The big news lately has been Facebook’s $5 billion IPO this week. The move, which is being lead by Morgan Stanley, comes just in time for Facebook’s eighth birthday. While Zuck’s salary will take a little dip to $1/year, he will own 28 percent of the company’s shares. The company is expected to go public in May.

Newsworthy Tidbits:

Our brand new app, ShootLocal, just launched for iPhone users! ShootLocal is a utility for photographers and videographers to save, share and discover new locations while easing the location scouting process.

Anonymous strikes against this week by releasing a confidential FBI call with British Scotland Yard and posting the entire audio recording on YouTube.

President Obama’s Startup America initiative aims to provide tax breaks for startup companies in hopes of generating new jobs and fueling the economy.

In an effort by the government to continue to hinder online piracy, 16 sports piracy websites got removed this week just before Superbowl Sunday

A recent study shows that new startup Pinterest trumps Youtube, Google+ and LinkedIn as a referral site, falling just below Twitter with 3.6 percent of referral traffic.

Be On the Lookout:

Windows Phone 8 (codename Apollo) will be a huge update for users and will likely include NFC (Near Field Communication) technology to allow wallet functionality and other exciting new features.

Related articles

• On Its Eighth Birthday, Facebook Files to Raise $5 Billion in Massive IPO (Get Your S-1 Here!) (allthingsd.com)
• Windows Phone 8 ‘Apollo’ may offer support for Skype, NFC, more (venturebeat.com)
• Is Pinterest the New Facebook? (newsy.com)

Slowly, the excitement in one day of ads has drifted into the digital world, allowing for these campaigns to have some longevity and giving non-sports fans a chance to see what they missed. This year, it’s going one step further.

When Google first rolled out its Hangout video chats for Google+, a large part of its plan was to allow users to hang out and watch YouTube videos together.  While many people were questioning the use of this feature, now we’re seeing what Google really had on the radar.

On Monday, Feb. 6, CNBC’s sports business reporter Darren Rovell, will be the host and industry expert for an NBC Sports ‘ Google+ Hangout discussion of the Super Bowl commercials.

The Super Bowl is hands down the biggest single day of the year for advertisers. With the eyes of millions of Americans tuned in to watch the game as well as the TV commercials, the commercials have become as notorious as the game itself.

During the Hangout, Rovell will review the Super Bowl commercials, discuss the ads, and interact with fans on YouTube’s Ad Blitz, the page where the site asks users to vote on their favorite Super Bowl ads. The goal is to find out what commercials worked best and which didn’t.

On Friday evening, Feb. 17 during his NBC Sports Network show CNBC SportsBiz: Game On, Rovell will reveal the winning ad selected by YouTube Ad Blitz users. To enhance marketing efforts further, YouTube will also be showing NBC ads and serving up promos for the big game all weekend long.

“The day after the Super Bowl is when people head back to their office water coolers to discuss what they loved and what they didn’t,” Rovell said. “Our conversation is about taking all those water cooler conversations and bringing it to a national, digital stage.”

Why is the Super Bowl the biggest single day of the year for advertisers?

The Super Bowl is the biggest day of the year not just for football, but for advertising as well.  Viewer’s expectations of advertisements during the game are high. Are they going to be funny? Entertaining? Emotional? Engaging? Instead of getting up to go to the bathroom or grabbing a nice cold beer, let’s get them to stay in front of the TV.

The Super Bowl typically has the highest ratings of the year for any sponsored tv show. With over 100 million viewers, you can see why advertisers are so eager to reach such a large audience.  Wouldn’t you be?

Last year’s results from The Nielsen Company for Super Bowl XLV on FOX had an average audience of 111 million viewers, surpassing 2010’s Super Bowl, and broke the record for the most watched television program of all time in the U.S.  The game was viewed in 53.3 million households.

Are you joining in? Go Giants!

Needing some serious juice, you turn to the internet.  What are the odds?  Patriots favored by just over three points. Good to know, but you need more. You need to know something others do not.  How will Gronkowski’s ankle hold up after getting injured in the third quarter of AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens?  Is Eli Manning healthy after getting sacked six times and knocked down a dozen more by the 49ers?

The Social Lowdown

So you check the blogs, sports sections of online papers, and even contemplate shelling out fifty bucks for an ESPN Insider account.  Then you realize, social media’s the place to go.  Get some real-time, crowd-sourced “insider” knowledge.  Maybe Victor Cruz’s best friend’s cousin’s cousin knows Cruz is battling an undisclosed hamstring injury and won’t be 100%.  Surely he’ll want to share this with his closest friends, his Twitter followers.  So you search, “Victor Cruz Injury Superbowl.”  Nothing. You widen the search to “Unknown Superbowl Injuries.” Nothing.  Then, “Gronkowski ankle Superbowl.” Score.

