Social Items

Microsoft has scheduled the 'consumer preview' date for the newest version of Windows operating system, Windows 8, on February 29. Windows 8 design is perhaps the most critical update the incumbent OS has put-up so far, and so much hypes have followed its announcement.

The leaked overview has shown a radical interface change in the new OS, the ever popular start button which first appeared in Windows 95 will be replaced by an intuitive 'hot spot' (the smart corner serves the function of start button hub, with a swipe it brings-up the menus).

The new OS builds on the elements of the former version Windows 7, bringing with it the Metro Themes and Tiles. The Tiles is a live screen displaying updates from social networks realtime, and messaging status from email and IM on the Home screen.

Microsoft has maintained a keen sight on the Tablet market dominated by Android and Apple Device, and obviously, the new OS designs may nonetheless mark Microsoft incursion into the mainstream of the mobile platforms. As the timing and place also coincide with the date for the Mobile World Congress.

Although, no release date has been announced for the final version of the new OS, trend watchers are of the candid-view that it may show-up before the holiday season.

Final Windows 8 Preview

Push notifications is a feature that is native to Android and iOS apps, allowing it to notify users about the availability of a new content. Mozilla, is reportedly working on introducing the technology to the web according to Jeff Balogh, a developer at Mozilla Foundation.

The push notifications application for the web will allow websites to notify subscribers of new updates similar to how mobile apps notify users, albeit, mimicking the capability of RSS feeds, but as a core web technology.

The prototype and designing of the new API is currently in the works, and the notification service invokes the Firefox browser to deliver push contents to users. And user's permission is sort before the browser commences the notification service. It delivers the message to Firefox on the desktop, on Android, on Boot to Gecko, or iOS on Firefox Home.

The major point of the service is that we live in a multiple device, and cross-platform world. So, it acknowledges all the major platforms: Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS as Firefox Home.

Definitely, the notification service takes-on the role of RSS feeds, but rather built into the core web programming interface. The paramount question, then is, are we heading to an upgrade to the RSS feeds or just another viable alternative to the service?

Push Notifications: Web Application

The ubiquity and power of technology along with mobile web convergence have created a new paradigm in the accessibility of information. Nowadays, people want prompt access to the news on the go, as reflected in the dwindling of the conventional media system. Now, how about a tool that will put the full power of the conventional media right on your mobile device?

That is exactly what PressDisplay has done, bringing the full flavor of your favorite Newspapers to you on the go, through a mobile app, PressReader. The PressReader newspaper app brings 2,000 plus full-content digital newspapers from 95 countries right on your mobile device. PressReader is currently available in 51 languages and supports the following mobile OS: iOS, Android, BlackBerry OS, Windows Phone, and HoneyComb.

Our team member had a hands-on the latest version of PressReader for iPad, which is now available for download from the iTunes App Store. And to be frank the app did not disappoint on what has been written about it already.

In fact, I was impressed to find BusinessDay Nigeria on the list, making it the only local newspaper available. But, the avalanche of international newspapers really made it a delight, coupled with the innovative navigation feature that makes it possible to browse entire publication with a finger-tip. Also the jump feature is quite handy, it allows you shuffle from one article to another with ease.

Now, you may want to ask, how about bandwidth consumption? Well, truly innovative is the way the app is designed to fetch content and disconnect without any trace.

The pricing for individual newspapers (as the actual app is free) comes cheap compared to the conventional newspaper. Newspaper can be purchased for $0.99 per issue, or downloaded with a paid subscription. And, obviously you will enjoy complete digital replica of newspapers right before they are available in print version on newsstand, as every article, advertisements, crossword puzzle and cartoon on the original context.

Review: PressReader Newspaper App

Google earlier today announced new features to its social search innovations according to its official blog. The new search enhancements involves the inclusion of its social networking platform, Google+,  into its search algorithms, to create what it calls 'Personal Results' search.

An innovation it has termed 'Search Plus Your World', combines the conventional Google search algorithm with Google+ recommended results based on individual preferences and permission.

