Category: Social Media

Facebook now trying to make another Smartphone

Facebook is back to building smartphones, and this time around its no ChaCha. According to the New York Times Bits blog, the company is hiring old Apple iPhone and iPad engineers and employees to develop phones exclusive to Facebook

[quote]Mark is worried that if he doesn’t create a mobile phone in the near future that Facebook will simply become an app on other mobile platforms. – Said one of the Facebook employees[/quote]

With Facebook’s IPO now out, this unique move may actually help the company gain some movement, when they seem to be slowing down.

May 28, 2012
Twitter Updates Mobile Website – adds Support for non-smart Phones

If you still have not moved into the smartphone frenzy like me, you will enjoy the fact that now you can tweet using your feature phone. The new Twitter mobile site allows better access to non smart-phone users as it adds better support for feature phones.

The new site is live at mobile.twitter.com and can be accessed using a low bandwidth feature phone, even if it still sports a wap/gprs connection.

May 8, 2012
Facebook iPhone messenger to get Video Chat, plus new version for iPad

According to various sources, the new upcoming Facebook iPhone messenger will have inbuilt Skype/video chat integration, to allow you to video chat with online Facebook friends. What’s more interesting is the fact that the company is supposedly working on a dedicated app for the iPad, since they have got huge back-appeal for the sloppy in-built chat in the iPad app.

[9to5Mac]

May 3, 2012
Facebook will buy Instagram (PR)

Talk about big acquisitions! Social networking giant Facebook will buy popular imaging app Instagram for $1 billion in cash and shares. This comes soon after the app was developed for Android.

We think the fact that Instagram is connected to other services beyond Facebook is an important part of the experience. We plan on keeping features like the ability to post to other social networks, the ability to not share your Instagrams on Facebook if you want, and the ability to have followers and follow people separately from your friends on Facebook.

-Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom

[toggle title_open=”Press Release” title_closed=”Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]

Facebook to Acquire Instagram

MENLO PARK, CALIF.-April 9, 2012-Facebook announced today that it has reached an agreement to acquire Instagram, a fun, popular photo-sharing app for mobile devices.

The total consideration for San Francisco-based Instagram is approximately $1 billion in a combination of cash and shares of Facebook. The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close later this quarter.

Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, posted about the transaction on his Timeline:

I’m excited to share the news that we’ve agreed to acquire Instagram and that their talented team will be joining Facebook.

For years, we’ve focused on building the best experience for sharing photos with your friends and family. Now, we’ll be able to work even more closely with the Instagram team to also offer the best experiences for sharing beautiful mobile photos with people based on your interests.

We believe these are different experiences that complement each other. But in order to do this well, we need to be mindful about keeping and building on Instagram’s strengths and features rather than just trying to integrate everything into Facebook.

That’s why we’re committed to building and growing Instagram independently. Millions of people around the world love the Instagram app and the brand associated with it, and our goal is to help spread this app and brand to even more people.

We think the fact that Instagram is connected to other services beyond Facebook is an important part of the experience. We plan on keeping features like the ability to post to other social networks, the ability to not share your Instagrams on Facebook if you want, and the ability to have followers and follow people separately from your friends on Facebook.

These and many other features are important parts of the Instagram experience and we understand that. We will try to learn from Instagram’s experience to build similar features into our other products. At the same time, we will try to help Instagram continue to grow by using Facebook’s strong engineering team and infrastructure.

This is an important milestone for Facebook because it’s the first time we’ve ever acquired a product and company with so many users. We don’t plan on doing many more of these, if any at all. But providing the best photo sharing experience is one reason why so many people love Facebook and we knew it would be worth bringing these two companies together.

We’re looking forward to working with the Instagram team and to all of the great new experiences we’re going to be able to build together.

[/toggle]

April 10, 2012
Yahoo sues Facebook for infringing on the social networking patent !

This is possibly going to be the biggest battle since the Apple vs Samsung saga began, Yahoo has allegedly filed a lawsuit to sue social networking giant Facebook for infringing on several patents that are owned by Yahoo. These patents include a series of things Facebook is famous for, ten patents in all, which cover everything from advertising and privacy measures to messaging and social networking itself.

Yahoo claims that the company licenses its patents to several other companies but the matter of Facebook remains unresolved.

