Facebook surges past earnings forecasts, user base grows

Facebook reported on Wednesday that its profit more than doubled in the final three months of last year as revenues climbed and its user base grew.

In earnings which topped most forecasts, Facebook said it made a net profit of $3.7 billion on revenue of $8.6 billion in the fourth quarter, as compared with profit of $1.6 billion on $5.6 billion in revenue in the same period a year earlier.

Meanwhile, the number of people using the leading social network monthly increased 17 percent to 1.86 billion. The ranks of people accessing Facebook from mobile devices each month grew to 1.74 billion, an increase of 21 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Money taken in from ads on mobile devices accounted for approximately 84 percent of the social networks overall advertising revenue in the final quarter of last year.

"We believe concerns over user engagement and other social competitors are likely overblown, as few companies share Facebook's combination of scale, strong technology orientation, and platform breath/diversity," Baird research analyst Colin Sebastian said in a note to investors.

Facebook shares were up more than two percent to 136.31 in after-market trades that followed release of the quarterly earnings figures, which topped market expectations.

"Our business did well in 2016, but we have a lot of work ahead to help bring people together," Facebook co-founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said in a statement released along with the earnings figures.

"Our mission to connect the world is more important now than ever."

Under pressure to stymie the spread of fake news, Facebook last month modified its system for showing trending topics.

The change was intended to surface topics quicker, capture a broader range of news, and help ensure that trends reflect real world events being covered by multiple news outlets, Facebook said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Samsung offers exchange, full refund for Note 7 in Philippines

MANILA - Samsung Philippines on Wednesday urged Galaxy Note 7 owners in the Philippines to power down their devices and exchange them for a different model or get a full refund.

The South Korean electronics giant has halted production of the flagship smartphone after replacement units that followed a global recall were found to overheat and catch fire like the original models.

If customers opt to get the S7 Edge, Samsung said it would reimburse the price difference with the more expensive Note 7.

Samsung advised customers to transact in the store where they bought their phones.

Note 7 owners can also contact Samsung customer care at +63 (2) 422-2111 or visit their website at http://www.samsung.com/ph/note7exchange.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Facebook tests tech to help blind people enjoy photos

MENLO PARK, United States - Facebook on Monday began using artificial intelligence to help people with visual impairments enjoy photos posted at the leading social network.

Facebook introduced machine learning technology trained to recognize objects in pictures and then describe photos aloud.

"As Facebook becomes an increasingly visual experience, we hope our new automatic alternative text technology will help the blind community experience Facebook the same way others enjoy it," said accessibility specialist Matt King.

The feature was being tested on mobile devices powered by Apple iOS software and which have screen readers set to English.

Facebook planned to expand the capability to devices with other kinds of operating systems and add more languages, according to King, who lost his vision as a US college student studying electrical engineering.

The technology works across Facebook's family of applications and is based on a "neural network" taught to recognize things in pictures using millions of examples.

More than two billion pictures are shared daily across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp, King said.

"While this technology is still nascent, tapping its current capabilities to describe photos is a huge step toward providing our visually impaired community the same benefits and enjoyment that everyone else gets from photos," King said.

The Silicon Valley-based social network said that it was moving slowly with the feature to avoid potentially offensive or embarrassing gaffes when it comes to automatically describing what is in pictures.

Words used in descriptions included those related to transportation, outdoors settings, sports, food, and people's appearances.

The Facebook technology made its debut less than a week after Microsoft enticed software developers with a suite of offerings that let them tap into the power of cloud computing, big data, and machine learning.

The Cortana Intelligence Suite boasted the ability to let applications see, hear, speak, understand and interpret people's needs.

Microsoft said that a "Seeing AI" research project was underway to show how those capabilities could be woven into applications to help people who are visually impaired or blind better learn what is around them, say by scanning scenes with smartphone cameras or specially equipped eyewear.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Apple aims to bolster lineup with new iPhone

SAN FRANCISCO -- New iPhone and iPad models likely to be unveiled Monday are aimed at helping Apple keep momentum in the fast-evolving mobile device market.

The media gathering at the company's intimate Town Hall auditorium in Silicon Valley will also give Apple a chance to restate its case for fighting a US government demand that it break into an attacker's iPhone.

Apple is widely expected to release a small-screen iPhone to encourage replacement of the 5S and 5C models, which have four-inch displays. The new device is to be called the iPhone SE or 5SE, reports said.

This would help Apple in a traditionally slow season before the likely upgrades to the large-screen iPhone 6 family later this year.

But in keeping with its practice, Apple has been tight-lipped about what it will reveal.

A message on copies of the invitations posted online simply states "Let us loop you in," prompting some to speculate that new bands for the Apple Watch would be among the announcements.

A four-inch screen iPhone which boasts improvements under the hood could help spur replacements.

Such an iPhone would be "an incremental positive" for Apple, ensuring that lovers of the company's smaller smartphones don't switch to rival devices powered by Android software, RBC Capital Markets said in a note to investors.

RBC projected that sales of a new handset would tally between 10 million to 15 million annually, giving Apple fans an option for upgrading before an iPhone 7 debuts late in the year.

