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Friday, October 28, 2011

YouTube launches broad entertainment venture (AP) : Technet

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YouTube launches broad entertainment venture (AP) : Technet

YouTube launches broad entertainment venture (AP)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 06:36 PM PDT

By JAKE COYLE and RYAN NAKASHIMA, Associated Press Jake Coyle And Ryan Nakashima, Associated Press – 2 hrs 47 mins ago

NEW YORK – YouTube is making a bold step into original programming in an entertainment venture with some 100 content creators, from Madonna to The Wall Street Journal.

The Google Inc.-owned video site said Friday that it's launching more than 100 new video channels. The partners include an array of Hollywood production companies, celebrities and new media groups that will produce mainly niche-oriented videos.

YouTube is shelling out $100 million to producers, according to people familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The money is an advance on advertising money the videos will bring in, and Google will recoup its portion first before splitting the proceeds. Advances are as high as $5 million per channel, said another person familiar with the arrangement, also speaking on condition of anonymity.

Neither person was authorized to comment publicly on the matter.

Google declined to offer financial details of the deals, but said the majority of revenue will go to partners.

Participants include Madonna, former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, comedian Amy Poehler, actor Ashton Kutcher, "Office" star Rainn Wilson, spiritual doctor Deepak Chopra and "Modern Family" actress Sofia Vergara. Most are creating channels through their production companies. Madonna is a partner with the dance channel DanceOn, while O'Neal plans the Comedy Shaq Network.

Lionsgate is presenting a fitness channel, and other channels will be launched by news satire the Onion, professional wrestling's WWE, online magazine Slate and news service Thomson Reuters.

The channels will roll out beginning this month, though most will premiere next year. YouTube says the channels will add 25 hours of new original content daily, with dozens of Web series debuting at scheduled times.

Ultimately, YouTube is aiming to create a new digital video platform that will rival television programming.

In a blog posting Friday night, YouTube said the channels are being developed "specifically for the digital age." The video site compared the expanded video offerings to the advent of cable television.

YouTube has tried to build a more advertiser-friendly product of professional-quality video, as opposed to simply user-created videos. Advertisers generally prefer to have their ads matched with known quantities. YouTube has also previously tried to urge viewers to stay longer with TV-like services like the YouTube Leanback, which continuously plays a personalized selection of videos.

Google is also looking to add professionally produced content to its huge roster of user-generated videos, to give users of its Google TV platform something to watch.

Major Hollywood networks such as News Corp.'s Fox and The Walt Disney Co.'s ABC have blocked their content from being shown on Google TV because the sides have been unable to come to a licensing deal that the networks believes pays them fairly. Networks also don't want to jeopardize their lucrative relationship with pay TV distributors like Comcast Corp. and DirecTV.

Google is a platform that has been adopted by set-top box maker Logitech, which makes a device called a Logitech Revue that sells for $100.

___

Nakashima reported from Los Angeles.

Behind the numbers: Samsung passes Apple in phones (AP)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 02:58 PM PDT

By BARBARA ORTUTAY, AP Technology Writer Barbara Ortutay, Ap Technology Writer – Fri Oct 28, 5:58 pm ET

NEW YORK – For the first time, Samsung Electronics Co. shipped more smartphones in the latest quarter than tech industry darling Apple Inc. On the surface, this may look like a big upset in a world that affords the iPhone maker adulation and outsized expectations. The real reason, however, has more to do with timing and Samsung's variety of offerings and prices.

Apple sold 17.1 million iPhones in the third quarter, 3 million fewer than expected. Samsung, meanwhile, shipped more than 27 million, according to analyst estimates.

So what happened? For one, Apple's latest iPhone, the 4S, didn't come out until the quarter ended, so its sales are not included in the figure. People held back on buying older models in anticipation of the new iPhone, which came out Oct. 14. Apple said it sold more than 4 million units in its first weekend on sale, and that should be reflected in the tally for the current, holiday quarter.

"People were waiting," said Francis Sideco, analyst with the research firm IHS. "We don't see this as a signal that Apple is all of a sudden losing its edge. It's their normal thing. But while they are doing this normal thing, Samsung is (going strong) and they happen to have a really good quarter."

Samsung's quarter was helped by strong sales of its Galaxy phones, though Sideco said the numbers shouldn't lead to the conclusion that the Samsung Galaxy beat the Apple iPhone.

"What beat it is Samsung's lines," Sideco said.

Besides the Galaxy line, Samsung's phones include Conquer, Replenish, Focus and Indulge. IHS estimates that Samsung sold about 40 different models during the third quarter. By comparison, Apple had just two — the 4 and the 3GS.

Samsung, which is based in Seoul, South Korea, does not disclose the number of phones it ships. IHS, formerly known as iSuppli, estimates that Samsung shipped 27.3 million smartphones in the latest quarter. Jae Lee from Daiwa Securities puts the figure at about 28 million.

