Archive for the ‘progressive’ Category

Google+: Is It Worth the Switch?

Just when we had all mastered the ins and outs of Facebook and Twitter, there’s a new kid on the block, and it’s changing the way things are done.

A few months ago, Google rolled out the beta version of its new social network, Google+. The test phase recently ended, making the site completely public and allowing anyone to join. So, what separates Google+ from other social networks? The main difference is that you can interact with people  and brands online the same way you do offline.

Whereas Twitter is public, and Facebook is generally private, Google+ is somewhere in the middle. Google+ has users organize their contacts into various circles – friends, family, acquaintances, etc., so that just like in real life, you can share a hilarious photo from last night’s party with your friends, while leaving your mom and your boss completely oblivious to it.

And much like real life, you are under no obligation to share information with someone just because they choose to do so with you. Someone can add you to their circle and share posts, photos and other things with you, but you don’t have to add them to one of your circles in return, so your personal life stays personal.

Google+ allows you to go beyond your inner circle and share with your extended circles – essentially friends of friends. Because really, no one ever just socializes with only their own friends; friends bring their friends along to events, you socialize with your spouse’s co-workers at Christmas parties, and you become acquainted with them as well. It allows people to socialize and get to know each other in a way that they naturally would offline. Features like hangouts and Messenger let you decide who you want to chat with, how you want to chat with them (video or text), and allow for group chats, which further opens up social interaction beyond the traditional limits of online communication.

There are some features that might look familiar – the +1 button works the same way as Facebook’s “like” button. If you +1 something from elsewhere on the web, it gives you the option of sharing it on your Google+ feed. You can also check in through Google+, just like on Facebook. The competitive claws are already coming out too – Google+ beat Facebook in the race to create an iPad app, Facebook’s collaboration with Skype was dwarfed by Google+’s hangouts which let you video chat with more than one person at a time, and most recently, Facebook responded to Google+’s huddle app by creating their own mobile messenger service. Google+ continued to up the ante by enhancing their hangout feature: it now has a mobile version; screen-sharing options; and Hangouts On Air, which allows you to broadcast your hangout session to the public and record it. It’s tough to predict who will ultimately come out ahead, but this competition has provided consumers with some great features.

Through flexible privacy and sharing options, Google has addressed the concern many people have that online interaction inhibits real-world socialization. Google+ seamlessly integrates natural human social habits into an online community, and that’s what sets it apart from the rest.

Posted by Ramona on October 7, 2011 in interactive, progressive, technology

Android Beats iPhone in Smartphone Popularity Race

Recent surveys by Nielsen and comScore indicate that more smartphone users are favouring the Google Android. According to Nielsen, half of the smartphones purchased over the past six months were Android devices. Rounding out the top are the Apple iPhone at 23% and RIM Blackberry at 15%.

Android is looking to hold this position for at least a little while – 31% of people surveyed who plan on getting a new smartphone said their top choice would be an Android. Once again, the iPhone came in second with 30% and Blackberry trailed in third place at 11%.

The smartphone landscape is a fast-changing one. Only six months ago the same survey indicated a clear lead for the iPhone – 33% claimed it would be their smartphone of choice, with the Android sitting at only 26%.

This shift in numbers came as a surprise to me – Apple’s omnipresent branding and marketing campaigns had me convinced that they still had the biggest piece of the smartphone pie. And I’m sure I wasn’t alone in this assumption. When we hear people talking about mobile sites and apps, iPhone users are the ones they are usually looking to target. But it’s important to pay attention to changing trends and be flexible enough to change with them.

Whether it’s the Android or iPhone in the lead, having them collectively represent the majority of smartphone users is exciting for us. Both operating systems use the Webkit Engine to render websites. This means we can create content for both at the same time, creating greater consistency for you and your customers.

And finally, it’s important to remember that no matter what surveys are saying about the population in general, every business is different and has unique needs. What smartphone operating systems are your customers using? What about your staff? You know your business best and we’re here to help you take it to the next level!

Posted by Ramona on May 10, 2011 in progressive, technology