Yahoo! has invested substantial resources in research and development through the years, which has resulted in numerous patented inventions of technology that other companies have licensed. These technologies are the foundation of our business that engages over 700 million monthly unique visitors and represent the spirit of innovation upon which Yahoo! is built. Unfortunately, the matter with Facebook remains unresolved and we are compelled to seek redress in federal court. We are confident that we will prevail.”

– Yahoo Spokesperson

Facebook on the other hand claims that there has been no real discussion when it comes to the matter of Facebook infringing Yahoo Patents.

We’re disappointed that Yahoo, a longtime business partner of Facebook and a company that has substantially benefited from its association with Facebook, has decided to resort to litigation. Once again, we learned of Yahoo’s decision simultaneously with the media. We will defend ourselves vigorously against these puzzling actions.”

-Facebook

[AllThingsD]

March 13, 2012
Angry Birds Comes to Facebook

The overly popular mobile platform game Angry Birds has come to overly popular social network Facebook. The Facebook variant features the same game play as the original mobile app along with added social components, new power-ups and exclusive new levels. The game itself is free to play, with a 20-use power up costing $1.

“Angry Birds” on Facebook — which uses Flash Player 11 — supports 3D graphics, according to tech news site ZDNet.

Angry Birds has been downloaded more than 700 million times since its release for Apple’s iOS in December 2009, and with Facebook’s 800 million users, it’s bound to hit 1 billion soon.

Thanks to the success of Angry Birds, game maker Rovio emerged as a gaming powerhouse, and it’s looking to go public as soon as 2012. Right now, the company is worth more than $1 billion, according to CMO Peter Vesterbacka.

Click Here to Play the Game

February 15, 2012
Facebook changes looks again, new photo viewer claimed better!

Facebook has once again implemented new changes to the out look of its main website in continuation of its timeline UI. The new features include a newer photo and video viewer which darkens the background to retain focus on the photo in question , the comments and the “sponsored stories”.

The new photo/video browser while appreciated a lot more that the previous version which was slow and laggy compared to the original Facebook photo/video viewer, wow its happened many times. A lot new changes can be expected from the website, especially since it has recently filed the largest IPO by an Online company, since Google.

[facebook]

February 8, 2012
Facebook, Google and other social media companies hearing today

A district court in Delhi will hear a civil suit on Monday against 20 social networking sites including Facebook, Google for posting objectionable content on the web. The websites were asked to remove all objectionable content and file a reply stating the measures taken to screen uploaded content. A criminal suit is also being heard in the Patiala house court on Monday, which had summoned representatives of websites including that of Google and Facebook.

Google and Facebook had appealed against the lower court’s proceedings in the Delhi High Court. Internet companies including Google and Facebook argued that they cannot develop a method to monitor defamatory or obscene material that’s been posted on their sites.

The issue relates to a constitutional issue of freedom of speech and expression and suppressing it was not possible as the right to freedom of speech in democratic India separates us from a totalitarian regime like China,”

-Google advocate NK Kaul

Facebook too had noted that it already has rules of blocking and removing content, whenever specific matters are brought to its notice. Both websites are challenging a trial court’s order to prosecute them. Google and Facebook had on January 16 told the Delhi HC that blocking them was not an option as a democratic India does not have a “totalitarian” regime like China.

We will keep you updated on the outcome of todays hearing.

February 6, 2012
Facebook Files a US $ 5 Billion IPO, Trading this Spring

Social Networking site Facebook has filed for its Initial Public Offering , with a total value of US $ 5 Billion. The Website has a massive 483 Million active users on a daily basis, the company also took in 3.7 billion in revenue last year. Compared to giants like Google , the amount seems lowly.

Facebook made 12% of its revenues from Social networking game maker Zynga. Facebook is desperate to monetize their Mobile applications to benefit from the large chunk of mobile users.

We do not currently directly generate any meaningful revenue from the use of Facebook mobile products, and our ability to do so successfully is unproven.

Although the IPO has been filed and may interest the stock buyer, most experts are claiming this to be a NO-NO territory. The IPO which is only a small percentage of the company’s true value has been setup to earn Facebook a lot of money and not the buyer.

February 2, 2012
Delhi High Court to hear Facebook and Google Appeal today

The Delhi high court will on Thursday take up the pleas filed by Google India and Facebook India challenging the summons issued by the lower court, for ‘offensive material’ posted on their websites.

Google and Facebook on Tuesday said that it was impossible for them to control the internet content uploaded by billions of people. Senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, appearing for Google India, had said that the summons issued to social networking sites by a metropolitan magistrate showed complete lack of understanding about how the online system worked.

