Meet Richard Pessall, a 20-year-old British entrepreneur who wants to take the condom where no man has gone before (no, not space).Richard Pessall, 20, lives and works as bartender in Shropshire, England. He spent nine years living in the United States, but when he ran out of money to pay for college in North Carolina, he was unable to renew his visa and was forced to return to the U.K. He’s decided to make his fortune before attempting to return stateside. His big idea? Reboot the condom. Forplay, the condom company he's been bootstrapping with his barman’s earnings, has grown to a staff…
Selected by chrisyoko
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Most Topular Stories
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Fast Talk: How This Bartender Is Rebooting The Condom
Fast Company9 Feb 2012 | 7:41 am -
Numbers Shift but Online News is a Steady Trend
Search Engine Journal9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 amHave you seen the numbers lately? Brands and marketers like to leverage numbers to create a (desired) reception based on reader perception. Obviously, bigger numbers reflect more popularity and added reason for investors to celebrate. The New York Times issued a recent article on Facebook, calling attention to a subjective view of numbers. For instance, [...]Follow SEJ on Twitter @sejournal -
BoardProspects Wants To Help Companies ‘Build Better Boards’, Raises $650,000
TechCrunch » Enterprise9 Feb 2012 | 6:57 amDon’t you just hate when you’re out skateboarding, minding your own business, and suddenly one of the wheels comes off and you break a kneecap? Well now there’s a new startup called BoardProspects, which aims to help companies build better boards. A quick glance at their website reveals that the company is not going to be able to solve your skateboarding woes, however, but it may help your business roll more smoothly. If your company is in need of new members for the board of directors (cough Yahoo cough) or the advisory board (cough Honeywell cough), you may want to give… -
How Yoga Works
HowStuffWorks Daily Feed9 Feb 2012 | 1:00 amSan Francisco International Airport opened a dedicated yoga room this week, free to all ticketed passengers. Yoga is big business in the U.S. But what are the breathing exercises, meditation and poses of yoga all about? -
New Themes: Splendio and Suburbia
WordPress.com News7 Feb 2012 | 10:00 amHappy Tuesday! We’ve got two unique free themes for you today, and they are quite a study in contrasts. Our first theme, Splendio, dazzles with an unconventional yet stylish design from Design Disease that pops out of the box — literally. How you use this theme is limited only by your imagination! It comes loaded with features: six widget areas (one in the right sidebar and up to five in the footer), featured header images, and a custom background. In addition, there’s a showcase page template (pictured in the screenshot above) that includes a featured slider for sticky posts,…
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Fast Company
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Fast Talk: How This Bartender Is Rebooting The Condom
9 Feb 2012 | 7:41 amMeet Richard Pessall, a 20-year-old British entrepreneur who wants to take the condom where no man has gone before (no, not space).Richard Pessall, 20, lives and works as bartender in Shropshire, England. He spent nine years living in the United States, but when he ran out of money to pay for college in North Carolina, he was unable to renew his visa and was forced to return to the U.K. He’s decided to make his fortune before attempting to return stateside. His big idea? Reboot the condom. Forplay, the condom company he's been bootstrapping with his barman’s earnings, has grown to a staff… -
The Google Wallet Hack Is Not The End Of The World (Or Even NFC) As We Know It
9 Feb 2012 | 7:32 amStay calm and carry on, people: It's way too soon to say that NFC should stand for Now Fatally Corrupted. Yes, Google's breakthrough NFC payments app Wallet is being mentioned all over the news thanks to a flaw--it's vulnerable to a hack that gives nefarious types access to your secure PIN number. But don't believe any doomsayers or fearmongering that you may encounter on this matter; it's not as evil as it seems and, believe it or not, it's actually a sign that the future of wireless mobile payments is probably more secure than your current credit card. As reported over at the blog of… -
Inside INTERPOL's New Cybercrime Innovation Center
9 Feb 2012 | 7:09 amINTERPOL, the international policing agency, is opening a massive innovation center in Singapore in 2014. At the center, law enforcement will learn all about the latest cybercrimes... and have access to cutting-edge forensics laboratories and research stations.INTERPOL, the international policing organization, is building a law enforcement tech geek heaven in Singapore. The INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation will function as a R&D lab, training facility, and forensics lab for all things cybercrime. Slated to open in 2014, the Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) will be part of the… -
5 Ways To Put The "Pro" In Profile Pics
9 Feb 2012 | 6:29 amYour profile photo is an important part of your online image, so if you still have an egg as your Twitter avatar or a blue-and-white silhouette for your Facebook page, it's time to step things up. (Hint: This photo is a "don't.")If you still have an egg as your Twitter avatar, it's time to step things up. Your profile photo is an important part of your online image. Not only is this pic the first thing people see when they look you up on the web, whether you're using Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+, this image is now regularly transported into people's in-boxes and pulled onto their phones as… -
Apple May Sell iPads To Air Force, Groupon Reports Surprise Q4 Loss, Foxconn Servers Hacked
9 Feb 2012 | 6:17 amBreaking news from your editors at Fast Company, with updates all day.Rumor: iPad 3 Announcement In March. The latest buzz on the iPad 3, this time from AllThingsD, is that the new device will be unveiled at an early March event. Sources, per usual, are anonymous, but their tips confirm what's already expected of the device--a faster chip, Retina Display, and better graphics. --NS--Updated 9:15 a.m. ESTApple May Sell iPads To Air Force. The Air Force is on the lookout for about 18,000 new tablets, and chances are the iPad--the only device mentioned on their recently spotted notice--may fit…
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Search Engine Journal
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Numbers Shift but Online News is a Steady Trend
9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 amHave you seen the numbers lately? Brands and marketers like to leverage numbers to create a (desired) reception based on reader perception. Obviously, bigger numbers reflect more popularity and added reason for investors to celebrate. The New York Times issued a recent article on Facebook, calling attention to a subjective view of numbers. For instance, [...]Follow SEJ on Twitter @sejournal -
Google Drive: Will You Drop Dropbox?
