,000 check-ins in Austin since last Thursday.


Reviews: Foursquare, Gowalla

Tags: foursquare, gowalla, sxsw

Sent from my iPhone

Nice, but can publishers affort this? -> iPad Digital Magazine Demo [VIDEO]

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Mashable/~3/y3I9aJdzvho/

We’ve witnessed publishers drooling over the Apple iPad’s form factor before the darn thing was even announced, with Time Inc. showing off a concept for Sports Illustrated and Condé Nast prepping a version of Wired for a tablet as early as November of last year.

First came Wired’s official iPad demo, and now there’s a new inspirational vision of the future of digital magazines, courtesy of the following video.

Alexx Henry Photography collaborated with co-directors Cory Strassburger and Ming Hsiung to produce the following cover and feature spread interactive animation for all-digital magazine Viv Mag.

The concept is to envision the interactive publishing potential allowed by the iPad and other tablets coming onto the market in the near, near future. You can check out a behind-the-scenes look at how the video was put together in the second clip below.

Let us know what you think: Are tablets the ultimate savior of print publishing? Would you be interested in checking out a digital magazine like the one depicted in the video?


VIV Mag Interactive Feature Spread – iPad Demo from Alexx Henry on Vimeo.


Behind the Scenes



VIV Mag Featurette: A Digital Magazine Motion Cover and Feature for the iPad from Alexx Henry on Vimeo.


Reviews: Vimeo

Tags: apple, digital magazine, ipad, publishing, tablets, video, Viv Mag

Sent from my iPhone

Google TV is Coming to a Living Room Near You

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Mashable/~3/UHV69AbGEW4/

Not too long ago we got word that Google is working on a TV search project with Dish Network, and now there’s every indication the search giant wants even more direct involvement with the television ecosystem. According to the New York Times, they’re partnering with Sony and Intel in a new Android-based platform literally dubbed Google TV.

The new set-top box will allow users to surf online video from the comforts of the couch, and will compete with the likes of the Boxee Box and the Popbox we got our hands on at CES this year, the Roku set-top device, and to some extent video game consoles that have the ability to stream content from Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, and others. Beyond straight up video, the idea is to give users an interface to access popular social sites like Twitter and browse photos on sharing sites like Google-owned Picasa on their TVs as well.

As with Android itself, Google TV will likely be an open source platform, with Sony stepping up to manufacture the first hardware that will run it — likely including both set-top boxes and internet-connected TVs. Meanwhile, peripherals manufacturer Logitech is reportedly working on accessories for Google TV devices like a remote control with a small keyboard.

The project is reported to be a few months in already, although without official commentary from Google itself the news technically remains in rumor status. Would you be interested in having a Google-based TV experience?

[via DigitalBeat]

[img credit: marketing.fm]


Reviews: Android, Google, Picasa, Twitter

Tags: android, Google, google tv, intel, iptv, ONLINE VIDEO, set-top box, sony, tv

Sent from my iPhone

How US Government Spies Use Facebook

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/readwriteweb/~3/3FBANyEKPnc/how_us_government_spies_use_facebook.php

The US Department of Justice this week released slides from a presentation deck titled Obtaining and Using Evidence from Social Networking Sites. The document was released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

The DoJ presentation describes Facebook as much more co-operative with law enforcement requests for user information than Twitter and MySpace are. It also explains to officers what the advantages of going undercover on social networking sites are. The EFF posted IRS training documents for using various internet tools as well, including Google Street View, but those were much tamer than the Justice file.

Sponsor

Highlights from the deck include:

  • On "getting info from Facebook" - options include photos, contact info, group contact info and IP logs. "HOWEVER, Facebook has other data available." The deck notes that Facebook is "often cooperative with emergency requests."

  • MySpace and Twitter, on the other hand, are described differently. MySpace "requires a search warrant for private messages/bulletins less than 181 days old." Twitter "will not preserve data without legal process," has a "stated policy of producing data only in response to legal process" and has no Law Enforcement Guide (or spying manual, as some parties call such documents). Wouldn't you like your social network to say no before it says yes and require a warrant before handing over information to law enforcement? We reached out to Facebook this evening about the government claim that it was unusually co-operative but have not yet received a response.

