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September 2010

Google TV – Your world in one

By Cheryl | Posted in Google, Twitter at 12 | September 30, 2010 – 12:09 pm

GoogleTVWhat are the main things in life that people can’t live without? Television, internet, mobile phones, holidays, alcohol. Ok, ok, for the sake of this blog the first two are the most important!

Google have recently announced Google TV, which aims to cut out the divide between television and internet and put them in to a singular entertainment device.

It is becoming more common for people to watch their favourite programs on the internet, as popular ‘catch up’ players are now streamed across the web. I see missing EastEnders as a good thing, some people don’t (we can’t all be perfect eh?).

In Google’s own words, they want ‘the best of TV and the best of web in one seamless experience’.

The idea of Google TV is for you to be capable of switching between your TV and the internet with the press of a button. A search function is available for you to look for your favourite programs, movies and YouTube videos and access them immediately.

This technology will eventually end up being integrated in to televisions, and Google are currently talking with Sony, Logitech and Intel about such a possibility. By the sounds of things, this could be an extremely popular service as people look to combine all their favourite gadgets in to one simple device.

For all those techies out there, as the system is built on open platforms such as Android and Google Chrome, developers can build web and Android apps specifically for the TV experience.

Google TV will have a lot of competition in the market, the most notable being AppleTV, so how will it fare? As Android is an established brand it shouldn’t have too many problems fitting in, plus the possibility of a cheaper sale price than their competitors wouldn’t hurt sales.

So…how much will it cost?

As Google TV is not out until next year the price is currently unavailable, but there is talk of an a starting estimate price of around £150.

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Nokia outsells both Android and iPhone

By Cheryl | Posted in Mobile, Twitter at 12 | September 29, 2010 – 12:09 pm

NokiaNokia has been getting rather a hard time of late and we think it has something to do with a couple of little products called Android and iPhone… bullies…

Here at QuadroNation we thought it was about time to become a bit of a peacemaker and look at what is really happening with a brand that still sees itself as a world leader in mobile phone industry.

There’s been a lot of talk about numbers lately with Apple claiming the iPhone ships around 80,000 a day while the Android claims to sells a staggering 200,000. A lot of people expected Nokia to fall way below this line, but it turns out this isn’t the case.

Nokia’s EVP of Markets, Niklas Savander, had the following to say at Nokia World 2010:
“We’re not going to apologise for the fact we’re not Apple or Google or Samsung, or anyone else. We’re Nokia. Our market is the world, and when it comes to our customers we know that just one device will not satisfy all of them.”

Good for you Niklas!

And he continues to back up his claims.

He added that they are now shipping around 260,000smartphones a day, which is likely to increase with the N8 model already nearing the 50 million mark.

But Niklas couldn’t get through the event without taking the occasional shot at Apple, the highlight being: “They perform, day-in, day-out… no matter how you hold them.”

Oooooo! Pass me a handbag!

With Apple just offering the single device it’s looking like a two horse race between Google’s Android and Nokia’s Smartphones if you ask me, as they both currently offer many different models.

To finish with a quote from the EVP, “Today is about three words, Nokia is back.”

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How can email marketing benefit you?

By Cheryl | Posted in Marketing, Services, Twitter at 12 | September 28, 2010 – 12:02 pm

E-mailYou’ve got mail! There’s no Tom Hanks or Meg Ryan in sight, but email marketing can be just as powerful on your (computer) screens…

Email marketing is a useful form of marketing, using email campaigns to communicate your message to a large audience. A lot of businesses find it beneficial compared to other marketing mediums because the cost is less and it can be delivered to a large audience in a instant.

Also, targeting individual groups is a lot easier; what you would send to one group you wouldn’t send to another, using an automated system makes it easier to organise your contact lists and target them for different campaigns.



How could Email Marketing benefit your business?

  • Everything can be tracked from unsubscribes, soft bounces, hard bounces and click-throughs.
  • Return in investment is high, only second to search engine optimization and paid placement.
  • You can directly target people who have opted to receive emails from you, therefore you know that the subject is of interest.
  • Over half of internet users check or send e-mail everyday so your advertising is more than likely going to be noticed.
  • You can add links back to your site or products directly from the email, meaning more hits to your website, hopefully leading to more business.




    • Email Marketing doesn’t have to be hard and if you’ve got the right software behind you, it can be as easy as a few clicks and send!

