StumbleUpon | deepbluecomputer's comments & reviews

http://deepbluecomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/33975960/

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:23:25 -0700

Google Simplifies Our Lives. Again. For Free.

In March, Google announced Google Voice, a new addition to the company’s toolbox of technology crafted to improve and simplify the way we manage our phone calls, texts and voicemail.� The concept stems from GrandCentral, bought by Google a few years ago.�

The tool enables users to use a single number for all incoming home, work or mobile calls simultaneously.� Did I mention this service is FREE?� Now that I have your attention, while the technology does not seem as impressive as some new media tools, it is most definitely a needed convenience in the busy lives of many.� In addition, those already using the service are grateful, with more time freed up from organizing and synchronizing work and personal connections and scheduling.� Let’s point out the obvious-you could essentially never miss a call.�

Initially, the new service was only available to existing GrandCentral clients.� Now, those who email Google to request the service will get back an invite via email for it.� Customers are able to select their own number, and begin controlling their phones…all of them.��

While the innovative service remains free of charge at the moment, it should be interesting to see how the tool affects Google’s mobile strategy in time.� Relayed by Deep Blue Ineractive, your Fort Lauderdale web design and interactive marketing team.

http://deepbluecomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/33796354/

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:30:16 -0700

Google News Now Trawling Wikipedia

To acknowledge the popularity and large fan-base enjoyed by online user-derived dictionary/encyclopedia Wikipedia, Google News is now including it among the stable of publications its bots crawl to generate the site.� While Wikipedia’s articles have long appeared among Google search results, now when you perform a search specific to Google News, some of the returned results will feature prominent links to Wikipedia articles.��

The new standard started as an experiment, visible to only a small number of Google’s searchers.� The company noticed that people were using the Wikipedia articles, which are drafted by volunteers collaborating online, and moved to make the function permanent.� Google found that people were utilizing the Wikipedia articles as complementary information to other sources found in their search.� Google’s quest to provide relevant content to search queries is an ongoing strategy by the company that is frequently enhanced and altered.�

The new strategy by Google News was actually news to Wikipedia, who learned of the enhancement through an online subject by the Nieman Journalism Lab.�

http://deepbluecomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/33720633/

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:27:14 -0700

Twitter Upgrades Tweet Fleet

As popular micro-blogging site Twitter propels forward, it is being groomed and tweaked to fit the needs and preferences of its dynamic user base.� Recent changes include improvements to�Twitter search function, and the addition of a prominent featured user section.� Twitter ascended rapidly to become the third-largest online social networking service, and is showing that it is remaining dedicated by constantly evaluating and evolving its forum.
�
Prioritizing search has been a smart move for Twitter.� People search daily, many multiple times daily for information, products, and services.� For this reason, providing a convenient and functional search option is a great way to cater to Twitter users.� Twitter users also tend to be frequent tweeters, so access to a search bar along with the Twitter platform is a perfect match for tweeters searching for information.� Twitter has expanded its search bar, shrinking the Twitter logo at the top slightly.��

The changes were made with a new search text-entry box positioned at the top right of the site.� The revamped Twitter search will boast the capacity to search for tweets that match not just the search query word, but to return relevant discussion about the query. Watch out Google. Many Twitter users are unlikely to notice the small tweaks and changes rolling out, as a large portion of tweeters use the service via stand-alone apps developed by third-party companies, such as Hootsuite and TweetDeck.� Relayed by Deep Blue Interactive, Fort Lauderdale web design and internet marketing firm.

http://deepbluecomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/33604972/

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:45:07 -0700

Twitter Redesign to Feature Expanded Search Bar

It hardly seems possible that Twitter has already chirped its way to the third-largest online social networking service, riding the draft winds of Facebook and Myspace, according to Compete.�� The majority of Tweeters initially signed up for the service in 2008, thus giving Twitter an impressive online traffic increase of almost 1000 percent in its first year. I assume a thank-you Oprah is in order…along with other high profile and celebrity tweetsters.�

More recently, there has been increasing chatter in the cyber-sphere about Twitter attracting a growing number of users, possibly positioning it to potentially …compete with Google?� Surely, that is impossible?� Well, Twitter does already feature a search function, search.twitter, and some feel that could allow the social networking sensation to compete with larger search engines someday, if it strengthened its search capabilities.�

And to thicken the plot, recently announced new features of Twitter include a…more powerful search function.� This will obviously be fascinating to…follow!� Sorry, couldn’t resist myself.� Relayed by Deep Blue Interactive, Fort Lauderdale web design and interactive marketing firm.
�

http://deepbluecomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/33536177/

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 08:15:03 -0700

While it remains to premature to state victory, Microsoft's latest attempt at search, Bing, is off to a respectable start. At a whopping two weeks old, Bing has generated a nice bump in users, possibly thanks to spreading the word about the newly released search engine.

According to comScore.com, Bing's market share in the U.S. rose from 9.1 to 11.1 percent between June 2nd and June 6th, an impressive figure of its impressions. It is common for new products and services to see an increase in interest and publicity initially, the trick and goal is to capture that interest and maintain it. This becomes especially important given the competition for search business between Google, Yahoo and Microsoft, the search business market leaders. Microsoft has spent much effort and funds promoting Bing on both the internet and television.

Microsoft has succeeded in gaining attention, and is most likely aligning themselves for continued momentum. Not to mention the fact that Bing must perform on a level to compete with number one search engine, no simple task considering the enormity of Google. Relayed by Deep Blue Interactive, Florida web design and interactive marketing solutions.

http://deepbluecomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/33481395/

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 07:34:08 -0700

�

Apple Inc. has generated yet another sensational stir by announcing its latest in citizen journalism, err, smartphone technology, with the iPhone 3GS.� The next-generation iPhone was introduced on Monday when Apple demonstrated a new video recording function that has the capacity to transform millions of iPhones into tiny video cameras-capturing their surroundings with the touch of a screen.�

Completed and complimented with a “Send to YouTube option”, it has never been easier to upload iPhone content onto the most popular web video site.� This feature will essentially create millions of citizen journalists, armed and ready to share their stories and eyewitness accounts at a moment’s notice.� The process of gathering, editing and sharing news has never been faster in the history of journalism, or enjoyed such an open sharing platform.� The public is becoming increasingly savvy and educated on the techniques and best strategies to use while reporting online, and the ettiquette is continuously improving.�

In response to the immense growth in online reporting by individuals on YouTube, the company added a “Citizen News” channel to support the increased need (though some report that the channel is not updated frequently enough).��

Technology is improving the method in which users move what they create to where they display it, a very crucial improvement.� To locate availability of Apple’s 3GS, visit their website for details.� Relayed by Deep Blue Interactive, Florida web design and interactive marketing firm.

http://deepbluecomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/33433330/

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:30:16 -0700

Palm Pre Availability

The Palm Pre has been one of the most anticipated smartphone releases for the summer of 2009, and following its June 06th release, it was not exactly the “iPhone killer” that the masses buzzed about.��

The Palm Pre debuted at The Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan on Friday morning, catering to “business customers”, as the key word was used repetitively.� This is not surprising, as Sprint’s business sector makes up a majority of the company’s income.� In recent years, many of Sprint’s clientele have transitioned to rival carriers to obtain the latest in multimedia devices and services.� Sprint is optimistic that the Palm Pre could be the solution to entice new clients and retain its current ones.�

When asked about the potential availability of the Palm Pre through Verizon in the future, Sprint avoided the question by stating that the company would be the sole distributor of the device in the United States until the end of 2009.�

Palm Pre and Sprint executives tap-danced around bluntly comparing the new device to Apple’s iPhone by placing emphasis on the competitive features that the Palm Pre has that the iPhone lacks, including a full QWERTY keyboard, removable battery and software features such as cut and paste (a common complaint of iPhone users).�

The Palm Pre will integrate with Facebook to import profile photos into address books, and it is expected to release a beta version of the software developer’s kit to outside developer’s in the very near future.� Relayed by Deep Blue Interactive, Fort Lauderdale web development for your interactive identity.
�

http://deepbluecomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/33360989/

