Author: Rahsheen on Black Web 2.0

The BlackPad has been a rumor for a while now, but RIM has finally made it a reality with the announcement of the Blackberry Playbook today at Research In Motion’s annual BlackBerry Developer Conference. Just as many have speculated, it’s being specifically targeted toward business people, which will differentiate it from Apple’s iPad and make it more desirable for large organizations.

“RIM set out to engineer the best professional-grade tablet in the industry with cutting-edge hardware features and one of the world’s most robust and flexible operating systems,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “The BlackBerry PlayBook solidly hits the mark with industry leading power, true multitasking, uncompromised web browsing and high performance multimedia.”

It is somewhat surprising that the PlayBook doesn’t use Blackberry OS 6. They have opted to develop an entirely new platform specifically for tablet computing called Blackberry Tablet OS. It’s based on the recently acquired QNX and will support full OpenGL, POSIX, and web standards such as HTML5. Founder Dan Dodge says that “QNX is going to enable things that you have never seen before,” and mentions the Playbook will be “an incredible gaming platform for publishers and the players.”

The Playbook measures less than half an inch thick and weighs less than a pound. It features a 7″ high-resolution display and, according to the press release, “looks and feels great in your hand.” It supports true symmetric multiprocessing and sports a 1Ghz dual-core processor. This provides the user with a “highly responsive and fluid touch screen experience for apps and content services.”

Speaking of content services, the new tablet supports Adobe Flash Player 10.1, Adobe Mobile AIR, and HTML5. It will offer a complete and full web browsing experience while also providing another avenue for developers to create native apps. It has front and rear-facing HD cameras and can record from both at the same time. The Playbook integrates seamlessly with your existing BlackBerry device using Bluetooth and also supports Wi-Fi.

The BlackBerry Playbook should be available at retail outlets in early 2011. Are you getting a PlayBook? Take a look at the video and tell us what you think in the comments.

via Engadget, AllThingsD

Princeton professor Cornel West and broadcaster Tavis Smiley are joining forces this fall to co-host a new radio show. Both are provocative and well-known public figures and leveraging the current popularity of the Tavis Smiley Show and integrating their professional and personal relationship, they will “explore contemporary, cutting-edge issues.” The announcement came during the 23rd annual Public Radio Programming Conference in Denver, Colorado, Sunday, September 26.

“Dr. West is a long-time friend and I am honored that he has agreed to go on this journey with me. This new venture, Smiley & West, will not only set the pace for tomorrow’s news but will be a conduit for the insightful conversation that America is thirsting for. I’m excited that alongside one of America’s greatest thinkers, we will encourage, enlighten and empower the listeners together.” – Tavis Smiley

The show will be one hour long and air on a weekly basis on Public Radio International (PRI) affiliates nationwide. President and CEO Alisa Miller says that, “PRI is proud to bring the broadcast to audiences nationwide and to support Tavis as he encourages conversation about issues of importance.” According to Miller, “PRI creates and distributes content that offers different perspectives and new voices to help people live successfully in our complex, interconnected world. That’s why we’re thrilled that Tavis and Dr. West have created this forum for a robust exploration of ideas among people with different points of view.”

The first half of the show consists of Tavis and West discussing current news topics. They will focus on stories that deserve attention, but are being ignored by mainstream media outlets. They will also give listeners the opportunity to directly engage the co-hosts on issues they may disagree with on a segment called “Take ‘Em to Task.” The final 30 minutes of the show will be a conversation between Tavis, Cornel, and a special guest. The first episodes will feature New York Times columnist Frank Rich and comedian, actor and writer Garry Shandling. Future episodes will include “celebrities, politicians, intellectuals and other newsmakers.”

“Many of America’s most important discussions aren’t necessarily happening in the boardroom or between the pundits on cable television. Rather they’re happening at BBQs, cocktail parties, barbershops, and salons between real people. With this new endeavor, Smiley & West, Tavis and I hope to really tap into the concerns of everyday people.” – Cornel West

Check out www.smileyandwest.com for more details on the show and how to participate.

September 27th, marks Google’s 12th birthday. In the past, there has been some confusion on Google’s part about what day is actually the official birth/founding date, but sometime in September of 1998 is about as close as we can get. They’ve sometimes celebrated as early as September 7th and the Google.com domain was registered on September 15, 1997.