9 Feb 2012 | 7:51 amAlthough rumors have been flying since 2007 about Google offering a hosted storage solution, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google is finally set to launch its new storage service in the next several weeks. The service, which is named Drive, will utilize Google’s cloud-based storage to allow users to easily store and share [...]Follow SEJ on Twitter @sejournal -
The New Google Analytics Fuels an On-Site Revolution
9 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amThe new version of Google Analytics has been a hit-or-miss type of implementation. I personally think that most resistance to change is a type of “Professional Inertia”; where people get to know the tools they use so often, that any modification of those tools is greeted with resistance. I myself also found myself disliking the [...]Follow SEJ on Twitter @sejournal -
LinkAssistant – A Review of Options and Benefits
8 Feb 2012 | 11:15 amLinkAssistant is a part of the SEO PowerSuite and can help you with your link partner set-up and management. I recently tested out the software and I am going to breakdown some of its features and how the tool is used. LinkAssistant Features Helps users find link partners and find their contact info. LinkAssistant looks [...]Follow SEJ on Twitter @sejournal -
The Best Link Building Tool You’ve Never Heard Of: ahrefs.com
8 Feb 2012 | 9:00 amI love SEO tools. I’m always building or looking for really cool tools. With the demise of Yahoo Site explorer, a number of companies are attempting to fill the void, including SEOMoz, Majestic Tools and Link Research Tools. My favorite Yahoo replacement is a tool that you’ve probably never heard of: ahrefs. They offer 5 [...]Follow SEJ on Twitter @sejournal
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TechCrunch » Enterprise
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BoardProspects Wants To Help Companies ‘Build Better Boards’, Raises $650,000
9 Feb 2012 | 6:57 amDon’t you just hate when you’re out skateboarding, minding your own business, and suddenly one of the wheels comes off and you break a kneecap? Well now there’s a new startup called BoardProspects, which aims to help companies build better boards. A quick glance at their website reveals that the company is not going to be able to solve your skateboarding woes, however, but it may help your business roll more smoothly. If your company is in need of new members for the board of directors (cough Yahoo cough) or the advisory board (cough Honeywell cough), you may want to give… -
Oracle Buys Talent Management Solutions Company Taleo For $1.9 Billion
9 Feb 2012 | 5:05 amOracle this morning announced that it is acquiring cloud-based talent management solutions provider Taleo for $46 per share or roughly $1.9 billion, net of Taleo’s cash and debt. Taleo’s solutions basically help organizations attract, motivate and retain human capital, and will serve to boost Oracle’s Public Cloud offering. The transaction is expected to close in the Summer of 2012. Here’s how Oracle pitches the buy: Together, Oracle and Taleo expect to create a comprehensive cloud offering for organizations to manage their Human Resource operations and employee… -
Remember Netvibes? It’s Finally Acquired By Engineering Giant Dassault Systèmes
8 Feb 2012 | 11:48 pmIt’s been a long and winding road since Tariq Krim created and eventually left Netvibes, but today Netvibes has been acquired by huge French engineering giant Dassault Systèmes for an undisclosed amount. Krim continues to pursue his original dream of organising the social web on Jolicloud. -
Dimension Data Buys Telecom Expense Management Software Maker Xigo
7 Feb 2012 | 7:24 amTelecom expense management (TEM) solutions company Xigo, which Greg likened to a Billshrink for large companies, has been acquired by one of its partners, IT services and solutions provider Dimension Data for an undisclosed sum. Dimension Data says the acquisition of Xigo, formerly known as Invoice Insight, will enable them to offer enterprise customers an integrated cost optimization solution for spend analysis, sourcing, provisioning and invoice processing. The company adds that it will focus on increasing Xigo’s market share in the United States and roll out the services to other… -
Microsoft Invests In 24/7 For Customer Service Software
7 Feb 2012 | 7:03 amMicrosoft announced this morning a new agreement with 24/7 Inc. , a company that designs intuitive customer experiences. As a part of the deal, Microsoft will merge its interactive self-service assets (meaning people, clients and technologies), into 24/7 Inc. The deal also includes an R&D partnership, long-term IP licensing and Microsoft taking an equity stake in 24/7, Inc. According to the companies, the purpose of the new partnership is to jointly bring the power of natural user interfaces and data analytics at cloud scale (Big Data) to enable the future of customer service businesses.
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HowStuffWorks Daily Feed
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How Yoga Works
9 Feb 2012 | 1:00 amSan Francisco International Airport opened a dedicated yoga room this week, free to all ticketed passengers. Yoga is big business in the U.S. But what are the breathing exercises, meditation and poses of yoga all about? -
Top 10 Tech Tools for Managing Your Money
9 Feb 2012 | 1:00 amKnowing how to manage your money is a valuable skill, regardless of the state of the economy. And in today's tech-savvy climate, an array of tools can help you do just that. Read on to see the top 10 tech tools for managing your money. -
I love you and you and you and you
9 Feb 2012 | 1:00 amIs it really possible to love more than one person? People who practice polyamory think so. Find out how much you know about polyamorous relationships with this quiz. -
5 Memorable NASA Mission Videos
9 Feb 2012 | 1:00 amOn Feb. 9, 1995, Bernard A. Harris Jr. became the first African-American to perform a spacewalk. NASA has conducted several successful missions to space. These are some of the most famous. -
How Flirting Works
9 Feb 2012 | 1:00 amA woman plays with her hair. A man makes eye contact. Is this flirting? How do you tell if the person is showing a romantic interest or a friendly one?
