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Apple acquires mapping expertise to take on Google?

Apple may be developing its own mapping, navigation and geological software to rival Google Maps and Google Earth, with the company’s acquisition of Canadian start-up Poly9. This purchase of the Canadian mapping specialist - whose services are more comparable to Google Earth than they are Google Maps - follows Apple’s acquisition of Placebase earlier in the year, putting geolocation services similar to Google’s within Apple’s range of in-house expertise. PCR reports that Apple currently relies on Google Maps as the default mapping application on the tech giant’s range of devices - most notably the iPhone - and these acquisitions could release it from this dependence on its rival. Not only will the development of its own branded map software allow Apple to deliver more customised location-based apps to users of the iPhone and iPad on the move, but the company would also have the freedom to directly control advertising content delivered through the software - particularly beneficial if the company succeeds in forcing Google’s AdMob out of the iPhone platform . If Apple is aiming to release an alternative to Google Maps, this would represent the latest development in the clash of the tech titans. However, at a recent event, CEO Steve Jobs said the rivalry is more one-sided than that. “[Google] decided to compete with us. We didn’t go into the search business!” Jobs said, pointing out that Apple’s acquisition of Siri did not represent a threat to Google’s search empire, because “they’re not a search company - they’re an AI company.” Poly9’s workforce has reportedly already relocated to Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, according to Cyberpress.ca.

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Apple acquires mapping expertise to take on Google?

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Google boss believes smartphones are key to democratising information

Google chief executive Eric Schmidt has reaffirmed his company’s aim to be a driving force for good in the world, by explaining how Google’s breakthroughs in smartphones and search engines are bringing about a generational shift towards the democratisation of information worldwide. “Over my lifetime, we are going to go from a small number of people having access to most of the world’s information, to virtually everybody in the world having access to virtually all of the world’s information,” Schmidt told The Guardian. “That’s because of web search, cheap phones and automatic translation. That’s a pretty amazing achievement and Google is part of that.” Smartphones were identified as a key focus of advancing the company’s agenda, as the Google boss explained the development of Android operating systems and Google-branded phones at the Guardian’s Activate Summit. Despite Gartner rating Android as the world’s fourth most popular mobile operating system for the first quarter of 2010 - behind Nokia’s Symbian, Research in Motion’s Blackberry and Apple’s iPhone - Schmidt is hopeful about his company’s fortunes in the mobile web sphere, particularly as Google’s vast network of data centres means it could potentially handle more traffic than its competitors. “I believe that the very best engineering is now going on the mobile devices - the hardest problems and the most clever solutions,” Schmidt explained.

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Google boss believes smartphones are key to democratising information

development

Lime Wire looks fresh out of options after RIAA legal complaint

The future of file-sharing site Lime Wire has been left largely to a US district court judge after the Recording Industry Association of America filed a request for a permanent injunction to cut its revenue stream. The RIAA request, currently resting in the hands of Judge Kimba Wood, would have Lime Wire forbidden from streaming advertisements and collecting the revenue thereof, in addition to quashing any future software upgrades. Wood has already found the software’s parent company, Lime Group, along with founder Mark Gorton liable of copyright infringement, which could cost the company hundreds of millions of dollars. In light of this, many experts have said Lime Group has little left to work with. However, a spokesman for Lime Wire commented the company is “preparing for all scenarios. “During this time, we’re remaining focused on our future plans and dedicated to the development of a music service that benefits artists, music consumers and the industry.” However, the RIAA seems less than willing to enter into agreements with the company, any of which would likely entail large cash reparations. On Friday, the RIAA suggested that Lime Wire be liable for up to US$150,000 (

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Building Inroads: the Inclusive Path to Branding

The traditional model of brand building has been largely dictated by the technology available. When the means of communication was paper, the picture advertisement dominated, and gave rise to the clever slogan. The slogan developed into the jingle with the rise of radio, and the advent of television allowed the creation of the commercial. All of these have one defining trait in common; they inform in a non-interactive sense. You can turn away or read as you wish, but that’s the extent of your control over the content of the advertisement. This has left the power of brand building largely in the hands of the originators. The company creates its advertising, and people respond to it. Most people and businesses don’t have the money to create massive media blitzes or overarching TV-radio-print campaigns, which left this approach almost entirely to the big names or those small companies willing to take a chance.