As with most special days, they’ve chosen to commemorate this day with a doodle (customized logo on the search home page). This one is a simple painting of a birthday cake with Google written out in the icing. The ‘l’ in the Google logo is replaced by a single birthday candle.

What’s interesting about this is that Google has been on a tear with their doodle’s lately, using the space for interactive experiences that have wowed many users and crashed a few browsers. The first was an interactive Pac-man game, the second was to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the discovery of the buckyball, and the latest was a mysterious doodle of interactive balls launched just before the announcement of Google Instant Search.

This latest doodle is quite the opposite, just a simple painting Wayne Thiebaud, an 89-year-old Los Angeles based artist. The birthday cake doodle is part of a series of cake-related paintings Thiebaud worked on back in the 1950s and ’60s.

Speaking of people named “Wayne,” today also marks the birthday of rapper Lil Wayne. Just like Google, Wayne has a loyal following, is wildly successful, is always looking to diversify his business, and is very often misunderstood. It’s interesting that these iconic figures share the same birthday.

Unfortunately for Wayne, who turns 28 today, he won’t be celebrating very much this year because he’s still serving time in Rikers Island. His latest album, “I’m Not A Human Being” will be released today on iTunes. This version will have 10 tracks, with a 13 track version to be released in stores October 12th. Apparently, he ditched the vocoder for this one. Wayne is set to be released in 39 days for those that are counting.

As far as Google is concerned, they’re entering those awkward teenage years and it shows. While they are considered a successful company, they are often ridiculed for some of their decisions. This is especially true on their moves into social networking. Regardless of their past mistakes and general awkwardness, it’s important to note that they are just coming into their own.

via PC World, MTV

The Facebook Phone

TechCrunch reported this week that Facebook is building a phone. Facebook immediately shot back that the story was “not accurate” and that “Facebook is not building a phone.” The situation buzzed for days and Zuckerberg eventually interviewed with TC to clear the air. The Facebook CEO was very adamant that they are not attempting to build their own device and compete in the market, but are looking into deeper integration into existing handsets and mobile operating systems.

Anyone with an Android phone may find this a little odd. Facebook is integrated pretty deep into the Android experience, syncing contacts and the whole nine. Facebook may simply want a better experience as the Facebook app is still lacking. Looking into OS internals may be part of finding a solution.

Google Voice Mobile in the App Store

While many Android users were enjoying the Google Voice service, iPhone users were left in the cold as Apple decided GV wasn’t a good fit for the App store. That all changed this week with two Google Voice applications being added. The first is GV Connect and the most recent is GV Mobile +. Besides iOS users getting cool new functionality, the bigger story is that Apple seems to be softening up a bit on its App Store regulations. via BoyGeniusReport

Facebook Gaming Gets Less Annoying

Facebook has updated their gaming platform to be much more useful to those who don’t play games. Those of us who couldn’t care less about your Farm or your Cafe can finally breathe a sigh of relief as we will no longer see those updates in our feeds. Facebook has decided to show non-gamers occasional gaming updates, just to give a heads up about what your friends are playing instead of a daily deluge of mundane and esoteric stories.

For you game players, here are some other improvements:

• Full stories in News Feed so they won’t miss when a friend shares an action or needs help in a game. The more active a person is in a game, the more prominent the stories will be.
• Smarter bookmarks on the home page that will automatically appear and reorder based on the games they’re playing. They will no longer need to individually bookmark apps, and it will be easier to get to favorite apps.
• A clearer, highlighted number for pending requests or tasks alongside bookmarks.
• Requests in the Games Dashboard, where they can manage all their game activity and discover new games.

via The Facebook Blog

4Chan DDoS’s RIAA and MPAA

Following reports that the Motion Picture Association of America used cyber hitmen to take down pirates, anonymous 4Chan users mobilized to take down the MPAA. After crippling the MPAA website and the anti-BitTorrent AiPlex Software, they set their targets on the RIAA. Droves of anonymous Internet users loaded up their Low Orbit Ion Cannons (LOIC) to help in the attack. DDoS attacks are almost impossible to defend against because they originate from multiple sources simultaneously and can bring any network to its knees. Not only that, but there is no one to blame for these attacks. No one to prosecute in a court of law. Tools like LOIC allow the average person to take part in such an online protest with minimal technical knowledge. Will this serve as the blueprint for future online protests? via TorrentFreak

Netflix CEO Apologizes for Self-Absorbed Comment and Hints at Streaming Only Plan

Netflix officially launched in Canada this week and celebrated by closing down a Toronto street, attracting dozens of people. The problem is that many of these people were actors instructed to act excited about Netflix and many of these actors were mistakenly interviewed by the media. Netflix later apologized, saying that the extras were required to get a film permit for the launch and that they were not instructed to represent themselves as anything other than “promotional people.”

