Saturday, 30 April 2016

Google has a crazy idea for injecting a computer into your eyeball

Google headquarters Jimmy Baikovicius Flickr




Google has filed a patent for what sounds like a bionic eye.


A patent filed in 2014 and published Thursday describes a device that could correct vision without putting contacts in or wearing glasses everyday.


But to insert the device, a person must undergo what sounds like a rather intrusive procedure.


Here's how it would work: After surgically removing a person's lens from the lens capsule of his or her eye (ouch!), a fluid would be injected into the capsule. This fluid would act sort of like a glue, allowing whoever is conducting the procedure to attach an “intra-ocular device” to the lens capsule.


That fluid would solidify to create a “coupling” between the lens capsule and the device, creating an electronic contact lens. The electronic contact lens would correct the wearer's vision.


A sensor in the device would sense when the wearer is trying to see something far away or up close and would let that person do so with complete visual clarity. Here's how it's outlined in the patent:


The electronic lens could be controlled to have a first optical power during a first period of time to provide images of far objects (e.g., objects more than approximately 20 centimeters away from the eye) in focus on the retina of the eye, and the electronic lens could be controlled to have a second optical power greater than the first optical power during a second period of time to provide images of near objects (e.g., objects approximately 9 centimeters away from the eye) in focus on the retina of the eye.





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Google is essentially proposing an artificial contact lens that could improve vision and would only need to be inserted once.


This isn't the first time the tech giant has shown interest in creating technology for people's eyes. Google was awarded a patent for a smart contact lens that will run on solar power and can perform functions like measuring glucose levels.


But just because a patent exists, doesn't mean we'll be seeing an electronic contact lens anytime soon, if at all.


Read the original article on Tech Insider. Follow Tech Insider on Facebook and Twitter. Copyright 2016.


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More: MobileBeat 2016 is focused on the paradigm shift from apps to AI, messaging, and chatbots. Don't miss this opportunity: July 12 and 13 in San Francisco.





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Friday, 29 April 2016

Facebook sued over plans to issue new stock

Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg




(Reuters) – A Facebook Inc shareholder filed a proposed class action lawsuit on Friday in a bid to stop the company's plan to issue new Class C stock, calling the move an unfair deal to entrench Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg as controlling shareholder.


The lawsuit, filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery, comes two days after the social networking company announced its plan to issue the shares. The rejiggering of Facebook's share structure, effectively a 3-for-1 stock split, follows the 31 year-old's announcement last December that he intends to put 99 percent of his Facebook shares into a new philanthropy project focusing on human potential and equality.


The lawsuit contends that a Facebook board committee which approved the share deal “did not bargain hard” with Zuckerberg “to obtain anything of meaningful value” in exchange for granting Zuckerberg added control.


Representatives for Facebook could not immediately be reached for comment.


Facebook plans to create a new class of shares that are publicly listed but do not have voting rights. Facebook will issue two of the so-called “Class C” shares for each outstanding Class A and Class B share held by shareholders. Those new Class C shares will be publicly traded under a new symbol.


Zuckerberg “wishes to retain this power, while selling off large amounts of his stockholdings, and reaping billions of dollars in proceeds,” the lawsuit said.




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“The issuance of the Class C stock will, in effect, have the same effect as a grant to Zuckerberg of billions of dollars in equity, for which he will pay nothing,” it said.


Google settled a lawsuit in 2013 shortly before trial which cleared the way for that company to execute a similar plan.


(Reporting by Dan Levine; Editing by Chris Reese, Bernard Orr)


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This Week in Social: The Latest News, Trends and 5 Eye-Opening Stats You May Have Missed


The social media world moves incredibly fast and to help you stay up to date, we thought we'd round up some of the latest news, trends, research, and statistics that caught our attention this week.


From Twitter redefining itself and some big news from Facebook to new features on Pinterest and Periscope, it's been an exciting week.