The new iPhone will likely be priced to shore up the low-end of Apple's line but not to compete in the budget-priced smartphone market, according to analysts.

"I am not expecting a ton of surprises," Creative Strategies analyst Ben Bajarin said of what Apple has in store for Monday. "The biggest news will be pricing for the newer iPhone."

Reaching buyers in India?

If Apple lowers the price for the new device -- existing big-screen iPhones start at around $650 -- it may be able to expand to new segments of consumers.

"I suspect this is far more about boosting off-season sales than it is about introducing a new iPhone at a dramatically lower price point, for example, for emerging markets," said Jan Dawson of Jackdaw Research in a blog post.

But Dawson said the new handset could be priced as low as $450 without subsidy to help Apple make inroads in new markets.

This would enable Apple to sell refurbished iPhones at $250 to $350, according to Dawson and "suddenly allows the iPhone to hit price points it's never been able to hit before, which in turn could make it more viable in markets like India."

Reports have also said Apple is poised to introduce a new iPad tailored for use by businesses.

Talking encryption

The media event takes place a day before a federal judge in Southern California hears arguments in the encryption case.

"I do expect to hear a little bit from them because it is so central, not just to Apple," Current Analysis research director Avi Greengart told AFP.

"Encryption is pretty much the entire digital economy. There is an argument to be made that Apple is out in front and taking the heat for a crucial, industry-wide issue."

The new iPad may have keyboard and Apple Pencil stylus features that make it more attractive for getting work done. Apple has been trying to ignite sales of its tablets, which declined in the final quarter or last year.

Focusing exclusively on Apple hardware can be deceiving, since the company has won legions of devotees by weaving software, applications and devices together to provide people with experiences they enjoy, according to analysts.

"What you are really paying for is software and user experience," Greengart said of buying into Apple's world. "That has been Apple's business model for many years."

Apple has built privacy protection into its ecosystem and its valuable brand.

Apple has repeatedly argued that the FBI was overstepping legal bounds by using the 1789 All Writs Act -- a broad law which allows the courts to help law enforcement -- to compel the company to help break an iPhone used by one of the shooters in the December attack in San Bernardino, California.

Apple, which is backed by a broad coalition of powerful rival technology firms and activists, argues that the FBI is seeking a "back door" into all iPhones as part of the probe.

The government brief, in sharp contrast, argued it is a single case of technical assistance in an important national security investigation.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

CloudFone, Spotify launch new mobile phones

MANILA -- Mobile Tech innovator CloudFone joins forces with digital music streaming service Spotify in innovating a set of mobile devices that aim to elevate the listening experience of music lovers.

This set of mobile devices has been named CloudFone & CloudPad Spotify Edition series. It comprises three devices: the CloudFone Thrill 500x, CloudFone Thrill 500x+, and Cloudpad 702q.


 Apart from their powerful music streaming capabilities, these mobile devices also have semi-professional cameras that work well for different purposes. They have panoramic and High Dynamic Range (HDR) modes, smile detection systems, and even voice command controls.

These mobile cameras can also efficiently shoot moving objects as they have Zero Shutter Delay. They can also capture vivid and colorful objects with its high-definition video recording.

According to CloudFone's Chief Executive Officer Eric Yu, this is the first time that Spotify has partnered with a mobile phone brand.

“We are known in the industry as a pacesetter, leading light, a pioneer when it comes to introducing new and exciting technologies in the Philippines and making them within the reach of many Filipinos. This partnership with Spotify further reinforces this and paves the way as we materialize our aspirations and vision as a business, and this will definitely not be the last time you’ll hear about it,” he said.

CloudFone is a company that creates economic mobiles devices, such as smartphones and tablets.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Virtual reality app brings crisis zones closer to home

Bombed-out buildings tower overhead, and rubble is piled high in the deserted streets of Syria's onetime economic hub Aleppo. Gunshots can be heard in the distance.

The destruction of four years of civil war is overwhelming -- and then you switch your phone off.

"Welcome to Aleppo" is one of more than a dozen virtual reality videos available on a mobile app launched this month by Los Angeles-based media company RYOT.

The project offers a 360-degree window into the war-torn city, captured with a camera made up of six GoPros, then stitched together to create a full panoramic view of the scene. A Syrian woman narrates a three-minute tour.

Users -- watching on a mobile device or wearing a virtual reality headset -- can shift their viewpoint at will -- looking up, down and even behind them to take in collapsing buildings and ruined streets by moving or tilting their device.

"I've always struggled to show the scale of devastation after a disaster. With virtual reality, you get an opportunity to really see scale and scope," said co-founder Bryn Mooser.

"It brings people directly to far-off places or places in crisis so they can experience firsthand what that looks like."

RYOT's virtual reality app offer viewers a variety of immersive experiences, from post-earthquake Nepal to the US-Mexico border fence, and most recently an up-close look at a migrant camp in Calais, northern France.

Mooser and co-founder David Darg say they hope their virtual reality films will increase awareness and generate money for aid groups working on the ground.

The films include a call for the audience to take action. The Syria film directs users to RYOT.org/Syria, where they can donate to humanitarian organizations.

Oliver Money with the International Rescue Committee, one of the groups linked to the Syria project, said virtual reality could "bridge that divide" between crises and donors.

