Google has joined a consortium of technology companies that plans to make online accounts more secure. The FIDO Alliance, which was founded in part by Lenovo and PayPal, launched a set of technology standards earlier in the year that could reduce reliance on passwords. The group hopes hardware can have more of a role in authenticating users, and has been working on different ideas such as security chips and voice recognition. Continue reading Google Joins FIDO Alliance: Hopes to Replace Passwords

The Associated Press Twitter account was hacked yesterday with a false report involving explosions at the White House. The account was quickly suspended, but not before the news had been retweeted thousands of times, resulting in a temporary yet sharp drop in the Dow and news outfits clamoring to ascertain details. Although the account is active again, the news agency has nearly 2 million less followers, which Twitter explains could take up to 24 hours to repair. Continue reading AP Twitter Account Hacked: Underlines Need for Security

The team behind DJ-focused music service Turntable.fm debuted a new smart-radio service called Piki last week that offers a new take on music discovery. Unlike other streaming music sites such as Pandora, Piki creates playlists based on what your friends are currently listening to. Other developers like Rdio and Fuzz have created similar services, but have yet to make a significant impact. Continue reading Music Streaming App Piki Lets Friends Pick Music for You

Facebook has created a new way to use ads that appeal more directly to its users. Through third party marketers, the social media site will use offline information in order to show advertisements that cater to a user’s specific interests. Even though personal information will reportedly stay secure, the approach is raising concerns regarding whether or not Facebook is trying to collect too much information from consumers. Continue reading New Facebook Ad Strategy May Cause Privacy Concerns

Intelligent Content is developing along with the evolution of digital technology and in relation to how humans interact with it. As the analytics and visual design of written content both take on an increasingly large role in how people consume information, we are about to experience an era in which information design and delivery changes in real-time in direct response to how readers are consuming the content. Continue reading Intelligent Content: Will Your Media Soon Know You Best?

Amazon announced it will purchase the popular book discovery and recommendation website Goodreads, a social service that centers on book recommendations and reviews. The acquisition — which comes at a time when readers are increasingly turning to tablets and e-readers to search for authors and books — could help push Amazon ahead of competitors Apple and Google in e-book retailing. Continue reading Amazon to Acquire Goodreads for Competitive E-Book Edge

The hype behind Google Glass continues to grow, as tech bloggers scramble to test the new device and ad agencies become excited by its possibilities. After Google presented the public with the Glass Explorer program, in which early adopters had the chance to pay $1,500 to try a pair, the company received so many submissions it closed the program earlier than expected. The device has potential for second screen applications and augmented ads. Continue reading Google Glass: Second Screen and Advertising Opportunities

Yesterday we posted findings of a Coca-Cola study, which concluded that online buzz did not have a measurable impact on short-term product sales. Response to the story, first published by Advertising Age and others, was met with a significant amount of online debate, which prompted a Coca-Cola exec to post that the finding can be viewed as accurate in isolation, but should not diminish the crucial role of social media across multiple screens. Continue reading Marketing Exec Defends the Crucial Role of Social Media

With March Madness underway, many sports fans will be using social media to read and share updates about their favorite college basketball teams. To enhance the social and second screen experience this year, Twitter has joined forces with Turner Broadcasting and startup SnappyTV to provide instant 15-second replay videos of popular game highlights through Twitter’s news feed. The move will also create new opportunities for advertising revenue. Continue reading Twitter Offers Video Highlight Clips During March Madness

A recent study by collaborative media platform Wikia, in association with market researcher Ipsos MediaCT, indicates that YouTube is among the most popular sites for the younger generation, known as “Generation Z.” The study surveyed 1,203 13-to-18-year-old participants about their Internet and social media habits. Not surprisingly, the findings also point out an increase in use of mobile devices throughout the day by the same age group. Continue reading Study Shows Teens More Connected, Shift in Social Habits

As the result of a two-pronged campaign coming out of China against Western media and the technology companies that create devices from which the Chinese access news and entertainment, it may become increasingly difficult for outside companies to operate within the country. As part of the ongoing campaign, Chinese state-fun broadcaster CCTV aired a critical documentary last week regarding Apple’s customer service. Continue reading China Campaigns Against Western Media and Tech Firms

Live broadcasting site YouNow, which uses social media in order to control live streaming content, has combined with a similar counterpart. The company recently acquired blogTV to increase views on its real-time platform. Will the combined effort increase traffic to the site, or will it continue to operate in the shadows of more established video sites like YouTube? Continue reading YouNow and blogTV Combine for Live Social Broadcasting

Companies have access to more information than ever before, often from a wide range of sources and generated nearly immediately. Determining how to put Big Data to work has become a major theme for many businesses. The term gets linked to large-scale information companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon, but all sorts of businesses are beginning to make Big Data a central focal point in their strategies. Continue reading Big Data Plays an Increasingly Bigger Role for Companies

Blake Ross, Facebook’s director of product, recently announced he’d be leaving the company. He posted a goodbye letter on his profile page saying, in essence, that he was leaving the company because youngsters no longer think the social network is cool. While there was an air of humor to his post, it also had some truth to it. He’s since taken down the letter, claiming it was posted publicly by accident. Continue reading Facebook No Longer the Social Network Du Jour for Teens?

Los Angeles and Israel-based startup Social Studios has teamed with actress Noa Tishby to produce an “Entertainment Tonight”-like show featuring videos, status updates and photos from users’ Facebook timelines. “Your Show,” which launched Monday night, gets information from a Facebook app that collects data from news feeds, mixes it with pre-produced segments with Tishby and creates seven-minute episodes. Continue reading Startup Launches TV Show Based on Your Facebook Timeline