Let's get started!



pablo (52)


What's new in social this week


Want to jump to a particular story? Try clicking one of the headlines below:




Facebook reaches 1.65 billion monthly users


facebook-mau


In its Q1 2016 earnings report, Facebook announced it has now reached. 1.65 billion monthly users. That figure means Facebook grew 3.7%, from 1.59 billion monthly users last quarter (Q4, 2015).


The social network's daily active user count has also grown significantly. It reached 1.09 billion daily active users in Q1, compared to 1.04 billion in Q4 2015, a 4.8% increase.


fb-dau


Twitter is no longer a social network


Highly alert Twitter users noticed it's now categorizing itself very differently. In an update on April 28th, Twitter now sits in the News category rather than Social Networking.


This change moves Twitter away from apps like Snapchat, Facebook and Messenger in the App Store and the switch also boosted the app to the #1 spot in the News category (it was previously sat 6th in Social Networking).


twitter


Ranking #1 in a category could be a nice boost for Twitter, and could help attract new users who want to keep up with the latest news on mobile. Being ranked #1 will also help with App Store visibility and could lead to more organic downloads.


Could this be a sign of a significant shift for Twitter? Or maybe an experiment to see how App Store categories and rankings affect downloads? Keeping an eye on this over the coming weeks will be interesting.


Video consumption on Snachat has doubled


Daily video views on Snapchat have now hit 10 billion. TechCruch reports that the new numbers represent a 150% increase in video consumption on Snapchat in just under a year.


In February 2016, Snapchat reported 8 billion daily video views and in November 2015, 6 billion views. That's incredible growth.


➤ For more on Snapchat, check out our 'Complete Guide to the Ghost' here.


Pinterest Featured Collections


pinterest


Pinterest has released Featured Collections, a way to keep tabs on trending topics and content. Every day, the brands, celebrities, and influencers, and Pinterest's own editor's will curate popular pins, users, boards, and searches within Featured Collections.


The Featured Collections will be localized to the UK, France, Germany, Brazil, and Japan, further strengthening the network's relationship with international users.


Periscope launches sketch feature and deeper analytics


Thursday, 28 April 2016

11 Ways To Engage Influencers Before Asking For Something


11 Ways To Engage Influencers Before Asking For Something


You want to get noticed by influencers don't you?


The trick is not to yell “me, me, me” over the rooftops.


Unfortunately, I see exactly this tactic nearly every day. Here's a recent email I received:


get noticed image for engage influencers


I get this exact template ALL THE TIME. It reads like this:



  1. Hey Dave – you wrote a great article (which I probably didn't read)

  2. But you forgot to link here, or linked to a poorer resource

  3. How about linking to mine, instead?


From people I have never met, who offer me nothing in return.


Now to be honest, sometimes the resources they send are great, and from time to time I'll even link to them.


But what would go SO much better would be if someone offered me something, anything related to what I'm working on.


So, in light of this movement towards depersonalization, I'm going to pitch you all on how you can engage with people BEFORE demanding something from them, as well as give you some ideas for what you can offer in that outreach email.


Here are 11 ways to build a relationship before asking for something in return.


1. Respond to their audiences' questions in comments


What do influencers value most?


Their audience, of course!


What I love (love!) is when someone sparks a discussion on my blog. Afterall, the point of writing content, lest we forget, is to spark conversation.


For example, here's a great discussion that took place on BareMetric's blog not that long ago.


great discussion on BareMetric's blog image for engage influencers


The question was originally to Josh, but the first person to answer was actually another member from the audience. Once the ice was broken, more comments flooded in.


Influencers love to see this! Do this just a few times on their blog, and they will remember you.


2. Invite them to a podcast or interview


My most successful outreach campaigns (by acceptance rate) are always requests to interview someone on our podcast.


And, not surprisingly, these are the outreach campaigns I respond to the most as well.


Invititation podcast or interview image for engage influencers


Does it surprise anyone that I have much better luck featuring someone on my podcast than asking a stranger for a link?


Probably not. In fact, I don't think I've ever turned one down myself.


People like to be featured, influencers especially. It's what got them there in the first place after all.


And afterward, you can capitalize off that new personal relationship to maybe get a link (possibly even to that very same podcast – see how it works?).