For IRC and other aid groups, it is a "huge challenge" to keep crises like Syria in the public consciousness, Money said.

"Something that can help bring that home to people in a more immersive way has the potential to be very powerful," Money told AFP.

- VR: fad or here to stay? -

Big-name companies are buying into the power of virtual reality.

Last year, Facebook bought Oculus VR in a deal valued at $2 billion. And the New York Times has released its own virtual reality mobile app, sending more than one million Google Cardboard headsets to subscribers earlier this month.

For a full virtual reality experience, users of VR apps can pair their smartphone with a headset, an option that is more available and affordable than many might think. The Google Cardboard viewers cost as little as $4, and the higher-end Samsung Gear VR is on sale for $99.

RYOT is embracing the technology full-on. Their first effort came six months ago in Nepal. Darg arrived in the country to film less than 48 hours after the quake hit on April 25, with a grapefruit-sized 360-degree camera in his bag.

The resulting four-minute "Nepal Quake Project" was shown at film festivals across the country and helped raise more than $100,000 for humanitarian aid.

"A lot of people took the headset off and were in tears," Darg said.

Darg, who has been responding to disasters for over a decade as a journalist and aid worker, said he thinks virtual reality technology will revolutionize non-fiction storytelling.

"We're able to create that connection in a deeper way, and that is the most exciting thing," Darg said. "Being able to transport someone there -- it's a game-changer."

John Trybus, director of Georgetown University's Center for Social Impact Communication, says while virtual reality has a lot of potential to enhance storytelling, it may not be ready to go mainstream.

"Sight and sound are some of the most powerful human senses, and this technology activates those like nothing else," Trybus said.

"But it's not ready for prime time as a sustainable engagement strategy just yet. For most organizations, the cost is still prohibitive. It takes a lot of power to do it effectively."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Facebook revenue, profit beat forecasts; shares hit all-time high

SAN FRANCISCO - Facebook Inc. posted surprisingly strong profit and revenue growth as the world's largest social network grew even larger, with a spike in mobile users and advertising that lifted its stock to an all-time high.

The company on Wednesday reported audience numbers that suggest it is poised to take on mainstream media as an advertising force, helping investors to overlook Facebook's huge spending on hiring and building data centers.

Facebook now has 8 billion video views per day from 500 million people, compared with 4 billion views in April.

And Facebook's website and Instagram photo-sharing app, which opened up its platform to all advertisers in the third quarter, account for more than 1 in 5 minutes spent on mobile devices in the United States, Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg said.

"In the medium to long run, we believe that we're not competing between Facebook and Instagram. We're competing with other forms of media," Sandberg told analysts on a conference call after the earnings report.

Facebook had 1.55 billion monthly active users as of Sept. 30, up 14 percent from a year earlier. Of these, 1.39 billion used the service on mobile devices.

"Growth is happening across the board and we're of course looking for a lot of growth in the future in emerging markets," Sandberg said in an interview. "We're also pretty focused on helping bring the next set of people who are not online, online."

Market research firm FactSet StreetAccount had predicted 1.53 billion monthly active users, with 1.36 billion on mobile.

Ad revenue grew 45.4 percent to $4.30 billion, with 78 percent of that coming from mobile versus 66 percent in the year-ago quarter.

"Part of the upside came from Instagram. The Instagram monetization engine has been turned on really rapidly for the coming quarters and years," said Arvind Bhatia, an analyst with SterneAgee.

Facebook did not disclose Instagram's ad sales figures. But the app is expected to bring in $595 million in mobile ad revenues this year, research firm eMarketer said. Its ad revenue is projected to grow to $2.8 billion by 2017.

Facebook's huge $3.0 billion spending, up 68 percent from the third quarter last year, did not seem to worry investors or analysts.

"I think the investors would like the company to continue to invest given that the opportunity is pretty large," said Shyam Patil of Susquehanna Financial Group.

The stock rose about 5 percent to an all-time high of $109.34 in extended trading, before paring gains to about 4 percent. It closed earlier at $103.94.

Total revenue jumped to $4.50 billion in the third quarter, from $3.20 billion a year earlier. Analysts had expected revenue of $4.37 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Net income attributable to stockholders rose to $891 million, or 31 cents per share, from $802 million, or 30 cents per share.

Excluding items, the Menlo Park, California-based company earned 57 cents per share, ahead of analysts' average estimate of 52 cents per share.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Facebook, eyeing TV dollars, rolls out new ad products

SAN FRANCISCO - Facebook Inc. introduced a slate of new advertising products on Sunday, most of which are aimed at luring television advertisers onto the 1.5-billion user social network.

The advertising options, most of which will also be available on Facebook-owned Instagram, are designed to take advantage of the social network's strengths on mobile devices. It has the world's most popular smartphone app and generates more than three-quarters of its $10 billion-plus in annual ad revenue on phones.

Facebook is trying to convince advertisers, especially those who use video, that their dollars will be better spent on mobile platforms rather than on TV as users, especially millennials, spend more time on their phones than watching television. The rollout of the new products come ahead of New York City's 12th Advertising Week, which runs from Monday to Friday and gathers the world's largest advertisers and companies. Facebook also announced on Sunday that it has 2.5 million active advertisers in total, up from 2 million in February.