Analysts cautioned against reading too much into the numbers, but such comparisons are tempting given the pedestal that Apple is held on and the fact that the rivalry between the two companies has heated up and extended into the courtroom. Apple says the product design, user interface and packaging of Samsung's Galaxy devices "slavishly copy" the iPhone and Apple's iPad tablet computer. Samsung fought back with lawsuits of its own, accusing Apple of patent infringement of its wireless telecommunications technology.

Even as Samsung sold more phones, Apple seems to be making more money on each. That's one of the reasons Apple is now the most valuable tech company in the world, with a market value about three times that of Samsung.

Apple competes on — and dominates — the high-end smartphone market. By contrast, Samsung has both cheap and expensive phones available. That means Samsung can appeal to a broader range of customers, but the company has to settle for a lower profit margin on lower-end smartphones.

Sideco called both strategies good. Good, but different.

Apple, which is based in Cupertino, Calif., limits the market it addresses because it is safeguarding its profit margin on the iPhone, said Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi. More expensive phones mean higher margins for the company, which so far hasn't focused on the market for lower-end phones.

"It's part of their plan," Milanesi said. "If they wanted to capture a wider segment of the market, they would go with a lower-end device."

That could come soon. The price cut earlier this month for the iPhone 4 to $99 (down from $199) and the decision to offer now-ancient 3GS for free — with a two-year service contract — could mean that Apple is testing the waters in the cheaper market.

"The sales of the $99 iPhone 4 will definitely help widen the addressable market," Milanesi said.

When it comes to the overall mobile phone market, though neither Apple nor Samsung are on top. That honor goes to Nokia Corp. The Finnish company is still the world's No. 1 cellphone maker even though it has fallen behind rivals in the smartphone market. Nokia shipped 16.8 million smartphones during the third quarter, a close third to Apple, according to IHS.

'Gossip Girl,' other CW shows coming to Hulu (AP)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 04:40 PM PDT

By RYAN NAKASHIMA, AP Business Writer Ryan Nakashima, Ap Business Writer – Fri Oct 28, 7:40 pm ET

LOS ANGELES – Current-season shows on The CW including "The Vampire Diaries" and "Gossip Girl" are coming to Hulu.

The five-year deal announced Friday means that before the end of the year, the online video service will feature shows from five of the largest six broadcasters — ABC, NBC, Fox, The CW, and Univision. The only holdout is CBS.

Under the new deal, subscribers who pay $8 a month for Hulu Plus will get the five most recent episodes from The CW's lineup the day after they are broadcast on television. The same episodes will then be available for free on CWTV.com three days after broadcast. Eight days after broadcast, the episodes will be available on the free version of Hulu for computers.

All the versions will come with ads. But episodes on Hulu and Hulu Plus have about half the regular ad load of television, or about two or three ads per break. CWTV.com will host shows that have the same number as on television, or about four per break.

The deal is the latest move by Hulu to bulk up on its library of content since its owners — The Walt Disney Co., News Corp., Comcast Corp. and Providence Equity Partners — decided not to sell it earlier this month.

Hulu's senior vice president of content, Andy Forsell, said the offering will resonate with The CW's tech savvy audience, which is focused on young women aged 18-34.

"Their audience is obviously a generation that is really comfortable online," he said. "They're very comfortable going back and forth."

The CW sees the move as a way to capture new licensing revenue, but also bring viewers back to watching the debut broadcast on television.

"They can actually help drive viewers back to the network and the local stations that are airing our shows," said Mark Pedowitz, president of The CW.

Putting shows on the free version Hulu eight days after the initial broadcast is not unusual. Fox imposed the delay on its shows starting in August, although it allows day-after access to subscribers of certain pay TV subscribers.

Earlier this month, The CW also agreed to make all its previous seasons' shows available to subscribers of Netflix Inc.'s streaming plan, which also costs $8 a month. Those episodes come without ads.

The CW is co-owned by CBS Corp. and Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Bros.

Large Scale Hacks: U.S. satellites infiltrated for 12 minutes (Yahoo! News)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 08:12 PM PDT

Tecca TV: TechLife on UFO tree hotels, giant Lego men washing ashore, China owning the moon, and more! (Yahoo! News)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 08:08 PM PDT

Find a Job in Social Media, Communications or Design (Mashable)

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 05:29 PM PDT

Stephanie Buck Stephanie Buck – Thu Oct 27, 8:29 pm ET

If you're seeking a job in social media, we'd like to help out. For starters, Mashable's Job Lists gather all our resource lists, how-tos and expert guides to help you get hired. In particular, you might want to see our articles, How to Leverage Social Media for Career Success and How to Find a Job on Twitter.

[More from Mashable: Should the New Facebook Gestures Allow a Dislike Button?]

