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Facebook vs. Google: Homepage Choice via [pcmagazine, osm and mambomedia]
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Facebook vs. Google: The Contact Wars
By: Lance Ulanoff
Right now, Google and Facebook are in a war over contacts. If Facebook wants to import Google Gmail contacts through Google’s API, it has to let other services import Facebook contacts. No one was really talking about this lack of contact parity before Google made an issue of it, but now everyone wants to know which side will blink first. The truth is neither one of them is going to budge. Instead, Facebook may change the rules of the game.
Next week Facebook will unveil something e-mail and contact related. No announcements have been made, but this is the prevailing rumor and even the invite indicates some sort of message-based announcement.
If Facebook unveils full-blown e-mail with a Facebook.com e-mail address for all users, Google’s little hissy fit will suddenly look rather ridiculous. A Facebook e-mail system is actually a great idea. A half a billion members already use the social networking service as their primary means of inter-friend-relative-and acquaintance communication. This will simply give them a richer platform.
I hate the stories calling this development a “potential Gmail killer.” Why does each new advancement in an existing space have to displace something else? Could the Samsung Galaxy Tab “kill” the Apple iPad? Of course not. There really aren’t a lot of murderous products out there. Maybe the iPod (which didn’t kill all other MP3 players, but certainly turned them into zombies). In any case, whatever Facebook delivers would be exciting and useful for Facebook fans, but they won’t dump all their old e-mail accounts from ISPs, GMail, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc, just so they can live exclusively on Facebook.
A couple of years after I began using Gmail, I did, in fact, import all of my contacts from Outlook. I had to export them as a CSV file and then import them into Gmail. I didn’t do this so I could leave Outlook. My intention, instead, was to protect (read backup) my vast contact library, in case something happened to my system or I lost my job. (Yes, that Outlook account is on a work system).Google’s angry with Facebook because it sucks in those Gmail contacts (if you let it) to help quickly build up your friends list. There is no way for Gmail to suck contact info from Facebook. I have never imported Gmail contacts into Facebook because I like to keep my work and personal lives somewhat separate. I don’t know if there are people clamoring to import Facebook contacts into Gmail, but I suspect not—they can already communicate with them through Facebook’s simple messaging and chat systems.
A richer Facebook e-mail, with real e-mail management, folders, attachments, CC and BCC functionality could change that, but it won’t for me. If Google develops a new social platform (forget Buzz) to compete with Facebook, then perhaps people will want to migrate their Facebook contacts to Google GBook. However, Google recently said it wasn’t all that interested in building a Facebook style social network. Which brings us back to the core argument between Google and Facebook. Google lets you put in and take out contact info, and Facebook does not.
That’s actually not entirely true.
Facebook now lets you take almost everything out of the service and, to my mind undercuts (at least a tiny bit) Google’s core argument.
Much to my surprise, Facebook has finally turned on the eagerly-awaited “Download your Data” feature. It works pretty much as promised (see the slideshow to learn exactly how it works), you can download virtually everything you’ve posted onto the site in one neat-little zip file. Mine came down as a 4MB zip file. Compiling it took Facebook almost two hours. In it I found my wall postings back three years, photos, notes, events and every single message going all the way back to May 8, 2007. The Zip file unpacks into a mini, navigable web site, so it’s easy to click through to all your data goods. Yes, Facebook even includes a list of all your friends. See? Take that Google!
Wait. Hold on. It’s not quite that good.
Truth is, this is also where Facebook stumbles—quite badly. The list of alphabetized (by first name!) “Friends” is flat—meaning it’s not linked to anything. So you can’t click on a name to learn more about who they are, or even, at least, go back to the associated Facebook profile. In messages, Facebook highlights all the names in blue, but it’s just a trick—those names aren’t linked either. It ends up feeling a little bit like I moved out of my Facebook home with all my belongings and then Facebook moved away. I know it’s still there, but why isn’t anything linked?