Digital video advertising spending is growing rapidly, projected to increase 13 percent to nearly $15 billion by 2019, according to eMarketer. Television ad spending, by comparison, is expected to grow 2 percent in the same time period to $78 billion. "Facebook is listening to the ad community and giving them what they are looking for," said Debra Aho Williamson, social media marketing analyst with eMarketer. "Does Facebook want video ad dollars? Yes."

On television, advertisers can buy ads based on how many people they will reach, an approach Facebook has adopted to ease the transition between television spending and digital spending.

In addition, it can target highly specific audiences, such as women aged 18 to 35 years old who have shopped on a specific website, which TV cannot do.

Among the new products are "brand awareness" ads, which aim to reach a large number of people to promote a company's name and brand, such as Coca Cola. Advertisers will also be able to poll users on mobile phones about whether they saw an ad -- a feature that used to be available only on desktop computers -- and they can use a format that allows them to display multiple videos at once that users can scroll through.

"We want to be the single-most important platform for all businesses," said Carolyn Everson, Facebook vice president for global marketing solutions.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Could mobile devices raise skin cancer risk?

Devices like tablets, smartphones and laptops can reflect ultraviolet light from the sun and may indirectly increase users' exposure to the cancer-causing wavelengths, according to a new study.

“These devices are generally used for communication or entertainment, so it can be easy to overlook their reflective properties unless you happen to catch the glare off a screen,” said Mary E. Logue of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, who coauthored the research with Dr. Barrett J. Zlotoff.

They wondered whether, like those old-fashioned tanning reflectors, personal electronics could also pose skin health risks, Logue told Reuters Health by email.

In a small observational study conducted on a grassy field in Albuquerque, the researchers set up a mannequin head wearing a UVA/B light meter and faced it toward a standard musician’s sheet stand. Then they placed various mobile devices on the stand.

In two trials, the researchers recorded UV readings for an hour of exposure, from 11 AM to noon, using a magazine, an iPhone5, various iPad models, two Macbook laptops and a Kindle e-reader.

In the first trial the devices were 16.5 inches from the UV sensor. For the second, they were secured 12.25 inches away. The devices and the UV sensor were angled to mimic an adult looking down at the handheld device.

The study team measured UVA/B dose exposure from light reflected by the devices in Joules per square centimeter over one hour and compared that to the UV readings with an empty sheet stand.

In the first trial, when the devices were further away from the mannequin, an open magazine increased UV dosage exposure by 46 percent compared to the sheet stand alone, an iPad2 increased exposure by about 85 percent and an 11-inch Macbook increased UV exposure by 75 percent.

Only the second trial, with devices held closer to the mannequin's “face,” included the iPhone5, which increased UV exposure by 36 percent, as the researchers reported in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

“The harmful effects of UVA and UVB rays have been well documented, and limiting exposure is the single most effective preventive measure an individual can take,” Logue said. “Significant levels of UV exposure, such as those found in this study, increase cumulative lifetime UV dosage.”

Given the increase in UV exposure, there needs to be further research to see if skin cancer risks are affected, she said.

“While the best course of action is to limit smart device usage to the indoors, this is obviously impractical for most people,” Logue said. “We recommend covering the shoulders, wearing sunglasses and wearing sunscreen, especially on the exposed areas of the neck and face.”

The devices themselves could be redesigned to be less reflective, or to include UV sensor technology so their users could track their exposure, she said.

Dr. Robert Dellavalle, chief of the Dermatology Service at the Denver VA Medical Center, who was not part of the new study, said that while the research did not involve real people using the devices, it still raised a practical point. In real world use, it may be hard to see phone or tablet screens in full sun, and using them may actually encourage shade-seeking behavior, he noted.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

LOOK: Instagram images no longer just squares

SAN FRANCISCO - Instagram on Thursday broke its square mold with an update that adds portrait and landscape formats to the image-sharing smartphone application.

"Square format has been and always will be part of who we are," Instagram said in a blog post.

"That said, the visual story you're trying to tell should always come first, and we want to make it simple and fun for you to share moments just the way you want to."

Updated versions of Instagram tailored for mobile devices powered by Apple or Android software let users share photos or videos in portrait or landscape styles.

Approximately one out of every five posts to Instagram is in square format, according to the Facebook-owned company.

"We know that it hasn’t been easy to share this type of content on Instagram: friends get cut out of group shots, the subject of your video feels cramped and you can't capture the Golden Gate Bridge from end to end," Instagram said of being limited to square imagery.

"We’re especially excited about what this update means for video on Instagram, which in widescreen can be more cinematic than ever."

Facebook acquired the fast-growing Instagram in 2012 for $1 billion.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Smartphone growth creating etiquette challenges

WASHINGTON -- It's OK to use your smartphone walking down the street or on public transportation. But not at a family dinner. And definitely not in church.

Users of mobile devices are struggling to find the rules of the road for how and when to use the devices around others, but a survey out Wednesday shows a surprising consensus.

The Pew Research Center found 77 percent of Americans polled felt it was acceptable to use a smartphone while strolling down the street. Three-fourths also said it was OK on public transit or while waiting in line at the store.