Google's 'Search Plus Your World' feature is made up of three basic enhancements: Personal Results, Profiles In Search, and People & Pages. It involves the inclusion of Google+ posts into Google search results where necessary and relevant to the search query, enabled by a user, and permitted by the Google+ Circles in which the given post is originally shared.

The 'Profiles In Search' aspect, enables a user to immediately find people within a Circle or a given area of interest, in both auto-complete and search results. While, the People And Pages, finds Google+ pages and people related to a specific topic or interest.

The internet search giant's obsession with Social Search may perhaps have found satisfaction in mingling with its own networking platform.

Google was fast to add that the 'Search Plus Your World' feature will never undermine users privacy and security, since the information that will be made available is already secured by Google+ SSL encryption. And the results page will also have the same level of security and privacy protection, that is to say, when a user is signed in to Google account, the search results, both private contents are protected by the same standard of encryption as your Gmail.

Also on effective control on features, Google stated that it will introduce a prominent new toggle on the upper of search results page where users can see how search results look like without personal contents, which translates to transparency and control over personal search results.

Social Search: Google Plus Your World

Internet search activities or patterns can help make available an incredible source of data that may translate to advancement in social/cultural breakthroughs as may be applied in checkmating the spread of epidemics or other real world activities.

What started with the Influenza outbreak in 2008, search discovery made available by Google revealed how Influenza outbreak correlate to searches for flu-related terms with Google Flu Trends. Google search data tools, Google Trends and Google Insights, were not designed with such research capabilities in mind.

Internet researchers needed a system more like Google Trends but in reverse functionality, they wanted to enter some real world activities and be able to see which search terms best match the trend. In response to the researchers quest, came the launch of Google Correlate in mid 2011.

Google Correlate allows search patterns to be compared against a specific time series (weekly/monthly), or against U.S. states. It mines similar patterns in search data terms. The new search tool does not yet support international application, however, users can upload their own data set and map it against Google's search terms.

The most unique feature in the new search tool is the ability to approximate data points from a data set based on graphs. Google Correlate is able to find data set which map closely to a given graph. You draw a time series and Google Correlate find terms that best match the trend.

Google, however, is fast to point-out that correlation is different from causation both in the FAQ and explanatory note.

Review: Google Correlate

Finally, the New Year has come and the mobile tech sizzles are yet to die-down, lots of new internet technologies will become featured on the mobile platform, as that is the rave of the moment. But before we commence on our forecast, we wish to take this time-out to wish our dear readers a prosperous and happy New Year.

Below are our predictions for 2012:

Location-Based Applications: The social media break-through on the mobile platforms seems to be resting on the implementation of robust location-based services. Facebook's acquisition of Gowalla, a location-based social networking platform, is a pointer to the trend. Also, Google's new mobile search innovation, Autonomous Search, will be based on location apps.

Mobile Web: The bubble generated by the mobile internet is far from bursting, given the expected spread of  cheap Smart Mobile Devices. In fact, who wins the Social-Media Wars for the New Year will be decided by dominance on the mobile platform, as that will be the main strong-hold.

Cloud Computing: The current advancement in Cloud Computing is astronomical, and the rate at which companies are moving their tent to embracing the new technology calls for caution. However, the concurrent updates on Cloud Security seems illusive. So, the paramount question remains, are we heading to a 'Cloudburst'?

Albeit, the predictability of technology follows on what is already on ground, the extent to which they are accurate is the real quest. Let us know what your stake is for the dominant trends for 2012 in the comment section. Once again, we wish you a memorable and prosperous New Year.

Predictions: Trends 2012

Google is gradually building-up its new social network, Google Plus, to appeal to users, as the company on Wednesday announced several enhancements to the service, including the availability of the most unique feature of the social network, Hangout, on the mobile platform.

Google Hangout, a group video chat feature on Google Plus (Google+), has been the rallying-point for the new social network, making it possible for group of persons to engage in a live video conference on the social network. The availability of the feature on Mobile is indeed a plus to the success of the new social platform, given the need for ease mobility and the current sway the mobile web holds.

