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Sunday, August 26, 2012
TRENDING STORIES IN BUSINESS & MARKETING App Tells Freelancers How Much to Charge 5 Companies Changing the Way We Shop 'Parks and Recreation,' 'Battlestar Galactica' Coming to Amazon Prime Instant Video ALL STORIES IN BUSINESS & MARKETING 5 Things Google Gives Away Free Saturday, August 25, 2012 3:32 PM ClickZ I've developed a slightly mystical belief: There is no free lunch. Or call it instead the Free Stuff Karma Syndrome. Better yet: Maybe You'll Do Me a Favor Sometime. To sum it up, if you're an end user, and you cherry-pick all the best online content and services without ever paying a penny for them, and do your best to avoid engaging with the ads…well, you might be OK. There are slightly less than even odds of you being hit by a bus on your way to work at the local hospital. If you're a marketer, though - if you take and take and take, and then try to get out of all the paid services and whine at Google whenever it makes a tweak to its (free) organic search algorithm that slightly disadvantages your for-profit company - well, let's just say that a "wrong turn at Albuquerque" via Google Maps' driving directions will be the least of your worries. Unless your idea of a wrong turn is off a cliff. It's just bad karma, man. The interesting thing about all the free products and services Google develops for consumers -- and some for the benefit of small and large businesses -- is that they aren't all tied efficiently to revenues. Google just invests heavily in products. Sometimes it does a good job of monetizing them. But generally speaking, Google derives the lion's share of its revenues from the same old things all the time (search ads and display ads). Not all of them tie well to the investments Google has made. It's almost like Google's bad at monetizing (or doesn't care enough to monetize everything, since free stuff keeps you happy and keeps engineers engaged in worthwhile projects). Here are five free Google things we're pretty much all using. Cool features in Google Maps. A co-worker was moving closer to downtown Toronto from the suburbs. Excited about his new address, he checked out the driving directions feature to find out how close he would be to the airport. Turns out that two totally different routes gave him about the same travel time in light traffic: 27 minutes and 28 minutes. And in "current" traffic, they were 34 minutes and 46 minutes. (Needless to say, both routes were mapped out flawlessly.) What? Google has integrated local real-time traffic databases seamlessly into Maps, in an actionable way? Then, my friend was further gratified by finding the fastest walking route to the subway station: 7 minutes. A walking route to an old haunt -- 25 minutes -- was accurate because it took a diagonal route through a large park. It's pretty clear that Google has invested heavily in Maps, Earth, Street View, and all these related functions. Sure, it eventually hopes to recoup that investment through local advertising (Google Places, if you want to use the cute name), and why shouldn't it? Please don't jump up and down and hoot and holler when Google suggests your clients buy the local ads instead of hoping to get everything for free. You know who you are. You know you're using the services. You've run 52,358 driving directions on Maps and your version of Second Life is Google Street View. Karma… Google Search. Uh oh. Lest we forget that one…it's free. No one else can hold a candle to it. Google has invested billions in it. It seems Microsoft has lost billions trying to figure out how this "web division" should make money. Not as easy as it looks, eh? Expensive to run a search engine, eh? So next time you're in a casual conversation about what you do for a living, and someone blithely says, "Oh…I had nooo idea…I mean, I never even look at the ads" (an assertion that is now proven to be 100 percent impossible, BTW), as a marketer, it's not acceptable for you to smile and nod to maintain the peace - even if they're your dog walker. It's your job to punch them in the face. YouTube. Free. Extremely costly to build. Every day you share a video, or 20. Would it kill you to buy an ad or two on there? Google Analytics. Comparable SMB enterprise class software will run you $20,000 to $50,000, yet for some reason, this is free. (The pro version of Google Analytics is also well-priced, and since so many advertisers and webmasters use the free version, let's not be under any illusions that Google is covering its costs on this product.) That's mainly because Google figures if advertisers have the very best data, then they'll understand how to best allocate their online marketing dollars. It would be nearly impossible to go about the business of allocating a decent-sized online ad budget without spending some of it through Google. That would take some real contortions. So if you're one of these wankers who uses free GA only to watch over your organic search referral traffic and the occasional Facebook "like," you didn't hear it from me, but a large flowerpot is falling toward you from that eighth-story window. As we speak. Gmail. Yep, there's a corporate version of Google Mail you might want to look into, but most of you are rampantly using Gmail for free. So save the rant about the "intrusive" ads…especially if you're in marketing. Consider figuring out how to buy the ads in Gmail, if you haven't already. You