When Netflix CEO Reed Hastings was questioned about the price difference between the US and Canada, he replied “How much has it been your experience that Americans follow what happens in the world? It’s something we’ll monitor, but Americans are somewhat self-absorbed.” This was a statement he later apologized for, saying “My Big American Foot is in my mouth.” One interesting tidbit that came from his apology was the reason for the price discrepancy:

The pricing Netflix is offering in Canada, $7.99 per month, does not include any DVD-by-mail option, and that is why it is cheaper than our $8.99 USA plan which has both DVD-by-mail and streaming in one plan. We are looking at adding a streaming-only option for the USA over the coming months.

via 570News, GigaOM, Official Netflix Blog

Mixtape Comedy Show Looking for Your Design

The Mixtape Comedy Show with Anthony Anderson and Royale Watkins is a stand up comedy and music show that streams live on Facebook and Ustream. Every 3rd Sunday of the month, the Gotham Comedy Club in New York is routinely sold out for the show. They feature some of the biggest names in music and comedy as well as upcoming stars from both sides, creating a unique experience. To further their goal of interacting with the audience, they need a design for their home on the web. Enter your design or comment on what’s already been submitted on the 99designs contest page.

The Donation

Update: TechCrunch has an interview with Mark Zuckerberg where he explains his motivations for the Newark donation. The goal is to make Newark a symbol for other areas that positive changes can be made in the school system with a little help. Zuckerberg seems to have put some thought into this.

As we covered yesterday, Facebook is donating $100 million to help Newark schools. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will set up a foundation with $100 million in Facebook stock for improving education in America, with the focus being on Newark. This would cover 20% of the school system’s budget of $940 million. Zuckerberg will announce the donation today on Oprah, ending a week of education reform programming on the show.

The Facebook Movie

The movie “The Social Network” will be released today. This highly anticipated movie depicts Mark Zuckerberg as “an insecure jerk who screws over people and becomes a much-richer insecure jerk,” according to Media Memo. Zuckerberg is definitely the villain in the film, which is only loosely based on the reality of Facebook’s first year. Even if it’s mostly fiction, it could still be bad for Zuckerberg’s image.

The “Coincidence”

Many have speculated that these two events occuring on the same day is no coincidence. Zuckerberg donating $100 million to Newark schools on the same day that a movie damaging his reputation is released will definitely raise some eyebrows. According to sources close to Zuckerberg, he very badly wanted to delay the announcement to avoid such connections being made. These sources say that it was obviously not done on purpose because it would be such an obvious attempt to try and clean things up.

Sources close to the situation say that Newark Mayor Cory Booker and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie were the ones who chose the timing. Zuckerberg pushed for a delay, but caved under pressure from Booker and Christie, who scheduled the announcement to go along with events already scheduled.

The Outage

This all comes just after Facebook had the worst outage in four years. Facebook apologized for the 2.5 hour outage and explained what happened in a post. It amounts to their database being corrupted and the systems set up to prevent that from happening becoming confused. The solution to fixing Facebook was as familiar to techies as to anyone else: they turned it off and turned it back on.

Do you think that Zuckerberg scheduled the announcement of his philanthropy in order to save face, or is this all a happy (or unhappy) coincidence?

via The Daily Beast, The Wrap

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to donate $100 million to the Newark school system. This could bring in a total donation of $200 million as Newark’s mayor, Cory Booker, has been working on raising another $100 million from private foundations and others.

Zuckerberg is setting up a foundation with $100 million in Facebook stock to be used to improve education in America, with the focus being on Newark. The potential donation would amount to over 20% of Newark’s budget of $940 million.

Newark spends about $22,000 a year on each of its 40,000 pupils, but only about half of its students graduate. Of those who do, only one-fifth go on to four-year colleges. More than 85% of the Newark students at community colleges need remedial help in math and English.