But we'd like to help in a more direct way, too. Mashable's job boards are a place for socially savvy companies to find people like you. This week and every week, Mashable features its coveted job board listings for a variety of positions on the web, social media space and beyond. Have a look at what's good and new on our job boards:

Mashable Job Postings

Community Intern (Fall 2011) at Mashable in New York, NY.

[More from Mashable: Snip.it Lets You Collect and Share Web Content That Matters to You [INVITES]]

Community Intern (Winter 2012) at Mashable in New York, NY.

Editorial Intern (Fall 2011) at Mashable in New York, NY.

Editorial Intern (Winter 2012) at Mashable in New York, NY.

Tech Reporter at Mashable in San Francisco, CA.

Tech Reporter at Mashable in New York, NY.

Mashable Job Board Listings

Product Manager at Savings.com in Los Angeles, CA.

Community Manager at Sony Corporation of America in New York, NY.

PHP Engineer at Empire Avenue in San Francisco, CA.

Manager, Digital Marketing at Disney Theatrical Group in New York, NY.

Social Media Manager at Grubhub in Chicago, IL.

Audible Technology Meet & greet at Audible.com in Newark, NJ.

Senior Manager, PR - Interactive Entertainment (Wii) at GolinHarris in Los Angeles, CA.

Internet Task Manager at C-4 Analytics in Saugus, MA.

Marketing Account Manager at C-4 Analytics in Saugus, MA.

Online Marketing Strategist at PETA in Los Angeles, CA.

Project Manager, Mobile at Leading Media Company in New York, NY.

Social Media Marketing Specialist at BizziBiz in Scottsdale, AZ.

IT Hosted Operations Engineer @ Atlassian, makers of JIRA at Atlassian in San Francisco, CA.

Video Producer (Flexible; East Coast strongly preferred) at Teach For America in New York, New York.

Digital Marketing Programmer Analyst at The Nature Conservancy in Arlington, VA.

Director, Communications and Social Media at FOX Sports South in Atlanta, GA.

Coordinator, Social Media at Music Choice in New York, NY.

Big-Data Analytics Engineer at Atlassian in San Francisco, CA.

Content Manager at sweetgreen in Washinton, D.C.

Marketing Systems Administrator at Atlassian in San Francisco, CA.

Editor / Producer - NBC Olympics.com Affiliate content at NBC Universal in Stamford, CT.

Campaign Analyst at Acquinity Interactive in Deerfield Beach, FL.

Software Developer in Test at Synacor in Buffalo, NY.

Senior Mobile Developer at Synacor in Buffalo, NY.

West Coast Sales Director at LiveWorld in San Jose, CA.

Senior Web Developer at Innovative Funded Start-Up in Chicago, IL.

Digital Strategy Planner at Imagination (client - General Mills) in Chicago, IL.

Developer Advocate at Atlassian, creators of JIRA & Confluence in San Francisco, CA.

Java Developer at Atlassian, creators of JIRA & Confluence in San Francisco, CA.

Assistant Professor, Digital Media/Integrated Communication at William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ.

Support Engineer - Dev Tools at Atlassian, creators of JIRA & Confluence in San Francisco, CA.

Digital Media Strategist at M Booth in New York, NY.

Web Developer at Atlassian, creators of JIRA & Confluence in San Francisco, CA.

Social Media Strategist at Creative Marketing Partners in Miami, FL.

Digital Media Sales at Social Reality in Beverly Hills, CA.

Marketing Specialist/Interactive Marketing Specialist at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, VA.

Community Manager at Advance Digital in Jersey City, NJ.

Online Communications Manager at The World Bank in Washington, D.C.

Web Graphic Designer at Pinnacle Promotions in Norcross, GA.

Digital Marketer at Qualifacts Systems, Inc. in Nashville, TN.

Client Account Manager at C-4 Analytics in Saugus, MA.

Marketing Manager at Rodale in New York, NY.

Platform Executive at BBC Worldwide in London, United Kingdom.

Web Developer at Creative Marketing Partners in Miami, FL.

Community Manager at Digital Brand Architects in New York, NY.

Lead Product Manager, Solutions at Synacor in Buffalo, NY.

Mashable's Job Board has a variety of web 2.0, application development, business development and social networking job opportunities available. Check them out here.

Got a job posting to share with our readers? Post a job to Mashable today ($99 for a 30 day listing) and get it highlighted every week on Mashable.com (in addition to exposure all day every day in the Mashable marketplace).

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, YinYang

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Google takes another shot at the TV market (Reuters)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 06:06 PM PDT

By Alexei Oreskovic Alexei Oreskovic – Fri Oct 28, 9:06 pm ET

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Google Inc is making another push to bring its Web savvy to television sets, hoping to tap into a vast new market despite consumers' lukewarm reaction to one of its initial offerings.