3. Send them a gift (ex. an amazon book)


Send them a gift image for engage influencers


Let's stop thinking digitally, just for a moment. We tend to default there automatically since we all work online.


But it's not all that hard to transition out of it, we just have to ask for someone's phone number, or physical address.


Here's an email I received from Sara at Socially Stacked, in which she offered me a free t-shirt in exchange for changing my link (which was already to them, she just wanted an update).


email I received at Socially Stacked image for engage influencers


Everyone loves free t shirts – especially people who went to college and lament the fact that post college they are so hard to get!


P.S. – You know what I love most about this shirt – my girlfriend likes it. Yes, it's actually a quality shirt, and it's the first time someone ever sent me a physical gift for a digital action. #remembered.


4. Buy them lunch (or offer to meet in person)


Sticking with our recent theme of non digital acts of affection, let's move onto buying launch, which I've seen recommended by not just one but two great entrepreneurs (Ramit Sethi and Neil Patel).


Buy them lunch image for engage influencers


Now you might be wondering if they have so much money and you, potentially, don't – why would you buy them lunch?


Remember, it's not about the money, it's about the gesture.


Offering to buy someone lunch is like saying, “I know your time is valuable. I'd like to treat you in exchange for spending it on me”.


This tactic will allow you to move levels above your traditional social / entrepreneurial class, and the cost of lunch (<$30) is well worth the advice (which usually costs hundreds per hour).


5. Leave them a review on Amazon or iTunes (or give them a testimonial)


Positive reviews are how many search engines work, such as iTunes, Amazon, and TripAdvisor.


Positive reviews image for engage influencers


Unfortunately they're a pain in the butt to get, because they require the person to create an account, log in, and post something after they've already received all the value there is to get.


They have no incentive to leave a review, which is why so many great products and podcasts have relatively few reviews.


So if you want to stand out in the crowd, a relatively easy way (5 minutes, seriously), is to write someone a review.


A spin on that is to send someone an offer for a testimonial. I used this recently myself by offering Drip, the email marketing software I use, a testimonial solely because I like their product so much:


send someone an offer for a testimonial image for engage influencers


About a month after I provided them with the testimonial, they demonstrated our blogger outreach software and became a customer. An unintended but welcome consequence!


6. Offer them your product for free


Speaking of products, have you considered offering yours for free?


If your product is inexpensive, or digital, this is a super simple way to get a few folks on board.


People love free swag (remember the t-shirt example).


This works great in tandem with a product review if you're marketing an eCommerce website or SaaS!


7. Endorse them on LinkedIn


The other day my partner met with a potential client. He didn't close the deal.


The reason, the client said, was because his LinkedIn profile was lacking connections.


Now, this might seem like a very arbitrary reason to ding someone (to us it did), but the point is that your online profiles matter.


They're your reputation.


And when it comes to LinkedIn, one of the ways to make it sparkle is through Skills & Endorsements.


Skills & Endorsements image for engage influencers


So, spend some time and hand out a few recommendations. It's free, and the person gets a notification when you do it!


8. Join their newsletter and respond to their questions


A tip that Brian from VideoFruit recommends is to join someone's newsletter and answer their first email.


tip from VideoFruit to join someone's newsletter image for engage influencers


As someone who has a newsletter and in whose first email is a question, I can say that people rarely take the time to answer this question and engage with me.


But I always respond when someone does.


Sign up for the newsletters of your favorite influencers and actually let them know you're following along.


9. Introduce them to someone (a potential customer, or a connection)


This is by and large the most valuable thing you can do for someone.


A valuable introduction, is, well, invaluable.


Here's an example of this happening to me just the other day:


Introduce to a potential customer image for engage influencers


In addition to helping two people at the same time, you'll also be helping yourself by tightening your own network.


And trust me, if the two people get major value out of meeting each other they will NEVER forget who made that introduction.


10. Become a case study for them


Another thing I'm looking for is successful case studies that prove the points I try to make elsewhere.


For example, if I write and publish this article about building relationships, I'd love for someone to put it into action and use one of the techniques and then let me know.


