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| Facebook's IPO: Who Got Rich | | Friday, May 18, 2012 10:06 PM | Todd Wasserman |
|  OK, so Facebook's IPO may have seemed like a lot of sound and fury for 23 cents, but there will still doubtlessly be some celebrating in Menlo Park Friday night. That's because a lot of Facebookers got fabulously rich on Friday. True, it probably would have been an even more festive occasion if the stock had hit the $54 that Twitter had predicted, but Facebook's measly gain on its first day of trading was still worth $115.7 million to Mark Zuckerberg. Here's why Zuck and some other big Facebook investors still have cause to pop the Champagne. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, AUDINDesign |
| Top 10 GIFs of the Week | | Friday, May 18, 2012 9:34 PM | Samantha Murphy |
|  This week awarded us a colorful new collection of GIFs. Here's a look at Mashable's picks for the top GIFs of the week, everything from the Facebook crew to a Donna Summer tribute to a dog/bunny combo. SEE ALSO: Top GIFs of the Week -- May 10 Which GIF is your favorite for the week? Let us know in the comments below if we missed any good ones. |
| Which TV Shows Are Getting the Most Social Buzz During Finales Week? | | Friday, May 18, 2012 8:30 PM | Samantha Murphy |
|  Mashable's mRank is presented by Samsung's SMART cameras. Simply shoot your image and share it instantly on your social sites, using built-in Wi-Fi. It's the camera for how we share pictures today. CBS's hit show How I Met Your Mother not only brought in strong ratings this week for its season finale, it also raked in significant social buzz online in the first half of the week, according to mRank, Mashable's social media chatter-tracker. However, buzz at the end of the week belonged to American Idol, which trimmed its contestant pool to the final two on Thursday. With many TV series wrapping up their seasons with explosive finales this week, viewers have been turning to the social web to post reactions and discuss the latest plot advancements. Leading the pack in social buzz is How I Met Your Mother, whose season finale not only welcomed a new baby but also gave more details as to who Barney (played by Neil Patrick Harris) will marry. Other strong social buzz performers during the first half of the week included The Big Bang Theory, The Voice, Bones, Game of Thrones, WWE Raw and American Idol. Mashable's mRank leaderboards track the most buzzed-about TV shows across the social web. mRank's technology analyzes certain terms -- in this case TV show names or words associated with a certain title -- and creates a leaderboard based on the volume of conversation around that show on Facebook, Twitter and blogs. Mashable has leaderboards for various events and topics -- from movies to music -- and more will pop up for events, such as the Olympics, in the future. Although reality TV show The Voice dropped from first last week to the sixth most-discussed earlier this week, its finale was held a week prior to many other finales. Fans of the show took to social networks to react to the crowning of Jermaine Paul, Alicia Keys' former back-up singer and the mentee of country star Blake Shelton, as "the Voice." The top ten also featured Mad Men (despite its lack of a season finale), newcomer series The New Girl and perennial favorite Dancing with the Stars. Meanwhile, Saturday Night Live -- which is the 14th most-discussed show online -- received a lot of buzz earlier in the week when former cast member Will Ferrell re-joined the team to host the season wrap-up. In addition, a clip of celebrities from the show's digital shorts returned on Saturday night to celebrate the series' 100th sketch, with the help of Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, Natalie Portman and Michael Bolton. The video went viral and initiated a lot of online chatter. Toward the end of the week, American Idol shot up to the top of the mRank list, pushing How I Met Your Mother down to the ninth spot. If early buzz for American Idol's finale is any indication, we suspect it will be back on top yet again next week. Other strong performers toward the end of the week include Bones, Criminal Minds, The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family and Game of Thrones. mRank 5/16/2012 mRank 5/18/2012 mRank presented by Samsung Mashable's mRank is presented by Samsung's SMART cameras. Simply shoot your image and share it instantly on your social sites, using built-in Wi-Fi. It's the camera for how we share pictures today. |
| Google Further Integrates Google+ Profiles Into Gmail [VIDEO] | | Friday, May 18, 2012 7:51 PM | Joann Pan |
|  Your Google email account is changing -- it's getting even more social. A new Google update will make "people front and center in Gmail" -- or rather the people you know who signed up for Google+. These updates will further integrate Google+ -- the search engine's social network -- into Gmail. Now when users search for an email address, contact information from Google+ profiles will show automatically. This means Google+ profiles are pushed to the forefront including profile pictures, emails, chat prompts and phone numbers. This could be a solution for Google+'s lackluster user engagement. SEE ALSO: Google News Gets Deeper Ties to Google+ A company product manager Itamar Gilad described the new personalized changes in an official blog post. "These updates are helping us to provide a more consistent, beautiful experience across all of our products," he wrote. "Quick access to contact details will be rolling out to everyone today. To take advantage of circles and more in Gmail, you'll need to join Google+." Google+ circles are also finding their way into your email. You'll be able to filter messages by circles of friends. To see how, watch the video above. Updates like these are a part of Google's master plan to incorporate Google+ into all facets of the company's products. Google unveiled Google Search Plus Your World in January. Do you think Google+ is an effective directory? Tell us which social network you turn to for contact information -- for friends or strangers. Thumbnail courtesy of iStockphoto, franckreporter. |