He’s a Gamer

Great.  He’s a gamer, he’s in.  Now, what are people betting on? You try “Superbowl Bet”:

Where to Place that Cool Million

Well, the hip hop community seems tuned in.  But not being in the market to place a $1M bet you move on, scale it back, looking for the diamond in the rough.  Then with, “Superbowl Injuries,” you find your gold:

Betting on Pyrotechnics

This is exactly what you need.  Madonna won’t be at the top of her game.  Clearly, this will affect the line on “Will any pyrotechnics emit from Madonna or her clothing during the Halftime Show?” prop-bet on Vegasinsider.com.  She certainly will have to scrap any pyrotechnics if there is a chance she can’t stop, drop and roll.

There you have it, with just a few searches on Twitter you found out the Patriots offense should operate without a hitch, that you’re in the wrong industry if you want to throw a million dollars on a single game, and Madonna will likely not have pyrotechnics emitting from her body during her halftime performance.  Great info!

The 100%

Kidding aside, social media has become an invaluable tool in social interaction.  From spreading news to toppling governments (Egypt) it has become a vital part of our daily consumption.   As use expands and is refined, it will be interesting to see how it molds society’s culture.  Our grandparents’ Soap Box was our parents’ Squawk Box. Social Media is our platform.  A policy-sword wielded by the “100%,” irrespective of paycheck size or residence zip code. It can spark debate, kick-start grassroots movements, or exploit/expose corruptness with a single tweet or post.  It’s bi-partisan.  It’s powerful.

*We’ll leave source reliability alone for a separate post

Google has been making some major changes lately and this week was consumed with news of Google’s attempt at streamlining their properties and narrowing their focus on key products. The most controversial this week was Google’s announcement was about the consolidation of its privacy policy into one universal document to suit all of its’ properties. This would give Google permission to ‘follow’ users that are logged into their Google accounts as they move across Google+, Gmail, Youtube and any other Google website. This hits Android users particularly, as they are almost always signed in to their Google accounts in order to download apps, Gmail and chat. This move comes after some question about Google’s search integrity for including Google + profiles in search results, which was announced last week. On that note, the creation of a Gmail or Google+ account now requires that a user first have a Google account.

In another effort to consolidate, Google will be shutting down another slew of products including Picnik, Social Graph, Google Sky Map and Google Message Continuity. The fate of some seems to be permanent, however Picnik will likely be integrated into Google+ after the site shuts down in April.

Finally, Google’s new search algorithm will rank sites lower if they have too many advertisements.

Newsworthy Tidbits:

Co-CEOs of RIM Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie have stepped down, leaving former COO Thornstein Heins as the new CEO.

Apple Q4 results indicated record-breaking numbers with $46.3 billion in revenue, selling 37 million iPhones and 15 million iPads.

Facebook is looking to partner with Vevo and host their video content exclusively.

Anonymous publicly threatened to take down Facebook on January 29

Just when we thought SOPA and PIPA legislation was gone, an international law called ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement) was signed by the European Commission (including the US) this week. The law, which is similar to SOPA but with more reach, still needs to be passed by the English Parliament and affects the use of any copyrighted information whether online or offline. We encourage readers to read more about ACTA.

Be on the Lookout:

HP announced that open source rollout for webOS will take place in September.

Google Music will be adding functionality for Android users to download songs from their online music library, whether they uploaded the music or purchased it through Google’s music store.

The need for complete integration is being championed by venture capitalists Roger McNamee and Mike Maples. Who are they and why do their opinions matter? Well, Roger McNamee is just the guy that told Zuckerberg not to sell Facebook and Maples is that nut that invested in Twitter and Digg. It is safe to say these two know what they’re talking about in regards to internet trends.

Where is it happening already?

Since Roger McNamee introduced his idea about the future of the internet this summer, there have been many tangible examples of his prediction popping up all over the digital landscape.

Share Links on Websites. Social share links have long been a mainstay of many blogs and websites, but they are now becoming almost the standard. The ability to transfer information you find on a website to your own personal channels is pretty much the definition of integration. So while using one button to take a cat meme from a blog to your Facebook page may not seem like a huge concept, but its far reaching.

iOS. Apple’s mobile platform on the iPhone and iPad is very keenly aware of this coming internet revolution. The launch of iOS 5 and the iPhone 4S have solidified this fact. From the cross app relationships programmed into the phone (take a picture: tweet it, text it, email it) to the sultry voice recognition goddess, Siri; the integration is already at play in the Apple universe.