I guess this approach make sense if you’re leaving Facebook for good, since you wouldn’t be able to access any of contacts anyway. Still, it sort of fails as a true data backup and definitely doesn’t encourage porting those Facebook relationships to another platform.
If and when Facebook introduces its mail system, this Download option could change. It could also be engineered right out of existence if, in fact Facebook really doesn’t want to share e-mail contact info. This attitude would make Facebook a pain, but I still don’t think Google is taking the right approach. I’ve always loved how Google strove to be the better online citizen. Google, stop complaining, keep your contact API open and let Facebook make the stupid contact mistakes.
Facebook vs. Google: Homepage Choice
Facebook vs. Google, the saga continues… previously we have brought you news surrounding their user data battle which continues along with Facebook actually failing privacy risk reports. Now we bring you the news that Facebook are going to be asking users to change their homepage to THEIR site.
This comes as no surprise to me as if you have a homepage set to the likes of Google, Facebook or anywhere else, it means guaranteed traffic for that site. Every time you open up a web page you will be giving someone traffic. Crazy when you think of the importance to all of these giants. Do you feel that Facebook have to offer more than just social media to be your homepage? i know that i can access anything i want with Google set as mine straight away.
Facebook will be doing this in the not to distant future so if you don’t want to set it be sure to click on the right choice! Will you be changing your homepage to Facebook ahead of the likes of Google? Let us know in the comments below.
Voter Smackdown: Google AdWords vs. Facebook Ads
We get a kick out of politics at Mambo Media, so we were thrilled to be asked to design online ad campaigns for an initiative on the November 2010 ballot in Washington State.
The client asked us to spend an equal amount of money on Google AdWords and Facebook Ads. And that was the beginning of the smackdown. Which platform is better for online advertising spend?
To answer this question, I focused on three priorities:
- Impressions
- Clicks
- Targeting
1. Impressions: Facebook Triumphs
The chief goal of this campaign was to increase targeted voter familiarity of the initiative. Even if a voter only sees the ad briefly on the Facebook page sidebar, it’s an opportunity for him or her to learn the name of the initiative and associate it with the ad tagline and image.
At the end of the campaign, the Facebook ads had been viewed over 7.5 million times and the Google Ads had been viewed about 34,000 times. Yes, while spending an equal amount on each platform!
2. Clicks: Google is the Victor
While not a top priority, clicks were also important to this ad campaign. In some of the ads, we directed voters to the initiative’s Facebook page (and gathered many new Likers and commenters in the process), and other ads sent voters to the initiative website to learn more.
In the end, the Google Ads provided 2,080 clicks, with an impressive 6.06% clickthrough rate, and Facebook Ads resulted in 1,599 clicks (clickthrough rate: .02%).
3. Targeting: Facebook Prevails
Facebook Ads was the clear winner in precise demographic targeting. If we had wanted, we could have shown the ads to ONLY 36 year old men in Washington who were connected to the opposition’s Facebook Page!
So, Who Wins the Smackdown?
As is the case with all social media marketing, the best channel to use depends on the campaign goals. In this campaign, impressions (views) were the priority, which means that we can officially (and obviously) declare Facebook Ads the winner!
However, it’s worth mentioning that a campaign more focused on detailed education from clicks would consider the Google AdWords results to be superior – especially since their clickthrough rates were much higher.
In conclusion, if a client or your brand can’t afford both for testing, look to Facebook for impressions and to Google for clickthroughs. But keep in mind, if you have a niche product, cause or audience, the hyper-targeted nature of Facebook Ads will tip the scales.
What are your experiences with Google AdWords vs. Facebook Ads?
10 Offices Cooler Than Yours (probably) via [mentalfloss]
by Stacy Conradt
I’m not complaining about where I work – I spend my days in a pretty cool building. But it’s no Google. Then again, not much is. These 10 awesome company headquarters will make you shake your fist at your cubicle in rage… unless you work at one of them, of course.