Foundations and wealthy investors have been recently donating large sums of money into education to make changes. The money usually comes in exchange for something like increased pay for teachers or measures to make sure teachers are effective.

At this time, it doesn’t seem that Zuckerberg or Facebook have an agenda, but this donation is part of a bigger plan. According to a source familiar with the situation, Booker is charged with setting up plans and rallying community support for them. According to a source close to the matter, the mayor plans to aggressively pursue plans for big changes in the school system. Booker used crime as the focus of his first term and will make education the center of his second.

This would be Zuckerberg’s largest gift to date. In 2009, Facebook was valued at about $7 billion. Now, with over 500 million users, their value has more than tripled to $23 million. Zuckerberg himself added about $5 billion to his fortune, which took him to #35 on the Forbes 400 with an estimated fortune of $6.9 billion. This puts the Facebook CEO ahead of Apple’s Steve Jobs, who sits at #42 on the Forbes 400.

#1 on the list of richest people in America is Microsoft founder and chairman Bill Gates. He is worth about $54 billion and his Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has not only funneled around $5 billion into K-12 education, but also donated $100 million last year to overhaul how teachers are trained and evaluated in the Tampa Hillsborough County School District.

via WSJ, Forbes, SeattlePI

According to a new report from The Media Audit, African-American adults spend much more time consuming media from the Internet than any other adult group. The study consisted of more than 7,000 African-Americans, who spent 4 hours and 21 minutes per day online. This is 10% higher when compared to all US adults, who typically spend about 3 hours and 57 minutes.

A similar study done in 2005 found that African-Americans only spent about 1 hour and 9 minutes per day online. This new study shows a major shift in where African-Americans are focusing their attention and getting their information. Time spent on all media types for AA’s is 13 hours and 24 minutes per day. This includes radio, television, newspaper, outdoor billboards, and the Internet. This 4 hours and 21 minutes now spent online represents 32.5% of total daily media exposure.

Compared to the 2005 numbers, AA’s now spend about 7% less time watching TV (from 42.9% down to 35.2%) and 10% less time listening to the radio (from 31.4% down to 21.1%). This shift in attention is extremely important for advertisers and others seeking to reach African-Americans to note.

African-Americans consume more media than other groups, spending 13 hours and 24 minutes per day on all media types (the typical U.S. adult spends only 11 hours and 33 minutes per day). AA’s are not only more likely to buy what you’re selling, but the buying power of African-Americans will exceed $1 trillion by 2012.

• African-Americans are 37% more likely to be in the market for a car, van, truck or SUV.
• 48% more likely to be planning to buy audio equipment such as a CD, MP3 player or IPod.
• 59% more likely to be planning to purchase video equipment such as a camera, VCR, or DVD player.
• 31% more likely to eat fast food three or more days in a typical week.
• 38% more likely to be taking a college course in the next year.

This mean that advertisers need to diversify their approach in reaching the African-American community. Your basic media types are still relevant, but the Internet has taken a commanding role. An approach that integrates TV, Radio, and Internet will be most effective.

In Houston, for example, an automobile advertiser placing spots on KHOU Channel 11’s morning news program would achieve 27.4% reach with African American automobile buyers, however, a combination of the station’s early news program and the station’s website would yield an unduplicated net reach of nearly 40%. The unduplicated reach is established through The Media Audit’s Ad Campaign Planner program.

Internet Explorer 9 is a complete departure from earlier versions of the Microsoft Internet Explorer web browser. It embraces the latest web technologies and treats web sites more like applications. It does all this using a clean, sleek interface. In the first 2 days since the beta was launched on the 15th, IE9 was downloaded over 2 million times worldwide.

This is more than double the number of downloads the Internet Explorer 8 Beta had when it launched in August 2008, receiving 1.3 million downloads over the first five days. Firefox 4 beta was only downloaded 100,000 times on its launch day.

Microsoft has worked hard to change its image and offer customers with a better more current experience. We’re used to Microsoft being pretty conservative with product launches. They don’t come often and they’re not usually that exciting. With the launch of Office 2010, Windows 7, and Windows Phone 7, they’ve done a great job of being innovative.

