'Net Features : Apple, google

Google Zeitgeist 2010 Insights: How 'Bout Them Apples?

Mike Phillips — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 15:00:00 GMT

Google's annual analysis of search, Zeitgeist, has been released for 2010. Along with some unsurprising results - such as leading events of the Haiti earthquake, Chile and ... Justin Bieber - there are some interesting observations to be made; most notably that Apple is in the driver's seat.

The fastest rising search term of all in 2010 was "Chatroulette", the pseudo social network where one can video chat with strangers around the world. The search term dipped a bit after April and a wave of issues surrounding security and obscenity but is again on the rise. It's interesting to note that the United States was not in the top 10, when it comes to regional interest in the term.

"Twitter" makes an appearance in the top 10, as the eighth-fastest rising search of 2010, beating out "Facebook" at #10.

The second-fastest rising search term in 2010 was "iPad", which also led the way in fastest rising searches in the Consumer Electronics category. Also in that category was "iPhone 4" (#2) and "Nokia 5530" (#3). "BlackBerry Apps" came in at #6.

The Fastest Falling category sees "Swine Flu" at #1 and includes "Susan Boyle" (#5) and "MySpace Layouts" (#8). Looks like all those budding designers and hacks need a new network.

U.S. Only - Apple Domination

When looking at U.S.-only data, the Fastest Rising search term was "iPad", followed by "Chatroulette" at #2 and "iPhone 4" at #3. Apple makes other Fastest Rising appearances under Google News (#8), Google Image Search ('iPhone' #8, 'iPad' #10), Google Maps ('Apple Store' #8) and Google Product Search ('iPad' #1, 'iPhone 4 Cases' #10). If you're keeping score, that puts Apple in the top 10 of five of the six U.S. Zeitgeist categories (not including People.) The sixth category, if you were wondering, is Fastest Falling.

It's good to be Apple. Or, any business that can benefit from Apple. What Apple terms are particularly hot at this moment? Using Google Insights for Search, we can see rising searches of "Apple iPad" (of course), "Apple Announcement" (attention, bloggers) and "Verizon iPhone." It might be a good idea to look at long-tail "Apple" terms to see if your business can get in on the action.

As an aside, the U.S. Fastest Rising search category includes "Facebook" at #7 ... but no "Twitter." Also notable is that when you search "Twitter" with Google Insights for Search, "Twitter en Espanol" and "Twitter Espanol" are the two fastest rising terms. In addition, Zeitgeist for Mexico shows Fastest Rising searches "Facebook en Espanol" (#3) and "Twitter en Espanol" (#4). Food for thought.

Android Ads Get Interactive, Challenge Apple

Mike Phillips — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 15:51:00 GMT

According to Google, more than 200,000 Android-enabled devices are being activated on a daily basis - up from just 60,000 per day in February. Correspondingly, Android apps now number more than 100,000 - double the number of available apps in May. In short, Android is rolling. So, advertising is in hot pursuit.

Google's AdMob (their mobile advertising unit) is launching interactive video and interactive interstitial ad units on the Android platform. These interactive ads will automatically optimize for each user, by identifying the screen resolution, size and network connection speed.

According to the official Google Mobile Ads Blog, "AdMob interstitial ads are reserved for developers of the most popular and engaging iOS and Android apps. These high value ad units can be placed at app-open or in-app and provide an additional option for premium publishers to effectively monetize their user base."

This is yet another sign of Android's surging popularity and another step closer to pulling even with the iPhone. It won't be long now before Apple starts hearing footsteps from every possible angle - from phones to tablets, and apps to ads.

iPhone vs Android in AdMob's April 2010 Metrics Report

Pete Prestipino — Wed, 26 May 2010 16:00:00 GMT

Mobile advertising network Admob has unveiled its April 2010 Mobile Metrics report (http://metrics.admob.com/) and has compared unique devices running the android and iPhone Operating Systems in its network.

According to the report, the Android OS had its greatest concentration of unique devices in North America (75 percent) in April 2010, followed by Asia (12 percent) and Western Europe (11 percent). iPhone OS devices are more broadly distributed worldwide, but also had its greatest concentration in North America (49 percent), followed by Western Europe (28 percent) and Asia (14 percent).