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WordPress.com News
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New Themes: Splendio and Suburbia
7 Feb 2012 | 10:00 amHappy Tuesday! We’ve got two unique free themes for you today, and they are quite a study in contrasts. Our first theme, Splendio, dazzles with an unconventional yet stylish design from Design Disease that pops out of the box — literally. How you use this theme is limited only by your imagination! It comes loaded with features: six widget areas (one in the right sidebar and up to five in the footer), featured header images, and a custom background. In addition, there’s a showcase page template (pictured in the screenshot above) that includes a featured slider for sticky posts,… -
Post Videos from Your iPhone or iPad
3 Feb 2012 | 3:01 amWould you like to post videos to your blog while you’re on the go? Are you interested in a photography theme that’s also video-friendly? Well, look no further, because we have some news for you. The VideoPress upgrade, which allows you to upload and embed your own videos on your blog, now comfortably handles videos from iPhones and iPads. You can shoot vertically or horizontally, and we’ll take care of rotating it for you so that your video looks great when it’s published on your site. If you don’t already have VideoPress on your WordPress.com account, head on… -
New Themes: Currents and Debut
2 Feb 2012 | 12:00 pmToday, I’m excited to introduce the latest additions to our collection of premium themes. Designed by Andy Rutledge, Currents, is a responsive, minimal yet attractive premium theme from WooThemes. Currents is perfect for news driven sites. The phrase, “less is more” couldn’t be more true. This clean and minimal design maximises your reader’s focus on the content. Having said that, the theme is packed with many customization options — a wide featured post slider, custom news areas, six alternative color styles, and more. Together, all of these features help… -
Import from Tumblr in 3 Easy Steps
2 Feb 2012 | 4:06 amWe’ve recently noticed that a fair number of you have been bringing your tumblelogs over from Tumblr to WordPress.com using one of the variety of Tumblr to WXR conversion tools which exist on the web. We thought you would appreciate an easier way to import your content, so we bring you 3 easy steps to import your content. Authenticate with Tumblr To bring your tumblelog’s content to WordPress.com, head to Tools → Import in your WordPress.com dashboard and look for the Tumblr importer. If you don’t already have an account here on WordPress.com then head over and sign up… -
Chrome Users: Try the WordPress.com Extension
27 Jan 2012 | 11:54 amWant to receive WordPress.com notifications instantly, even when you’re not on WordPress.com? Add the new WordPress.com extension for Chrome and as soon as you get a new follower or a new like on one of your posts, a notification will appear in your browser: Simply click the icon to view your latest WordPress.com notifications: Start following new blogs without visiting WordPress.com The Chrome extension also makes it easy to follow sites from your WordPress.com account by displaying a Follow button whenever you’re browsing a site that has an RSS feed. Clicking the Follow button…
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All Facebook
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Seattle’s Best Brews Up Facebook Game
9 Feb 2012 | 9:20 amPeople who are serious about their coffee can show off their experimental skills on the Seattle’s Best Facebook page for the chance to win some free java. Create Your Deliciousness, running through February 17, allows Facebook users who like the Seattle’s Best page to concoct their own caffeinated concoctions by choosing their favorite blend, cream, sugar, and toppings including birthday cake, salted toffee, peanut butter puffs, candy canes, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, and cotton candy. Seattle’s Best will choose 100 Create Your Deliciousness participants each day through… -
Facebook Analytics Platform Socialbakers Opens U.S. Office
9 Feb 2012 | 8:36 amFacebook and social analytics platform Socialbakers has crossed the pond, launching U.S. headquarters in San Francisco and staffing up there. Martin Huml, managing partner and founder of Runway Capital, joins Socialbakers and president and chief operating officer in the U.S. Huml also has experience in private equity at Credit Suisse First Boston in London and New York. The vice president of marketing at the new division is Katrina Wong, who led corporate marketing for subscription billing company Zuora. Socialbakers also has offices in London and Prague, and it claims more than 750 customers… -
Facebook Recruiters Haven’t Caught IPO Fever Yet
9 Feb 2012 | 7:43 amFacebook talks about the role it wants to play in economic expansion and job creation, but the company hasn’t jacked up its pace of hiring since filing to go public. Facebook has been hiring rather briskly over the past year, but we haven’t seen a surge in new job openings that some companies tend to do immediately after registering for an initial public offer. The number of new job openings Facebook has listed over the past week is the same as what previous weeks have seen. Between the company’s own careers page and listings on LinkedIn, nearly 60 positions were posted in… -
Facebook Hits A New Record High Value Of At Least $103.4 Billion
8 Feb 2012 | 9:26 pmFacebook stock has blown past even the most bullish estimates to a value of $103.4 billion to $110 billion, based on today’s SharesPost auction closing at $44 per share. The $103.4 billion figure is based on the company still having 2.35 billion outstanding shares; assume that the actual number is 2.5 billion — like some have — then the implied valuation becomes $110 billion. Both figures surpass the top end of the $75 billion to $100 billion range in value that people have been discussing in reference to Facebook’s forthcoming initial public offer. This auction… -
Why Social Media Jobs Get Filled By Younger Folks: INFOGRAPHIC
8 Feb 2012 | 7:08 pmSocial media jobs could certainly pay better, which at least partly explains why relatively younger folks predominate the industry. Let us know what you think about the salary ranges in the following infographic from recruitment outfit Onward Search.