might even have clients who could class up the place. Is Google currently making money hand-over-fist on this free service? You have to wonder. After years and years of running "lucrative" Hotmail, Microsoft appears to be shutting it down. Yahoo Mail is a leading service, and that company isn't exactly pumping out Apple-esque profits either. There is one free Google thing that went away a few years ago, and that's the annual Google Dance event held in connection with the Bay Area stop of the SES conference every summer. Hey Google, most of the attendees pay to attend the conferences; and they'll wear the dickens out of the t-shirts, as they smile at the camera and post the results on Google+ so they can enhance their Klout scores, or on Pinterest (for reasons unknown). Bring back the Google Dance! Karma… Image courtesy of iStockphoto, gmutlu 57 Digital Media Resources You May Have Missed Saturday, August 25, 2012 1:58 PM Matt Petronzio We don't blame you if you spent the week waiting for the Samsung-Apple verdict, which was announced on Friday with Apple winning quite the pretty penny over design patents. For those of us who didn't just lose $1,049,343,540 in damages, however, there are plenty of digital resources from the past week that remind us that the tech world goes on. We have a list of Google+ circles marketers that you should follow, an explanation for why we're only in the early days of social search and tips for ditching that ancient landline of yours. We also have a bunch of interesting infographics from our Lifestyle channel about e-commerce, cyberbullying and Facebook at work, as well as 13 "departure"-themed photos from Mashable readers like you. And don't forget about our Third Annual Social Good Summit, which is coming up soon! Enjoy this week's digital media resources. Editor's Picks Join the Social Good Summit Global Conversation Join the global conversation at this year's Social Good Summit by organizing or attending a meetup in your hometown or around the world. Inform Your Vote With These 6 Presidential Campaign Apps Want to stay in the know about politics? Download these six mobile apps. Online Security Tips for Journalists Whether you're a journalist in the field or the office, you have to know how to protect yourself and your publication from online attacks. These tips will prove valuable for anyone -- not just journalists. How to Make Money From YouTube Eager to join the plenty of people successfully making a living on YouTube? Start with advice from the pros. 7 Ways Your Family Can Get More Out of the Cloud The cloud can also offer busy families a variety of helpful and time-saving resources that are easy to employ. Here are seven. Social Media 10 Must-Follow Twitter Accounts for Tech Insight Follow these 10 thought leaders on Twitter to stay on top of the ever-changing landscape of technology. Viral Video Recap: Funniest Memes of the Week Cats, space, McKayla Maroney -- check out this recap of the week's funniest viral videos that will leave you laughing. 20 TV Shows With the Most Social Media Buzz This Week Which TV shows generate the most buzz on social media networks? Find out each week from our social TV chart. Inside the Battle for College Athletes' Social Media Lives Should universities be allowed to monitor the online behavior of student athletes through forced access to social media accounts or contracts with third-party tracking companies? Football v. Football: Which Sport Wins Social?/a> This infographic compares English and American football through the social media profile of their respective leagues and teams. 10 Google+ Circles Marketers Should Follow Follow these Google+ circles for insights about marketing, technology, digital branding, social media, and blogging. Why Social Media Can't Win Swing Votes The 2012 election is supposedly set to showcase how well candidates understand the deep nuances of social media. Or so the argument goes. When the News Breaks: 15 On-Air Flubs/a> Reporting the news can be treacherous. Check out these onscreen bloopers from over the years. How to Increase Your Search Rank Using Social Media The rules of search have changed. But never so dramatically has rank been uprooted since the explosion of social media. 13 Bittersweet Photos of Departure From Mashable Readers As students here in the United States prepare to go off to school, we asked our readers to send us photos symbolizing "departure." Watch These 10 Babies Taste Lemons for the First Time Ten babies get their first taste of sour citrus fruit in these 10 adorable YouTube clips. 8 Blunt Charts From Tumblr's 'Truth Graphs' The two-week old Tumblr blog Truth Graphs features 42 different minimalistic -- yet hilarious -- line charts on topical events. 7 Ways YouTube Can Grow Its Platform YouTube needs to continue its pattern of growth and do something it hasn't done a lot of lately: innovate as a social platform. Here's how. 10 Sports Twitter Accounts With a Shocking Number of Fake Followers A new tool projects how many fake Twitter followers your favorite accounts have. We put some of sports' biggest names to the test. Why We're 'Only in the Early Days' of Social Search Web searches aren't what they used to be. Now, you can get relevant search results pooled from your social networks and even email. For Brand Engagement, Visuals Rule/a> Companies are quickly learning that visual media is one of the most effective ways to share their stories. Here's why. For more social media news and resources, you can follow Mashable's social media channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. Business & Marketing 100+ Hot Jobs in Social Media, Digital Media and Development We've rounded up five recently posted jobs geared toward our readership of 20 million people who are well versed in digital trends, social media and all the hottest technologies. 