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 08:28:51 -0700

Privacy V.S. Progress

With all of the concern regarding online privacy and tracking, it is important to take into account the differing views and opinions involved.� There are some who simply want more information provided to them about how they are being tracked online, and to have more control over how the information gathered about them is utilized.�

The current data practices of Internet companies are not cohesive with the expectations of their customers, thus creating a rift between the parties.� It is common for Internet companies to collect information about their users, and also to divulge what other sites were visited by the user in a growing of marketers to appeal to an increasingly receptive audience based on tracking their interests, age, gender and habits. This practice is referred to as behavioral targeted advertising.�

Under much debate is the practice of Ghostery, wherein companies use browser plug-ins that detect cookies, web beacons, and other third party attempts to collect information from users and store it, often without their knowledge.� Studies are still going back and forth with accusations, but what remains the most amazing is the often overlooked fact that online marketing is evolving into a futuristic and accurate being, and is developing the ability to single out their target audience, a way to save the time and effort of both marketers and users.� It seems that once the etiquette of personal information storage and usage is clearly defined, the process will become quite the norm.� Relayed by Deep Blue Interactive, South Florida web development and online marketing agency.

http://deepbluecomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/33307586/

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:09:55 -0700

Google unleashes Wave upon us-Google Wave

The innovative and ingenious creators of Google Maps, Jens and Lars Rasmussen, have been busily developing Google’s newest communication and collaboration tool-Google Wave.� For the past two years, the brothers have been in Australia developing the new tool for communicating over the Web.� They exhibited their work for developers in San Francisco on Thursday.�

Essentially, Google Wave is an application operating in a Web browser that creates a shared online desktop for two or more users to easily interact and exchange messages and information, similar to instant messaging or email.� The users are able to share and edit rich documents including images, formatted text and graphics.� A cool feature of Google Wave is the ability for users to drag and drop widgets into a Wave, and play a game together, publishing results to the Web or saving them.� According to Lars,�

“It is a communications and collaborations tool.� We call it a Wave.� It is equal measure document and conversation”.�

A novel concept from the bright minds behind the sensational Google Maps, Wave will be available in late 2009.� Google is making the tool available to developers immediately, to incite them to build new apps for it.� Rumor is that developers at Google have created a Wave that follows the Twitter messages of the user.� It has the potential to become a convenient place where people can keep up with various mail and instant messaging accounts.� Google is certainly making waves, and showing that internet browsers have become dominant enough to be used as a platform to develop multifaceted apps-a potential blow to the desktop.� Relayed by Deep Blue Interactive,�South Florida web design and online marketing firm.�

http://deepbluecomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/33254526/

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 08:41:43 -0700

Word is that Microsoft is striding towards progress in its plight to compete with Google's internet search lead. (We recommend a catapult). Microsoft has dubbed its latest challenger "Bing". It would certainly seem that search can be as catchy to get into as the names they go by, requiring tenacity to brand and compete.

The unveiling of Bing will signify that Microsoft may be beginning to progress in its efforts to revive its internet search business, which is dominated by Google and tailed by Yahoo, placing Microsoft in 3rd place.

The marketing minds of Microsoft are aiming for Bing to depict a sound, similar to a bell to signify the moment when a search provides an answer. Aha! We get it now. Bing is fully equipped to assist users with locating goods and services, and responding to typical search queries. Yusuf Mehdi, senior vice president of Microsoft's online audience business groups described Bing as "the sound of found".

Google rose to infamy relatively quickly, so much so that the word google itself began to be used synonymously with search. Bing is Microsoft's answer to Google, a term that Bill Gates no doubt hopes users will begin to embrace, and to um...Bing things.

Bing is set to replace Microsoft's Live Search, which replaced MSN Search. Billions of dollars later, the company is paying attention to Google's tactics (which include a quirky name).

Google's fast track has plunged them into a cozy lead over other search business competitors, in fact, it would seem as though there are no competitors. It is, of course, too soon to tell if Microsoft's rebranding tactic will have much of an impact against such a force. Relayed by Deep Blue Interactive, Fort Lauderdale web design and online marketing firm.