If two million downloads in two days sounds familiar, it should. It was just a few months ago that Microsoft announced they were selling 7 copies of Windows 7 every second. Microsoft customers are hungry for a new experience from Redmond and are chomping at the bit to get at these new products. Microsoft saw nine million visits and over 26 million page views to their Beauty of the Web site since its release last week. The site shows “how developers and designers are creating a more beautiful web using HTML5 and advancements in Internet Explorer 9.” Their developer-focused IE Test Drive Site also received four million page views since last Wednesday.

Microsoft is launching exciting products and people can’t wait to adopt them. This includes businesses, a market where the likes of Chrome and Firefox still have a hard time penetrating. 75% of companies were looking at Windows 7 for their business when it launched, so it follows that they may be just as interested in adopting the latest IE browser.

Important to note is that IE9 will absolutely not be available for XP, so the new browser will either push many customers and businesses to upgrade to Windows 7 (which they’ve already indicated they would like to do) or it will stunt the growth of IE9 once it launches.

Update. The bug has been patched and rolled out. In addition, Twitter has added two new features to the updated interface: Reply to All and auto-complete for Twitter names.

We’ve identified and are patching a XSS attack; as always, please message @safety if you have info regarding such an exploit.

We expect the patch to be fully rolled out shortly and will update again when it is.

Update (6:50 PDT, 13:50 UTC): The exploit is fully patched.

A pretty dangerous bug has just been discovered on Twitter that lets users embed Javascript in tweets which will execute once your mouse moves over the tweet. This is dangerous because it could be used to redirect your browser to a malicious website and potentially harm your computer.

Most users are just using the exploit for fun, using Javascript’s “alert” function to popup messages like “I Love You” and “Hola.” In the case of Sarah Brown, wife of the former British Prime minister, tweets appearing in her stream were redirecting visitors to a hardcore Japanese porn site. Definitely not a good look for her over 1 million followers.

She first posted a warning on her page to try to protect visitors, saying “don’t touch the earlier tweet – this twitter feed has something very odd going on ! Sarah.” Her profile now shows up as protected. Not sure if it was always so or if this is a more drastic attempt to protect her followers.

At the time of this writing, there has been no statement issued from Twitter and, in my testing, the exploit is still active. There are a few ways to protect yourself, but first and foremost is to completely stay off of Twitter.com. It appears that the exploit only works if you haven’t been upgraded to the new Twitter interface, but better safe than sorry. Also, if you are using a third-party client like Tweetdeck, you should be in the clear.

Many affected tweets appear as a black box or in rainbow colors. This is a red flag as the colors hide the content of the tweet, but all affected tweets are not hidden this way. If you absolutely must use Twitter using the old interface at Twitter.com, avoid moving your mouse cursor into the tweet area. It’s very easy to activate these things and, if Twitter doesn’t do something about it quick, it’s only a matter of time before someone gets creative.

With most users still using Twitter via the web interface, this is a serious issue that needs to be resolved immediately. It’s very surprising that a bug this simple wasn’t caught in testing and is only being discovered now. (Update: This flaw was corrected a month ago, but was re-introduced in a recent update completely unrelated to the new Twitter)

Have you seen or been affected by this bug?

via Sophos, Twitter Blog

When Facebook Places launched, many wondered what the fate of Foursquare and other location-based services would be. Foursquare CEO Dennis Crowley even remarked that Facebook Places was “generic.” In their latest update, Foursquare not only adds new features, but shuffles around the old ones to offer a fresh new experience.

Tips and To-Dos are those features of Foursquare you probably never bother with. In this latest update, they are given much more attention. They’ve been placed in separate sections. Simply highlighting these features by moving them to the forefront changes things a bit. The goal is for you to use Foursquare to track where you’ve been, tell people where you are, and to remind yourself where you want to go via Tips and to-Dos.

In addition to getting their own sections, Tips and To-Dos are easily accessed from other parts of the Foursquare app (iPhone update is live, but Android and Blackberry users have to wait). As you move around, you can easily add a To-Do for a nearby venue. If you have already added a nearby location to your To-Do list, it appears with a blue “dog ear.” Tips are suggestions from other users for things you should do at a venue. They also receive an important counter that lets you know which tips are popular.

