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Sony names gaming chief Kazuo Hirai CEO

Sony has tapped Kazuo Hirai to replace chief executive Howard Stringer when he steps down from on 1 April. Mr Hirai has long been considered the heir-apparent for the CEO position – as a savvy gaming executive; he has been credited with turning things around at the company’s unprofitable PlayStation business and was promoted to head of consumer products last March. He takes the helm just as Sony is predicting its fourth year of net losses for the fiscal year ending 31 March 2012. The company is likely to announce its third quarter results tomorrow and provide more information on the company’s management shake-up.

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Sony names gaming chief Kazuo Hirai CEO

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Creative Ways to Use QR Codes for Your Small Business

What are QR codes? Glad you asked. Quick response codes, or QR codes, are quite similar to barcodes in that they can be printed on virtually any surface. They originated in Japan and were seen on the sides of buildings, in brochures and even on public transport. The little codes became so popular that other countries wanted to cash in on their popularity. Why use a QR code at all? Many times consumers may want to know more about an advertisement, but they don’t have pen or paper while putting information on your phone can be time consuming and a hassle. So QR codes truly are the perfect solution. To put it mildly, QR codes are quickly becoming local internet marketing’s best assets

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Creative Ways to Use QR Codes for Your Small Business

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What’s a QR Code?

Never heard of a QR Code? Or maybe you have but you don’t really know how to use them. For retailers and consumers alike they can provide genuine benefits. First off, what is a QR code? QR is short for Quick Response and it’s a matrix barcode which has been widely used in Japan for many years. They started originally in the car industry. The code is shown as a collection of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background

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What’s a QR Code?

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Street view ventures indoors

Google has launched a pilot project that lets users take Street View indoors for an inside look at popular spots like restaurants, hotels and shops, along with more unusual interiors like gyms and vehicle repair workshops. The initial rollout is limited to London and Paris, along with several other cities in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. To help avoid privacy complaints, the new scheme will roll out on a voluntary basis, where business owners can opt in to be included. For the time being, large chains, hospitals and lawyers’ offices will all be excluded from eligibility A Google spokesperson told the BBC : “Building on the Google Art Project, which took Street View technology inside 17 acclaimed museums, this project is another creative implementation of Street View technology, to help businesses as they build their online presence.” “We hope to enable businesses to highlight the qualities to make their locations stand out through professional, high-quality imagery.” Google creates the 360-degree images using fish-eye and wide-angle lens cameras to give users a virtual glimpse inside some of their favourite shops and restaurants. However, the search seraph also noted that business owners must warn customers and employees prior to the photo shoot, and similar to Street View, will blur out or refuse to publish images of bystanders. Sarah Cordey from the British Retail consortium said: “Retail is always a competitive sector, but this is particularly true at a time of failing disposable incomes. “Many retailers are increasing their online presence and use of technological innovations, to this is a development some businesses will no doubt consider with interest.” Digg | delicious | Reddit | Google | Twitter | Sphinn | StumbleUpon | YahooBuzz | Facebook | Mixx | Contact bigmouthmedia

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Street view ventures indoors

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Google incorporates Hot Trends into search results

In an effort to offer real-time search, Google has launched a new web search feature that allows users to track the latest trends on the web. Available in the U.S. and Japan, the new feature is designed to help users focus on the top, most interesting content on any given day.

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Google incorporates Hot Trends into search results

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Google Unveils Sidewiki

Earlier this week, Google announced the launch of Google Sidewiki, a new feature that allows users to contribute helpful information next to any Web page. The new feature appears as a browser sidebar, where users can read and write relevant entries along the side of the page.

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Google Unveils Sidewiki