The Internet search engine unveiled a revamped version of its Google TV service and announced plans to create about one hundred online "channels" of original video programing for its YouTube website, in separate announcements on Friday.

The YouTube channels will feature videos created though partnerships with various media organizations, and involving celebrities including rapper Jay-Z, Madonna and skateboarder Tony Hawk. The partnerships involve more than $100 million in upfront payments by Google to the various partners, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The new 2.0 version of Google TV provides new tools for recommending movies, TV programs and online videos to TV viewers, and makes it easier for software developers to create new apps for the television screen.

Google TV -- which currently comes built-in on certain Sony Corp television models and on Logitech International set-top boxes -- allows consumers to access online videos and websites on their TVs, as well as to play with specialized apps such as video games.

"There's a lot of thirst for using the Web in the living room," said Google Product Management VP Mario Queiroz, who is leading the Google TV initiative.

But in a sign of the many challenges that have frustrated Google's ambitions to conquer the living room, as well as those of other tech companies including Apple Inc, Queiroz described Google TV as a "long-term bet."

"I don't know what exact month this will take off," he told Reuters during a demonstration of the new product at Google's Mountain View, California headquarters last week. "I do think there's been a lot of progress over the past year and this next year there will be a lot more progress."

Google does not disclose how many users it has for Google TV, which was launched with great fanfare last year. But some analysts say that version 1.0 of the product has been a flop.

"The fire they were trying to start never even got a spark," said Forrester Research analyst James McQuivey.

The $299 price for the least-expensive Google TV device was too high, said McQuivey (Logitech has since reduced the price of its device to $100). And the fact that many of the television networks, perhaps sensing a threat from Google, blocked the Web-based versions of their shows from being accessible on Google TV devices created confusion among consumers, he said.

But TV is too attractive a market for Google to ignore, say analysts.

For Google, which generated 96 percent of its revenue from advertising last year, television represents a significant opportunity for expansion. According to industry research firm IDC, television advertising in the U.S. this year is expected to be a nearly $70 billion market.

Having a foothold in the living room could also be important for Google as the lines between traditional media and the Internet blur and as Google moves to bolster the rich trove of amateur videos on its YouTube website with professionally-produced content.

The new YouTube channels will feature videos in nearly 20 different categories, such as sports, comedy and news. The first channels will launch next month with more channels rolling out over the coming year, Google said.

Google will sell ads alongside the original video channels, sharing up to 55 percent of the ad revenue with some of its partners after Google has earned back the cost of its up-front payments, according to the person familiar with the matter, who wished to remain anonymous because of the confidential nature of the arrangements.

Other tech powerhouses also recognize the TV opportunity, including Microsoft Corp, which has taken steps to turn its Xbox video game console into a general-purpose media player.

In the newly-released biography of Steve Jobs, author Walter Isaacson relates a conversation in which the recently-deceased Apple co-founder said he was interested in creating an "integrated television set" that seamlessly connected with the Internet and with all of a consumer's electronic devices. So far analysts say that Apple's foray into the TV market has been a rare failure for the iPhone maker.

"The reason these companies have all been eyeing this market is that there's not that many markets that are 200 million plus units a year and have an installed base of a billion plus screens," said IDC analyst Danielle Levitas, referring to global sales of TV sets. "You can't ignore markets that big, on screens that are that important in terms of hours spent and media delivered."

THE MOTOROLA FACTOR

One advantage that Google could have in the TV market is its planned $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc, which makes cable television set-top boxes as well as mobile phones.

"If I were Google, the first thing I would do is put (the Google TV software) into the next round of Motorola set-top boxes and say (to the cable providers) 'We'll give you half-off for these things, if you put Google TV in,'" said McQuivey of Forrester Research.

Google's Queiroz declined to discuss how Motorola might fit into the Google TV plans other than to note that Google has said it plans to run Motorola as a separate business after the acquisition closes.

Beginning on Sunday, Google will automatically upgrade the software on existing Sony Google TV devices that are already in consumers' homes, with software updates to Logitech coming shortly thereafter. New Google TV devices, from manufacturers including Samsung and Vizio, are expected next year.

Google has built Google TV on the new "Honeycomb" version of its Android operating system. The company has also redesigned the look of Google TV, replacing the cluttered, computer-like screen full of options with a more minimalist strip of graphical icons that sits at the bottom of the TV screen.

Google's Android Market, the central clearinghouse for the smartphone and tablet apps designed to run on the Android operating system, will now be available on Google TV. That means software developers that make smartphone applications, such as Rovio's Angry Birds, will easily be able to offer versions that run on Google TV.

But in contrast to Internet-connected smartphones, which have become incredibly popular in recent years, Web TV products from Google and other companies face a steep road as they strive to prove their worth to consumers, say some analysts.

