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Google Hangouts On Air Spells Trouble For Ustream

May 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

hangouts-on-airUntil now, Ustream..tv has been the king of online streaming video. The Ustream platform has been solid for years and, for the most part, devoid of serious challengers. Until now. Enter Google.

This week Google launched Hangouts On Air for all of it’s Google+ users. Hangouts are online video chats for the Google+ social network. Until now, Hangouts were limited to 10 participants and video chats were not recorded for later viewing. Hangouts On Air provides a true live broadcasting capability with virtually unlimited viewers and in addition, Hangouts are recorded and posted to YouTube for viewing later. This puts Hangouts on par with other broadcasting systems like Ustream and Justin.tv. Of course Ustream.tv has more features, a more mature platform and user base, but whenever a giant fish jumps into a small pond, it’s going to create big splash. Another big advantage for Google, Hangouts On Air are already connected to your growing social network on Google, whereas Ustream.tv does not have nearly the social network features.

What all this means for your business is video continues to grow in new and different ways. It’s a force you will not be able to avoid soon. What kind of video content could your business provide on these platforms?

Filed Under: Blog, Social Media, Technology, Video/Social TV Tagged With: , , , , ,

Google Changes The Rules Making Content More Important

April 19, 2012 By

ContentToo many times, when I hear people talking about Internet marketing they are mostly talking about search engine optimization (SEO). Companies are obsessed with search ranking on Google, often ignoring other forms of social media marketing. SEO experts have been raking in the cash as well selling companies their fancy tricks for climbing the search ranks. I don’t necessarily have anything against SEO per se and I do reasonable  SEO on Connected World Media projects, but it’s not the complete story.

The party is about to end, however, as Google will be changing their algorithm to compensate for “over optimized sites”. This penalty for overly SEO’ed sites will level the playing field, giving sites with great content a better shot at ranking above sites with not as good content but great SEO.

It’s a constant fight between Google and those that seek to artificially manipulate results. Google’s job is to help customers find what the are looking for in the most pure sense possible. It’s always been about the content and this new change is going to make that even more true than ever. Rather than paying thousands of dollars a month for SEO wizardry, companies will be forced to focus on the content. Real, honest, authentic content. It’s about time.

I have always been more interested in content and the strategy that surrounds that content than SEO tricks. Give me a call at 503-427-8860 if you would like help getting your content strategy in order. In the meantime I would recommend reading Content Rules by C.C. Chapman and Ann Handley. This is one of the few new marketing books that focus on content and content strategy exclusively.

Filed Under: Blog, Content Marketing, Technology Tagged With: , , ,

How Big Is Too Big – Android Pushes The Limits With Nexus Prime

October 4, 2011 By

nexus primeSo, very interesting news today from Apple, as they take a half step with the new iPhone 4S instead of a more complete redesign of the hardware. The only thing I wonder about is the screen size. I have gotten used to my Droid X and it’s 4.3 inch screen. I do like the extra room but I will admit it’s about as large a device as I would want to hold as a cell phone. The rumors were that the iPhone would move up to a 4 inch screen; not as large as the Droid X but larger than the current 3.5 inch iPhone screen. This would have been a nice compromise and I was looking forward to it. Now, however, if I want to go back to the iPhone as I have been planning, I will be stepping down a little on screen size.

Now comes word that next week Samsung will announce the next great Android phone for Verizon (my carrier) and it’s the Nexus Prime. It will have a screen that is supposedly 4.5 inches. Like I said, I can’t imagine wanting a screen larger than my Droid X at 4.3, so 4.5 is really pushing the limits I think. At a certain point, it’s just too large for a cell phone isn’t it? At a certain point, you just want to to straight to 7 inches and call it a tablet. but your phone you want to keep smaller and lighter. I don’t see how pushing the cell phone screen larger and larger is helping anything.

I am still disappointed to not get at least a slightly larger screen for the iPhone but I think I will hold to my plan of moving back anyway for many of the reasons I previously outlined. iPhone 4S isn’t everything I hoped for, but it’s still a very good phone.

Filed Under: Blog, Mobile Computing, Technology Tagged With: , , , , ,

An Affordable $199 Tablet for Everyone — And It's Not From Apple – PC World

January 4, 2010 By

via pcworld.com

I’m not sure I like the name Smartbook but I love the concept. Apple will no doubt stake out the high end, which leaves lots of room at the lower end. In general, it’s going to be a very hot year for tablets with yet another possible tablet from Google.

If you have not been a believer in mobile wireless computing, time to wake up and smell the coffee. It’s an exciting future and it’s coming, fast.

Posted via web from David Jacobs’s Connected World

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Google Nexus One Available on AT&T 3G? [Rumormill]

January 3, 2010 By

via mashable.com

So here’s the problem with this. Two different pieces of hardware. The device is unlocked, which is great, yes, but I cannot take it over to t-mobile because it’s not compatible with their 3G. I need to get a different version of the phone. So, what’s the use in that?

I don’t think we’re going to see our way out of this wireless mess until all the carriers get on 4G LTE and we can truly have one set of hardware standards. Than, an unlocked phone will really mean something.

Posted via web from David Jacobs’s Connected World

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I Have Touched The Hand of God: The Nexus One

December 22, 2009 By

Ok, that was a little bombastic, but it was pretty exciting. I was fortunate enough to hold and play with a live Nexus One or The Google Phone last night.

Here is what I can report.

It’s fast, really fast, much faster than my iPhone 3G.

The screen is fantastic. Again, better than my iPhone 3G.

It’s simple and elegant. The most elegant phone, both in hardware and software next to the iPhone. Does it surpass the iPhone? Hard to say and it may just be a personal judgement call for most. But thank goodness, this is the first real, serious competition for the iPhone and it should get Apple scrambling to innovate and improve things on the iPhone. This will be great for customers.

Here’s my bottom line. For more technically savvy users who are getting tired of Apple’s maniacal control over the iPhone, the Nexus One from Google will be great. They will love it and it will sell well to this market. The geek cread on this phone is off the charts. For the mass audience who doesn’t know or care much about the inside baseball aspects of the market, they will likely be perfectly happy with the iPhone. What they will get unhappy about is the continuing problems with the AT&T network. If AT&T exclusivity does run out next year and Apple is able to open up to more carriers, I think AT&T is in real trouble. I do think Apple does need to distance themselves from AT&T as they are like a boat ancor that will bring the iPhone down eventually.

Android phones up to this point haven’t been exciting or interesting at all. The Motorola Droid was the first to change that and this Nexus One will move things along even faster. 2010 is going to be a fun year for mobile. It’s Android vs. iPhone. Game on!

Posted via web from David Jacobs’s Connected World

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ZOMG The Google Phone Is “Like An iPhone On Beautifying Steroids”

December 13, 2009 By

via techcrunch.com

So it looks like the infamous Google phone is for real. I’m happy about this for several reasons. Most importantly, Apple needs the competition to keep them sharp. All the others, namely Palm and Microsoft, have fallen away quickly in the iPhone storm. Only Blackberry remains strong. But Android, after a slow start, is picking up serious steam and looks like they will become a strong number two.

I am also growing weary of Apple’s control issues. Controlling the entire end to end experience as Apple does have it’s benefits but is leaving me feeling a little constricted. I think I’m ready for a change and the Google phone looks like the first phone truly worth leaving the iPhone for. I wish it were on Verizon, though, as I’d love to stick it in AT&T’s eye at the same time. Yes, it will run on Tmobile but seriously, I’ve been on Tmobile. Not again.

If the iPhone is the “Jesus” phone, what is the Google Phone? John The Baptist?

Posted via web from David Jacobs’s Connected World

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