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Smashing Magazine Feed
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Smashing Special: WordPress Theme Trends For 2012
9 Feb 2012 | 5:25 amThis special is the first in our series of Smashing Specials — extended articles and studies dedicated to a specific topic. The special features current WordPress theme trends for 2012, covering past trends, new developments in theme design and trends in the theme development. 2011 was a great year for WordPress, with some excellent new updates that saw the introduction of a drag-and-drop uploader, distraction-free writing, the HTML5 Twenty Eleven theme, and movement towards a fully responsive dashboard. As well as changes to WordPress core, theme development continued to… -
A Craft Of Consequences: Reader, Writer And Emotional Design
8 Feb 2012 | 8:06 amBefore the very first page of a book has been read, you’ve already analyzed it in countless ways without even noticing. The paper stock, the thickness of the binding, the aroma, the color of the type and even the texture of the cover; the very character of the book is being dissected by the hand and eye at every moment. In this brief second there is a dialogue between the reader and the object. This conversation is subtle and complex, but for most people it is entirely subconscious. This is because we rarely think about these things — we feel them… -
Collaging: Getting Answers To The Questions You Don’t Know To Ask
6 Feb 2012 | 7:02 amWhen conducting user research, we all know that asking the right questions is just as important as how you ask them, but how do you know exactly what questions to ask? What if the discussion topic is very personal? How do you get a complete stranger to open up? There is a better way to conduct an in-depth interview, and it doesn’t involve a clipboard. Just imagine what you could discover if the participant’s answers weren’t limited to a predetermined set of questions. This is where collaging can help. Collaging is a projective technique by which participants select images… -
How To Use Custom Post Types To Organize Online Marketing Campaigns
3 Feb 2012 | 7:04 amCustom post types add a level of flexibility to WordPress that makes this open-source Web development platform more useful on many levels. Whenever I have been faced with a Web-based task, especially one that involves organizing information, the first thing I do is examine WordPress to determine if it can handle the job. It usually can. Image Source As an Internet marketer and analyst, I need to be able to organize online marketing campaigns in a way that is trackable in Google Analytics. This is the perfect task for WordPress custom post types. In this article, we’ll explain… -
Freebie: St. Valentine’s Day Icon Set (10 PNG/PSD Icons)
2 Feb 2012 | 7:38 amEvery now and then, we release useful freebies for all of our highly valued readers. Today, it is our pleasure to present to you Cuberto‘s fantastic St. Valentine’s icon set — exclusively designed for Smashing Magazine and its loyal readers. The icons presented are available in transparent PNGs as well as Photoshop PSDs (128×128 px) and are perfect for any projects you have coming up for St. Valentine’s Day. Enjoy! Download the Set for free! This icon set is completely free to use for commercial or personal applications without any…
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Wired Top Stories
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Brightbox Cloud Serves Up Windows Server 2008 R2
9 Feb 2012 | 8:59 am?Any OS, any app, any time? is one step closer now for Brightbox customers. The company announced this week the availability an Windows Server 2008 R2 official image for Brightbox Cloud. -
Bitly Fights for Social Analytics With Weapons-Grade Math
9 Feb 2012 | 3:30 amBitly is just one of many tools that are trying to make sense of people's behavior on social networking services -- and put this information to use inside marketing departments. Like Bitly, the Vancouver, Canada-based HootSuite offers a "social dashboard" that seeks to analyze the performance not only of shortened links, but other media. Big names like IBM and Salesforce.com offer social analytics tools. And Google has gotten into the game with its acquisition of another Canadian outfit, PostRank. -
Up Your Game With Banned Sports Gear
9 Feb 2012 | 3:30 amThese athletic aids — from bats to balls to hockey sticks — aren?t approved for official play, but they can give you the unfair advantage you deserve. -
Amphibious Network Lets Marines Share Data From 250 Miles Away
9 Feb 2012 | 3:30 amThe Marines think they have their data network of the future, an experimental communications system that can keep jarheads linked to sea bases 250 miles away. If it works, it'll be a big win for a Navy/Marine plan to take U.S. troops off of land bases where the locals don't want them. And it got its first test this week off the Atlantic coast during a massive wargame. -
Feb. 9, 1870: Feds Get on Top of the Weather
9 Feb 2012 | 3:30 amPresident Ulysses S. Grant signs a bill creating what we now call the National Weather Service. Forecasting models were simple but generally effective.
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TechCrunch
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Avast, Me Hearties: How The Pirate Bay Changed The Way We Steal
9 Feb 2012 | 9:41 amThe Pirate Bay, in many ways, is disappearing. It is one of the most popular torrent sites on the web and its database of millions of torrent files – essentially pointers to pieces of files hosted elsewhere – has long been the go-to spot for budding pirates around the world. While it still exists in spirit, the admins are now moving all of the torrent files off the site and are instead offering magnet links. This is an important distinction that will move the locus of general piracy from a single site to any number of sites, reducing the Pirate Bays importance as a source. First,… -
Cinemagram Turns iPhone Photos Into Animated Gifs In Seconds
9 Feb 2012 | 9:07 amRemember when the iPhone app GLMPS launched last summer, seemingly heralding the start of a new image format that blended static photos and video? No? That’s OK. Today, there’s a new twist on the idea of reinventing the mobile photo, this time by turning static photos into animated ones. With the newly launched app called Cinemagram, you can turn your iPhone pics into animated gifs in a matter of seconds. Cinemagram isn’t quite the same as GLMPS, to be clear. “The GLMPS app embedded an entire video as a picture-in-picture onto the image,” explains… -
Google, Microsoft Search Queries Grow In January While Yahoo Continues To Slide
9 Feb 2012 | 8:56 amcomScore has released its ‘explicit’ U.S. search data for January of this year and while Google and Microsoft Bring’s search share continues to grow, Yahoo’s share dropped both year over year and month over month. This comes after Bing overtook Yahoo in terms of search queries for the first time in December. While Bing grew slightly from December 2011 to January, Google reached its highest share since December 2010 this past month. Google search queries increased 6% year over year in January, to 66.2%, compared with 65.9% in December 2011 and 65.6% in January 2011. -
Fab.com Rolls Out New Mobile Apps With Browse By Color & “Fab Shops”
9 Feb 2012 | 8:05 amAfter hitting 2 million members at the end of last month, design shopping startup Fab.com is today rolling out new iOS applications that offer a number of new features and improvements. In addition to an updated layout, search and navigational elements, one of the apps’ biggest new features is the inclusion of the recently launched new storefronts called “Fab Shops.” These Fab Shops went live late January, allowing Fab.com members to visually browse through products via dedicated online storefronts that were organized around product categories, as opposed to by designers. -
YouTube’s Latest Original Programming: Olympic-Style Lightsaber Relays
9 Feb 2012 | 8:00 amHere’s a fun example of the original programming that YouTube is supposed to be investing in these days — a relay from Santa Monica to San Diego. With lightsabers. Geek celebrity Chris Hardwick is announcing the event, dubbed Course of the Force, on the YouTube blog. Hardwick hosts the popular Nerdist podcast, and he plans to launch a Nerdist YouTube channel in April,which he says will include “Neil Patrick Harris, Rob Zombie, Awkward Family Videos, The Dudesons and The Kids in the Hall,” plus more programming that covers “gaming, science, tech and cosplay.” As…
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Entrepreneur Update
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Eight Creative Marketing Ideas to Make Your Business Stand Out
9 Feb 2012 | 8:00 amIf your marketing could use a new twist, consider these new ideas to reach today's customers. -
Four Questions to Ask Before Setting a Price
9 Feb 2012 | 5:03 amBefore you figure out your pricing, figure out your business. -
Three Ways to Extend the Battery Life of Smartphones and Tablets
9 Feb 2012 | 4:00 amConsider these options for extending the battery life of your mobile devices. -
Fashion Mogul Christopher Burch Talks Business
9 Feb 2012 | 2:00 amAs Fashion Week kicks off, we sat down with the man behind brands like Tory Burch and Monika Chiang to find out what it takes to make it in the business. -
Seven Ways to Kill Your Meetings and Unleash Productivity
8 Feb 2012 | 12:08 pmDespite studies showing that meetings are a colossal waste of time, they remain common. Here's how to collaborate while cutting back on meetings.