"It's an incredibly difficult screen to figure out," said IDC's Levitas, noting that unlike with smartphones and PCs, a TV is often viewed by multiple people at the same time and has two disparate experiences -- standard television programing and Web content -- that need to be cleverly tied together.

"The TV is going to be the last frontier we crack in terms of the connected experience," said Levitas.

(Reporting by Alexei Oreskovic, editing by Bernard Orr and Carol Bishopric)

Cain's smoking ad divides Republicans: Reuters/Ipsos poll (Reuters)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 04:12 PM PDT

Go Vacation Review (Digital Trends)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 03:19 PM PDT

Ryan Fleming Ryan Fleming – Fri Oct 28, 6:19 pm ET

The Wii has no shortage of mini-games. You could even go so far as to say it has more than its fair share. Four of the five best-selling Wii titles are filled with mini-games, and the only exception is Mario Kart, which isn't a mini-game, but it is filled with short bursts of gameplay rather than anything with a story-driven campaign. So there is obviously a market for it, and Namco Bandai is well aware of that.

With the Wii in its twilight, we will probably see more games like this — ones that try to squeeze every ounce of the Wii's fanbase that it can. The genres that already have a proven track record will come fast and furious, while the more experimental games will likely be pushed to the Wii U. There will be exceptions to that rule, but Go Vacation is not one of them.

Instead, Go Vacation is a massive collection of mini-games. You could call it a clone of Wii Sports Resort, and it is to a degree, but the same can be said of almost every military-themed first-person shooter on the 360 and PS3. Go Vacation isn't the most groundbreakingly original game, but it does several things well.

The game takes place on a series of vacation-themed resorts on Kawawii Island, each with their own mini-games, and each with their own environment, including: marine, city, mountain and snow-themed locations. There are 50 in total, and each game has multiple challenges within. These challenges range from everything from jet ski races, to air hockey and sky diving, and each of these games can be played with up to four players.  The island is also laid out with an open-world feel, so you can walk, drive or ride from activity to activity. 

None of the games are particularly difficult, and they range in quality and enjoyment as you might expect with so many choices. By "ranging," I mean some are good and some are really bad. There is a lot of variety, and some of it will also just be a matter of taste, yet there are a few of the games that simply don't work that well. It is great that the games aren't all just various models of the same thing and they mostly feel unique, with a few forgivable exceptions, but some are little more than hitting a button at the right time. But there is always something to do that you can enjoy, especially with a group of friends. Some are in-depth like ATV races and require you to move and plan, while others like volleyball boil down to timing and moving the controller at the right moment. These can be simple to the point of being dull. When the games are good, they are fun, when they are not, they are tedious and occasionally frustrating.

Go Vacation is a simple game, and that is never more in evident than with the AI. It follows patterns more than it actually competes. This is never clearer than in races, when you may be ahead and an AI opponent will slam into you — not because they want to wreck you, but because they are going in a straight line and you happened to get in their way. Travelling around the open world is fun for a bit, especially when you are on a vehicle, but the huge variety of NPCs end up being little more than rocks. You can run into them at full speed and it is about the same as running into a wall. They are background to make the island seem alive, which is fine, but also unnecessary and a golden opportunity missed. It ends up feeling like the island is unnecessary and gives the game a hollow feel, like it is mostly show and no substance.

While on the island, there are a few things to explore for like new outfits, plus there are a handful of mini-games that aren̢۪t part of the guided tour, but the island really isn̢۪t used to much effect. The loading screens are also frequent, but are generally short. After a few times seeing them though, you will probably get a bit tired of them.

Go Vacation also manages to utilize pretty much every Wii peripheral made, including the Motion Plus controller, the zapper and the balance board.  You don't need them, but if you are looking for an excuse to use those items, you finally have another chance.  

Conclusion

Go Vacation is best when played as a multiplayer title for players of all ages. The best thing about the mini-games is the variety. The actual gameplay is somewhat simplistic, but the variety keeps the games feeling fresh, plus that makes it great for families and party goers. It probably won't be enough of a draw for hardcore gamers, though. The single-player mode may appeal to kids, but the lack of substance in the island and AI makes playing alone quite alienating.

Go Vacation isn't quite at the same level that its "cousin" Wii Sports Resort is at, but it does have a lot to offer to people who like the mini-game concept. If you are looking for a new game to play at a party or with friends, than the wide variety of activities should appeal to you. In general, Go Vacation feels a bit underdeveloped, but there are still a lot of things to like.

 

This article was originally posted on Digital Trends

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Android App Tablet Review: AccuWeather for Honeycomb (Appolicious)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 06:00 PM PDT

The Week's Top 20 in Social Media (The Atlantic Wire)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 02:26 PM PDT

Adam Clark Estes Adam Clark Estes – Fri Oct 28, 5:26 pm ET

Related: Trimming the Times: What's Worth Your 20 Clicks Today?