In the US there was a 2 to 1 ratio of iPhone OS devices to Android OS devices; worldwide, that ratio expanded to 3.5 to 1. In AdMob’s network there were 8.7 million unique Android OS devices and 10.7 million unique iPhones in the United States in April 2010. But when non-phone devices running the iPhone OS – the iPod touch and iPad – are included, the number of unique devices jumps to 18.3 million in the US. Worldwide, there were 11.6 million unique Android OS devices, 27.4 million unique iPhones and 40.8 million unique iPhone OS devices.

FTC Approves Google AdMob Acquisition

Mike Phillips — Mon, 24 May 2010 14:40:00 GMT

The FTC on Friday approved Google's $750 million acquisition of mobile advertising network AdMob, clearing the path for Google's latest mobile strategy and fueling the rivalry with Apple, which acquired Quattro -- another major mobile advertising network -- in January, 2010. That deal seems to have helped Google avoid "monopoly" status in the mobile advertising space. "Apple did Google a huge favor," said David Balto, a former FTC official now a fellow at the Center for American Progress.

Look for mobile advertising to have a big year -- both through mobile search and, perhaps more important, via mobile apps working within Google' Android system and Apple's App Store and recently announced iAd advertising system. eMarketer predicts that mobile advertising will be a multi-billion dollar market as early as 2013.

Website Magazine's July, 2010 issue (available only to professional-level subscribers) focuses on mobile apps, mobile advertising and more. Register for a professional-level subscription today so you don't miss it.

Android on the Rise [Mobile Apps & Advertising]

Pete Prestipino — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:35:00 GMT

On what platform should you build a mobile application - iPhone, Android, RIM? Mobile advertising network Admob (soon to officially be a part of Google) has made available its October 2009 Mobile Metrics Report which might provide some answers.

New devices running the RIM and Android Operating Sytems are generating an increasing share of requests. Requests from Android devices in particular increased (5.8 times since April 2009) in the AdMob network. Additional highlights from the report include:

- In October 2009, 70 percent of iPhone OS requests came from the iPhone while the remaining 30 percent came from the iPod touch.

- In the US, the RIM 8300 Curve and 8100 Pearl series devices have consistently remained in the Top 20 devices over the last two years. In the UK, the 9000 Bold and 8900 Curve have seen strong growth and are now the number 10 and 11 devices, respectively.

- In the US, Android had 20 percent share of smartphone traffic, up from seven percent six months before, and the HTC Magic (myTouch 3G) and HTC Dream were both Top 10 devices. In the UK, the HTC Dream, HTC Magic, and HTC Hero are all Top 10 devices in the AdMob network.

- The Motorola CLIQ has also seen fast pickup since its launch at T-Mobile in the US and generated six percent of Android traffic on November 18.

- The top Symbian and Windows Mobile devices have not changed in 2009 and both platforms have lost smartphone share. One of Nokia's first touchscreen models, the 5800 XpressMusic, is the one of the few newcomers to the list of Top 20 Symbian devices in 2009.

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The Decade's Most Influential Internet Moments

Mike Phillips — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:30:00 GMT

The Webby Awards, handed out by New York's International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, have announced their list of the top 10 Internet moments of the decade. With just a quick scan, the list is impressive and underscores the incredible impact the Internet has had on most every aspect of our lives. For our purposes, let's take a look at how these innovations have changed the business world, and what they might lead to in the future.

In addition, don't miss Website Magazine's January issue - available only to professional-level members - where we examine the coming trends for Web business in 2010.

Craigslist online classified site expands outside San Francisco (2000)
Craigslist is one of the most heavily-trafficked sites on the Internet. It's also a prime example of how a website doesn't have to be beautiful to be highly effective. While design is important, craigslist shows us that functionality rules supreme. The site has also become a major online revenue generator for many businesses. Craigslist also drastically shortened the space between buyers and sellers while, at the same time, forces good old fashioned person-to-person sales.