But 88 percent said a family dinner was not an appropriate place for phone use and most said the same about a meeting (94 percent), the movie theater (95 percent) and a place of worship (96 percent).

But survey respondents did not always practice what they preached.

Eighty-nine percent said they used their phone during a social gathering -- 61 percent to read a text message or email, 58 percent to take a photo or video, 52 percent to receive a call, and 25 percent to surf the web, for example.

Etiquette has become a challenge as more people keep their smartphones on and with them at all times, Pew noted.

Pew found 92 percent of US adults now have a cellphone of some kind, with two-thirds owning a smartphone. Some 90 percent of them say that their phone is always with them. Thirty-one percent said they never turn their phone off and 45 percent say they rarely turn it off.

Disrupting social norms
"This 'always-on' reality has disrupted longstanding social norms about when it is appropriate for people to shift their attention away from their physical conversations and interactions with others, and towards digital encounters with people and information that are enabled by their mobile phone," said Lee Rainie, Pew's director of Internet research.

"These are issues with important social consequences. Norms of etiquette are not just small-scale social niceties. They affect fundamental human interactions and the character of public spaces."

The survey found that conduct which might have been considered rude in the past is now gaining acceptance.

Two-thirds of cell owners frequently or occasionally look up information about where they are going or how to get there, and 70 percent coordinate get-togethers with others using their device.

Some 23 percent of cellphone owners say that when they are in public spaces they use their device to avoid interacting with others.

The survey found younger adults between the ages of 18 and 29 are most tolerant of public mobile device usage.

Ninety percent of this group said phone use on public transportation is acceptable compared with 54 percent of people 65 and older.

This group is also most likely to use their cellphone in public spaces, the survey found.

But Rainie noted that "Americans of all ages generally trend in the same direction about when it is okay or not to use cells in public settings."

He said that fully public venues are viewed by all age groups as generally acceptable places to use a phone but that "usage in quiet or more intimate settings is mostly frowned upon by all."

The findings are based on a survey of 3,217 adults, 3,042 of whom are cellphone users, in May and June 2014. The margin of error was estimated between 2.2 and 2.3 percent.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

China's Xiaomi starts small in US

SAN FRANCISCO - Xiaomi, China's largest smartphone company, will begin selling headphones, smart wristbands and other accessories online in the United States in coming months, taking its first tentative step onto Apple Inc's home turf without its signature Mi mobile devices.

The company also said it is close to securing a manufacturing partner in Brazil, which will help it skirt punishing tariffs on imported electronics when it begins sales in Latin America's largest economy in the first half of this year.

Xiaomi, a five-year-old upstart whose name means "Little Rice," came out of nowhere to become China's fastest-selling mobile brand. It has been rapidly expanding its global footprint through direct, online sales.

The company was valued at $45 billion in a December funding round that drew investors ranging from Singapore's sovereign wealth fund to a private capital firm backed by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd co-founder Jack Ma.

Its Mi devices, which scored with Chinese users because of their low cost and the company's heavy reliance on user interaction and feedback, are now sold online across Asia, including most recently India.

Brazil marks the company's first foray with smartphones outside of its home continent. Global operations vice president Hugo Barra said Xiaomi intends to begin selling its phones there in the first half of this year.

The company is in "extremely advanced discussions" with at least half a dozen manufacturing partners there, Barra, a former Google Inc executive, said without revealing names, which will help it side-step a roughly 60 percent tax on foreign electronics.

The industry is particularly curious about Xiaomi's potential to make a dent in the United States, which is the world's biggest mobile market in dollar terms but one where phone sales are controlled by telecoms carriers and where Apple holds sway.

Co-founder and President Lin Bin told reporters on Thursday that Xiaomi will launch its first online sales site, Mi.com, in a few months, directly selling items from earphones to smart bands to American consumers.

The company is eschewing bigger-ticket items like phones and tablets for now partly because of the United States' carrier-sales and phone subsidy structure, which eliminates Xiaomi's cost advantage. More generally, Bin and Barra talked about the time and effort needed to tailor its MIUI Android-based operating systems for individual markets and obtain certification, among other things.

Xiaomi's main intention for now is to engage American consumers and try and build a community there the same way it has in China and India - through fan events, interaction with users on social media such as a dedicated Facebook page, and gradually coming to know both local preferences and building its brand.

For example, Barra told Reuters how Xiaomi might put its self-branded headphones in front of U.S. audiophiles and tweak the product depending on their detailed feedback.

"We're keen on being in the conversation in the U.S.," he told reporters.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Samsung asks appeals court to toss out $930M award to Apple

WASHINGTON - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd asked a U.S. appeals court on Thursday to toss out an order that it pay Apple Inc $930 million for infringing on iPhone patents to make its Galaxy line of smartphones and tablets.

The hearing at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit was the latest fight between the two smartphone makers, which have been litigating around the world for three years, each accusing the other of infringing patents in making smartphones and other mobile devices.

They have essentially fought to a draw in about a dozen countries, but in August announced that they had agreed to withdraw all patent lawsuits against each other except in the United States.