The social media sphere is an increasingly noisy place, especially for brands. But hiding somewhere in the static, some companies are sending strong signals that reaches their customers in innovative ways. The Dachis Group has recently begun a real-time ranking of which companies have the most effective social strategies with their Social Business Index. Each Friday we're taking a tally of who's getting heard, what they're saying and why it matters.

Related: How to Help the Media Read Sarah Palin's Emails

This week, Facebook and Google swapped spots for the number 1 company in the Social Business Index. While the other players in the top 20 shuffled places, there were few big moves, save Reuters continuing its bullish march up in the ranks, rising seven spots to number four. We took this as an chance to widen the scope of this feature to look at the most exciting moves in the Social Business Index's top 100. At number 48, The New York Times eclipsed every other company except Hasbro in making the biggest jump up the ranks by latching on to a major news story, Qaddafi's death. Time Warner also turned a crisis into an opportunity, and reappeared in the top 20 for the first time in a while. We talked to the people behind the winning strategies, and they told us their secrets.

Related: After Labor Day, Media Musical Chairs

Related: Arianna Huffington's Legitimacy Problem

The biggest mover in the top 100 this week, moving up 26 places in the ranks, was The New York Times.  Social media editor Lexi Mainland who suggested that news of Qaddafi's death and a few tweaks to their social strategy provided the lift. "The main vehicle for the story was our breaking news blog, The Lede," Mainland told The Atlantic Wire. "Rob Mackey laid out all of those videos of Qaddafi in his final moments and tried to reconstruct what happened in those last moments. He was doing a lot of piecing together those stores and trying to tease out what happened." The Times also recently launched a unique new Twitter account called @NYTLive to be used sparingly during major breaking news events, but they chose not to use on the Qaddafi story. "It seemed like the second and third day would give us more accurate verifiable details," said Mainland. And this seems like part of the secret. Mainland reiterated how The Times's social media team is "very cautious" about only featuring verified information across their social media properties. There's an element of momentum in The Times's success, as well. "We have a lot of journalists who are now active on Twitter and I'm totally sure that the Index was just picking up Qaddafi as the spike," said Mainland. "But I think that it needs to be said that more than ever, more of our journalists are actively using Twitter for news gathering, for engaging--and that's very exciting."

Related: The New York Times's Favorite 'Dreamy, Young Hipster'

Time Warner jumps back into the top 20 on the heels of a minor-slash-major crisis, in their biggest market, New York City. On October 6, a steam pipe set some electrical wires on fire that melted one of Time Warner's fiber optics cables cutting out access to nearly the entire East Village. You can imagine that New Yorkers were not pleased. Time Warner responded right away on Twitter, with customer care manager Philip Blum, @TWCablePhil, leading the effort. Last week, Time Warner's director of digital communications Jeff Simmermon posted photos of the damage and explained what happened on the company's blog, Untangled. The post and photos got picked up by blogs like Gizmodo and kept people chatting about Time Warner across social media. "That probably helped juice the stats a bit," Simmermon told us. The blog sets out to explain how broadband actually works. "[It's about how to] find the story behind the story--where does it come from how does it work, what do the human beings have to do to get the service to you," he said. But Simmermon says the people on his team doing the tweeting and Facebook updates deserve the most credit for being "right there in the trenches digging the ditches for us making sure people get the care they need."

Methodology: A project of the Dachis Group, a social business professional services group, the Social Business Index analyzes the conversations on social platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and othrs. The index, which currently covers approximately 25,0000 companies and 27,000 brands, detects behaviors and activities exhibited by these companies, analyzes their execution and effectiveness at driving outcomes such as brand awareness, brand love, mind share, and advocacy. The Atlantic Wire takes a snapshot of the rankings at the close of business on Thursdays.

Google Issues Update to Google TV (NewsFactor)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 02:06 PM PDT

Barry Levine, newsfactor.com Barry Levine, newsfactor.com – Fri Oct 28, 5:06 pm ET

Google is taking another shot at reinventing television. On Friday, the software giant said it is rolling out an updated Android Honeycomb 3.1 version of its TV service to users.

Google TV integrates Web content with TV programming. The update features a simpler interface, easier access to the company's YouTube site and other online streaming video content, and the availability of selected apps by Android developers.

'Bringing Millions of New Channels'

In a Friday posting on the official Google TV blog, two Google executives outlined the new update. Vice President for Product Management Mario Queiroz and Director of Engineering Vincent Dureau wrote that the new, post-Internet chapter of television is not about replacing cable TV, broadcast TV, or "replicating what's on TV to the Web."

Instead, they wrote, it's about "bringing millions of new channels to your TV from the next generation of creators, application developers, and networks," such as the Google-owned YouTube.