    It just so happens we offer this service (the coincidence eh!). For more information visit http://www.quadronation.com/marketing/email-marketing.php

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    Google Android Market & Apple App Store

    By Nicola | Posted in Android, Gadgets, Google, Mobile | September 23, 2010 – 11:11 am

    How many times do you hear one of your friends or a family member talking about the latest application they have downloaded for their phone?

    I’m sure we have all been ‘Fat-booth-ed’ or enjoyed played a virtual Vuvuzela but how do two of the biggest names currently on the market compare when it comes to apps?

    Apple are ahead of the competition at the moment with currently home to around 250,000 apps, placing them ahead of Android’s 95,000; but if you look at paid versus free apps, Android is miles ahead with a large percentage.

    So, why is there such a large gap?

    One simple reason – Out of an estimated 46 countries that sell Android based phones, only 14 can purchase the apps with 9 of the 14 actually allowing developers to sell apps. Android phones have been on the market for about two years now, yet Google have still not managed to resolve this issue.

    This is the reason why the availability of free apps is so high. A lot of Android developers have no choice but to give away their apps for free rather than selling them to users.

    Money, money, money

    In recent times, developers have found that they can generally make more money on iPhone apps rather than Android ones, but Apple’s upload rules are a lot stricter.

    As we know, Apple are very protective over their products and the app store is no exception. Developers have to submit their apps to Apple for approval to the store, which can take days or weeks.

    Google on the other hand have left their market more open to developers, allowing the users themselves to decide whether they want the application rather than Google making the decision for them.

    Piracy

    Because of the Android Markets restrictions, a lot of people have turned to piracy to get the paid apps not offered to them. Google have put measures in place to stop this from happening, but many feel their efforts should have been put in to expanding the list of accepted countries rather than stopping piracy that could be have stopped by simply allowing everyone to purchase apps.

    The best?

    For me Android wins, but then again, paid apps are available in my country! Google’s willingness to have a more open source platform wins over Apple’s strict guidelines. Maybe everyone will feel the same once paid apps are fully supported in all countries.

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    Five New Account Wins For Digital Marketing And PR Specialists Quadronation

    By Nicola | Posted in Marketing, News, PR, website | September 22, 2010 – 1:21 pm

    QuadroNationLeading digital marketing and PR specialists QuadroNation have won five new accounts adding to their ever-expanding portfolio.

    North West bar and club chain Baa Bar, vehicle rental firm Bank View Hire and SGG Environmental Services Ltd have all signed major contracts with the India Buildings based firm, which will see them designing new websites, devising bespoke mobile phone applications and developing innovative online marketing strategies in the next few weeks.

    The QuadroNation team will also be working with leading London-based gallery IAP Fine Art and also the official information website for renowned artist Chris Gollon, who has exhibited with the likes of Yoko Ono, David Bowie, Tracey Emin and Gavin Turk.

    Technical Director Andrew Hilton said: “We are delighted to have such an extensive list of strong brands on board. We recognised the demand from businesses for fresh and dynamic ideas and their need for online and offline activities that make a direct return on investment.

    “Despite what many have seen as a difficult market, we are achieving a rapid growth, which I believe will continue in the forthcoming months.”

    QuadroNation, whose total client base has now reached more than 30 businesses, specialises in a range of services within Design, Development, Marketing and PR and aims to point clients in the right direction when it comes to their online strategy.

    Andrew added: “We definitely have a busy few months ahead of us and the future of QuadroNation is looking extremely promising. For us, it’s about having that competitive edge and providing measurable results to our clients on a regular basis.”

    For more information please contact Nicola Rowlands at QuadroNation on 07507 652 026 or at nicolarowlands@quadronation.com

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    Yahoo bids to get its cool back…Move over Facebook and Bing

    By Nicola | Posted in News, Twitter at 12 | September 22, 2010 – 11:59 am

    yahoo logoYahoo, formally known as the world’s most visited home page, is bidding to ‘get its cool back’ according to its chief products officer with the use of a new product strategy to make the web more personal.

    Having gone head-to-head with the likes of Facebook and Bing, who it lost its number two search engine spot to in the US, Yahoo has started to go down a steep hill, which has seen its page views slipping and a number of product launches failing to excite the world’s press.

    But there is one man who believes he can change all that. No, not Superman, Batman, not even Captain America… it is a guy called Blake Irving.

    After just 100 days in his new job, he has decided to unveil what he believes to be a fool proof plan to get Yahoo back to its former glory.