  • Funny: As social networks go, LinkedIn's "use for criminal communications appears limited" the document says. You don't say. LinkedIn can be useful in finding expert witnesses, however.

  • "Why go undercover on Facebook, MySpace, etc?" the document asks. Three reasons are offered: 1. Communicate with suspects/targets. 2. Gain access to non-public info. 3. Map social relationships/networks.

  • "If agents violate terms of service," the document asks, "is that 'otherwise illegal activity'?" No answer is offered in the text.

  • "Many witnesses have social-networking pages," the presentation notes. Those pages can be a "valuable source of info on defense witnesses" and "potential pitfalls for government witnesses."

  • Also funny: DoJ prosectors are urged to "use caution in 'friending' judges, defense counsel."
  • We expect the Electronic Frontier Foundation to offer further analysis in coming days. You can download a PDF of the document yourself here. For further discussion of these documents, see blog posts clustered on Techmeme.

    Discuss

    Sent from my iPhone

    Windows Phone 7: een iPhone killer?

    http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/frankwatching/~3/x98WbE6p4aY/

    windows-phone-7Voor het vijfde jaar op rij is Las Vegas de plek waar Microsoft de community van marketeers, designers en developers bijpraat over software en haar online tools. Nu PDC dit jaar wordt overgeslagen is MIX het belangrijkste evenement voor de  aankondigingen geworden. En in dit geval geldt:  “What happens in Vegas, doesn’t necessarily have to stay in Vegas.” Lees meer

    Sent from my iPhone

    Facebook and Twitter Making a Major Impact on Purchase Decisions [STATS]

    http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Mashable/~3/ssJ02AaFSmk/

    A new study shows that those who are fans or followers of a brand on Facebook or Twitter, respectively, are significantly more likely to buy products and services or recommend the brand to a friend.

    Specifically, the study by Chadwick Martin Bailey and iModerate Research Technologies found that consumers are 67% more likely to buy from the brands they follow on Twitter, and 51% more likely to buy from a brand they follow on Facebook. Moreover, they’re 79% more likely to recommend their Twitter follows to a friend, and 60% more likely to do the same on Facebook:

    Of course, those findings might be a bit overstated — many people actively seek out the brands they’re already fans of and follow or fan them on Twitter and Facebook. But there’s still much to be said for the mindshare that engaging those existing brand enthusiasts on social media sites creates, in turn keeping them active. Plus, the study also found that many consumers across a wide variety of demographics have negative perceptions of brands that aren’t using social media.

    Overall, the study is another sign that social media is becoming a competitive advantage for those that are participating, and an increasingly major weakness for those that aren’t.

    [via eMarketer]

    Tags: facebook, statistics, trending, twitter

    Sent from my iPhone

    MOG Music Service Goes Mobile for $10 Per Month

    http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Mashable/~3/zVhQfaWFBeI/

    Amid the considerable sound and fury of SXSW, on-demand music-streaming subscription service MOG announced the launch of its impending mobile app for iPhone and Android.

    The mobile service will launch in the early second quarter of this year for a $10 per month fee, which also includes on-demand desktop streaming.

    Back in December, the MP3 blog network launched its all-you-can-eat music-streaming service, offering on-demand listening to its seven million song library from a web browser for $5 per month.

    The mobile version of the All Access service takes all that music with you on the go, and includes the ability to download tracks to a “local cache” on your device for listening when you don’t have a cell signal and are out of Wi-Fi range. An “HQ Audio” option allows users to opt for a higher audio quality download in exchange for the tradeoff of larger file sizes.

    Founder and CEO of MOG David Hyman said of the announcement, “The whole point of putting music in the cloud is to be able to get to it whenever you want it, from anywhere — and mobile was always an end goal for us.”

    MOG, which just raised a new round of funding to the tune of $9.5 million, is backed by Universal Music Group and Sony Music. Its $10/month mobile service undercuts competitor Rhapsody’s $15/month fee, though it remains to be seen how its pricing will stack up against the “coming any day now” U.S. version of hugely popular European streaming site Spotify.

    The music subscription model itself remains largely unproven here in the States, with many consumers balking at the idea of losing access to downloaded tracks if they choose to stop subscribing.