| This Church Will Bless Your Pet Via Twitter | | Friday, May 18, 2012 7:14 PM | The Daily Dot |
|  Twitter has been used for everything from watering plants to dispersing dog treats. Now, a church in England is using the microblogging platform to give thanks for pets in a religious service this weekend. In Camberley, Surrey, St. Paul’s Church is asking people to tweet photos of their pets to the parish. Rev. Claire Isherwood will ask the animals’ owners questions through Twitter as part of two special services this Sunday, before giving thanks for their companions and those in attendance at the church. Responses to the reverend’s questions will be displayed on a large screen inside the church. "Since animals can't normally go to church, we reserve one day a year as a special day to include them and bless them,” the church’s social-media officer Andy Salt said. "We wanted a way to open up St Paul's to the people in the wider community, so everyone can take part in our annual pet service, not just those physically present.” Those attending Sunday’s services have been asked to bring animals no larger than a dog, though Salt said the church is hoping that zoos will get in touch over Twitter to let the reverend know about their more exotic animals too. Judging by a search for Twitter mentions of @StPaulsCamb, however, it seems that only cats have been tweeted about. Figures. Image courtesy yumiang/Flickr |
| Facebook HQ on IPO Day, As Seen on Instagram [PICS] | | Friday, May 18, 2012 7:01 PM | Stephanie Haberman |
|  While the rest of the world was relegated to watching Mark Zuckerberg ring the NASDAQ opening bell online, Facebook staffers turned the late night and early morning event into an all-out party at their headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. Mimosas were flowing, house music playing, and just about every Facebook staffer was recording the occasion on their mobile devices -- and not surprisingly, given the recent acquisition, they favored Instagram. We've collected the best of them in the gallery above. How do you rate the Facebook staffers' Instagram skills? Which snapshot is your favorite? Let us know in the comments. Facebook shares started trading at $42 a share on Nasdaq around 11:30 a.m. Friday morning under the symbol "FB." At the beginning of trading, Zuckerberg was worth $21 billion. Currently, the stock is trading less than a dollar above the IPO price of $38. Thumbnail photo courtesy of Zef Zikolla, Facebook |
| Facebook Losing Its Monopoly on Users [REPORT] | | Friday, May 18, 2012 2:46 PM | Zoe Fox |
|  As Facebook becomes a public company Friday, trading at $42 per share and valued at $116.6 billion, new data suggests the company's social media dominance may be in decline. Twice as many Facebook members use at least one additional social networking site in 2012 as they did at this time last year. Just released comScore data obtained by Mylife.com shows that 40% of Facebook users are on another social network, compared to 20% at this time last year. The most popular secondary social network for Facebook users is Twitter, which is used by 23.8% of Facebook account holders. LinkedIn comes in a close second, with 20.3% of Facebook users registered for the professional network. Some 16.6% of Facebook users are on Google+, 13.9% are on Tumblr and 12.% are on Pinterest. The data also shows that nearly 100% of Facebook users use an external email server. Yahoo Mail is most popular, used by 44% of Facebook members; followed by Gmail, used by 35.5%; and AOL Mail, used by 12.6%. Who's Catching Up to Facebook? Facebook's rapid purchase of Instagram for $1 billion, snatching the photo editing app our from under Twitter's nose, proved that Mark Zuckerberg understands the importance of a mobile-first approach to social networking. In an amendment to the company's S-1 filings April 23, Facebook explained that it made the acquisition "to enable users to increase their levels of mobile engagement and photo sharing." Another recent comScore report found that Tagged was America's most engaged social network. Its users visit 18 times a month, less than Facebook's 36 average visits per month. However, each visit lasts 12.1 minutes, which is longer than Facebook's average 10.9 minute visits. Does the rise of other social networks means Facebook is on the decline or is the social media powerhouse here to stay? Do mobile first networks have an advantage over Facebook? Sound off in the comments. BONUS: 10 Things Facebook Should Spend Its IPO Money On |
| Reddit, Tumblr Founders Slam and Cheer Facebook IPO | | Friday, May 18, 2012 2:17 PM | Mashable Video |
|  Hosted by Shira Lazar, What's Trending is a live interactive talk show and a 24/7 news hub for the digital age. It features guests and performances from celebrities and online influencers, and covers trending news from around the web and through social media. Stay connected and join the conversation by following us on Twitter @whatstrending. Facebook's IPO is on everyone's minds, lips and tweets today. The concept of building a $100 billion+ business on the web in eight years is a staggering thought, and must loom large over other successful online entrepreneurs. Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and Tumblr CEO David Karp spoke about what Facebook's success means to them during Internet Week New York. Ohanian, an outspoken critic of legislation like SOPA and CISPA, takes issue with Facebook's approach to privacy and community. He won't be investing in the social network. "If Facebook continues to make bad decisions about user experience -- about disrespecting privacy -- you have the potential for this to become something like the social networking fads of yesteryear," Ohanian told Shira Lazar. "The value of a site that is community driven is in the community. ... My concern is, if Facebook continues to make bad decisions for the community, those could mean bad things for the business." While Karp acknowledged Ohanian's points on privacy and community, he does see Facebook as one of the greatest Internet successes of all time. "Facebook is the poster child for an Internet business today, and I think everybody in this industry should be rooting for them to prove that the Internet can generate $100 billion businesses," said Karp. "I'm absolutely rooting for them. They've built a really meaningful business and achieved a scale like nothing that's ever existed before." Watch more videos from What's Trending on Mashable Watch this episode of What's Trending for more insights into the future of the web from two of its most successful entrepreneurs. |