1. Google. I know, everyone knows about Google, but it seems like a glaring omission to do a list about cool company headquarters and not list them. Among the amenities at the Googleplex? Sand volleyball games at lunch, a ball pit, foosball and ping pong tables, video games, and bicycles to get from meeting to meeting (it’s a huge complex). Not impressed? Let’s talk about the décor – pink plastic flamingoes, doors that go nowhere, a giant PlayMobil pirate, a dinosaur skeleton and lava lamps. Still yawning? There’s more. So much more.
2. Pixar. Tom Hanks recently Tweeted a picture of the bathroom doors at Pixar if that gives you any indication of how seriously they take themselves there. It makes sense that they have a 600-seat movie theater, but the organic vegetable garden and cottage-like cubicles (pictured) are just plain cool.
3. The Cartoon Network. Sure, they might work in cubicle-land just like the rest of us, but at least they have Rosie the Robot smack in the middle of it all. They’re also allowed to decorate their cubes in any manner they see fit. Given the creative types that work there, that makes for a pretty interesting work environment.
4. Red Bull. A fancy color scheme does not a cool company make (though their shiny red, blue and silver scheme is pretty neat) – it’s the slide that leads from the second floor to the first floor that won this headquarters a spot on the list. All I can think is, “But what about the liability issues?!” There’s also a huge skateboard ramp and meeting room tables that double as ping pong-playing surfaces.
5. Nike. The video speaks for itself, but one highlight is an employee store with killer selection and a (allegedly) generous discount.
6. Volkswagen. I bet you didn’t know an assembly line could look so modern, sleek and tidy. I didn’t! The inside of this factory in Dresden, Germany, is so elegant and gorgeous that when Dresden’s opera house was flooded in 2002, they put on Carmen in factory instead. There’s also a restaurant and a simulator that gives test drives, among many other cool features.
7. McLaren. I suppose it just comes with the territory of being a company that produces Formula One race cars, but how many offices do you know that come complete with a 475-foot wind tunnel used to test cars?
8. Selgas Cano Architecture. Want an office with a view? Look no further than Selgas Cano, just outside of Madrid, which lets employees sit in the middle of nature while they work.
9. Bloomberg. Get a complete tour here – at least, as complete as you can get with security stalking you constantly.
10. Zappos. If working for a shoe company isn’t your dream job (If it means a steep discount on shoes, I’m in), consider this: they have Dance Dance Revolution set up as a stress-reliever, themed meeting rooms, nap pods and lots more. Check it out:
Do you have another nominee for the list? Let us know – especially if you work in one!
Doing TOO MUCH: Logo Tattoos, an Extreme Brand Loyalty Declaration
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Consider yourself a corporate whore.
Hopefully this athlete is getting paid by Adidas.
Way to think differently.
(Brunos Domingues/Flickr)
Probably glows in the dark.
(bigmoontattoo/Flickr)
(knobbyknees/Flickr)
The logo’s color means you can’t actually tell that this tat is really fresh and bleeding a little.
(pborelli/Flickr)
Sort of takes away from the punk-ish tanktop, no?
If you can’t afford a car, maybe this will suffice.
Analyzing The 5 Biggest Flaws of The NEW Apple iPhone 4g… via [yahoofinance]
5 Big Blemishes for the Apple iPhone 4
by Scott Moritz
IPHONE 4 LINES VIDEO MASHUP
via [botjo.com]
provided by
Apple’s (AAPL – News) redesigned
iPhone is destined to be a knockout success. The phone scores high on
style points with its sleek glass and stainless steel design, and it
wins points for its multitasking software and improved screen.
There are, however, a few shortcomings.
The Apple iPhone 4 is set to go on sale Thursday. Judging by the
record demand during the pre-sale period, the newest iPhone will make a
huge sales splash, especially with old iPhone owners trading up.