One of the more interesting updates is the new “Add to my Foursquare” button. This is a button that is embedded on any website and allows a visitor to add a To-Do or Tip with a single click. A simple use case for this button is for a business to embed on their website (and anywhere else they can stick it). A site visitor is interested in going to that place at some point, so they click the button. The next time that person is physically near your business, Foursquare automatically reminds them to pay you a visit.

The new Foursquare button lets you bookmark a physical location that you’d like to visit rather than simply a web destination. It’s almost like the Facebook Like button, but also implies your intention to actually do something about it. While this update changes the game a bit, Tips and To-Dos are still slightly confusing and I expect updates in the near future to clean things up.

The major point is that we’re moving past simple check-ins into something more useful. The location space is maturing. At some point, maybe the average person will see the value in participating.

via Foursquare

IBM has acquired data analytics company Netezza for $1.7 billion, paying out $27 per share. Netezza provides high-performance analytics in data warehousing appliances, which streamline many aspects of business by providing fast and efficient access to necessary information. The move marks IBM’s 23rd acquisition in the last four years.

It seems that IBM is betting on analytics technology in order to grow. Analytics in this instance allows a business to improve by making it easy to compare data from past activities. This makes it easier to figure out what moves to make for success in the future. Netezza is also one of Oracle’s main competitors. Analytics is big business according to the numbers. IBM estimates the current analytics market at $100 billion and Netezza more than doubled their stock this year. The deal makes perfect sense for IBM.

“IBM is bringing analytics to the masses. We continue to evolve our capabilities for systems integration, bringing together optimized hardware and software, in response to increasing demand for technology that delivers true business value. Netezza is a perfect example of this approach,” said Steve Mills, senior vice president and group executive, IBM Software and Systems. “Netezza strongly complements our business analytics capabilities and client base. Together, we have the opportunity to quickly leverage the technology and accelerate the offering.”

The deal also makes sense for Netezza. While things are looking good, they still have the likes of Oracle to worry about. IBM could be a valuable partner in this regard. The data market is shrinking, with larger companies like IBM, Dell, and HP buying out the smaller ones. IBM and Netezza have already been “strategic partners for many years.” The deal is set to close in the fourth quarter, which does leave the door open for a competitor to step in with a higher offer. This may be unlikely given their existing relationship, though.

“Our customers choose our appliances for their fast time to value and how they simplify analytics against big data,” said Netezza President and CEO Jim Baum in a joint statement. “Together with IBM, we are looking forward to extending our capabilities to a much broader market.”

If the deal does close, Teradata will be left competing against IBM and Oracle, so it may also become an acquisition target. The buyer? HP, who still has no answer for IBM’s Exadata.

via ZDNet, CNN Money, SiliconAngle

Switching to Google Apps can be a very productive step for a business. They take care of a lot of the heavy-lifting usually necessary for creating, sharing, and storing documents as well as collaboration and being productive as a company. One area that has always been in question is security. Google Apps makes things easier, but “organizations looking to secure their information beyond a password have faced costs and complexities that prevented many of them from using stronger security technologies.” This changes today as Google announces Two-step verification.

“Today we are changing that with the introduction of a more secure sign-in capability for Google Apps accounts that significantly increases the security of the cloud: Two-step verification. For the first time, we’re making it possible for organizations large and small to use this technology in just a few clicks for free.”

The idea is simple. In order to get into your account, you need something you know in combination with something you have. You know your password and you have a phone. After you put in your password, you will be asked for a verification code. This code is sent to your mobile phone via SMS, voice, or generated on an application you can install on your Android, BlackBerry or iPhone device. This means that, even if someone finds out your password, they probably still won’t be able to get into your account. You can also set trusted systems that don’t need two-step verification.

Two-step verification is built on open standards so that it can be integrated with other solutions in the future. The mobile application is open-source so that it companies using the new technology can customize it. This is one more step in “stream of security innovation” started by Google in 2009 when they added the ability to view password strength and set minimum lengths. HTTPS encryption came later that year and Google Apps became the first cloud messaging and collaboration service to gain US government security certification in 2010.

Administrators for Google Apps Premier, Education, and Government Editions can activate the feature now. Standard edition users will have it rolled out in the coming weeks. Individual Google users will also see the same security features in the coming months.

via Google Enterprise Blog

Facebook has teamed up with Rotten Tomatoes to expand their Instant Personalization feature. This is the controversial feature that allows a select few access to your Facebook data without your explicit permission. You don’t have to Connect with these sites, login, or otherwise authorize them. With Rotten Tomatoes, you’ll relevant movie reviews immediately “without having to register, search for friends, or fill out a profile.”