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Inc.com
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Redbox's Smart Move: What You Can Learn
9 Feb 2012 | 8:45 amThe company's movie streaming deal with Verizon is a classic adjacency move that leverages the brand while limiting the risk.Redbox and Verizon announced this week they are teaming up to offer an online movie streaming service that competes directly with Netflix. We think it’s a great strategic investment that will likely reap positive returns. In studying their moves, there’s a lot any business owner can learn from the decision.Coinstar, Redbox’s parent company, is led by a very savvy management team. In our recent article, Lessons from a Dying Business, we noted that… -
Pinterest's Not So Controversial Business Model
9 Feb 2012 | 7:40 amHow else did you expect the site to make money? My company uses the same business model--and there's nothing unethical about it.How else did you think Pinterest was supposed to keep the lights on?That was my first question after I read an article forwarded to me recently about how the visual bookmarking tool makes money off of users' pins. For anyone who doesn't know what Pinterest is, it's a site where people "pin" images and videos from around the Web to a virtual pinboard that other users can follow. It's a lovely and compelling site and growing fast. According to Hitwise, the site had 11… -
When Daily Deals Work: 8 Scenarios
9 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amYou'll likely take a revenue hit and strain your operations. So make sure you're doing a daily deal for the right reason.Dear Jeff,Everything I read seems to say daily deals are a bad deal for the business. I’m a contrarian by nature, so are there any situations where running a daily deal can make sense?—Name withheld at requestDaily deals don’t work for a lot of businesses. Aside from the revenue hit, the short-term customer influx and strain on operations can push away existing customers.But you can still make a daily deal program work, especially in situations like… -
Which Numbers Matter Most?
9 Feb 2012 | 5:31 amHow can you tell if your e-commerce company is going to grow or fall flat on its face? These three measurements hold the key.How can you tell if your e-commerce company is growing? I use three metrics to measure top-line growth in my portfolio companies: traffic, conversions, and sales. TrafficNot all traffic is created equal. Any old eyeballs will no longer do. You need visitor engagement that can translate into sales. Getting the right visitor engagement is more complicated than just having a lot of money to spend. And as a young start-up, you can’t rely on snagging cross-over traffic… -
Find Your Company's Native Cannibals
9 Feb 2012 | 5:30 amHow (and why) to disrupt your own business before your competitors or upstarts have a chance to.Many years ago, I was lucky enough to work on a project with one of the original Apollo 13 mission-control engineers. One day, while he was patiently answering questions from his wide-eyed colleagues about how NASA got the astronauts safely home via their Lunar Escape Module, he paused, looked down at a gadget in his hands and cracked a wry smile. "You know, this little device has more computing capacity—by a large order of magnitude—than we had to work with in the entire LEM." No lie,…
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Washington, D.C. Business News - Local Washington, D.C. News | The Washington Business Journal
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$26B bank settlement locally: Who gets what?
9 Feb 2012 | 9:05 amThe $26 billion settlement between 49 states and five major national banks, over their servicing of loans, will not solve the housing crisis, but it is still good news for Washington-area homeowners and jurisdictions. Under the settlement with Ally Financial Inc., Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc., J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. and Wells Fargo, billions of dollars in cash and loan write-downs will flow to distressed borrowers, to the signing states (all but Oklahoma) and the federal government. So who gets what? In terms of immediate payments to jurisdictions and direct relief to homeowners,… -
Congressional subcommittee to probe GSA
9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 amA Congressional subcommittee is set to meet this afternoon for a status update on the General Services Administration’s efforts to find bidders to redevelop the Old Post Office in downtown D.C. in what might seem like a prime example of closing the barn door after the horses have fled. The hearing at the Old Post Office comes two days after the GSA announced it had selected real estate mogul Donald Trump to convert the 375,000-square-foot building into a 250-room, luxury hotel with restaurants, a spa and ballroom... -
Transforming American Governance
9 Feb 2012 | 8:45 amIn his recent State of the Union address, President Obama asked Congress to give him the authority to make "our government leaner, quicker, and more responsive to the needs of the American people.” Certainly, something needs to change. Currently, we face fiscal imbalance, a dysfunctional Congress, the continuing war on terror, increasing economic competition from emerging world powers like China and India, rising energy costs, and environmental concerns, to name just a few challenges. Any one of the challenges would be a large enough agenda for a president and Congress... -
timeRAZOR lands funding, partners
9 Feb 2012 | 8:17 amA Leesburg-based company has landed $3.4 million in funding, a roster of brands for its service and some IT veterans to advise it. TimeRAZOR, which plans to launch a mobile product for iPhones and smartphones running the Android operating system, says its board of advisers includes Linda Abraham, co-founder of comScore Inc., former Microsoft executive Eddie Amos and Gene Riechers, co-founder and senior advisor at Valhalla Partners. Companies that will work with timeRAZOR include L'Oreal's Active Cosmetics Division, Renaissance Hotels, Vail Valley Foundation, World Adult Kickball Association,… -
GSA awards VETS extensions, tests new partnering model
9 Feb 2012 | 8:12 amCompanies that grew too large to compete for task orders under a contract that already filtered more than $1 billion to small, veteran-owned businesses will still have the chance to participate, thanks to a new model from the General Services Administration that encourages those companies to partner with the prime contract holders. GSA awarded five-year extensions to a portion of the more than 40 businesses that originally qualified to bid for task orders under Veterans Technology Services, better known as VETS, which is a government-wide acquisition contract used by agencies to purchase…