6 Ways to Get the Most Out of Freemium for Your Small Business One of the most difficult things about bootstrapping a startup is utilizing the right resources, and the free ones, when possible. 5 Brands That Get Email Marketing Right Email binds all the disparate elements of a marketing program together. Here are five companies who rock this old-school marketing tool. 3 Ways to Simplify Online Marketing Here are three simple rules brands can follow to simplify their marketing for everyone involved. Why Startups Choose New York City Over Silicon Valley When Dennis Crowley and Naveen Selvadurai started building Foursquare in 2008, they chose New York City for their headquarters, and many other startups are following suit. Here's why. The Small Biz Guide to Patents, Copyright and Trademarks From copyrights to trademarks to patents, you need to protect your product. Mashable Media Summit 2012: Early Bird Tickets on Sale Now The Mashable Media Summit 2012 will explore how technology and new business models are redefining media. Get your tickets now. 3 Top Female Founders Answer Your Questions About Startup Life/a> Rachel Sklar, Angela Jia Kim, Founder and Kellee Khalil the entrepreneurial journey and how to build your own business. How to Use Personal Finance Apps to Turn Your Life Around Managing your expenditures is incredibly difficult. We talked with several people who used digital tools to turn their finances around. 4 Hot Events in Tech, Social and Advertising Looking to fill your calendar with exciting events in the social media sector? We've got your back. Why You Remember Certain TV Ads With live TV, ads are unavoidable and usually not very memorable. However every now and then, there are a few that break through. But why? Explore Mashable's Enhanced Events Board for Your Next Opportunity With the new features we've added to the Mashable Events Board, there's even more reason to connect, network, locate and list events. 5 Companies Changing the Way We Shop Consumers are becoming more comfortable shopping online. Here are five companies making big changes in the shopping scene. This Wish List Site Makes It Easier to Get What You Want Wantworthy allows you to create a clean and organized wish list for everything you're eyeing online. For more business news and resources, you can follow Mashable's business channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. Tech & Mobile The Most Popular Freelancer Apps for Work-Life Balance/a> A look at the most favorited apps among freelancers today. Kiss Your Keyboard and Mouse Goodbye With The Leap The ability to manipulate digital objects like clay was the inspiration for making The Leap. It's tech straight out of Minority Report. How to Identify a Scam Email Are misspellings, histrionics and overcapitalization obvious clues for scam emails? 5 Rock-Worthy iOS Apps for Guitarists Thanks to new hardware, today's guitarists can plug right into an iPhone or iPad with these five iOS apps. How to Ditch Your Landline If you're ready to free yourself from the landline ball and chain, consider these services your new best friends. Get There Faster With These 4 Traffic Apps For commuters and vacationers, traffic can seem like a necessary evil. But mobile app developers aren't content to leave it that way. 11 Fascinating Facts About Google Maps We spoke to a Google spokesperson to learn some fascinating, behind-the-scenes facts about Google Maps. The Internet a Decade Later/a> Take a look at how far the Internet has come in a decade. The Legend of Miyamoto: How Nintendo Shaped UX Nintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto created experiences and design elements that we employ every day, whether we realize it or not. 6 Companies That Creatively Use Tablets Eight successful young entrepreneurs note which companies have made a lasting impression with their use of on-site tablet technology. 10 Things You Didn't Know Mint Could Do Here are some of our favorite underutilized Mint features. 10 Educational Products and Services Worth Paying For We've rounded up tools for anyone looking to learn something new, whether you're an infant or a geriatric. 10 Hot Indie Games to Watch We've hand-picked some highly anticipated indie projects that every gamer should keep tabs on. How to Create Location-Based Reminders on Your iPhone Location-based reminders can help you remember to call someone or do the laundry when you get to a specific location. Here's an introduction to this handy iPhone function. For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable's tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. Lifestyle How to Learn a Language on YouTube/a> You don't necessarily need expensive software or higher education to learn an entirely different language. This video shows all of the Russian language skills that a Mashable reporter learned on YouTube in an hour. 5 Tech Tools Making Classrooms Better Facebook and Twitter aren't just a place for random musings -- they're also great platforms for enhancing classroom