| How Long Can Facebook Reign As Social Media Champ? | | Friday, May 18, 2012 1:34 PM | Samantha Murphy |
|  As Facebook Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Rings The Opening Bell to become one of the largest publicly traded companies on the stock market, many critics continue to debate the staying power of the social network and how the IPO will impact the company's future. Earlier this week, a study from The Associated Press and CNBC surfaced that found nearly half of Americans believe that Facebook is a fad and will be replaced by competition in the future. But is there already platform on the market that has the potential to truly replace Facebook? According to experts, no. "The billion-dollar question is not if Facebook will be replaced, but when will it be replaced," says Erik Qualman, author of the best-selling book, Socialnomics: How social media transforms the way we live and do business. "Their strongest competitive advantage today is their almost 1 billion global users and this creates a barrier to entry for other competitors." There's no denying Facebook's size and power. If Facebook were a country, it would be the third-largest behind China and India. Although some platforms such as Google Plus have some social features that Facebook doesn't -- including dynamic photo integration (Picasa), video (YouTube), mobile (Android) and contacts (Google Contacts)-- if your family and friends don't use Google Plus, it's less appealing for you as a user. "The two weakest points of Facebook's current strategy revolve around mobile and social search," Qualman says. "Facebook has been slow to try and capture the billions of dollars that Google captures via search. Search as we know it is ripe for disruption, yet Facebook has been slow to capitalize on developing a robust social search. There are no switching costs for people to move from one search engine to the next." Qualman also believes that Facebook will have to ramp up its mobile strategy to stay competitive. SEE ALSO: Is Facebook Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory? "What could cause a potential downfall of the company is an inability to properly understand how to leverage mobile," Qualman says. "Main competitors that could capitalize on this weakness could be Apple, Google or a company that hasn't even been invented yet -- but this is less likely since Facebook can buy most competition, such as the recent purchase of Instagram for $1 billion." "Zuckerberg is a smart guy, so he still has time to properly adjust," Qualman adds. Scott Campbell, an associate professor of communication studies at the University of Michigan, believes that Facebook's streak will continue due to its adaptability. Over the years, the company has managed to stay relevant by incorporating the latest trends, from adding a new stream and Timeline to chat functionality and photo integration via Instagram. "Facebook is always evolving," Campbell said. "It is no longer just for maintaining personal ties. It has many civic and political uses as well, and has evolved to connect people to both the personal and public sphere of social life." However, Campbell cautions Facebook on its collection and use of personal information. "It's no secret that its privacy policy and settings have changed over time and can be confusing for many users," he added. "Perceived or actual misuse of personal data is something that could hinder adoption rates and drive existing users away, so Facebook should be sensitive about that if it wants to avoid being just a fad." However, not everyone shares the sentiment that Facebook is here to stay, and investors are divided about whether the valuation of Facebook at more than $100 billion is too high. Many consumers also expressed the same concern on Twitter. Sorry guys, I decided NOT to purchase Facebook... The valuation jumped to 108 Billion! Waaaaaaay too high— Carl World Peace (@ItsMeCarlC) May 18, 2012 Analyst on BBC radio today said Facebook's $100 billion value unrealistic given its $1 billion revenues. 1:100 ratio. Bubble could burst.— Timothy Kalyegira (@TimKalyegira) May 18, 2012 What do you think? Will Facebook be around for years to come, and if not, what could replace it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. The Early Hours of Facebook HQ on IPO Day Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Frankreporter. |
| Facebook IPO: Ask Us Anything [TRANSCRIPT] | | Friday, May 18, 2012 11:35 AM | Todd Olmstead |
|  Facebook is now a public company. After months of speculation, Mark Zuckerberg rang the opening bell for Nasdaq from the companies headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. The company will open trading this morning on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol "FB." The company will offer 421,233,615 shares at $38 a share, with a valuation somewhere around $100 billion. Trading isn't expected to begin until approximately 11:00 EDT, but before then Mashable editors will be available to answer any questions you have about the Facebook IPO. Are the shares priced too high? Too low? Is Facebook a company with a bright future? What company might Facebook target for its next high profile acquisition? What, if anything, does this mean for Instagram? And how exactly does an IPO work? We'll be on hand to answer questions such as these and others at 10:30 EDT. Join us and ask away! |
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