Another example is with my software – we're constantly on the lookout for success stories, and when one comes my way, you're guaranteed to get featured with a link.


successful case studies image for engage influencers


I did this recently as well with Drip in an article I wrote about how we achieved nearly 1000% ROI on Black Friday with Drip. In turn, they featured us on their blog and on Medium (note how in this example we've used multiple techniques including the testimonial and the case study to build a relationship with another software tool in our niche).


11. Send them birthday wishes on G+ or Facebook


Send birthday wishes on G+ or Facebook image for engage influencers


This last one is a fun one, but why not wish someone a happy birthday, which you can do on FB and G+.


It will make you feel good, try it!


Wrap


We've been way more successful at getting links (and many more things much more valuable than links), when we thought first about what we could give and thought last about what we could take.


I've also been much more generous giving out links and other things when the tables were turned.


How do you like to build relationships with influencers?


Guest Author: Dave Schneider is the co-founder of NinjaOutreach an all in one Prospecting and Outreach tool which was created to streamline the process of connecting with influencers. He can also be found @ninjaoutreachand his business blog SelfMadeBusinessman.


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Wednesday, 27 April 2016

Facebook looking at other interactive formats beyond livestreaming and 360 videos

Facebook Live




Facebook isn't being shy about its ambitions around the use of video across its social network. Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg revealed that he wants to pursue other interactive video formats beyond what Facebook currently offers through its livestreaming and 360-degree videos.


On an call to discuss the company's first quarter earnings, Zuckerberg declared that we're in the “golden age of video” and this medium is a perfect way to allow people to interact, a core part of Facebook's long-term vision. And while others may be thinking that the social networking company has no business being in the real-time conversation space, Zuckerberg shrugged that off and believes that there's room for many products and companies in the space. “We're very excited about continuing to do our work to unlock the express and connection that people want to do,” he said.


“There's so much that people want to express and share with people around them, that they don't have the tools to do today. I think that's a huge opportunity…In video, there are billions and billions of videos that are viewed every day on Facebook, Live is a very small part of it. The reason why we're giving a disproportionate attention to it is because we're trying to help push forward new formats that are not about consuming content but really about interacting: Live, 360 video, and there will be others in the future…I do think that multiple products and companies can succeed in these things.”


Zuckerberg may have shrugged off the notion of network effect to determine a market leader in live video, but if you look at third-party services like Meerkat, the evidence may prove otherwise, especially after its access to Twitter's API was severed in favor of Periscope.


What other “interactive” formats Facebook could be alluding to may involve virtual reality beyond what's available through 360-degree videos. One thing that could play a part is Facebook's Surround 360 camera that was unveiled at this year's F8 developer conference to create more immersive and detailed videos. The company has opened sourced the device's specifications and design to encourage other companies to build this out - Facebook isn't getting into the hardware business.




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And while more interactive videos may make things engaging for the end user, it also opens up opportunities for brands to be more creative in their advertising efforts. So there's also that.


Facebook hasn't provided any other specifics beyond that it's looking at new opportunities.


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Tuesday, 26 April 2016

Twitter's Jack Dorsey on Facebook's move to live: 'We've been doing it for 10 years'

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey onstage at the Flight developer conference on October 21, 2015 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, Calif.




Twitter's latest efforts to define itself can be summed up in one word: Live. It was something that was not only uttered countless times during the company's Q1 2016 earnings call, but it has become something chief executive Jack Dorsey believes makes Twitter so special. So when a question came up about how Facebook's foray into live video and real-time conversations might affect Twitter, Dorsey responded by saying: “We've been doing it for 10 years.”


“We believe we have a leadership position in it,” he continued. “But it's not just about showing a live event, it's also about hosting a conversation around a live event. Twitter has always been the best place to see what's happening immediately, instantly, to bring people around a particular shared experience.”


“The easiest way to get what Twitter is is really to show a live event, show people the great accounts who are providing insights you can't find anywhere else, you can't find in your address book but you meet on Twitter through that experience, to connect them through a follow and also to encourage them in a conversation, that's what we're focused on making sure we continue to do,” Dorsey said.