In this case, Samsung asked the court to throw out a decision from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California which had found that Samsung infringed Apple patents and ordered it to pay the iPhone and iPad maker $930 million, a reduction from an earlier award of $1 billion.

Kathleen Sullivan, a lawyer with Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP who represents Samsung, argued that the lower court erred in deciding that the design and trade dress patents were infringed because the Samsung phones did not carry an Apple logo, did not have a "home" button like an iPhone and had speaker slots in different places than the Apple phones.

"Apple was awarded Samsung's total profits on those (Samsung) phones, which was absurd," she said, arguing that it was akin to awarding entire profits on a car because of an infringing cup holder.

Arguing for Apple, William Lee of the law firm Wilmer Hale disagreed. "This is not the cup holder," he said.

He argued that the $930 million verdict was the right decision.

"What Samsung is actually asking you to do ... is to substitute yourself for Judge Koh and the jury," he said.

The three judges on the panel did not indicate which side they supported, and did not indicate when they would rule.

Apple and companies that make phones using Google's Android software, such as Samsung's top-selling Galaxy, have filed dozens of infringement lawsuits against one another around the world to protect their technology. Apple and Google Inc's Motorola Mobility unit, which has since been purchased by Lenovo, agreed in May to settle all smartphone patent litigation between them.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Zynga revamps hit 'Words With Friends' game

SAN FRANCISCO - Pioneering social games maker Zynga on Thursday launched a new version of "Words With Friends" as the company strives to regain its footing in the mobile device age.

The revamped application, marking the game's fifth anniversary, has several new features including solo play offline and a dictionary for learning words, Zynga said in a statement.

The game, which is akin to Scrabble, has become the top free game of all time at Apple's online App Store, Zynga said, and the title is billed as the world's most popular mobile word puzzle, with some 55 million matches happening at any time.

The "Words With Friends" upgrade comes as Zynga's new chief executive Don Mattrick tries to revive the company that leapt to stardom with games tailored for Facebook but was knocked off stride by a shift to play on mobile devices.

Zynga in August vowed to perform better, as its reported losses widened and revenues sank in the second quarter.

The loss for the quarter deepened to $62.5 million, compared with a deficit of $15.8 million in the same period a year ago.

Revenues dropped sharply to $153 million in the three months ending June 30, from $230 million a year earlier.

The San Francisco company recently announced a new line of sports games under the brand "Zynga Sports 365."

Zynga said it signed a licensing deal with the National Football League and NFL Players Inc. to use real NFL teams and athletes, as well as a multi-year partnership with Tiger Woods for golf-themed games expected to debut on mobile devices in 2015.

Zynga has also announced a deal with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment to license the Looney Tunes brand for mobile games, expected to be launched later this year.

"We are further diversifying our product portfolio in order to reach more consumers and widen our demographic across more entertainment genres," Mattrick said during an earnings call.

More than 7.7 billion "Words With Friends" games have been played, with the top five scoring cities listed as Makati, Philippines; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Kingston, Jamaica; Singapore, and the Northern California coastal city of Santa Cruz.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Shazam breaks 100-M monthly user mark

SAN FRANCISCO -- Shazam announced Wednesday that 100 million people use its song-recognition mobile service monthly in a 34 percent surge from a year earlier.

Shazam applications have been downloaded to more than 500 million mobile devices since the the 1999 launch of the firm, which said it was adding users at the rate of 13 million monthly.

The applications let people identify songs, television shows or even some ads by "listening" and then provides opportunities to make purchases or link to online content related to what was heard.

"Shazam is evolving from being a way to identify a song to a way for people to explore and connect with the world around them," chief executive Rich Riley said in a statement.

"Shazam now delivers a deeper discovery and content experience for music and TV, with retail, cinema and more coming soon."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Yahoo buys video streaming startup RayV

SAN FRANCISCO - Yahoo announced Friday it has bought an Israel-based startup specializing in streaming high-quality video to computers and mobile devices.

Yahoo did not disclose financial terms of the deal to acquire RayV, which will become part of the California company's research and development team in Tel Aviv.

"The (RayV) team lives and breathes video, and have become industry pioneers," Yahoo said in a Tumblr post.

"This deal demonstrates our dedication to accelerating our video strategy and boosting our underlying technology infrastructure in the space."

Yahoo is focusing on ramping up its offerings for streaming video live or on demand.

News of Yahoo's latest acquisition came on the same day that it unveiled a lineup of free streaming concerts by music stars such as Usher, Michael Franti and The Dave Matthews Band.

A Live Nation Channel on Yahoo Screen promised to serve up a new live concert daily beginning on July 15, when The Dave Matthews Band performs two sets.

"In today's on-demand entertainment environment, live experiences are the only ones that we all share together, at the same time," Yahoo chief marketing officer Kathy Savitt said in a statement.

"Together with Live Nation, we are excited to bring millions of fans together to share these moments through the new Yahoo Live experience."

A glimpse of the schedule for the first month at yahoo.com/live promised performances by John Legend, Justin Timberlake, OneRepublic, Everclear, Airborne Toxic Event and other music stars.

"This channel will create a powerful new way for artists to continue to grow their global fan base," Live Nation chief executive Michael Rapino said.