The reason Instant Personalization is so polarizing is actually the same reason it’s so interesting. Imagine if every website you visited already knew a little about you and tailored itself accordingly. Even though the information exchanged with these select third party sites is stuff that you’ve already designated as public, the new feature just added fuel to the Facebook privacy fire. Initially, it launched with three partners: Yelp, Microsoft Docs, and Pandora.

It’s been a little while since all that went down, so Facebook is cautiously moving forward. In their blog post, they remind us how Instant Personalization works: “Like other instant personalization partner websites, you only bring the public parts of your profile to Rotten Tomatoes so they can create your social experience.” They also give a link to a video that explains the personalization in more detail.

If you’re logged into Facebook, you’ll see personalization information immediately. If not, you can hit the Facebook Login button. I must admit that seeing what movies my friends are into is pretty useful. Privacy issues aside, Rotten Tomatoes just got a lot more useful.

Here are some important points about the Instant Personalization program that Facebook sent to TechCrunch:

Users control Instant Personalization – when they arrive at a site they can disable the experience, or they can turn off the program for all websites in their Facebook settings.

If you have previously opted out of the Instant Personalization program, you’ll continue to be opted out for any new sites.

Partner sites follow clear product/security/privacy guidelines and may only use your public information and friend lists to offer a more personalized experience.

All experiences are based on explicit actions (i.e. info you’ve typed into your profile or clicked “Like”); passive behavior (what you’re reading) is never surfaced.

User data is never transferred to ad networks. Facebook also clarifies that “No revenue is ever exchanged as part of this program and user data cannot be transferred by partners to third-party ad networks.”

Expanding the program slowly over the next few months with a handful of partner sites where value to people is clear. Focused on verticals where you already find information through friends in the real world (examples like: reviews, food, travel, music, movies).

Earlier this week, it was reported that T-Mobile would begin charging an extra fee to businesses sending texts over its network. They plan to charge businesses a toll of one-quarter of a cent for each text delivered through its network. The change, expected to go live on Oct 1st, would mean that services like Twitter would have to pay T-Mobile to send your texts.

ChaCha CEO Scott Jones has already commented on T-Mobile’s move using some pretty strong language: “We’re dropping T-Mobile if they do this. T-Mobile is ‘triple dipping’ here. They already make money when they charge their customers, aggregators, and publishers.”

Jones says that ChaCha’s aggregator, OpenMarket, informed the company of T-Mobile’s new fee hike, and said that because of its razor thin margins it had no choice but to pass on that fee to ChaCha, which is based in Indianapolis. (Aggregators are middlemen that stand between publishers like ChaCha, Twitter, Facebook and ESPN and the mobile subscribers they send content to.) — DailyFinance

Why You Should Care

If ChaCha is doing two million texts every day, what about Facebook? Twitter? Will they simply eat the costs associated with dealing with a single cell carrier? My guess is they will either drop T-Mobile as ChaCha has vowed to do, or pass the costs on to users somehow.

With African-Americans texting more than anyone else, this move could directly affect the community. Currently, you can still take part in the social web without an Internet connection at home or even a data plan on your phone. SMS makes it possible to engage others on the Internet with minimal tech knowledge or monetary investment. This is probably one of the reasons why 25% of Twitter users are African-American.

For T-Mobile customers, that middle-ground may be disappear as publishers figure out how to deal with the new charges. The small window that allows those without full Internet access to interact on the social web will be closed. T-Mobile has issued the following statement on the matter, which I’m surprised doesn’t end with a #kanyeshrug:

While we don’t disclose the details of our business relationships, we do want to clarify recent mischaracterizations. Business agreements with content aggregators, including messaging fees, have been common practice in the wireless industry for years. It is not accurate to characterize these business agreements as new or simply as a price increase. We believe our agreement in its entirety is a net positive for our partners.

At the end of the day, our goal is to ensure that the market for mobile data and access to mobile content thrives and that innovation can easily find its way to T-Mobile customers. We see nothing in our current business model that is counter to this goal.

Please note, there is no change to our consumer messaging or data plans.

via DailyFinance, GigaOm