As Twitter attempts to convince shareholders of Dorsey's strategic vision for the company he cofounded, it certainly won't be an easy one. Investor confidence in Twitter continues to drop - just look at its stock price after the earnings call. And what's more, Facebook is beating on its door with its own live offering. The social networking company has its own livestreaming service and recently opened up an API to extend it to third-party services and devices. Additionally, Facebook has delved into the live events with the launch of its Sports Stadium program which had been dominated by Twitter for some time.


Meanwhile Dorsey's promise for Twitter users is the capability to be among the first to know who won the Democratic presidential primaries, that a plane landed in the Hudson, the latest sports scores, or that SpaceX successfully landed a rocket on a platform in the middle of the ocean. It's all in real-time and in public, something that Dorsey thinks gives it an advantage over any competitor:


“Because we're public, and because we're distributed, and because we're simple, we're the fastest way to see the event, but it can go everywhere, so it can reach the 800 million audience that we continue to grow and continue to focus on, and then we're working on making sure we have the best experience out there and using technology appropriately to increase that experience and the enjoyment of the experience.”




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This isn't the first time that Twitter has been defined by being about live and real-time conversations. Former CEO Dick Costolo once defined the service as being akin to a town square, and while this may be true to some degree today, it's a small town as people have flocked to more populated areas, specifically Facebook. But armed with products like Twitter Moments, Vine, and Periscope, Dorsey's team has the ability to woo back not only old users, but new ones with the promise of participating in a global conversation. A key effort to get growth going again is with Twitter's NFL Thursday Night football deal.


For all of the talk about Twitter being “live” for the past decade, it's time to make things happen. Facebook has more users than Twitter and incredible reach so there's a uphill battle to show that Twitter can really prove its “significant leadership position” in the space. And whether it's through more acquisitions or new features that provides users greater opportunities to share what's going on in the moment, it's time for Twitter to prove the live strategy is the key to Twitter's growth.


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How To Guarantee Your First Impression In Search Results Is A Winner


How To Guarantee Your First Impression In Search Results Is A Winner


How long ago did you Google yourself?


Did you think your name search results were making a good first impression?


Many people won't even scroll, the first thing they see when searching for you (or your business or your product) in Google is what they go away with.


7 in 10 internet users search online for information about others image for search results


Did you know that 7 out of 10 of your perspective clients would Google you before even considering your product or your service? Did you know that most people would type your site name into Google instead of your browser address bar?


In the era of Google becoming a common verb, is it a smart idea to neglect your branded search results?


Probably, not…


What if you begin to be associated with a negative search phrase? What if a fake negative review ranks on top of your search engine results? What if people searching for you are driven away to your competitors?


Think of your search engine results page (SERP) as the first impression via search that a potential visitor to your website is going to have. It is important that it is a positive one, otherwise it could become a huge hurdle to your business success.


So, what creates a negative impression?


Common Reasons For a Bad First Impression


1. Auto-suggest provides a less than flattering option


A cringe inducing scenario for you – someone is disgruntled with your brand and they decide to trash talk you. A lot.


Before long, your name starts to be associated with those insults and auto-suggest immediately offers up “[Your Name] sucks!” as a possibility when you start putting in your name.


It could be better. Instead of suggesting that you or your business might be a bad choice, Google may simply recommend checking out for alternatives;


Auto-Suggest provides a less than flattering option image for search results


How many potential customers who were actually heading your direction will be driven away by this?


Plenty of companies have faced this very headache, especially giant corporations.


2. The image results look weird


When you put your name into Google, does it show “blended” image results as one of the first results? In many cases, those images could be embarrassing!


You want better control over how your brand is portrayed, both personally and professionally. You don't want any confusion. Or anything offensive, which can happen from time to time.


The tricky thing about these onebox search results is that they are attention grabbers! According to the most recent Google SERPs eye-tracking studies, when a a visual is located on a page, natural human behavior will make your eyes go to that image first.


