Tales from the Post-PC World: iPads Outsold Desktop PCs in Q4 2011
Brian Kress
On their quarterly earnings call last week, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook revealed an interesting stat: that iPads outsold desktop PCs in Q4 last year. While the PC market as a whole still outpaced the iPad’s land grab, the desktop number is important when you focus on user behavior. The iPad’s approach of mobility and touch is meeting new, and apparently huge, needs. Smart brands will be focusing on how to serve those same needs in 2012.
New Google Privacy Policy Combines User Data from All Google Services
Nick Daigle
Google has announced its plans to consolidate its more than 60 product-focused privacy policies into one. Included in the policy are the new ways it will gather, store and leverage user data. The information provided to Google through its various channels, including search, Google+ and YouTube, will basically merge. This gives Google a more personalized vantage point into the individual habits of consumers. It’s also another signal that the “New Google” has arrived and that it aims to create “one beautifully simple, intuitive user experience across Google.” The new policy will take effect in March.
Free Apps Win Out Over Paid Downloads
Sarah Allen
Of all the apps downloaded in 2011, it is estimated that 96% of them were free. While most of these apps are monetized through advertising now, it is expected that in-app purchases will grow over the next few years to make mobile apps more profitable and that the “freemium” model will continue to be popular.
Twitter Now Able to Limit Sensitive Content by Country
Scott Luther
Twitter has announced that it has developed the capability to censor individual tweets within geographical areas, allowing the service to comply with local expression laws. Twitter says it will attempt to notify users when a tweet has been blocked, but content will only be limited from view within the country rather than blocked outright. At this time, this tool is not in use in any countries.
Facebook Wants to Own Your Social Graph
Stephanie Wierwille
Facebook’s Open Graph allows apps like Spotify and Foursquare to share users’ experiences with their Facebook friends on the news feed in real time. Last week, Facebook introduced 60 new apps that integrate with Open Graph. This opens up the opportunity for information and experiences to be shared with a larger base. Pinterest, Hulu, TripAdvisor and Foodspotting are just some of the apps that are taking advantage of Open Graph.
Gift Cards Too Heavy? Juno Wallet Could Be the Solution
Mimi Wilfong
Are all those holiday gift cards weighing down your wallet? Juno Wallet can help. This mobile app for Android and iOS lets you store all your gift cards and PINs on your phone, alleviating the need to carry those cards with you. Users can also earn Juno Credits and Juno Points, which are given to users as incentives for logging in to the program. In the last 30 days, there have been over 220,000 installs of Juno Wallet.
No Comments | Trackback | Categories: The Buzz | Email This Post
Leave a Reply