discussions. Here's How College Students See the World/a> What comes to mind when you hear the word "Twilight"? Is it Rod Serling or Edward and Bella? Why Your Employer Shouldn't Ban Facebook/a> Only 5% of workers said Facebook and Twitter is their biggest distraction at the office. In fact, 44% said social networks increase productivity. How Mobile Trends Are Shaping E-commerce/a> The Battle for Smartphone Supremacy is heating up. Why You Should Talk to Kids About Cyberbullying/a> There is a lot to do before your kid's school year commences. Hopefully, having a talk about cyberbullying will be on your to-do list. See the Top 10 College Campuses for Tech We know about the top party schools and the best schools for sports, but which college or university is the most technologically advanced? For more digital lifestyle news and resources, you can follow Mashable's lifestyle channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, arakonyunus Apple v. Samsung Juror Says Emails Were 'Most Damning' [REPORT] Saturday, August 25, 2012 10:40 AM Charlie White Now that the Apple v. Samsung verdict is in with Apple emerging victorious, a juror has spoken out, outlining the most damning evidence against Samsung. In an exclusive interview with CNET, Manuel Ilagan, one of the nine jurors in the Apple v. Samsung case, made surprising comments the day after the verdict was reached. Ilagan said that even after the first day of the trial, the nine jurors had already determined that Samsung had copied Apple. Ilagan said one of Samsung's most telling actions was the emails its executives sent to each other, pointing out features on the iPhone they would like to incorporate into Samsung products. Further, Ilagan says he was unimpressed by Samsung's reaction to questions presented to them on video. "I thought they were dodging the questions. They didn't answer one of them. They didn't help their cause," Ilagan said. SEE ALSO: Apple and Samsung Respond to Verdict in Patent Case Well-equipped for serving on a jury of a technology case, Ilagan holds a degree in mechanical engineering, and has worked both as a systems engineer for Western Electronics and an applications engineer for Stanford Telecom. According to CNET, he said: "I was vocal about the technical about the power controls because I know that stuff," Ilagan said. "I work on that." Apple Stock Hits All-Time High After Favorable Verdict Saturday, August 25, 2012 8:39 AM Joann Pan Apple stock swelled to $674.96 per share during after-hours trading following the favorable verdict for the iPhone creator. Stock prices rose about 1.8%, or around $12 a piece, closing at $663.22 per share. Around 6 P.M. ET on Friday, the first tweets went out from reporters in the California courtroom where the Apple-Samsung infringement case verdict would soon be announced. A nine-person grand jury came to a unanimous decision on Friday evening (around 7 P.M. ET), determining Samsung infringed upon several Apple-patented features. SEE ALSO: Apple vs. Samsung Verdict Is In: Apple Wins Apple won almost every count against Samsung in the historic court battle. A federal jury in San Jose, Calif., is awarding the Cupertino giant approximately $1.05 billion in damages. The jury decided Samsung "willfully" infringed on five of seven Apple patents including the iPhone's iconography, its "pinch-and-zoom" feature, the "bounce-back" effect in on-screen scrolling and the double-tap zoom. In a statement Friday, Samsung responded by calling the decision "a loss for the American consumer" that will lead to "fewer choices, less innovation and potentially higher prices." "This is not the final word in this case or in battles being waged in courts and tribunals around the world, some of which have already rejected many of Apple's claims. Samsung will continue to innovate and offer choices for the consumer," Samsung wrote. The Apple-Samsung battle in U.S. courts is not over. As expected, Samsung announced it will be appealing the rulings lost, according to The Wall Street Journal. Reports state Samsung will first appeal to residing U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh. If the decision is not overturned, Samsung will appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which focuses on patents. In four weeks, the two companies will argue the fate of the patent-infringing items. During the scheduled court date on Sept. 20, Apple will ask courts to ban Samsung sales of the Galaxy S, Galaxy S II, Nexus S, Mesmerize, Vibrant, Fascinate, Skyrocket, Continuum, Prevail, Infuse, Gem, Mesmerize, Indulge, Replenish, Epic 4G Touch, Droid Charge smartphones, the Galaxy Tab and Tab 10.1 tablets in the U.S. The sales restriction would be temporary -- pending a final decision by Judge Koh, according to CNET. What do you think about the Apple-Samsung decision? Share your thoughts in the comments.		TOP STORIES TODAY 57 Digital Media Resources You May Have Missed Apple v. Samsung Juror Says Emails Were 'Most Damning' [REPORT] Apple Stock Hits All-Time High After Favorable Verdict 5 Things Google Gives Away Free This Wish List Site Makes It Easier to Get What You Want TOP TOPICS Trending 7,856 followers Watercooler 109 followers Mobile 5,342 followers Apps And Software 1,262 followers US 1,133 followers Gadgets 8,570 followers Social Media 76,859 followers Video 4,215 followers Business 39,950 followers US & World 490 followers
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