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Puck Daddy - NHL - Yahoo! Sports
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Bettman: Over 115,000 tickets available for 2013 Red Wings, Maple Leafs Winter Classic
9 Feb 2012 | 8:04 amThat the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs would meet in The Big House at the University of Michigan for the 2013 NHL Winter Classic was common knowledge for about the last month. The NHL's press conference announcing it and other details of the Hockeytown Winter Festival at Comerica Park on Thursday was a mere formality. The real intrigue: What the NHL's expectations were for attendance. There's no other reason to hold the Winter Classic at a site like the University of Michigan, which offered challenges ranging from rental fees to alcohol licenses, except to set some attendance… -
Wild captain Mikko Koivu expected back from injury to save Setoguchi’s season
9 Feb 2012 | 7:31 amWhen discussing the criteria for a Most Valuable Player award, someone will inevitably offer this theory: That you can measure a player's worth by theorizing how terrible his team would be without him in the lineup. To that end, Mikko Koivu might as well be a Hart candidate. With their captain, the Wild are 22-19 (including OT losses); without him, they're 3-9. Koivu is expected back in the lineup for the Wild on Thursday night against the Vancouver Canucks, playing for the first time since Jan. 14 after separating his left shoulder. From the Star-Tribune, Coach Mike Yeo expects him to skate… -
‘Why This Cammalleri Leave’: The snarky musical valentine to Canadiens trade (Video)
9 Feb 2012 | 6:55 amThis Sunday marks the 1-month anniversary of perhaps the season's most shocking trade: When the Montreal Canadiens dealt forward (and candid critic) Michael Cammalleri to the Calgary Flames during a game in Boston, with Rene Bourque the centerpiece of the return package. An offensive standout, a playoff hero, a building block for the future … all gone in an instant. It was enough to make a Habs fan go emo and record a forlorn musical sendoff that channeled their frustration, anger and melancholy. Which is what Gurshaan of DesiComedy did, in "Why This Cammalleri Leave?' From YouTube, a… -
Worst blown call of season? Corey Perry scores OT goal after tripping Jokinen
8 Feb 2012 | 11:29 pmJust over two minutes into overtime on Wednesday night, Jussi Jokinen of the Carolina Hurricanes carried the puck behind his own net while Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks hounded him. Instead of the puck, Perry's stick struck Jokinen's skate, sending the Carolina forward to the ice and Perry to the penalty box on a tripping call … … wait, no, sorry, that's actually what should have happened. What did happen, courtesy of visually challenged referee Tim Peel, was this: Perry's goal, scored with Jokinen scrambling to get back into position, gave the Ducks a 3-2 victory. Hurricanes captain… -
Wednesday’s Three Stars: Jokinen’s trick; Kiprusoff’s scorpion save; Red Wings push streak to 18
8 Feb 2012 | 10:33 pmNo. 1 Star: Olli Jokinen, Calgary Flames It's gotta be the burgers. Jokinen now has seven points in his last four games, tallying a hat trick and an assist in the Flames' 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. He opened the scoring at 12:30 of the first; scored on the power play 2:36 into the second; assisted on Jarome Iginla's second-period goal to break a 2-2 tie; and then scored just under 3 minutes after Michal Handzus tied the game in the third. All of it gave Miikka Kiprusoff (34 saves) win No. 300 for this career. No. 2 Star: Ryan Miller, Buffalo Sabres While he did get an assist from the…
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eMarketer Articles and Blog Posts
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Article: Game Consoles as Connected-TV Platforms Continue to Rise
8 Feb 2012 | 8:01 pmConsoles are the top way of viewing online content via traditional TV sets -
Article: Half of Internet Users in Brazil Go Online Daily
8 Feb 2012 | 8:01 pmDaily access up 13% percent from 2009 -
Article: App or Browser? Depends What Consumers Are Doing
8 Feb 2012 | 8:01 pmApps preferred for navigating and information gathering; mobile web for entertainment, searches -
Article: UK Ecommerce to Defy Tough Economy in 2012
7 Feb 2012 | 8:01 pmBusiness will be driven by tighter budgets, social elements and mobile devices -
Article: Does ‘Liking’ a Brand Drive User Loyalty?
7 Feb 2012 | 8:01 pm59% of consumers have ‘liked’ a Facebook brand page in the past 6 months
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Neuromarketing
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Super Bowl Ads: “Second Payoff” Pays Off
8 Feb 2012 | 11:11 amThe Super Bowl is the biggest day of the year for football fans, and just about as important for neuromarketing companies. The first results of neuromarketing studies from the big game are trickling out, and Innerscope Research observed a strategy employed by multiple advertisers: a “second payoff” at the end of the ad, after the [...] -
Neuromarketing Fun: Add Your Caption
7 Feb 2012 | 5:32 amWant to win a signed copy of my new book, Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Consumers with Neuromarketing? I thought we could have a little fun while we’re waiting for the results of the Super Bowl neuromarketing studies to roll in. Read on… Neuromarketing scares some people, even though the techniques used by [...] -
NeuroBowl: Neuromarketing and Super Bowl 2012
3 Feb 2012 | 5:51 amThe Super Bowl may be the biggest sports event of the year and the biggest advertising event of the year, but it’s also the biggest event of the year for neuromarketing companies. With $3 million being spent on every 30 second spot, you can be sure that lots of advertisers rang up their favorite neuromarketing [...] -
Social Personalization and the Doppelganger Effect
1 Feb 2012 | 5:18 amAre you overlooking a way to personalize your ads that goes far beyond the usual “Dear Roger” salutation? In my recent article, Put Your Customer in the Ad, I mentioned that LinkedIn was using profile pictures for targeted ads. Since then, I’ve been able to capture a couple of examples. The first one surprised me [...] -
Time Warner Opens NYC Neuromarketing Lab
26 Jan 2012 | 5:42 amTime Warner Inc. is opening their new “Medialab” at its New York City headquarters. The media giant expects to “generate valuable insights into consumer behavior, evolving media habits and industry trends across all of Time Warner’s businesses, brands and advertising partners.” The lab sounds like one of the more diverse facilities dedicated to this kind [...]