Queiroz and Dureau say that "the initial version of Google TV wasn't perfect," but the new software update is trying to move the effort forward by keeping it simple, making it easy to find something worth watching, making the YouTube experience better on TV, and bringing more apps to TV.

Google TV, announced in spring of last year, combines access to Web sites, a search engine and streaming video with a high-definition TV. Sony sells HD sets and Blu-ray players with Google TV capability, and Logitech offers a box that can enable existing hardware.

For instance, if a viewer wanted to watch Modern Family, and had seen all of the episodes available at coming airtimes or recorded to a DVR, the viewer could watch streaming versions from Web sources on the TV set -- if they're available. Other features include the ability for a user to employ an Android smartphone as a voice-recognizing remote control for the TV.

Intel and Smart TV

The software upgrade will roll out next week to Sony products that support the technology, and shortly thereafter to Logitech.

Google also has a partnership for the system with Dish Network, but so far, there are no partnerships with the major broadcast networks. Google has had difficulties with the major networks, but the company is trying to position its TV service as an added value.

Last year, several networks blocked versions of their most popular TV shows when accessed over the Web via Google TV. The shows included The Office, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and Modern Family. Additionally, the popular Hulu site, which is owned by NBC, Disney and News Corp., also blocked its availability on the service.

The equipment manufactured by Sony and Logitech for Google TV are built around a version of Intel's Atom processor. But, according to a new report released Friday by market researcher iSuppli, Intel is now placing less emphasis on the development of chips for smart TVs such as Google TV.

The research firm says that market is a tough one for the chipmaker, which prefers to look to smartphones and tablets as possible growth areas.

It’s official: Samsung has beaten Apple to become No. 1 in smartphone revenue (Appolicious)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 11:48 AM PDT

Hotel wifi not what it used to be? Your iPad may be to blame (Yahoo! News)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 10:49 AM PDT

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango rollout complete, says Microsoft (Digital Trends)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 09:14 AM PDT

Jeffrey Van Camp Jeffrey Van Camp – Fri Oct 28, 12:14 pm ET

Every phone that is eligible for a Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) update now has one available for it. At least we think that's what Microsoft is saying. The Windows Phone team uses somewhat confusing language in its blog posts, as we noted when the Mango updates began a month ago. In the team's newest post, they say that "we're now delivering Mango to 100 percent of eligible phones around the world, regardless of carrier." So if you've been waiting patiently for a month, you should plug your phone into your computer and use the Zune software to check for updates. It should be available.

Still, despite Microsoft's statements to the contrary, there are lingering reports that Samsung phones haven't yet gotten Windows Phone 7.5. We'd wager that this could be true, especially considering the trouble the Samsung Focus had during the NoDo update a few months back. However, if you're a Samsung Windows Phone owner (as we are), there is a workaround hack that lets you get the update immediately. There are no software or crazy things to install either. Read "How to get Windows Phone 7.5 right now" for instructions. 

Have any of you installed Mango? What do you think? So far, we're pretty impressed with Windows Phone. We can't wait to see some of Nokia's enhancements either. 

This article was originally posted on Digital Trends

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Attorney says Apple in talks with man whose home was searched for missing iPhone (Appolicious)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 11:19 AM PDT

India shuts server linked to Duqu computer virus (Reuters)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 03:41 PM PDT

By Jim Finkle and Supantha Mukherjee Jim Finkle And Supantha Mukherjee – Fri Oct 28, 6:41 pm ET

(Reuters) – Indian authorities seized computer equipment from a data center in Mumbai as part of an investigation into the Duqu malicious software that some security experts warned could be the next big cyber threat.

Two workers at a web-hosting company called Web Werks told Reuters that officials from India's Department of Information Technology last week took several hard drives and other components from a server that security firm Symantec Corp told them was communicating with computers infected with Duqu.

News of Duqu first surfaced last week when Symantec said it had found a mysterious computer virus that contained code similar to Stuxnet, a piece of malware believed to have wreaked havoc on Iran's nuclear program.

Government and private investigators around the world are racing to unlock the secret of Duqu, with early analysis suggesting that it was developed by sophisticated hackers to help lay the groundwork for attacks on critical infrastructure such as power plants, oil refineries and pipelines.

The equipment seized from Web Werks, a privately held company in Mumbai with about 200 employees, might hold valuable data to help investigators determine who built Duqu and how it can be used. But putting the pieces together is a long and difficult process, experts said.

"This one is challenging," said Marty Edwards, director of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team. "It's a very complex piece of software."

He declined to comment on the investigation by authorities in India, but said that his agency was working with counterparts in other countries to learn more about Duqu.

Two employees at Web Werks said officials from India's Department of Information Technology came to their office last week to take hard drives and other parts from a server.

They said they did not know how the malware got on to Web Werks' server. "We couldn't track down this customer," said one of the two employees, who did not want to be identified for fear of losing their jobs.