And coupled with the fact that the Hangout feature is absolutely free, Google is sure armed with a killer-tool to take-on the Facebook advances.

The mobile Hangout beta includes recording and the ability to add phone calls to a handout. But, Google strongly emphasized on the innovation of face-to-face conversation as above any other considerations, 'as email can't match looking someone directly in the eyes', stated Vic Gundotra (Google's senior VP social products).

Google is set to bring the Hangout feature to Google+ Messenger app on Android in few days time according to the release note, while its availability on iOS will follow afterwards.

Developers are not left-out, as Google has made available the Google+ API, a new way for developers to interact with Hangouts. The API will allow developers to create apps utilizing Google's face recognition technology to place, through the added media effects.

Hangout On Mobile

The pool of people have given the social networks business-wing, but how to extend that reach to the mobile front has been a great challenge. Facebooks latest move, according to a report monitored on Friday night, the acquisition of Gowalla - mobile location-sharing app developer, points to location apps as the way to capturing the mobile web.

Indeed, location-based applications are the 'Holy Grail' of mobile marketing, and the prove is not far-fetched, as even Google has turned on that direction with the purported launch of Autonomous Search. Reports has it that Facebook plans to employ the location-based service on its newest profile feature Timeline and possibly extend same in its quest to positioning the social network to be profitable on the mobile platform.

Again, the issue of tracking users activities cannot be ignored at this point., as any location-based app tracks users surfing patterns and actions to decide their likes. And such information are now made available to businesses for marketing purposes.

The growing privacy agitation by Facebook users has to be critically analyzed against the current trend, and necessary measures put in place to check excessive exploit.

However, location-based mobile applications definitely has its advantages as regards local businesses, user recommended services and  preferences. But the exploitations of users against their wish for mere business purposes certainly must be condemned.

Social Networking And Location Apps

Google hurriedly introduced business/brand pages feature into its latest social networking platform Google Plus (Google+) on Monday, to serve the equivalent of the ever popular Facebook Pages. It intends to serve as a means of promoting businesses and brands, whereas such feat is only attainable with great pool of users on hand.

Google failed to consider the fact that the new platform is seriously begging for more user engaging functionality, as has been proven that availability of such functions keep users coming, rather than the platform itself or the brand behind it.

The geek world unanimously supported the Google social platform debut, making up the pool of early reviewers, driven by the open source connection. But, subsequently, those that remained failed to find a really convincing feature to stick, likewise those referred by them.

Without doubts, Google is never in want of highly talented developers to spearhead the needed app push to enhance the user friendliness and functionality of Google Plus. So, what had gone wrong?

Google must first feast users with credible functional reason to stick or equal the ace social network, Facebook, cos surpassing it seems highly illusive, before businesses will find reasons to join the party. Definitely, users must be paid their due, that Google Plus may not end up in the "Buzz Fate."

Google+ Pages: Good Step, Wrong Timing

The Tuesday New Game Conference may well be described as a marriage of convenience between the two internet technology super-powers, as Google and Microsoft spearheaded its sponsorship. The two-day event which took place in San Francisco at the Yerba Buena Center for Arts focused on exploring the fundamental skills in creating cutting edge HTML5 games.

The emerging web standard, HTML5, has enjoyed tremendous support and perhaps the open web ecosystem has contributed to the overall success.

The technology vendors Mozilla and Google had always advocated the web in preference to native app development, with Google working through its Chrome Web Store and also its Native Client Project to making web-based gaming experience a better one. While Mozilla, on the other hand, had been pushing for APIs to support browser based games.

According to a notable remark at the conference, about 50% of installed browsers are able to play the HTML5 version of Angry Birds.

However, the extensive cutting-edge coding required in HTML5 execution remains an impediment to a broader adoption of the technology. And with the flood of new tools coming, the next version of WebGL specification, which allows JavaScript code to access a graphic processing unit, are all in the effort to break entry barriers.

The less vantage position of the emerging standard stems from the fact that it can reach only a small segment of the technology world, given that the old conventional technologies still hold sway on major devices. But, that not withstanding, the future is indeed open web standard.

HTML5: Online Game Development

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