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Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing
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How to Use a WordPress Blog as a Referral Generator
9 Feb 2012 | 5:19 amHow to Use a WordPress Blog as a Referral GeneratorThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing I’ve seen and heard this scenario countless times. Two perfectly suited strategic partners determine they should start doing some things together in an effort to create referral opportunities for each other. They shake hands and agree that it’s a fabulous idea, but then nothing happens. Mostly nothing happens because there’s no catalyst to get the ball rolling in a way that makes sense. I mean, sure, they could both send out a mass mailing to their clients professing how great the other is, but… -
Turn Your Business Into a Community Building Platform
8 Feb 2012 | 5:36 amTurn Your Business Into a Community Building PlatformThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing I believe the future of business and commitment building resides in the idea of viewing your business as a platform for your community. The notion of a platform is one that receives a fair amount of play in various contexts. An author is said to possess a platform when they have built a following. Consultants might work with a business owner to build a platform through speaking, writing, blogging and connecting in social media. And finally, many tech firms have built platforms by creating open source… -
Is Your Marketing Producing the Results You Expected
7 Feb 2012 | 5:58 amIs Your Marketing Producing the Results You ExpectedThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Quipol Image:One-Fat-Man via Flickr CC The poll question above is a bit loaded and, not that I want to skew the results, the answer for most lies in the fact that they don’t really know what results they expected or what result they are actually getting. Mostly they know the results aren’t what they had hoped for, but that’s another issue. Setting expectations One of the simplest, yet most effective, things you can do is set expectations or goals for your marketing. You can create… -
This Is a Message from Your Heart
6 Feb 2012 | 5:51 amThis Is a Message from Your HeartThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing I had a heart scan the other day – mainly because I’m old and my spouse is convincing in the most loving way. a4gpa via Flickr CCIf you’ve never done it, it’s a pretty incredible experience to get to watch the awesome mechanical miracle that is you heart spray blood in and out through a series of valves, tubes, chambers, levers and doors that any engineer would be challenged to recreate. More often than not the heart is the subject of poems and songs about romance and love but in addition to being a physical… -
Weekend Favs February Four
4 Feb 2012 | 5:32 amWeekend Favs February FourThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing My weekend blog post routine includes posting links to a handful of tools or great content I ran across during the week. I don’t go into depth about the finds, but encourage you check them out if they sound interesting. The photo in the post is a favorite for the week from Flickr or from my own travels. First run of the day Telluride Good stuff I found this week: Quipol – Easily create and embed social polls that are very easy to use and very good looking Transcribe – free online tool that makes it much easier…
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Advertising Age - Agency News
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Publicis Reports 2011 Revenue Grew 7.3% to $7.7 Billion
9 Feb 2012 | 7:44 amPublicis Groupe announced a 7.3% increase in revenue to $7.7 billion for 2011, leading to a record profit of $795 million for the year. Organic growth, which doesn't include acquisitions, was 5.7%. -
PepsiCo Announces Millions in Additional Ad Spend, Plans to TrimAgency Roster
9 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amPepsiCo is calling 2012 a "transition year," as it adds hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising spend, trims its agency partners, lays off thousands of employees and positions itself for growth. -
GlaxoSmithKline Moves Global Aquafresh Account to TBWA From Grey
8 Feb 2012 | 2:31 pmGlaxoSmithKline is moving the global creative account for Aquafresh toothpaste from Grey Group to TBWA Worldwide, which will manage the business out of London, said people familiar with the matter. -
Zimmerman Lands Extended Stay Hotels
8 Feb 2012 | 1:00 pmOmnicom Group's Zimmerman has been named agency of record for Extended Stay Hotels following a review. -
Anomaly to Add Toronto Office, With Budweiser as First Client
8 Feb 2012 | 12:59 pmAccording to CEO Carl Johnson, an Anomaly office will be up and running in Canada by April. The shop is the global brand agency for Budweiser.
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Advertising Age - Blog Posts
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Kill the CPM: Why It's Better to Buy Time Than Ad Impressions
9 Feb 2012 | 7:07 amThe CPM model that dominates display motivates publishers to chase impressions that create web page clutter and a poor user experience. -
FlowingData's Nathan Yau: The AdAgeStat Q&A
7 Feb 2012 | 7:37 amPart inspiration and part hands-on tutorial, the FlowingData blog is required reading for anyone into data visualization. Its author, Nathan Yau, sat down with us for a (virtual) Q&A. -
Time for Brands to Play Moneyball, Too
7 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amThe old ways of finding 'prospects,' such as targeting with demographics, are growing as outmoded as thinking that a team shouldn't draft a player because his girlfriend is ugly. -
Why the 2012 Presidential Race Will Be Defined By Data
6 Feb 2012 | 11:55 amForget the Twitter election; in 2012 the presidential campaigns will break new ground in use of data to target advertising. -
Stat of the Day: Which NFL Teams Draw the Best Playoff Ratings?
3 Feb 2012 | 8:40 amHere's an exclusive look at which NFL teams draw the best playoff ratings with a bonus list of markets that tune in even after their team is knocked out.
