Archives

AllofMP3 Plans to Stay Open in 2007, Lower Prices Over New Year's

Authored by Jay Baage on December 29, 2006 - 10:43pm.

The controversial Russian low-price online music store AllofMP3.com plans to stay open. Mediaservices, the company behind AllofMP3.com, claims that current US lawsuits are not of any particular concern to the company and offers users a 20% price cut over New Years: “Certainly the (record) labels are free to file any suit they wish, despite knowing full well that AllofMP3.com operates legally in Russia”, blogs an unnamed senior representative of the company on their site.

Top 7 Marketing Trends for 2007

Authored by Rohit Bhargava on December 29, 2006 - 7:48am.

As the year comes to a close, it's time to look forwards to next year and what are shaping up to be some key trends for marketers to track through the year. To add to the already vibrant discussion of trends to pay attention to, here is my stab at a few top marketing trends that I will be watching in the new year (in no particular order):

Morning Links: December 29, 2006

Authored by Robert Spears on December 29, 2006 - 6:40am.

Apple Incurs $84M Options Expense, Maintains Confidence in Jobs (AI)
Hollywood Wins Copyright Suit in China (R)
Media, Tech Firms Probe Possible High-Def DVD Hack (R)
Samsung Develops Fuel Cell that Powers Notebook PCs for 1 Month (NF)
China has 830 Million Phone Users, 132 Million Online (AFP)
Digg Raises $8.5 Million (RH)
Jupitermedia Acquires JustTechJobs.com
Judge Rejects Patent Lawsuit Against Google’s AdSense & AutoLink (RH)
DareJunkies.com Combines the Culture of YouTube with JackAss (LAT)
Microsoft, AMD Send Free High-End Laptops To Select Bloggers (TW)
College Student Launches OneYearForSale.com, Sells Ad Minutes for Tuition
United Online Taps Covad for DSL Broadband Service to ISP Customers (SCT)
Chavez to Shut Down Opposition TV in Venezuela (BBC)
Several More Days Needed to Repair Quake Damaged Data Cables (NYT)
Blogosphere is Buzzing: What's Up with Jobster? (ST)
Better Photo Search Could Reduce Privacy (AP)
Old Media Mergers Fail to Deliver (FT)
Digitas Aims to Keep Edge, Lead in Global Realm (WSJ)
Alliances Key for Search Giants (BBC)
What’s Ahead in Advertising (NYT)
French Space Agency to Publish UFO Archive Online (R)

tags: Internet | Links |

Google Blog Search Surpasses Technorati, Attracts a Younger Audience

Authored by Hitwise on December 28, 2006 - 11:24pm.

The following is a blog post from LeeAnn Prescott at Hitwise: When Google Blog Search launched last year, I wondered if it would surpass the the recognized "authority" in blog search engines, Technorati, in market share of visits. This week Hitwise data show that the market share of visits to Google Blog Search indeed surpassed visits to Technorati for the week ending 12/23/06.

Innovations That Will Change How We Work, Play and Communicate in 2007

Authored by Ned Sherman on December 28, 2006 - 9:46am.

Ned Sherman, CEO & Publisher, Digital Media Wire: I had the honor of being selected as a contributing writer for an article published in the Business section of the LA Times today about innovations that will change the way we work, play and communicate in 2007. Co-authors included Microsoft's chief executive Steve Ballmer and Wired's editor in chief Chris Anderson.

Morning Links: December 28, 2006

Authored by Robert Spears on December 28, 2006 - 7:26am.

Apple Board Did Not Approve 7.5 Million Stock Options to Steve Jobs (FT)
US Gov't Unlikely to Nail Apple and Steve Jobs (AI)
Asia Slowly Recovers from Telecom Outage (AP)
Online Shoppers Overwhelm iTunes Store (AP)
Broadcaster Settles Lawsuit Over Payola (B)
Microsoft Adds Behavioral Ad Targeting (AP)
Fox To Put Bowl Championship Series Online (B&C)
Mobile Entertainment's Revenue Potential Sharply Debated (eM)
Strategy Analytics Predicts $5B In-Vehicle Infotainment Chip Market
5Fad with BrainMedia Enters the Chinese Mobile Streaming Market
PayPerPost Acquires Professional Blogger Site Performancing.com
PartyGaming to Acquire Empire Online’s Gaming Assets for $30-40M
Alliance Data's Epsilon to Acquire Abacus, a Division of DoubleClick
Google to Invest in Chinese Video Website (B)
The iPhone Really Exists but Apple Doesn’t Make It (NYT)
Star Tribune Sale Reflects Advertisers Shift to Web (PP)
Cellphones for the Music Fan (NYT)
Interview with Alternate Reality Game Designer Jane McGonigal (CNET)
Innovations That Will Change Work, Play and Communication in 2007 (LAT)

tags: Internet | Links |

Spark Capital VC on "Is Web 2.0 a Bubble?"