Google+ Search Integration. Much to the chagrin of Twitter, Google has recently made changes to its algorithm to include relevant posts in the Google+ community first in search results. Shortsightedly, this may seem like a vain attempt by Google to increase the presence of its own social network. Undoubtedly, increasing Google+’s presence is the immediate goal, but it is also just the first piece of a much larger ‘Googlenet’ puzzle.

What will this integration become?

The internet already dictates the way we consume information and influences how we live our lives. Further integration will make our use of different internet channels feel almost involuntary, like breathing or blinking. Where now you have the ability to ask Siri, “what does the weather look like outside?”, you will eventually be able to ask her much deeper and far-reaching questions. Mike Maple envisions a future where you will be able to say “if something about my day is about to get screwed up, will you please tell me?” and Siri will generate a response based on your emails, calendars, notes, social networking accounts and all other possible channels. There is a huge market for services and products that will help to fluidly integrate the many fragmented pieces of our online identity.

You might even be able to imagine a not too distant future where all of our preferences and online identities are integrated into one. Imagine a service where you could simply ask “How do I feel about SOPA?” and it could simply let you know that you hate it, without you having to spend the time forming your own opinions.

Wait, isn’t that terrifying?

Yes, this extrapolation of the future evolution of the internet is a bit terrifying and 1984-esque. But is it really Big Brother controlling these answers though? In our hopeful version of the future, Hyperweb information will be based on YOUR own individual activities and opinions. This scenario is still very much a thing of the future. According to venture capitalists Mike Maple and Roger McNamee, there’s a whole lot of money to be made creating the technologies and programs to support this vision. It would be wise to jump on this wave of technology early, before Skynet starts building Terminators and wipes us all off the map.

Just a day after the internet-wide strike on anti-piracy legislation SOPA and PIPA, the federal government orchestrated a shutdown of MegaUpload, a file sharing site notorious for the sharing of copyrighted content. In an act of retaliation, hacker group Anonymous attacked several entertainment industry websites including the RIAA, MPAA and Universal Studios. They also targeted the Department of Justice and FBI websites, the two organizations responsible for the MegaUpload shutdown.

Newsworthy Tidbits:

Wednesday’s SOPA and PIPA strike was unavoidable to most internet users as 75,000 different websites blacked out in protest of the legislation. In addition, Google’s petition “End Piracy, Not Liberty” gathered 4.5 million participants.

The result: Congress postponed the vote indefinitely.

Kodak filed for bankruptcy this week.

Facebook announced more than 60 new Open Graph applications that will integrate with Timeline including Pinterest, UrbanSpoon and TicketMaster.

Apple’s big announcement on Thursday confirmed rumors regarding digital textbooks and the company’s new focus on education. The move towards education includes the introduction of iBooks 2, iBooks Author and a revamped iTunes U. While the iBooks improvements concentrate on digital textbooks, iTunes U will allow for full online classes and lectures.

Former TechCrunch writer Sarah Lacey started her own technology and startup news website, PandoDaily, which launched this week with $2.5 million in funding.

For the first time, Apple released a full list of their suppliers and, in doing so, exposed a list of labor violations. They have worked to surpress the number of violations by conducting frequent audits of their manufacturers.

Be On the Lookout:

Foursquare will be adding 250,000 restaurant menus to various restaurant locations. The menus are currently available at foursquare.com and will integrate into the mobile apps.

Rumors have been floating around that there will be new 7-inch and 10-inch Blackberry Playbook tablets.

The two sites orchestrating the strike were SOPAStrike.com and AmericanCensorship.org, working under non-profit Fight for the Future. The sites provided the full list of participating groups, which preliminary numbers say included 75,000 sites. The big names leading the strike included Google, Reddit, WordPress and Wikipedia. The latter spurred a trending topic on Twitter, #FactsWithoutWikipedia, where users tweeted incorrect tidbits to keep friends informed during Wikipedia’s absence.

While some complain that this act of unity across the web was not enough of an effort on the part of the American people, many were pleased last night when President Obama announced that he would veto the current SOPA and PIPA bills if they crossed his desk. While this hasn’t put an end to the bill, it has slowed the process and puts pressure on legislators to continue working on a new solution.

For those of you who didn’t catch all of yesterday’s blacked out websites, from the iconic Google to the hilarious animation from TheOatmeal, we’ve compiled our favorite acts of protest:

“My internship at Digital Surgeons allowed me to develop skills that I continue to use on a daily basis.”