Concerts can be streamed through Yahoo Screen on a wide array of Internet-linked devices including Roku, Xbox 360 consoles, AppleTV, desktop computers and mobile devices powered by Apple or Android software, according to the Sunnyvale, California-based technology firm.

Yahoo has been shedding its online search engine past in favor of a future as a venue for premier digital content and services, particularly aimed at smartphones and tablet computers.

It has also been investing in original programming.

The company has enlisted news, music and television stars for online magazines focused on technology, film and food.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Online games go local for booming SE Asia market

SINGAPORE -- It was while hunting for monsters in a virtual cave that Bend Henmoko Madio met his community and realized why companies are adapting online video games to suit the different languages, tastes and mobile devices in Southeast Asia.

Text translation, dialogue dubbing and character outfits are among the most common tweaks in the "localization" work by firms wanting to capitalize on the region's booming game market and keep players loyal.

"I met these friends when I was playing Rohan: Blood Feud hosted on the Indonesian server," said 32-year-old Madio. "Localization makes it easier to form a community ... After all, it is easier to communicate with fellow countrymen."

Localization is gaining ground in Southeast Asia, where 85 million players spent $661 million last year on online games, research firm Niko Partners says. It expects that spending to hit $1.2 billion by 2017.

"The growth has been quite staggering," said David Ng, chief executive of Singapore-based gaming company Gumi Asia Pte Ltd. "That is what's fueling the localization business because more and more people are starting to realize it's worthwhile."

Gumi Asia, a unit of Japan's Gumi Inc, creates in-house games and also publishes those of its parent, with teams working on localisation for Southeast Asia.

In Puzzle Trooper, a game originally intended for western players, a character resembling the wrestler Hulk Hogan got some manga makeovers.

"When we started doing testing in Southeast Asia, we realised that they don't really like the western art that much," Ng said. "Then we tested with some more Japanese-looking art and the response was really good."

Beyond language, culture

Still, Southeast Asia is far from homogeneous. Gamers in Thailand and Vietnam tend to like Chinese-style outfits, while those in the Philippines love western-style characters such as the original Puzzle Trooper, Ng said.

"Indonesia is hard," he said. "You have the Muslims, Chinese and Christians. It's a mix. It's really difficult to comprehend a market as diverse as that."

Indonesia's nearly 20 million players spent $88.1 million on online gaming in 2012, almost 26 percent higher than the year before, according to Niko Partners.

"The future of game localization in Southeast Asia is going to be decided by the Indonesian market," said Harry Inaba, managing director of localisation firm Synthesis APAC.

Unlike Gumi Asia, independent firms such as Synthesis work on contract with developers wanting to localize their games.

Catering to the Southeast Asian market goes beyond language and culture to include optimizing graphics and adapting to diverse handset types, Ng said. The Android operating system's domination in the region presents a sizable challenge.

With at least nine Android systems now in use and thousands of distinct devices in the market with different screen sizes and graphics capabilities, developers must localize their games into many formats. In contrast, the vast majority of Apple devices run on iOS 7 or the previous version of that system.

Low connection speeds in parts of Southeast Asia hinder developers from using high-quality graphics and elaborate animation, so banners that pop out on the screen would not be ideal as they can take a long time to load.

Instead, developers are using the pixel technology found in older phones that requires lower bandwidth.

Gumi picked the 20 to 30 most popular Android devices to localize into, Ng said, with the ultimate goal of fostering player loyalty by making games "sticky" to various markets.

"Stickiness equates to removing any barriers from their understanding of how to play the games," he said. "To remove barriers, you give them something they're more familiar with."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Five mobile PPC advertising tips

Mobile PPC is a lucrative traffic source for both affiliates and merchants, but only if done properly. It’s also a rapidly growing market – by 2015 mobile search is expected to surpass desktop search.

As a mobile lead generation consultant, every day I see companies wasting money on poor mobile PPC campaigns. These 5 mobile PPC tips can help you avoid the pitfalls and learn how to profit from this increasingly important traffic source:

1. If you’re running PPC ads on mobile search without a mobile website, don’t!

This point seems to come from the Ministry of the Bleedin’ Obvious, so why do so many brands spend so much money paying for clicks to a website that will never convert for them on a mobile device?

To save thousands a day would take them 10 seconds: Adwords > Campaign > Settings > Devices > Let me choose > Untick mobile devices with full browsers. Once you have a mobile optimized website, simply switch it back on.

2. Create a separate campaign for mobile within Adwords

Google actually recommends this. It allows you to:

    Bid differently for mobile
    Define a separate budget for mobile
    Test different keywords
    Use different, mobile-specific ads, for instance “Apply today on your mobile”

3. Keep your landing pages simple

Focus on what your end goal is and direct your visitors straight to that goal. Keep landing pages simple and ‘to the point’ with no clutter which could distract users. Be ruthless with this.

4. Lose the images

Keep images to a bare minimum as they affect load times, especially where a user is not using wifi.

5. Bid higher
Don’t be afraid to bid higher than traditional PPC, especially if you’re a lead gen affiliate – click to lead conversion can be 2 or 3 times greater with a mobile campaign. We have achieved 40 - 50% conversion from click to lead for nearly all of our clients.

