Following last week’s discussion on the future of television, I was pointed towards YouTube Leanback: a streamlined interface designed to facilitate content discovery and easy browsing. Like the new BBC iPlayer, it also allows you to personalize your account and get recommendations from your friends. Though it has been in beta since May, it has only recently become available to all users. Take a look.
eConsultancy on Facebook Pages
A new article from eConsultancy on interacting with Facebook fans: 27% of those who unsubscribed from a brand’s Facebook Page did so because “information was published too frequently.” Only 7% unsubscribed because “information was not published frequently enough.” Proof that you can overshare.
Last week Apple launched Ping, their iTunes-based social network. Described as “Facebook meets Twitter meets iTunes”, the new service will allow people to follow artists and friends (like Twitter), create a profile that displays their musical tastes (like Last.fm and Spotify), and a news stream showing what your friends are listening to (like Blip.fm, mFlow and various other streaming services).
It has all been done before, but not necessarily all in the same place: with 160 million iTunes users, it stands a fighting chance of overtaking other social music networks. One million users signed up in the first 48 hours, but if it’s true that one-third of the people who have downloaded iTunes 10 have joined Ping, that still leaves two-thirds who didn’t bother. Take a look at the video tutorial here, give it a try, and see what you think.
Lady Gaga on Ping
Social iPlayer
The new, socially connected iPlayer has finally emerged after months of beta testing. New features include the ability to personalize your viewing experience by connecting with Facebook and Twitter,as well as recommending and commenting on your favourite programmes.
Facebook Credits Gift Cards
Gift cards loaded with Facebook Credits are now available at US retail giant Target. The virtual currency allows users to purchase goods within Facebook’s plethora of social games and applications. The virtual goods market is expected to reach $1.6 billion in the US alone this year, with $835 million coming from social games alone (figures from Inside Facebook). If this launch proves successful, expect to see similar partnerships in the UK soon.
Facebook Credits Gift Card
Draw and Fold Over
The Campaign for Drawing is gearing up for October’s Big Draw with a fun “Draw and Fold Over” game. Simply start a digital drawing on the microsite, then pass it on for your friends to complete via Facebook and Twitter. Thanks to our Edinburgh friends @davelaw00 and @lalrinn for brightening my Monday with this – see if you can make one better than ours!
The new iPlayer Beta, set to go live at the end of June, will add social features to the BBC’s popular streaming service. Registered users will be able to tie in their Twitter, Facebook and Messenger profiles, to share what they’re watching across their social graph. Good news!
“You Both Follow” on Twitter
In the same week as Twitter passed the 15 billion tweet mark, another new feature is being rolled out. When viewing any user’s profile, you will now see a list of people you both follow – a handy way of seeing if you have any friends in common with a potential contact. Thanks to Matt Pike for spotting this story!
How do you say Sysomos?
This social media monitoring system doesn’t have the easiest name to pronounce, so the good people at Sysomos went out and filmed a bunch of people giving it a go. Take a look.
@BPglobalPR Unmasked
One of the most entertaining satirical Twitter feeds around, @BPglobalPR has been amusing us for weeks now with its alternative view on the BP oil spill. “Leroy Stick” has some forceful views on the meaning of corporate social responsibility: “FORGET YOUR BRAND… You know the best way to get the public to respect your brand? Have a respectable brand… This isn’t just your disaster, this is a human tragedy.” Well said.