The issue relates to a constitutional issue of freedom of speech and expression, and suppressing it was not possible as the right to freedom of speech in democratic India separates us from a totalitarian regime like China

–Neeraj Kishan Kaul

The advocate had tried to mention the fact that Google India and Google Inc. were infact two different entities and that Google India had no control over the actions of the US counterpart, nor are they responsible for it.

While companies in the US protest the SOPA and PIPA, India is still fighting for freedom of speech and expression of mind.

January 19, 2012
Delhi High Court to hear Facebook and Google’s petition

The Delhi High Court will hear the petition filed by Google and Facebook challenging the trial court’s order to prosecute them for objectionable content. Google, Facebook and 19 other social networking sites faced legal action for offences of promoting enmity between classes after Kapil Sibal led govt. team granted sanction to prosecute them on Friday.

The government is threatening to block Google and Facebook like in china if the companies fail to comply.

Like China, we will block all such websites, they need to check on offensive and objectionable material and remove such content from their web pages

-Justice Suresh Kait

The trial court had earlier summoned representatives from 21 of the internet based companies including Facebook, Microsoft, Google, Yahoo and Youtube. A legal complaint has been filed under Section 292 (sale of obscene books etc), 293 (sale of obscene objects to young person etc) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. The court ordered the sites to remove all “anti-religious” or “anti-social” contents by February 6, 2012.

Google India, senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi talking against this matter said

Billions of people across the globe, post their articles on the website. Yes, they may be defamatory, obscene but cannot be checked, The US-based Google Inc is the service provider and not me (Google India) and hence, we are not liable for the action of my holding company. Moreover, it is criminal case where a vicarious liability cannot be fastened on a company which has no role, whatsoever, in the alleged offence.

-Mukul Rohatgi

The govt. countered this statement by stating that the Indian Office can ask the US office to then remove such content.

January 16, 2012
Facebook rolls out “suggested events” feature

The new feature rolled out by Facebook ups the existing “current events” tab that tell you all your upcoming events, including those you are invited to and those you wish to attend. The new Facebook events tab adds a “suggested events” , where Facebook finds out what your interests are by data-mining your account for relevant information including your likes and dislikes.

If you also use the check-in feature, it will track your visits, to suggest events based on places you frequent more often. Your shared music will also be scanned to find out artists you like to find gigs and concerts.

Check it out at the link below.

[Facebook]

December 24, 2011
Twitter also gets updated with new look , its faster and simpler

Twitter just got updated along with apps for Android and iOS. The new look is designed around four new tabs — “Home”, “Connect”, “Discover” and “Me” — that make for a less complicated and more streamlined experience. You can visit http://fly.twitter.com/ to look at all the new changes, or wait up-untill next week to see the full updates. Apps should have already received updates by now.

[Twitter Blog]

[Twitter]

December 9, 2011
Facebook for Android Gets a Facelift and Tweaks

The new Facebook for Android app update, adds a whole lot of tweaks and and bunch of turbo speed boosts. According to Facebook :Photos and albums are up to two times faster than the previous Android app. It’s also easier to share photos, view comments and edit captions on the go. Your messages and notifications are now at the top of your screen. You can respond to friends and stay updated without leaving the page you’re on in Notification style. Just like the iOS App you can quickly access your News Feed, Groups, games and apps from the new left-hand menu.

[Facebook]

[ Android Market]

December 8, 2011
iPad Gets a Facebook App Finally (PR)

The iPad has finally joined the Facebook family with its own dedicated app. Most people have called it the only most important app missing from the iPad. The app is designed to access the power of multitouch in the iPad. Check out the PR below

[toggle title_open=”Press Release” title_closed=”Press Release” hide=”no” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Today, Facebook announced their first app for the iPad.

Facebook for iPad not only includes popular features from the site like photos and games, but also optimizes them for the unique capabilities of the iPad.

Facebook for iPad is available today in the Apple App Store and additional information can be found in the blog post attached.

Additionally Facebook announced they are extending the Facebook Platform to mobile including the new iPad app, iPhone/iPod app and mobile web site. The Facebook Platform will allow mobile developers to take advantage of social channels for search of discovery of their apps and also the Facebook Credits payment system.

Additional details about the Facebook Platform on mobile can be found in the second blog post attached as well.[/toggle]

October 11, 2011