The launch of Google AdWords (2000)
Perhaps nothing changed the online economy more than Google AdWords. What started as a search curiosity suddenly became an economic boon to Google, and thousands of online businesses. In fact, many business owe their entire existence to AdWords. Look for Google to keep innovating and never underestimate their power to make lightning-fast changes to the online business world.

The launch of online encyclopedia Wikipedia (2001)
Wikipedia was arguably the first major online success built by volunteers. It also showed that even the best intentions can be sullied - Wikipedia quickly came under fire for being a pool of innacuracies and marketing ploys. However, Wikipedia is solid proof that, given the oppportunity, users will take the time to contribute just because they can.

The shutdown of file-sharing site Napster (2001)
Napster taught us that the Internet might be untamed, but it is not without law. Napster also showed how quickly business plans can be changed and implemented online and that no online business is ever down and out, unless the business owner decides so.

Google's initial public offering (2004)
Perhaps one of the most fascinating companies in the history of business, Google is here to stay. With a $180 billion market capitilization, the loyalty of millions, and a dedication to and track record of producing stellar products and services which support its advertising initiatives, Google is the standard by which all exceptional businesses will be measured for decades to come.

The online video revolution led by YouTube (2006)
YouTube is amazing. For the first time, John and Jane Doe could be seen and heard by millions with the click of a mouse. YouTube has revolutionized our public eye. For online businesses, YouTube is an opportunity to add life to just about any product, and gives the chance for exposure that used to costs hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Facebook opens to non-college students and Twitter launches (2006)
The social media and networking revolution officially took hold in 2006. While the creases continue to be ironed out, social media is not a trend - it's become a major part of the online economy for those who work it properly. in fact, an entirely new workforce has been built around it. Businesses are realizing the power of social sites and should be getting involved, starting with a solid strategy. Social media has given businesses the ability to reach farther, faster. It's also forced businesses to be responsible for the quality of what they produce - the people have been empowered like never before, and they are using it to demand accountability.

Apple's iPhone debuts (2007)
The iPhone was a tremendous leap forward in mobile technology that has yet to be surpassed. Users have never had more power in the palm of their hands. It's also structuring a new industry, from apps to mobile banking and beyond. "Mobile" has finally arrived - and it all started with the iPhone.

The use of the Internet in the US presidential campaign (2008)
Barack Obama won the 2008 election in large part due to his campaign's mastery of the Internet. "Yes We Can" rang true - the public's voice was never stronger. Politics changed forever in 2008 and it also proved that grass-roots movements had a most powerful ally in the Internet. One of the lessons we can learn from the 2008 race is that success online is not free - Obama spent more than $7.5 million advertising on Google. And millions more on multiple other online channels.

The use of Twitter during the Iranian election protests (2009)
The Iranian protests are just one example of how Twitter can spread a message to millions of people in a matter of seconds. Where Facebook relies on friends, Twitter relies on loosely connected associations. But while loose, these connections have the ability to influence millions. Twitter also shows us how quickly businesses need to understand new technologies - before they are used against us.

Google's Android Developer Challenge Winners

Mike Phillips — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:46:00 GMT

Out of 50 teams of finalists, Google judges selected 10 to receive $275,000 each and 10 to receive $100,000 each for developing innovative applications for the much anticipated mobile Android application.

The $275,000 grand prize winners included cab4me (integrates Google Maps and GPS to order a cab with one click), GoCart (scan barcodes with a mobile camera to see the best prices online and at nearby stores) and Wertago (a social networking and real-world socializing tool).

Some of the $100,000 winners included Maverick (a Google Talk IM and blogging tool), Pocket Journey (a personal tour guide) and Teradesk e-Storage (a cloud-based file storage and access application). See the full list.

An interesting battle is shaping up between Apple's iPhone and its suite of applications and Google's Android. Everyone from Wired to The New York Times is speculating that T-Mobile will be the first to carry Android with the launch of their full touch-screen (with a slide-out keyboard) G1 device, complete with a very limited 3G network- possibly a major problem. But, unlike the iPhone, Android will be able to run on any number of devices, as long as the deal is sweet enough. The rumors point to a mid-September/early-October release date.