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Building Inroads: the Inclusive Path to Branding

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Issues on Privacy Concerns on Facebook

It seems that you can barely log into the internet today without finding dire warnings about the privacy of your FaceBook account. Hundreds (and possibly thousands) of users have declared May 31, 2010 as “Leave FaceBook Day”. Since the dawn of the internet, privacy has been a concern. However, if you put a google search in for “Facebook Privacy Concerns” it returns 17,400,000 results while Twitter returns 15,500,000 results and LinkedIn at the bottom of the pile returns 667,000 results. In a viewpoint, Facebook is approximated to have the largest number of users among the three. And truthfully, the three (although often lumped together) are really different and have different audiences. With that said, how concerned should you be about your FaceBook security? Well, like anything else that’s on the internet, it’s not hack-proof. Even the strongest privacy policy isn’t going to protect you if someone really wants to get at your information

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Issues on Privacy Concerns on Facebook

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Google takes a bite out of Apple’s Tablet

The bitter friction between Apple and Google following the release of its Android operating system was one thing, but sour relations between the two companies has reached a new stage of intensity following Google’s announcement of its own Tablet. Steve Jobs recently accused Google of “stealing features from the iPhone” and that the company had “entered the phone business.” At a company meeting, he remarked: “Make no mistake, they want to kill the iPhone. We won’t let them.” Apparently, this attack was met with “thunderous applause” from Apple’s employees. No doubt this corporate squabbling is the result of the success of Apple’s new iPad, which has prompted other tech companies, like Dell and Toshiba, to enter the Tablet computing market. In a report by the BBC, Appleis said to have sold more than 300,000 units of the iPad Tablet computer on its launch day in the US, which sent Apple’s share price up to a record high of $238.49. Forbes, however, says that Apple has sold its millionth iPad, after the Tablet computers had been on sale just 28 days

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Google takes a bite out of Apple’s Tablet

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Google Docs overhauled with new features

Google has previewed updates for its free document and spreadsheet editors in Google Docs, as well as launching a new web application in its portfolio that allows users to collaborate on digital drawings. The Register reports that this new drawing editor is available now at Google Docs, and has the same real-time capability as other applications in Google’s free online office suite. It uses Google’s web-based clipboard to allow users to collaborate on diagrams, flow charts and other image types which can then be copied into documents, spreadsheets and presentations similar to Microsoft’s PowerPoint. As well as this new application, the Mountain View company has focused on improving its core document and spreadsheet editors in Google Docs, which are expected to be available within the next few days. Google has promised faster speeds and greater response times from its spreadsheet editor as well as a host of new tools to make using the editor easier, such as drag-and-drop columns, auto-complete and a formula bar for editing cells. The most significant news for users of Google’s document editor is that this application will now also offer real-time editing, and Google has also introduced a new technical foundation aimed at improving formatting

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Google Docs overhauled with new features

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Newslabs launches new news service, NewsTilt

While many content-based websites are adopting a content farm approach , one new Californian startup is hoping to break the mould, building a website and business that’s based on quality news stories, well-paid journalists and community. NewsTilt, which is owned by Y Combinator backed NewsLabs, hopes to build a successful news site focusing on the community and brands the journalists can themselves build. Essentially the website will hire quality writers who will take a semi-traditional journalistic approach to writing news stories and creating content but will take a blogger style approach to how they deal with their readers. Journalists on the NewsTilt website will interact directly with readers, taking the time to reply to comments, take suggestions on story ideas and essentially build a community. This style of blogger-journalism is based on the success of news sites like TechCrunch and the Huffington Post, two websites which have managed to build communities and brands based on strong journalism interaction. “The journalist”, says NewsLabs Founder Paul Biggar, “is the brand, and their community tells them directly what to write, and whether they liked it.” Initially, the focus will be on community and content, keeping everything as simple as possible. Biggar and Nathan Chong, who have both personally worked on the development of the website want to work in any technical changes gradually, as the site develops and without trying to second guess what the needs of the journalists or readers will be.

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Newslabs launches new news service, NewsTilt

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Eleven Steps to SEO Heaven – Part 1

Are you fed up with feeling baffled by search engine optimization (SEO) because of jargon and poor practitioners? Do you feel you have been charged too much for less than you were promised? This two part article sets out to explain the process and put you back in control. If you have focused objectives and a clear online strategy then SEO will almost always be a good cost effective addition to the marketing tool set. The first thing to understand is that search engine businesses, like Google, Yahoo and Bing, have customers to satisfy too. Their customers are searching and they expect to see the ‘best and most relevant’ search results. I expect like me, you get frustrated if your searches bring irrelevant results first. No surprise then, that the methods used by the search engine operators are designed to deliver customer satisfaction.

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Eleven Steps to SEO Heaven – Part 1

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Top 10 Reasons for Building Small Business Websites with WordPress

I’ll tell you the same thing I tell every one of my new web marketing clients, “WordPress is incredible – and you should be using it for your website.” It can save you both time and money, while making it far easier to build a beautiful and limitless website that you can manage and control yourself. Once you learn more about WordPress, you’ll understand why over 80 MILLION websites are built on WordPress, and why NOW is the time for you to learn what WordPress is all about, and how it can provide immense value to your small business. Here are my Top 10 Reasons for why you should strongly consider WordPress for your website: 1. Incredible Power Straight Out of the Box Immediately upon installing WordPress, you’ll have power features that make it easy to manage your website. You’ll have a Content Management System that allows you to add/edit/delete your own content, including images and videos, a User Access system that controls who can access your Admin Center and what level of access they have, powerful Blogging software, and a central location to manage virtually all aspects of your website

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Top 10 Reasons for Building Small Business Websites with WordPress

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