We're naturally programmed to look at images: Your photos within your name search results will draw attention and influence to people's opinion. There's no way around that.


In some cases, that box may include some images misrepresenting your personal brand and creating a negative first impression:


The image results look weird image for search results


3. Your business reviews aren't favorable


Negative reviews high up in search results can become a sure-fire way to lose interest before you have even gained it.


What's more, Google will highlight those reviews with stars making them stand out in search results.


Your business reviews aren't favorable image for search results


Easy Fixes For These Common Pitfalls


Now that we know what issues may be creeping up on you and your SERP, it is time to look at how to fix them. The good news? They are all pretty simple, even if a few may take some time to work on.


1. Auto-suggest provides a less than flattering option


Unfortunately, this problem is not easy to deal with. Google Auto-Suggest results are fast to appear and slow to go away.


Google Suggest is powered by what people type into search results and thus can:



  • Manifest a real problem that needs to be fixed

  • Signal a competitor's negative campaign

  • Show you more phrases you need to be ranking for

  • It could be all of the above.


So your steps to address the issue will be:



  • Fixing the problem your customers are telling you about by searching it in Google

  • Using Mechanical Turk to push other suggestions into the box (This should be your last resort!)

  • Creating and optimizing landing pages to rank for those suggested queries (Both organic and PPC)


Creating and optimizing landing pages to rank for those suggested queries image for search results


A preventative measure is to keep an eye on your competitors, because it's always easier to handle before it becomes a search suggestion. Monitor comparison sites in your niche to make sure your product is always ahead. Most popular examples of those comparison sites are SimilarWeb, SiteGeek, G2Crowd, etc. Establishing your presence on those sites will help you more easily handle the problem when it's in search results.


2. The image results look weird


You can't actually choose the pics that show up in an image result one-box. But you can provide multiple images that differ from one another. Make sure you match the metadata to your name, so Google will immediately recognize it upon searching.


Publish varied images to varied platforms. The more images it can pull for your name, the better. Google seeks variety in image search results. Unless they find diverse images of you, your brand or your product, the more they'll have to “make up”.


Variety is one the key Google image search rankings factors.


To get better control over your image search results;



  • Use more visual sharing platforms (Instagram, Pinterest, Flickr, Facebook, Google Plus, etc) and upload different photos of yourself there. Here are more ideas to diversify your visual marketing channels.

  • Use folders, tags, and albums… as well as solid original descriptions to give Google more context and surround your photos with original text about you.

  • When you are invited to do an expert interview on someone else's blog, consider providing a unique photo of yourself to go with that interview.

  • Use Cyfe to monitor all these multiple visual channels you set up:


Cyfe to monitor all these multiple visual channels you set up image for search results


The more visual context you provide for yourself and your brand, the better!


3. Your business reviews aren't favorable


In many cases, you'll need to track down the original source, so follow the unflattering suggestions to their results pages. Sometimes it will be reviews on official sites like Yelp, and you can comment to tell your side and to offer a solution to the poster.


Other times it may be a blog, and that is when you have to contact them directly. Ask them to take down the review in exchange for offering up a solution to whatever is bothering them. Ask them to try working with you, your service or your brand again, then writing a second review mentioning the first and how things may have been different this time.


If it is a reasonable person they should have no trouble doing this. Occasionally you may come across a troll, in which case legal action may be required.


In the meantime, or if this isn't possible, you can bury those results with plenty of varied and high quality content and mentions across the web. Include a lot of social posting mentioning your name in that campaign.


Tip! Use Facebook pages to move negative reviews down and replace them with positive ones!


Facebook pages have become a great way to improve your business standing. They rank high fast and if you request friends and happy customers to review your business on Facebook, you'll have plenty of 5-star reviews to show off in search results.


Tip! Use Schema.org on your site to optimize your site for rich snippets (starred ratings in Google search results). Here is how;



Have any SERP tips for a good first impression? Let us know in the comments!


Author Bio: Ann Smarty is a marketing blogger and community manager for Internet Marketing Ninjas. She is author of reputation management course.


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