New Google Check Out Feature Debuts

Google Checkout has rolled out a new “Promotional Checkout” option, which will allow online US merchants to offer checkout promotions at anytime.  Effective as of late last week, users can sign into their into Checkout accounts, click on the ‘Tools’ tab where they’ll be able to use the Promotions link to create a promotion while checking out.  Google states the entire process takes less than a minute. 

Sellers will be able to choose a specific date and time, that they’d like the offer to run, and choose from a wide selection of discounts they want to offer potential buyers.  When it’s time for the promotion to go live, Google will immediately change the standard checkout icon, to display the discount amount, along with a cart minimum. 

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Spammer Looses $711 Million To Facebook

Late last week, a San Jose, California judge awarded Facebook $711 million.  This comes after Sanford Wallace, a spammer who had hacked into users profile,  posted phony wall post and messages to those users friends.  In March of this year, Wallace along with Adam Arzoomanian and Scott Shaw had all been sued and had been put on a restraining order by Facebook.  The restraining order was put into place, so that if any of three hacked into Facebook again, they will be thrown into jail immediately. (more…)

Facebook Gearing Up For New Policy’s

The first week of November is always a busy and important one in America.  With elections happening across the country, it can be an overwhelming week.  Although, this year we don’t have to make any important Presidential choices, Facebook is gearing to let users vote on a new set of policy’s. 

Earlier this year, Facebook had established the System Of Governance, after users were outraged by the new set of privacy policy’s were put into place.   Soon after, Facebook had allowed users to not only comment on how they would like the policy’s to be, but also vote on the proposed changes.  (more…)

Social Media Phones

There is a pretty good chance you know several people with an iPhone or Blackberry.  The iPhone, known for all the apps and being able to connect with anyone just about anywhere, is a great tool to use in the world of social media.  The Blackberry, a more business professional phone, also has apps and connects owners with their social networking sites.  Well there are 3 new phone devices expected to hit the market that will keep users even closer to their social networks more then they are now. (more…)

Google Lands L.A. E-mail Contract

After almost a year of furious lobbying and jockeying for position, Google earned the right to provide e-mail services for the city of Los Angeles. Microsoft had mounted the fiercest competition, but the city now plans to turn over its e-mail operations to Google by June 2010.

The story, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, reminded me of my own frustrating experiences with an amateurish e-mail system.

When I enrolled at Michigan State University several years ago, I was given a personal e-mail account where all my communications from the school would be sent. It didn’t take long to realize – even though this was waaaay back in 2006 – that the MSU e-mail program was a joke. It lacked a chat feature. It complicated folder organization to the point of frustration. It boasted a spam filter that was about as water-tight as a colander. (more…)

This Week In Social Media: October 30, 2009

This Week In Social Media: iePlexus Oct. 30, 2009 from iePlexus on Vimeo.

This Week In Social Media: iePlexus Oct. 30, 2009 from iePlexus on Vimeo.

This week, several new virus’ have been making their rounds attacking the social networking sites Facebook & Twitter. Facebook has been hit the hardest.  The virus known as Bredolab, hit Facebook earlier this week, which sends an e-mail to users, asking them to confirm a password reset and a file is attached which contains a Trojan horse, which could severely destroy a computer. Facebook is also reporting 2 more virus’ which are working their way through e-mails asking you to do some sort of activity to your account.  Facebook has told users that Facebook would not send any attachment in an e-mail, and to check out the company’s Security Page for more tips.  Twitter’s virus comes through a direct messages containing the phase, “Hi, this you on here?” followed by a link.  Twitter warns users not to click links from users you don’t know and if you accidentally do, to change your password immediately.  (more…)

The Internet Is Officallly Over The Hill

It seems crazy to think of the world without the Internet.  It is very much a huge part of our lives.  For example, when we lose our Internet connections at home, we feel frustrated and lost as if there is nothing left to do or live for and feel so disconnected from the rest of the world.  Prior to October 29, 1969 there was no such thing.  Communicating meant writing a letter and putting on a stamp to ship it off.  Wanting to know more about a certain topic meant opening up a book called the Encyclopedia.  Earlier that year on July 20, Niel Armstrong was the first person ever to step foot on the moon, and the world felt so advanced.  Fast foward 40 years later, and astronauts now Twitter to everyone back on Earth.   

The Internet has come a long way since 1969.  It was Leonard Kleinrock, a UCLA computer science professor who wanted to send a message from the school’s host computer to another computer at the near by Stanford Reserach Institute.  During the process of trying to start up a remote time-sharing system, Kleinrock started to type “login,” and got the first two letters in before the system crashed, however the message “lo” was sent, which was the true birth of the Internet. (more…)

Twitter In The World Of Sports

As we all know, 2009 has been a year of growth for Twitter.  It seems like anyone who is anyone is updating their tweets frequently and that’s including high-profiled athletes from around the globe.  Here in the U.S. athletes, coaches and other team personnel who are part of either the NBA, NHL, or NFL, have all been given restrictions when using their Twitter and other social media accounts. 

This has recently caused some controversy, questioning if leagues are violating the First Amendment, which protects the Freedom of Speech.  Twitter actually falls under the First Amendment, but after a little bit of research, there can be restrictions as long as there are alternative methods available.  At the current time, the NBA has banned teams from using social media sites 45 minutes before, during and after the game, while the NFL will not allow twittering 90 minutes prior to the game until press interviews are done afterwards.  The NHL has said there is to be no Twittering from 30 minutes before the game until the game is over.  (more…)

Social Media & App’s Reaching The World

It seems that we can find just about anything on social media sites.  Whether it’s breaking news about Balloon Boy, looking for the latest gossip about Jon & Kate, or commenting on our friend’s status’, the world is only one click away from seeing what we post.  And while the point of social media is to have your voice heard and to share content with the rest of the world, Toyota & MySpace are trying to get voices heard even more.

Toyota, the Japanese car manufacturer, is using its social media app to showcase drawings on jumbo-trons in New York’s Times Square.  The Experience Prius app, which came out in August has added a new feature this week, which will allow you to take what’s on your iPhone screen to the big screen.

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Nigeria Uses Social Media For Electricity

Nigeria is thought of one of the poorest countries in the world.  Surprisingly, Nigeria is the most populous and oil rich nation in Africa, and every day millions are left out in the dark because the government does not offer constant electricity for many places through the country.  But now thousands are trying to use the power of social media to encourage the government to bring electricity through the nation.  

The Light Up Nigeria movement is an effort to bring constant electrical power to Nigerian homes and businesses.  Since the 1980’s the Nigerian Government, has been inconsistent in the supply of electricity, because of the corruption and sabotage within the governmental system.  Light Up Nigeria, which is citizen formed, states on their website that  ‘everyone in Nigeria is affected by the lack of constant power supply so everyone in Nigeria is part of the movement.’  That has become the way of life for Nigerians and a known fact about the country.  The lack of electricity has been blamed for the nation missing out on new investments and business opportunities.  (more…)