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Advertising Age - Digital
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Super Bowl Spots Keep Piling on Web Views
9 Feb 2012 | 9:20 amOld wisdom: releasing your Super Bowl ad early on the web builds excitement and buzz for your spot and gives it a huge boost online. New wisdom: still true, but it's not necessarily a requirement. -
Nerds Run to Comic-Con for a Good Cause. With Lightsabers.
9 Feb 2012 | 8:00 amSome of the biggest names at Comic-Con have found a way to truly make the geek-fest a "force" for good. -
Google to Open Retail Location in Dublin
9 Feb 2012 | 7:26 amGoogle is planning its first stand-alone retail store at its European headquarters in Dublin after a trial at a computer shop in London. -
Groupon Reports Loss in First Quarterly Filing After IPO
8 Feb 2012 | 2:53 pmGroupon outperformed analysts' revenue expectations on Tuesday by announcing $506.5 million in revenue for the last quarter, more than double the revenue from the year-earlier period. But it still reported a net loss. -
RB Pumps up Spending in Developing Markets
8 Feb 2012 | 1:34 pmReckitt Benckiser will invest around $160 million more in marketing globally but report it through a "Brand Equity Index" that puts more emphasis on digital.
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Advertising Age - DigitalNext
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Kill the CPM: Why It's Better to Buy Time Than Ad Impressions
9 Feb 2012 | 7:07 amThe CPM model that dominates display motivates publishers to chase impressions that create web page clutter and a poor user experience. -
Time for Brands to Play Moneyball, Too
7 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amThe old ways of finding 'prospects,' such as targeting with demographics, are growing as outmoded as thinking that a team shouldn't draft a player because his girlfriend is ugly. -
Why the 2012 Presidential Race Will Be Defined By Data
6 Feb 2012 | 11:55 amForget the Twitter election; in 2012 the presidential campaigns will break new ground in use of data to target advertising. -
Patriots Lead Chatter, But Giants Have More True Fans In Social Media
3 Feb 2012 | 7:45 amWhich ones have the truest fans of all? With social media we can begin to answer that question. -
Time For Video to Step Out From TV's Shadow
2 Feb 2012 | 6:55 amWe need to stop thinking of video as TV's smaller, harder brother, and start emphasizing its power to deliver brand advertising in ways marketers have never before thought possible.
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SocialTimes.com
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“OMG I Have To Tweet This” & Other Sh** A Social Media Manager Says
9 Feb 2012 | 2:51 amOver the past couple months a brand new meme has taken over YouTube (and the world!)—the hilarious ‘Sh** Girls Say’ web series has spawned a deluge of copycats, from ‘Sh** Gay Guys Say’ to ‘Sh** White Girls Say…To Black Girls’, ‘Shit Single Girls Say’ and more. And in recent weeks the tech savvy have gotten in on the fun with ‘Sh** VCs Say’, ‘Sh** Silicon Valley Says’ and now, ‘Sh** a Social Media Community Manager Says.’ continued… New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media. -
Video: Making 6-Figures From YouTube…In Your Spare Time?
9 Feb 2012 | 2:03 amEarlier this month the Wall Street Journal reported that YouTuber Ray William Johnson is making an estimated $1 million a year thanks to the video site, and for the past few days the web has been abuzz with chatter about making money from YouTube. A report from Nadia Han of ABC News in Philadelphia looks into the potential of ‘Cashing in on YouTube.’ Some of the details in the report are surprising, to say the least. continued… New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media. -
The Facebook Platform Roadmap in 2012
9 Feb 2012 | 1:17 amFor Facebook, 2012 will be the year of the third party app. News, videos, and songs streaming down your newsfeed are just a “small taste of overall vision,” said Carl Sjogreen, director of product management for Facebook at the Inside Social Apps Conference. The focus for the coming year will be on enhancements to Open Graph, mobile and games. continued… New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media. -
ISA 2012: Facebook, Apple, Google – Which Platforms Hold the Most Opportunity in 2012?
8 Feb 2012 | 8:06 amToday at the Inside Social Apps Conference 2012 in San Francisco, game developers discussed which platforms hold the most promise in 2012. continued… New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media. -
‘Bed Intruder’ Star Antoine Dodson Releases A Single [Video]
8 Feb 2012 | 6:51 amIt’s been awhile since Antoine Dodson serenaded us with his amazing words, “Hide your kids; hide your wife; and hide your husband.” But the time has come—Dodson is now working on his own album, 2012 AD, and this week his first single is going viral. continued… New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
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Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
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Google’s First Hired Employee, Craig Silverstein, Quits
9 Feb 2012 | 9:15 amKara Swisher reports Google’s first employee, Craig Silverstein, has decided to leave Google after about 14 years at the company. He is leaving Google to join the Khan Academy. Craig helped Google’s co-founders, Larry and Sergey, build the original Google search engine. He did this... Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article. -
Foursquare Brings More Search Refinements To Mobile Apps
9 Feb 2012 | 7:16 amCalling it “personalized search for the real world,” Foursquare brought its mobile Explore functionality into its recently redesigned PC website roughly three weeks ago, and added some new search capabilities in the process. Those capabilities included the ability to filter places... Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article. -
The Golden Age Of SEO
9 Feb 2012 | 6:41 amI’m a fan of SEO. Search engine optimization. Ah, yes. Just writing it makes me happy. It’s what I do. It’s my calling. I can’t think of anything in the past decade that has kept me more enthralled and engaged… besides my wife of course. In the past few years, my interest in... Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article. -
SearchCap: The Day In Search, February 8, 2012
8 Feb 2012 | 2:23 pmBelow is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Bing Testing New Search Results Design Bing is testing a new design for the search results layout. The new design seems a lot cleaner, fresher and more organized... Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article. -
Bing Testing New Search Results Design
8 Feb 2012 | 1:43 pmBing is testing a new design for the search results layout. The new design seems a lot cleaner, fresher and more organized compared to the older design. Jason Hart tipped us off listing out the key differences: Vertical tabs removed Top and bottom search boxes widened Search button icon changed... Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