    He said: “You are going to see things that happen fast, that are innovative and that make customers and advertisers delighted. Yahoo in three years is a global series of web experiences across a variety of different devices that gives people what they want; the content, the folks that they care about.”

    “There is a bunch of bringing cool back to Yahoo saying a lot of the things that you want to do on the web are here.”

    So there.

    In fact, in the next few months as part of his plans, Yahoo will be showcasing a number of new products. These will include:

  • a version of Yahoo mail that is faster, has an improved user interface, blocks spam and integrates with Facebook and Twitter
  • a fresh layout in Yahoo Search that presents more content around entertainment and news searches
  • a Yahoo iPad and tablet app due for release in 2010/2011
  • revamped ad formats
  • connected TV partnerships with video-on-demand content sources, social networks, games and shopping




    • Talking to BBC News, Mr Irving said: “I think in the next 15 years more than half of users will be accessing services through mobile devices. I see it with my own kids who are just as comfortable typing on glass as they are on a keyboard.

    “It’s going to be a different world and a huge percentage of what Yahoo will do, will not be on PCs.”

    Makes sense really?

    Irving looks like he is already getting the backing of the remainder of Yahoo’s committed fans, who have continued to stick with the brand when the ‘new guys’ came on to the scene.

    And even his new colleagues are loving his ideas.

    Yahoo’s chief technology officer Raymie added: “You have to be committed to building leading edge experiences and that is what we at Yahoo are doing and I think all these mobile connected devices represents a tremendous opportunity for us to recommit ourselves and to engage and delight users.”

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    Can Bebo make a comeback?

    By Cheryl | Posted in Entertainment, Internet, Twitter at 12, website | September 20, 2010 – 11:43 am

    Bebo was launched in 2005 and with 34 million users and 7 billion monthly page views, it became a huge hit. The site allowed users to customise their profile by posting blogs, music, videos, photographs and questionnaires.

    AOL acquired the site at its peak in 2008 for $850 million, but was soon overtaken by other sites, most notably Facebook. After interest continued to wane, AOL announced in April 2010 that it was planning to sell or shutdown Bebo, eventually selling the site to Criterion Capital Partners for an undisclosed sum (rumoured to be less than $10 million…ouch!).

    AOL CEO Tim Armstrong had this to say about the deal:

    “The deal will allow Bebo’s users to remain within the social platform that they know and love, while enabling a new owner to bring new possibilities and experiences to bear. Criterion Capital Partners are specialists in facilitating growth plans and turnarounds and are well placed to drive Bebo’s effort to strengthen its foothold within the highly competitive social networking arena”.

    Despite over a 50% drop in unique visitors in the span of a year, CCP believe that they still have a strong user base, with the UK currently being home to their largest number of users.

    Can Bebo’s luck be turned around?

    Can CCP turn around a company that has a declining user base and ad revenue? You don’t see it happen often so it’s very much a hit-or-miss situation, especially as it would be in direct competition with Facebook (and their 500 million users). With details of how they plan to rejuvenate Bebo’s fortunes not yet released, people continue to wonder what they can possibly do to drive people back.

    Will it work?

    With social network giants such as Facebook and Twitter, I don’t fancy its chances…

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    10 random facts about video gaming

    By Jemma | Posted in Entertainment, Gadgets, Gaming, Twitter at 12 | September 17, 2010 – 12:02 pm

    game consolesVideo games have been around for half a century and they have continued to advance through the years at a rapid rate. As technology advances, gaming is becoming increasingly more popular and users are willing to invest hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds in their games consoles.

    So here are some random facts about the gaming world

  • The first home video game was called the Magnavox Odyssey also known as “The Brown Box”.
  • The Sega Dreamcast was the first console to bring out online play over a phone line, it was called Sega Net.
  • The average gamer is approximately 33 years old and has been gaming for 12 years.
  • The PlayStation 2 was the first video game to have DVD technology.
  • Nintendo’s Gameboy was the most successful gaming device ever, with over 100 million sold worldwide.
  • Mario is named after landlord of early Nintendo of America warehouse, Mario Shigali.
  • Xbox’s original name was Directbox, it was created by DirectX Creators.
  • 2 out of 5 gamers are female.
  • 18 hours is the average time spent per week playing video games.
  • The first colour portable video game system was the Atari Lynx, introduced in 1989.
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    New and improved Twitter on the way!