All the presales excitement and Apple-driven hype have set
expectations very high. But mighty Apple plays to a tough crowd. It’s an
affluent group that has been eager to buy the next new thing out of
Cupertino, Calif. It’s also a highly discerning group with a refined
taste in gadgets, and that makes them a bit fussy.
Here are five bruises on the new Apple iPhone that may engender
complaint.
No. 5: A Skimpy Camera
As smartphone challengers like HTC, Motorola (MOT – News) and Nokia (NOK – News) embrace the
megapixel race with 8-megapixel and 12-megapixel cameras, Apple’s new
iPhone keeps it cheap with a 5-megapixel model.
This will be a bigger point of contention this week when Verizon (VZ – News) and Motorola
unveil the Droid X Wednesday, the newest Google (GOOG – News) Android
phone, which features an 8-megapixel camera. Android phone giant HTC has
also been generous with 8-megapixel cameras in its Droid Incredible
and Sprint’s (S – News) EVO.
Meanwhile, Apple, always the laggard in cameras, won’t enter the
8-megapixel class until next year when it debuts a sweet Sony (SNE – News) camera in its
2011 iPhone. But by then, who knows where the rest of the pack will be?
No. 4: No Swype
If you’ve seen Swype or used it, you know why this omission makes
the list. Typing on a touchscreen is a challenge as the flat glass
surface offers few clues to where your fat fingers are precisely making
contact. It’s an error-prone process that gives one a longing for the
raised keys of the BlackBerry keyboard from Research In Motion (RIMM – News).
But the Swype keypad software helps tame the new medium. Swype
follows the pattern of your finger movements to type words or predict
words without the usual hunting and pecking.
Apple did wonders with the touchscreen, but Swype makes it more
useful for those among us who like to type.
No. 3: Video Calling
Okay, it’s not totally bait and switch, but Apple’s hot new iPhone
video calling feature, FaceTime, comes with lots of asterisks and a
limited applicability.
Say you want to video chat with someone using the Apple iPhone 4.
That someone has to have a WiFi connection and he has to use the same
application on his own iPhone 4. You’re looking at a small club of
people — not exactly an application of global Skype-like proportions.
No. 2: iPhone 4 Shortages
Strong demand is only half the story for Apple’s iPhone sales debut.
Limited supply is the other. A shortage of in-plane display panels,
the crucial part of Apple’s touted retina display screens, has forced
Apple’s contract manufacturers to cut production rates in half to 1
million iPhones a month.
This means there won’t be enough iPhones on hand to meet the
presumably high demand. Though it’s not a terrible problem to have if
you are a gadget maker, sellouts and delivery delays will mar Apple’s
big iPhone 4 debut. The frustration could push buyers toward other
phones.
No. 1: No Verizon iPhone.
A new iPhone is big. But a new iPhone at Verizon? Much bigger.
Apple’s exclusive partnership with AT&T (T – News) has been a point
of discord among iPhone owners and it has tarnished the public
perception of both companies. It also has done almost nothing for
AT&T’s stock.
Investors have been waiting for the Verizon iPhone. But that’s
apparently not going to happen until next year, if ever.
So Apple fans who want the new iPhone have to lock in for another
two years with AT&T. This scenario is not particularly pleasant
considering that AT&T’s new subscriber plans put penalties on
people (like iPhone users) who happen to be heavy data users.
–Written by Scott Moritz in New York.
Introducing the Chanel Fiole Concept Car designed by Jinyoung Jo via [worshipworthy]
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A south Korean Car designer, Jinyoung Jo, designed the absolutely chic fashionable concept car inspired by Chanel: The Chanel Fiole.
Check out the video…I’m not ashamed to say it did bring tears to my eyes. It is truly and awe inspiring car.
via [YouTube]
Levitating Water: Anti-gravity Water Rise Waterfall by Salvin
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Honey…We Really NEED This in Our Home!*pouting*
via [Youtube]
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