Another reason to bid higher on mobile search is that fewer ads are seen ‘above the fold’. If your ad is hidden away at the bottom of a mobile search query it can take 3-4 thumb swipes to get to. Many people will never see it, but your ad has still generated impressions regardless. This has a negative effect on your CTR and hence your quality score.

source: affiliates4u.com

Microsoft tie-up, network sale among RIM options: sources

NEW YORK — Research In Motion Ltd’s board is under mounting pressure to consider unpalatable options such as selling its network business or forming an alliance with Microsoft Corp after the Blackberry maker again delayed the release of its next-generation smartphones, said three sources familiar with the situation.

Shares in the Canadian company, which announced a steeper-than-expected quarterly operating loss on Thursday, plunged 18 percent in extended trading, slashing its market value to $4.1 billion. The stock has fallen about 70 percent in the past year.

RIM said the launch of BlackBerry 10 mobile devices has been postponed to early 2013 – more than a year later than initially promised – because the development of its new operating system had “proven to be more time-consuming than anticipated.”

The latest setback has increased pressure on RIM’s board to more seriously explore other options, including measures that would amount to an admission that it cannot survive by sticking to its current strategy, said the sources, who declined to be identified because the information was confidential.

One of these options is for RIM to abandon its own operating system and adopt Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 8. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer had approached RIM in recent months, looking to strike a partnership similar to the one the software giant has with Nokia Oyj, the sources said. Under that partnership, Nokia will use Microsoft’s latest Windows operating system on its smartphones.

In such a scenario, RIM could also look for Microsoft to buy a stake in the company and fund marketing and other expenses, the sources said. However, this option is not attractive to RIM because it would mean the end of the Waterloo, Ontario-based company’s technology independence, they said.

The RIM board prefers to see through the efforts to develop the new BlackBerry 10 operating system, according to the sources.

Microsoft could also be interested in RIM’s wireless patents, the sources said.

RIM and Microsoft declined to comment.

Another option for RIM would be to sell its proprietary network to a private equity firm or a technology company. The buyer could then open up RIM’s network operating centers to other smartphone providers, allowing them to also provide highly secured emails and other services to companies and government agencies, the sources said.

In that scenario, however, RIM’s device business is seen to have no future, they said, adding that private equity firms have been considering how to separate the hardware business from the network business.

RIM has in the past considered opening up its network to rivals, under a plan led by former co-CEO Jim Balsillie. That could offer RIM a way forward as demand for its BlackBerry phones faces fierce competition from Apple Inc’s iPhone and Google Inc’s Android phones.

The idea would be to clearly define the network as an asset that could exist without BlackBerry handsets – an operational precursor that could have led to a possible legal split if the handset business ultimately proved untenable.

RIM is “going to have to be much more open minded to the idea that Jim Balsillie was working on before he was ousted of opening their network to third parties,” said Eric Jackson, a hedge fund manager at Ironfire Capital in Toronto.

source: interaksyon.com

US military unveils mobile devices strategy

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military on Friday released a new strategy aimed at tapping the full potential of smartphones and other mobile devices while maintaining adequate security and reliability.

Details must still be worked out, but the policy lays the groundwork for big battles between Research in Motion, which makes the Pentagon’s most commonly used BlackBerry device, and competitors like Apple and Google.

The strategy aims to better coordinate an array of pilot programs and other initiatives already under way across the Department of Defense and the various military services.

Teri Takai, the Pentagon’s chief information officer, said the Pentagon hoped to leverage the technology of smartphones and other mobile device technologies to improve information sharing, collaboration and efficiencies across the military services and other Pentagon agencies.

Dennis Moran, a retired Army general and vice president for communications equipment maker Harris Corp, welcomed the new strategy and said it would help clarify the U.S. military’s approach to mobile devices.

“People have been calling for this for years,” said Moran, who once ran the White House Communications Agency. “It’s acknowledging that the world is moving toward mobility and the department’s got to move in that same direction,” he said.

The U.S. military already uses more than 250,000 BlackBerry devices built by Research In Motion, and has begun piloting the use of several thousand devices made by Apple or powered by Google’s Android software.

Takai said the new strategy would take advantage of existing technology, the ability to use or build custom applications, and a workforce increasingly comfortable with using smart phones and other devices.

“This strategy is not simply about embracing the newest technology – it is about keeping the DoD workforce relevant in an era when information and cyberspace play a critical role in mission success,” she said.

Most commercial devices do not have the level of security, access protocols and other security features required by the U.S. military.

RIM’s BlackBerry has long been the default device where security is key, but its dominance has been eroded in recent years as popular consumer devices such as Apple’s iPhone have their security credentials bolstered by third-party software.

The Pentagon remains RIM’s single biggest customer.

Fixmo Inc, one third party software provider, said the Pentagon had recently announced support for its first Android device – a Dell Streak running a hardened version of Android with Fixmo and Good Technology Inc providing security and ensuring compliance.

At the same time, RIM has moved to counter the threat to its market dominance, unveiling its Mobile Fusion product earlier this year that can manage rival devices as well as BlackBerry products. The Canadian company is planning to extend BlackBerry-like security to those devices later this year.

source: interaksyon.com