    By Cheryl | Posted in Social networking, Twitter at 12 | September 16, 2010 – 11:51 am

    Twitter New LogoTwitter has just announced a complete revamp of the site, replacing the original single-pane layout with a two-sided pane view.

    Since its creation, users have always had to click links which take them to an external site to view media; this change means that anything can now be viewed in the right pane without leaving the Twitter screen.

    There’s been a change to the profile pages too, with a bigger picture and more prominent bio with the added bonus of viewing other users’ profiles in the right pane, rather than clicking through to each page.

    The reason for Twitter’s overhaul? They wanted to integrate media from other sites, with 16 deals being made with photo and video sites including YouTube, Vimeo, UStream, TwitPic and Flickr allowing them to have visual content embedded on the site.

    From left to right
    On the left pane, under your timeline, you will find @mentions, retweets, searches, and lists, creating a single streamlined view.

    The right side will continue to show the usual features such as followers and trending topics. This will also be were user profiles and media appear.

    It’s the little things that make a difference
    One of the best of the new additions for me is the overlaying ‘What’s happening’ box. Originally, the box was confined to the top of the page and even though the box remains there, you can click the paper/pen icon on the upper right to compose a new tweet, meaning you can tweet without losing your place in the message stream.

    Going with their own ‘more keyboard, less mouse’ approach, a shortcut has also been added to the overlaying comment box, and pressing “n” on your keyboard will open a new box.

    Another subtle change made is next to everyone’s username, real names have been added in light gray so as to not be intrusive. This could be useful and is a nice touch, but maybe should have been kept solely on the profile view on the right pane instead.

    Flickr
    All Flickr fans will be excited by the integration of their favourite images site. You are now able to share a link to an entire Flickr set of pictures, view all the thumbnails in the right pane and even view pictures in a slideshow, which is automatically created.

    During their press conference, the team at Twitter said they had been focusing a lot on infrastructure and reliability, noting their growth wasn’t easy to handle but they were working on it. We probably won’t be saying goodbye to the whale soon, but with Twitter seeing around 90 million tweets a day, I’m sure we can forgive them for a small amount of downtime.

    The end of desktop apps?
    People have made a living out of creating apps, including TweetDeck, aimed at developing on the features Twitter is missing. Does this new update make Twitter clients irrelevant? Probably not. People are always going to want features that Twitter doesn’t give them, plus a lot of users don’t like to keep their browser open all day, meaning a small app running in the corner of their screen will always be their preference.

    Shortcuts…less effort!
    The new Twitter is all about keyboard shortcuts, here are some of the options you have to choose from:

    Actions
    j next tweet
    k previous tweet
    Enter to drill down into or close a selected tweet
    Space page down
    Shift+Space page up
    / jump to the search box
    . refresh and jump back to the top

    Individual actions
    f : favourite a tweet
    r : reply to a tweet
    t : retweet
    m : send a direct message
    n : compose a new tweet
    Esc : cancel a compose window or help window

    Is it available now?
    The latest version is currently rolling out and should be completed within the next few weeks.

    Improvement?
    Twitter is well known for its simplistic style and this new layout doesn’t deter far from the original. They have done a great job in
    bringing together other sites and making it easier to view tweets and profiles. Now the wait until we can try it out…

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    Home Cinema system, to buy or not to buy?

    By Jemma | Posted in Entertainment, Twitter at 12 | September 15, 2010 – 11:36 am

    More and more Brits are swapping their cinema tickets for a home cinema system, saving them money by choosing to have the cinema experience at home.

    But why?

    The main reason for this is obviously the expense of going to the cinema, it can cost up to £11 per person to see the latest flick and that’s not including the popcorn, sweets, drinks etc.

    Another factor is comfort. Cinemas can be made to get as many seats as possible rammed into one space meaning elbows here, heads there, it can be very annoying. But when you’re at home you don’t need to worry about any of that and you can relax in your own surroundings.

    No interruptions, no distractions and most of all no hole in your pocket.

    But are we losing out on the whole experience of the cinema? For a lot of people the answer would be no.

    Home cinema systems are becoming more and more popular with Argos seeing a 45% increase year on year for them.

    A buyer at Argos, Lee Tinsley said “Families are now able to watch blockbuster releases at the quality that they would expect at the cinema and at a record speed of conversion to DVD.”

    Will home cinema become the next big thing? Sounds good to me…

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