Maverick Digital

Now that Google has launched Google Buzz with 9 million posts in less than 3 days of it entering people's Gmail accounts across the world, they have also announced their acquisition of Aardvark.  For $50 million Google now has access to Aardvark's technology that allows people to ask questions to either their network or to the public at large.  Ideally the "public at large" means those questions will be answered by experts in those fields.  The greatest part of this technology is that the answers to your questions will be pushed back to you through E-mail, Instant Message, Twitter, and eventually Google Buzz.   Google is clearly getting deep into the online social networking field, and they are doing it buy adding the kind of features that will make it useful to their users.  

However, it may take a couple years for this feature to be completely robust, as Aardvark says they are still two years away from handling the support volume they anticipate.  In the meantime, it's nice to see Google enhancing their search features by adding the technology of Aardvark into their repertoire.

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by Michael Arrington on November 13, 2009

Google’s Chrome OS project, first announced in July, will become available for download within a week, we’ve heard from a reliable source. Google previously said to expect an early version of the OS in the fall.

What can we expect? Driver support will likely be a weak point. We’ve heard at various times that Google has a legion of engineers working on the not so glamorous task of building hardware drivers. And we’ve also heard conflicting rumors that Google is mostly relying on hardware manufacturers to create those drivers. Whatever the truth, and it’s likely in between, having a robust set of functioning drivers is extremely important to Chrome OS’s success. People will want to download this to whatever computer they use and have it just work.

To read more click here: http://bit.ly/2V9qJd

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From CNN:
Like a lot of people, Anna Owens began using MySpace more than four years ago to keep in touch with friends who weren't in college.

Our real-world friendships are often a reflection of who we connect with online, experts say.

But soon she felt too old for the social-networking site, and the customizable pages with music that were fun at first began to annoy her. By the time she graduated from the University of Puget Sound, Owens' classmates weren't on MySpace -- they were on Facebook.

Throughout graduate school and beyond, as her network began to expand, Owens ceased using MySpace altogether. Facebook had come to represent the whole of her social and professional universe.

"MySpace has one population, Facebook has another," said the 26-year-old, who works for an affordable-housing nonprofit in San Francisco, California. "Blue-collar, part-time workers might like the appeal of MySpace more -- it definitely depends on who you meet and what they use; that's what motivates people to join and stay interested."

Is there a class divide online? Research suggests yes. A recent study by market research firm Nielsen Claritas found that people in more affluent demographics are 25 percent more likely to be found friending on Facebook, while the less affluent are 37 percent more likely to connect on MySpace.

More specifically, almost 23 percent of Facebook users earn more than $100,000 a year, compared to slightly more than 16 percent of MySpace users. On the other end of the spectrum, 37 percent of MySpace members earn less than $50,000 annually, compared with about 28 percent of Facebook users.

Click here for the entire story.

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Awesome Video that shows you just how far we have come in the Social Revolution. Also makes you wonder where we are headed...

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Viral video Maverick Digital created with Humble for BACARDI USA.

Director: Sam Stephens

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Who cares about Science, Technology and Art...

David Vladeck, the new director of the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection, put attendees of the BBB's National Advertising Division Conference on notice on Monday: The commission is reviewing practices and standards on a number of fronts, particularly around advertising to kids.

The commission, said Vladeck, plans substantial efforts this year and next around food marketing to children and adults; Internet selling techniques; endorsements and testimonials; green marketing and privacy matters; and better coordination with sister agencies, especially the Food and Drug Administration.

The actions include a new campaign directed at tweens next year that will comprise advertising, interactive elements and in-school and library programs aimed at teaching kids how to recognize and analyze advertising. Click here for more - http://bit.ly/6R3wr

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It's easier for a company to build on existing customer relationships than to attract new clients, argues Larry Crosby. Creating services tied to a product is a great way to expand a business relationship, he suggests. Crosby points to Xerox as a firm that used its product line to launch a service operation that helped revitalize the company. Click link for the original article:
http://knowledge.wpcarey.asu.edu/article.cfm?articleid=1817

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