Authored by Robert Spears on December 27, 2006 - 7:31am.

"By the way, the combined cash flow of Spot Runner, LinkedIn and Facebook is less than that of one Costco store."

— Todd Dagres
General Partner, Spark Capital

[Source: WSJ, Dec. 27, 2006]

tags: VC | Quotes | Web 2.0 |

Morning Links: December 27, 2006

Authored by Robert Spears on December 27, 2006 - 6:47am.

Earthquake Cuts Off Much of Asia’s Internet Access (AFP)
McClatchy Sells Star Tribune to Avista Capital for $530 Million (NYT)
Report: Apple Executives Faked Stock-Option Documents (CNET)
Apple falls 5% on Concerns About Options Probe (R)
Samsung Reveals First Gigabit-Density Mobile DRAM
EA Projects Madden NFL 07 to be Best-Selling Game of 2006
Warner Bros. and VH1 Launch Online Contest for Aspiring Songwriters
SAVVIS to Sell Content Delivery Network to Level 3 for $135M
ARTISTdirect to Restate Financials (BJ)
IPTV Gear Maker BigBand has IPO Dreams (GigaOm)
India is Set to be Asia's Leading Cable Market by 2010 (R)
Indian Chess Player Caught Using Wireless Device; Banned for 10 Years (R)
Ben Cook Regains World Record for Text Messaging in Portland
From Far and Wide, Video Gamers Join in a Child Charity (NYT)
Creative Uses For Mobile Phones Emerging (IBD)
No iTunes? Get Podcasts by Phone (RH)
Priceline.com’s Annual List of Top Party Spots for New Year's Eve
2006 Noisemaker Awards from AOL Music and Blender Magazine
2006 Vaporware Awards (Wired)
Discussion: Is 'Web 2.0' Another Bubble? (WSJ – free)

tags: Internet | Links |

What the Buck?! Why isn’t this Guy Signed?

Authored by Robert Spears on December 26, 2006 - 10:56am.

While searching for video of Jennifer Hudson on YouTube recently, my wife came across a refreshingly unique take on the new movie Dreamgirls, in which Hudson, a former American Idol contestant, outshines her most established co-stars – in particular Beyonce Knowles and Jamie Foxx – in her underdog role as Effie White. The reviewer, AKA Buck the Hustler, aptly conveys his fun and over-the-top style with the clip’s title: Beyonce Threatens to KILL Jennifer Hudson if she WINS OSCAR!

Morning Links: December 26, 2006

Authored by Robert Spears on December 26, 2006 - 7:35am.

Online Sales Up 26 Percent This Season (PCW)
Amazon.com Has 'Best Ever' Sales in 2006 (AP)
Verizon to Allow Ads on Its Mobile Phones (NYT)
Ad Costs on the Web Are Rising, but Perhaps a Bit Irrationally (NYT)
Mediox Announces Multimedia Food Tray for Fast Food Restaurants
Disney Lets TV Viewers 'Jump In' Early Online (MN)
Forget LCD Screens; Go for Plasma, Says Panasonic, Maker of Both (NYT)
MP3 Narrated Walking Tours by iJourneys (NYT)
Match.com Offers Tips for Camera-Shy Daters (R)
MySpace Users Are Big Target for Identity Thieves (AP)
HP Looks Beyond PCs & Printers to Consumer Electronics (NYT)
Will Consumers Pay for Advergaming? (eM)
Media Giants Struggle for Digital Growth (AP)
James Brown Remembered Around The World (AP)
James Brown Performing on the Ed Sullivan Show May 1, 1966 (YT)
Frank Stanton, Broadcasting Pioneer, Dies at 98 (NYT)
Steve Jobs' Best Year Ever (Wired)
Wikiasari, 'Venice Project'...Will 2007 be the Year of the 'Killer'? (CNET)
25 Young Entrepreneurs Who Will Rock the World in 2007 (RH)
2006 Top Advances in Information Technology (TR)
2006 Digital Media Winners and Losers (MP3NW)
2006 Top Online Videos (Wired)

tags: Internet | Commerce | Links |

Borrell: Online Recruitment Spending Passes Print

Authored by Peter Krasilovsky on December 22, 2006 - 6:36am.