An official in India's Department of Information Technology who investigates cyber attacks also declined to discuss the matter. "I am not able to comment on any investigations," said Gulshan Rai, director of the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, or CERT-In.

UNLOCKING THE SECRET

Stuxnet is malicious software designed to target widely used industrial control systems built by Germany's Siemens. It is believed to have crippled centrifuges that Iran uses to enrich uranium for what the United States and some European nations have charged is a covert nuclear weapons program.

Duqu appears to be more narrowly targeted than Stuxnet as researchers estimate the new trojan virus has infected at most dozens of machines so far. By comparison, Stuxnet spread much more quickly, popping up on thousands of computer systems.

Security firms including Dell Inc's SecureWorks, Intel Corp's McAfee, Kaspersky Lab and Symantec say they found Duqu victims in Europe, Iran, Sudan and the United States. They declined to provide their identities.

Duqu -- so named because it creates files with "DQ" in the prefix -- was designed to steal secrets from the computers it infects, researchers said, such as design documents from makers of highly sophisticated valves, motors, pipes and switches.

Experts suspect that information is being gathered for use in developing future cyber weapons that would target the control systems of critical infrastructure.

The hackers behind Duqu are unknown, but their sophistication suggests they are backed by a government, researchers say.

"A cyber saboteur should understand the engineering specifications of every component that could be targeted for destruction in an operation," said John Bumgarner, chief technology officer for the U.S. Cyber Consequences Unit.

That is exactly what the authors of Stuxnet did when they built that cyber weapon, said Bumgarner, who is writing a paper on the development of Stuxnet.

"They studied the technical details of gas centrifuges and figured out how they could be destroyed," he said.

Such cyber reconnaissance missions are examples of an increasingly common phenomenon known as "blended" attacks, where elite hackers infiltrate one target to facilitate access to another.

Hackers who infiltrated Nasdaq's computer systems last year installed malware that allowed them to spy on the directors of publicly held companies.

In March, hackers stole digital security keys from EMC Corp's RSA Security division that they later used to breach the networks of defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp.

Researchers said they are still trying to figure out what the next phase of Duqu attacks might be.

"We are a little bit behind in the game," said Don Jackson, a director of the Dell SecureWorks Counter Threat Unit. "Knowing what these guys are doing, they are probably a step ahead."

(Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee in New York, Jim Finkle in Boston; Additional reporting by Henry Foy in Mumbai; Editing by Tiffany Wu)

Report: RIM operating surveillance facility in India (Digital Trends)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 08:33 AM PDT

Geoff Duncan Geoff Duncan – Fri Oct 28, 11:33 am ET

blackberry-torch-9810-l

Back in 2010, the Indian government set multiple deadlines for RIM to provide the government with access to encrypted BlackBerry communication or face a shutdown of BlackBerry services in the country. Those deadlines came and went, with RIM insisting that it has no back door that would let government authorities (or anybody else) decrypt and access communications on its BlackBerry Enterprise services. However, by the beginning of 2011 RIM had been working with the Indian government to provide access to consumer-level BlackBerry Messenger and BlackBerry Internet Services (BIS) email—and now the Wall Street Journal reports RIM is operating a small surveillance facility in Mumbai to process government requests for access to BlackBerry user communications.

According to the report, government officials must convince RIM they have enough legal justification to require access to a user's messages before the company will cooperate. However, the Indian government still wants access to decrypted messages sent via BlackBerry Enterprise Services, and also wants to locate officials at RIM's headquarters in Canada to facilitate getting surveillance requests to the company.

RIM has consistently claimed that it has no magical back door that would enable it to snoop on encrypted communications sent via BlackBerry Enterprise Server; when customers sign on to the service, they generate their own encryption keys, and the architecture of the service prevents RIM from ever having a copy of them. RIM insists that architecture is identical around the world, but has led some industry watchers to speculate governments might require companies using BlackBerry Enterprise services to hand their encryption keys over to the government to be able to lawfully use the services.

India isn't the only country where RIM has seen government demands for access to its services: the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and others have also demanded access to customer messages and threatened RIM with BlackBerry shutdowns. In each case so far, RIM has been able to work out agreements with the countries, although the details have never been disclosed and the Indian case is the first where RIM is believed to have set up a message surveillance center. In other cases, RIM is believes to have located BlackBerry servers within the country, rather than operating BlackBerry services off servers in North America and the United Kingdom.

RIM has not confirmed the existence of a monitoring center in India, so far telling media only that it as "delivered a solution" to the Indian government's concerns.

Governments have insisted they need access to messages for security purposes, such as preventing attacks by militants and terrorists who might use encrypted communications to plan and coordinate attacks. However, critics have warned that some regimes might use communications access to suppress free speech and monitor activities of political opponents.

This article was originally posted on Digital Trends

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