    What do you think of music subscription services versus the pay-per-track or per-album model? Do you think $10 per month is a fair price for access to a music buffet on the go?


    Reviews: Rhapsody, Spotify

    Tags: android, iphone, Mobile 2.0, MOG, music, music subscription, rhapsody, subscription

    Sent from my iPhone

    Samsung Announces Plans for iPad Challenger

    http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Mashable/~3/X8N57fyIGhI/

    Samsung is the next consumer electronics manufacturer to come out swinging against Apple’s iPad. A senior executive confirmed plans to release a “slate PC” during the second half of this year.

    The key differentiating points for this tablet will address what Samsung feels are two major shortcomings of the iPad: lack of processing power and not enough connectivity options.

    “I do feel that that slate-type platform has legs but I think the legs need to be far more powerful, for example an Atom-based product which has far greater flexibility, not to mention inputs and outputs,” said Director of Samsung Australia’s IT division Philip Newton at the Samsung Forum in Singapore. “This has more potential than an iPad.”

    The goal is to build a device powerful enough to become the primary computing machine for many people. The ARM chip that powers Apple’s iPad was deemed not powerful enough to make the tablet form factor truly shine; hence Samsung reports that it is looking at two platforms from Intel to power the unnamed device: Atom or the Moorestown System on a Chip.

    The slate will be a device “you could take to university and do a PowerPoint presentation on it, for example, or a device that could be taken home or to the office and docked,” Samsung’s Emmanuele Silanesu said .

    Samsung is no stranger to the “in-between smartphone and laptop” zone, having released the Q1 ultra-mobile PC (pictured above right) back in 2006. Silanesu assures us that the forthcoming new tablet will have a much stronger focus on the consumer market than the Q1, which “was a very niche product for a vertical market… It was limited (in functionality), the price was relatively high, and it wasn’t an attractive device for consumers.”

    It’s not terribly much to go on yet, but how do you think Samsung’s planned device might stack up against the other crop of iPad alternative hopefuls? Are you interested in some flavor of tablet device, and if so, what features should it have?

    [via Boy Genius Report]

    Tags: apple, atom, ipad, moorsetown, Q1, samsung, samsung tablet, Tablet, tablets

    Sent from my iPhone

    The New IE9: More HTML5, CSS3, and No Windows XP

    http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Mashable/~3/ByxAK3ZiVFA/

    Today Microsoft released the developer preview of Internet Explorer 9. It’s the first look we’ve had at Microsoft’s flagship browser since it first revealed details late last year.

    The preview is bare-bones: after playing around with it, I can tell you that it doesn’t have much in terms of user interface — or anything else for that matter. This is more of a proof-of-concept than a web browser (there isn’t even an address bar). Still, it provides a good glimpse into what we can expect from IE9: a complete reboot.

    For one thing, it supports HTML5, the new version of the mark-up language that supports more dynamic web pages, video embedding, and geolocation. That becomes apparent when you test things such as the “HTML5 T-Shirt designer,” which uses HTML5 and XHTML to let you paint your own shirt. It definitely brings Internet Explorer closer to rivals Firefox, Safari, and Chrome in terms of functionality.

    Microsoft also focused on adhering to web standards. IE9’s Acid3 test — a measure of how well a web browser follows certain web standards — achieves a score of 55/100. Firefox 3.7, for comparison, scores a 97/100, so still not great. Microsoft also shows off its improved compliance with CSS, including rounded corners (if you’ve ever developed for previous version of IE, this is definitely a sore spot). Microsoft also seems intent on being compatible with CSS3, which is currently under development.


    In order to bring IE9 into the new era of the web, Microsoft had to sacrifice a few things. The big one: IE9 will notsupport Windows XP. It could prove to be a smart move, as it might help push more people to upgrade to Windows 7. More importantly, it makes IE9 as web-compliant and advanced as possible.

    Microsoft still has a lot to do to win back web users and developers; its market share continues to erode as other browsers with stronger developer ecosystems and more standard-compliant features. This is a strong start though, and a good sign that Microsoft is taking its web browser rivals very seriously.


    Reviews: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, Windows

    Tags: chrome, IE9, internet explorer, Internet Explorer 9, microsoft, safari, web browser

    Sent from my iPhone