During the three months I spent as a marketing and writing intern at Digital Surgeons, I acquired invaluable digital marketing skills that helped me land a job post college graduation. From SEO and social media marketing to writing for an online audience and link building, my internship at Digital Surgeons allowed me to develop skills that I continue to use on a daily basis.

Currently, I work for Eaton & Berube Insurance Agency, Inc., a New Hampshire insurance agency, as our Internet Marketing Specialist. From our blog and many social media pages to on- and off-page SEO for our website, I handle all of our digital marketing initiatives. Writing press releases, creating advertisements for community events we sponsor, and completing small web design projects are also among my job responsibilities. Without my Digital Surgeons internship, I would have lacked the skills needed to complete many of these tasks.

Working at Digital Surgeons not only prepared me for a career in the Internet marketing industry, but it also introduced me to a positive professional work environment. The employees at Digital Surgeons worked well together, creating an inspiring atmosphere in the sense that they taught us new things, and seemed genuinely excited about it. Everyone seemed to have a great sense of humor and would joke around, which made the work environment enjoyable (but still professional).

I am extremely grateful for having the opportunity to intern at Digital Surgeons – an experience that played a significant role in preparing me for a career in the digital marketing industry. My internship equipped me with an excellent foundation of marketing and writing skills that has allowed me to not only get a job (and one I enjoy) but also to further develop these techniques and excel in my position. I attribute many of the skills my current job requires to Digital Surgeons, where I began learning and practicing them.

Alyssa DellaCamera
Marketing & Writing Internship, Fall 2010

CES, the Las Vegas-based Consumer Electronics Show thats ends today, has been a whirlwind of the thinnest this and the fastest that from ultrabooks to smart TVs. It can be a bit  overwhelming (some have even complained that the conference has gotten “too big”), so we’re sharing the big announcements and some of our favorite shiny new gadgets:

• AT&T announced the Samsung Galaxy Note and five other new devices, including the HTC Titan 2 (the first Windows phone with LTE).
• MySpace made an appearance (with celeb owner Justin Timberlake) to announce that they are partnering with Panasonic to create a social TV experience.
• Samsung unveiled a voice and gesture controlled television
• Vizio brings the first ultra widescreen television to the US, with  a 21:9 aspect ratio
• RIM displayed the Playbook 2.0, a huge advancement  on the first version of the product equipped with the company’s exemplary messaging client that allows for multiple windows to be open at once.

Newsworthy Tidbits:

Album sales up for the first time since 2004, and digital sales beat out physical music sales in 2011 for the first time ever.

Spotify free unlimited music service to end for initial users. New users are granted a 6-month free trial when they sign up. 10 hours of music from here on out unless they upgrade to one of paid plans ($4.99/month for the ad-free version or $9.99/month for offline and mobile access)

Google adds G+ results to search, causing an outcry from Twitter that the move is “bad for people.”

Be on the Lookout:

Verizon confirmed the Droid 4 early this week, a 4G LTE supported device with a slide-out keyboard.

Facebook “Listen With”  button has been rolling out for Spotify users. The button allows Facebook users to chat and listen to music controlled by their friends.

AT&T will be allowing HTML 5 apps in their App Store, removing the pressure on developers to choose iOS or Android.

Everyone’s talking about the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas, NV, which begins Monday (1/10) and will provide a preview of the exciting new products hitting the market in 2012.  Keynote speakers this year will include representatives from Microsoft, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Verizon and YouTube. The biggest names in consumer electronics will be in attendance, showing off their new toys. One notable exception is Apple, who will be there in spirit as companies offer iDevice covers and accessories.  We’ll know for sure next week, but we can expect ultrabooks and connected televisions to be huge at next week’s conference as they have consumed preview coverage. Until then, we will just have to wait patiently (and hope TechCrunch continues to fight with itself over the conference’s importance).

Newsworthy Tidbits:

The Samsung Galaxy Note, the tablet-smartphone hybrid, is definitely on it’s way, though the details are still a little shaky.

More news from RIM as 2012 seems to bring a new focus to the company’s initiatives. It was announced this week that co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Basillie may be replaced as the chairmen of the board. In addition, RIM has cancelled plans for two Blackberry 10 devices, to center their efforts around one new device, the London.

Google has acquired more than 200 patents from IBM, the most notable being a patent that could impact Google Plus.

Apple is planning a media event slated for this month. Speculation thus far has indicated this event will likely be about iBooks, with a possible textbook integration, while rumors continue to swirl about the event featuring the newest iPad 3 or even the Apple TV.

Yahoo has appointed former Paypal president Scott Thompson as their new CEO.

Be on the Lookout:

Google is rumored to be launching a tablet which will be cheaper than the Kindle Fire.