Online recruitment spending has surpassed print recruitment spending for the first time, according to my friends and former colleagues at Borrell Associates Inc. The line was crossed in 4Q 2006 (now) and online now accounts for $5.9 billion, while print accounts for $5.5 billion. Borrell further reports that newspaper Web sites have 18.6 percent of that market, or $1.1 billion.

Morning Links: December 22, 2006

Authored by Robert Spears on December 22, 2006 - 6:04am.

News Corp. Reaches Deal with Liberty Media (R)
Music Labels’ Lawsuit Seeks Shutdown of Russian AllofMP3.com (NYT)
Suitors Woo 4th Largest Mobile Phone Company in India, Nears $14B (NYT)
BlackBerry Maker’s Profit Beats Forecast (R)
EZTakes Launches Worldwide DVD Download Service
EA Acquires Headgate Studio, to Become EA Salt Lake Studio (AWN)
United Internet Invests in Casual Game Maker e-sport, Now Bigpoint
French, Germans Go Separate Ways Over Project to Rival Google (AFP)
Zune and Vista Ready To Cooperate at Last (NF)
Judge: Can't Link to Webcast if Copyright Owner Objects
Microsoft Extends Xbox 360 Warranty to 1 Year (CNET)
Open-Source Leader Leaves Novell for Google Over MS Patent Spat (CNET)
For eBay, It’s About Political Connections in China (NYT)
Writer’s Account of Using Marvel’s Comic Book Software (CNET)
What's the Best Q&A Website? (TR)
Girl Gamer Makes a Killing (Wired)

tags: Internet | Links |

Which Area Of Digital Media Will Get The Most Attention In 2007?

Authored by Jay Baage on December 21, 2006 - 12:34pm.

2 comments

The Future of Social Networking According to Second Life and Habbo Hotel

Authored by Jay Baage on December 21, 2006 - 11:36am.

Social networking has been one of the hottest areas of interest since Web 2.0 took off as a concept and media buzzword. In one of the most high profile media deals of 2005, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation bought MySpace for $580 million, a staggering amount at the time. This year, viral video has become the latest hot category with the defining Internet deal of 2006 being the sale of YouTube to Google for $1.76 billion, when the startup was less than 2-years old. So what is ahead in social networking in 2007? One of the hottest areas will most certainly be Virtual Worlds and Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs or MMOs).

Five Questions with Teemu Huuhtanen, President, North America, Sulake, Creator of Habbo Hotel

Authored by Jay Baage on December 21, 2006 - 11:17am.

As the newly appointed President, North America for Sulake Corporation, Teemu Huuhtanen will be instrumental in leading the continued growth of one of world’s most popular online social networking and gaming communities for teens, Habbo.com, Sulake’s top property. Since its launch in 2000, Habbo has grown to over 7 million users worldwide, and has been launched in 29 countries on five continents. Its highly-trafficked North American sites, headed by Huuhtanen, receive over 2 million unique active users per month.

Five Questions with Philip Rosedale, Founder and CEO of Linden Lab, Creator of Second Life

Authored by Jay Baage on December 21, 2006 - 11:03am.

Philip Rosedale has an extensive background in the development and pioneering of streaming technology, having built his first computer in 4th grade, and started his first software company while still in high school. In 1995 he developed FreeVue, a low bitrate video conferencing system for Internet-connected PC's, resulting in the acquisition of his company in early 1996 by RealNetworks. For three and a half years, Rosedale served at RealNetworks as Vice President and CTO, where he was responsible for the development and launch of RealVideo, RealSystem 5.0, and RealSystem G2. In 1999 Rosedale returned to San Francisco, joined Accel Partners as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence, and began the basic research that would become the technology behind Linden Lab. Rosedale holds a BS degree in Physics from the University of California at San Diego.